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Hello Trail Users
Two weeks ago we emailed all mayoral and councillor candidates the questionnaire noted immediately below in italics print. 

The Squamish Trails Society executive feels it is important that our Trails Master Plan is used as an active process by Council and staff, namely establishing annual, specific and meaningful funding for trails construction and maintenance, similar to other Parks infrastructure such as the arena, the playing fields and parks. You'll note there are several candidates' commenting about distinguishing trails from commuter/bike lane infrastructure in funding each.

Following the letter are the candidates' replies, listed alphabetically, starting with the mayoral candidates' responses and then the councillors' replies. 

Please review in the light of helping you make your November 19th candidate selections.

Sincerely
Bob Brant
Squamish Trails Society

Our letter to candidates:
Hello
Thank you for running for Council.  We appreciate your passion for community and desire to make it better.

Trails are an important part of Squamish.  They are in fact, a key attractant for new (family) residents to our community.  Trails can be considered the most democratic of our parks amenities, as they need no special equipment to use them - they're accessible to all.  And yet trails have no consistent, meaningful funding year-to-year as do playing fields and the arena. 

The District recently adopted a Trails Master Plan.  http://www.squamish.ca/news/district-squamish-adopts-trails-master-plan
One of its purposes is to establish a funding plan for trail development and maintenance.  It is on this issue we seek to learn of your position.

To give you a point of reference for budgeting, two years ago the Carpenter's Son Bridge had to be replaced (it is a critical crossing for the Test of Metal).  The 'retail' cost of that replacement was in the order of $80,000, because it was a bridge and had to be vetted through an engineering process.  We suggest an annual trail budget be in line to handle such costs.  Squamish will always benefit from incredible volunteer and civic contributions to provide cost benefits to this type of situation.  However, the volunteers cannot handle the volume and expense needed to maintain and grow our trails system.  District funding is needed.

• Will you support dedicated and meaningful funding for the trail maintenance and construction for each year of your 3 years term?
• Comment
  
• If no, please explain your position
  
• What would you suggest as a suitable budget for trail maintenance and construction
  
• Should it be a set amount?   $100,000 annually   $200,000 annually
  
  • Or, should it be a certain % of the overall municipal budget?  Or of the overall parks budget?
    
• Will you take immediate steps to ensure that grant money is sought for the above? (To ideally match the District trails budget.)
  
• How will you ensure this?
  

Please reply to info@squamishtrails.ca by Saturday, November 12th.

We thank you in advance for taking time to consider and respond to this community issue.  We will circulate your position to our membership.

                                                        CANDIDATE REPLIES

Ron Bahm - Mayoral Candidate (Note:  Ron has withdrawn his candidacy, Nov.15th)
Yes I would support dedicated and meaning full funding for all groups.I would hold the funding at its current levels and provide one third of any new tax base increases dedicated for trails ect .If called upon I will fund raise for special projects from local business when our local economy recovers .To get to that level the voters of Squamish need to send a clear mesage to the development and investment comunity that we are willing to do business in a fair and reasonable manner.  Give Squamish the transfusion it needs to to recover vote for all new blood.
I have no knowledge of your existing budget or of any plans you have for the future so I cannot put a figure to your question. A percentage of any new tax base is the way to go, this way as the city grows so does the budget you have to work with. Hopefully there will be less opposition to structured growth if more people benefit from it.
There should be at least a basic maintenance budget for regular care and as the trails increase so should the budget. I don't have enough knowledge of the scope of work to put a value to it . Application for funding of Specifically planned projects could be presented on an as needed basis.
I was under the impression we have a grant writer on staff already, if this is not so I will ask council and staff to support the hiring of a qualified grant writer.

Rob Kirkham - Mayoral Candidate

Trails are such a vital attribute of our community,including off road and the neighbourhood connectivity and safe routes to school.

1. I do support dedicated and meaningful funding for trail maintenance and construction each year of the next three years.

2. I would suggest that a suitable budget would have to fit into the overall budget to account for the essencial services and increases known such as RCMP going up one million because of the new census. We also need to respect the tax payer to ensure no dramatic tax increases. Having said that I know that there was a recommendation of $100,000 but I could go with more or less and would rather base it upon a work plan that was developed in conjuntion with groups like yours and SORCA and SDBA and properly costed and fit into a long term priorized plan for trails maintenance and construction.

3.I believe that the Distict is responsible to ensure that we do not miss any and all grant opportunites that would match our needs or development plans in the district. The way to ensure this is to have one individual that has the expertice in grant writing on staff responsible. Most of the the grant opportunities are available for capital projects rather than maintence. But a significant form of granting is for the District to provide dollars to match and support the huge volunteer efforts in this area in Squamish


Auli Parviainen - Mayoral Candidate
Please see my answers below and do let me know if you need any clarification.
Will you support dedicated and meaningful funding for the trail maintenance and construction for each year of your 3 years term?
Absolutely. I feel that trail maintenance and construction should be considered as infrastructure and be included as budgetary item annually both for operational/maintenance expenses as well as capital expenditures. The funding needs to follow carefully along the master plan and be guaranteed for several years or long-term commitment.The Trail Master Plan guides our long-term vision for building this infrastructure but it quickly becomes it it is not operationally executed. Whilst we certainly have budgetary constraints, I believe that trail building will bring benefits to our community in the form of new residents and businesses seeking to actively to engage in a recreationally based lifestyle. Funding is a question of priorities and in my view, diverse trail development is needed for our future. We could also look at creating private/public partnerships to allow for tourism infrastructure options while working on our recreational infrastructure.We need to look at including specific amenities in development projects to allocate funds for trail building and maintenance on an on-going basis.

As  per the Master Plan, we need to differentiate the needs of various trail users while building the locations and spaces for commuter trails and extreme sport alike.

What would you suggest as a suitable budget for trail maintenance and construction
Should it be a set amount?   $100,000 annually  $200,000 annually

I do believe that we need to have a specific budget allocation determined on a long-term basis to allow for consistency and stability in the adoption of the Trails Master Plan. As to what that number is I couldn't commit to     until we are in the budgetary process. I think the questions would be more what you need and why rather than arbitrarily committing to a number at this stage. First and foremost, there must be an allocation for operational and capital expenses separately so that we can move forward in the execution of the Master Plan and don't get lulled into a belief that mere maintenance is going to get our trail facilities producing value in the long-term. Again, I feel this is an investment in our infrastructure so it should be considered in that expense category in the same way as we think of water and sewage treatment for instance. it may seem radical to some, however, good community building includes more than just very basic needs.
           
Or, should it be a certain % of the overall municipal budget?  Or of the overall parks budget?
A percentage of the municipal budget is worthwhile considering as it would allow for some long-term stability. I do think that we need to look at all of our recreational infrastructure as a whole so my thought would be to integrate trails as part of the overall recreational investment. Cohesive and integrated planning for this area is essential as that is the only way we can begin to gain value for our investment. I would use the analogy of building a road and not planning properly for the bridge that needs to get built in between 2 trailheads, which then never connect. In an effort to maximize value from our investment we need to plan it and ensure that all recreational infrastructure is considered and moving along annually rather than focusing on just one area each year.
Will you take immediate steps to ensure that grant money is sought for the above? (To ideally match the District trails budget.)
Of course! Not only should we be looking at grant money but also dedicated on-going sources of funding such as the event user fees, public/private partnerships etc. We must have dedicated sources of funding for trails and it is critical that funds collected towards this purpose stay firmly in that realm rather than in general revenue. For grant applications this is not an issue as those are for specific use.
How will you ensure this?
We need to dedicate some effort to this area, which is likely a staff resource. It pays to pay for the grant writing if the potential return is there. We have some existing resources within the District already and could conceivably reallocate resources to this purpose. Suffice it to say, I would designate this specifically to a person or organization with a mandate and resource it accordingly. I am sure you and many others have many ideas in this and other areas and I would like to take advantage of that knowledge to move us forward.

In terms of overall trail issues, I am committed to working hand-in-hand with all the community organizations and creating a cohesive and executable plan with resources in place for it. I believe there is large amount of expertise within our community and we need not reinvent the wheel every time but rather trying to squeeze value out of limited budgets. As the District, we need to provide the resources and fertile ground for community organizations to push forward. I do believe that you need to have a dedicated resource within the district as well to act as the advocate for this area and allow for direct and instant communication when a change in plan is needed. All of this goes to communication and ensuring that on-going feedback is provided both ways.
Thanks kindly,
Auli Parviainen <mayor@auli.ca>


Eric Andersen - Councillor Candidate
Will you support dedicated and meaningful funding for the trail maintenance and construction for each year of your 3 years term?
Yes, with two observations:
(a) It is important to distinguish "commuter trails" from "recreational trails", although there are often overlapping uses. I believe they are BOTH part of "infrastructure". However, "commuter trails" must be prioritized. The work awaiting to be done on "commuter trails" alone amounts well over $100,00 per year in the next few years, in my opinion.
 
(b) We must look after the trails we build! Protection and maintenance of existing trail investments should be prioritized.
 
What would you suggest as a suitable budget for trail maintenance and construction
Should it be a set amount?   $100,000 annually   $200,000 annually
I do not, at this time, favour a set amount. (Perhaps it should be more than the amounts suggested here. I do not know. I would await a budget propsal to review.) However, consider the following recommendation from the 2031 Multi-Modal Transportation Plan: "PEDESTRIAN ROUTES - ONGOING - #4 Consider an annual allowance of $100,000 in the Capital Budget for the development and improvement of pedestrian routes..." I can support this recommendation for addressing "commuter trails" - but not a set amount for "recreational trails". The tasks awaiting in addressing "commuter trails" alone is very large, in my opinion.
Or, should it be a certain % of the overall municipal budget?  No. Or of the overall parks budget? No. I do not consider trails infrastructure to be solely of interest to Parks & Recreation.
Will you take immediate steps to ensure that grant money is sought for the above? (To ideally match the District trails budget.)
How will you ensure this?
Yes, sure. But I would also take the same approach for Economic Development and Arts & Culture project and program funding.


Balvinder Biring - Council Candidate
Will you support dedicated and meaningful funding for the trail maintenance and construction for each year of your 3 years term?
Yes, I will support the dedicated funding for the trail maintenance. Being a professional forester it is very important for me to make the sure the trails are well maintained to ensure peoples safety. One of my key goals in the platform is "Recreation and Tourism". For further information, please visit my website: www.balvinderbiring.com.
What would you suggest as a suitable budget for trail maintenance and construction
Should it be a set amount?   $100,000 annually  $200,000 annually
Or, should it be a certain % of the overall municipal budget?  Or of the overall parks budget?
It is very important for me to know the financial picture of the district prior to making a decision. What are the options available to us, and, then, selecting the best best option to meet our needs.   
Will you take immediate steps to ensure that grant money is sought for the above?
Yes, I will make sure that grant money is sought for maintenance of trails. It is the important ingredient to maintain our claim as the "outdoor adventure capital of Canada".
How will you ensure this? I will in collaboration with Squamish Trail Society and provide them an opportunity to be heard to seek their input and advise to use our funds efficiently.
Thank you for providing me this opportunity.
Balvinder Biring, Council candidate
604-848-4791 
 

Susan Chapelle - Council Candidate
Having moved to this community originally for climbing and now living here for biking and trails, I am a huge supporter and advocate for accessible trails, for all users, including commuting trails. For any group, not knowing what budget you have on a yearly basis makes it impossible to plan. As such it is essential to have consistent and reliable financing from the district.  This should be in part supported by the district, and supplemented through granting. Trails are the core of our recreation infrastructure. So much can be done to improve signage, connectivity, and access. Our volunteer resources have been tapped. It is an essential part of why people are living here, and as you say, we cannot rely on volunteer hours for such hard and dedicated work.  I cannot address the amount as yet, not having been privy to district financing and knowing our infrastructure is in such poor condition with no reliable large tax base. I also know that the amount I would pick would most likely not be supported by others that may not use our resources as much as I do. I would advocate that putting district funding back into one of our most important assets is essential.  I feel that user groups should be putting into the pot as well, any persons using our trails for commercial gain should have a fee to put into maintenance, or trail work in lieu. 

Having raced 2 wheeled objects since 17, climbed for 20 years, and being a huge advocate for accessibility, I am your candidate for advocating the importance of trails in our community.  As our tax base grows, so should the money put into our trail infrastructure. 

I hope to work together with you in the future to protect and better the amazing resources we have in our town.


Jeff Cooke - Council Candidate
Here are my replies.
Will you support dedicated and meaningful funding for the trail maintenance and construction for each year of your 3 years term?
I will. The number on recommendation of the trails master plan calls for a commitment to trails and we need to deliver.  I believe trails are an integral part of our infrastructure and also of our marketing plan to increase tourism and attract new residents and new businesses.

What would you suggest as a suitable budget for trail maintenance and construction
It will depend a bit on what we find when we look deeply into the books, but an investment of 50K in the fist year and 75K in subsequent years would be reasonable. That funding could increase if we, in co-operation with the trails society, could pursue grants, sponsorship opportunities, and developer contributions. The trail enhancements proposed by the Sea to Sky Gondola proponents are a good example of this.

Will you take immediate steps to ensure that grant money is sought for the above? (To ideally match the District trails budget.)
How will you ensure this?
Yes. I would push for grant and sponsor opportunities. I would think a passionate group of volunteers would be the best drivers of this process. I would direct district staff to support these efforts, contributing in ways relevant to each project. This could mean engineering, planning, or coordination help if required.

Thanks for your questions and your dedication to our trails.
Jeff Cooke
www.cookeforcouncil.ca
http://www.facebook.com/CookeforCouncil

Geoff Dyer - Council Candidate

Reply just received:  Nov. 15th
 
I certainly support the Squamish Trails Master Plan and agree that meaningful funding is required for maintenance and enhancement of the trails.  The big question is how much and where should the funding come from.  At this point I cannot commit to a set amount of funding from the District until I review the status of the budget.  I understand that there is substantial debt associated with the OceanFront Lands and that this debt is hurting funding in all other areas.
 
To start with, the District should aggressively go after whatever grants are available.  Once the funding commitments associated with the grants are known, a decision could be made on additional funding commitments from the District.  I don't know what these numbers will be.
 
I stress that I understand that the trail network is an essential component for quality of life of residents and for tourism.  Ultimately, I would want to see the District provide substantial funding to trail maintenace and enhancement.
 
Yours sincerely
 Geoff Dyer
604-898-3974
dyer4council.com

Uffe Hansen - Councilor Candidate
Iam a big believer in the volunteers and the contribution they make to our district. I myself was a volunteer fireman for over 40 years so I do understand what it takes. My family and I use some of the trails almost daily. The trails should come under the Parks budget but how much depends on being able to build a tax base so taxes do not have to be raised. That is my main concern.   Uffe Hansen


Patricia Heintzman - Councilor Candidate - Incumbent
•  Will you support dedicated and meaningful funding for the trail maintenance and construction for each year of your 3 years term?
Yes, and yes. Everything has to be evaluated against other budget demands and priorities, but for me, trails have been under funded. Commuter trails need to be viewed as an integral piece of our infrastructure, like roads (including bike lanes), water pipes, dykes etc. Trails infrastructure funding should be a separate line item in the budget so its easy to determine. And specific capital projects should be clearly planned for so it's clear where the monies will be spent every year. A sustainable funding source like Gas Tax monies can be used for capital items and matching grants must be pursued for every project. The trails master plan is a starting point for funding the rest of the trail network. I'd like to find a mechanism (or develop a policy) to match funds raised by community groups and further leverage and support our volunteer force. For example, SORCA's trail pass program raised $14,000 in 2011. We could create a policy that would encourage other user groups to raise funds through these types of programs and we would match them. This would have to be managed and likely a cap set on the entire amount the policy might influence. This would be outside of the grant in aid process...this is all simply the starting point of a discussion to begin to value our volunteer force and leverage their initative. Specific budget allocation for maintenance needs to be identified as a separate line item in the operating budget as well.

• What would you suggest as a suitable budget for trail maintenance and construction
There should be a base funding level every year in the operating budget for maintenance and upgrading. I suspect that could be between $50,000-100,000. Real thought and analysis (in consideration and with input from user groups, planning policyes/docs etc) needs to inform what is the required amount every year. Capital budget must be determined every year through a specific trails capital plan. This amount could change yearly depending on the planned project and emergency issue [ie Carpenter's Son's Bridge]

◦  Should it be a set amount?
I'd like to set operational budget amounts and capital budget amounts. Operationally, between $50,000 and $100,000 is reasonable to start but should be evaluated annually. Some of our trails are in poor shape so we may want to consider a kick start in the next 2 years with additional funds.
◦
Or, should it be a certain % of the overall municipal budget?  Or of the overall parks budget?
No, Creating a % of a budget is not a very responsible or strategic way of determining budget and need in my opinion.

• Will you take immediate steps to ensure that grant money is sought for the above? (To ideally match the District trails budget.)
We have typically underperformed on receiving grants...I believe we are significantly below provincial average for our sized city. Trails grant funding must be proactively sought and done in partnership and with input from community partners, organizations etc. to be successful.

• How will you ensure this?
Grant writing needs to be the focus or responsibility of one individual staff member. They might not write every grant but they need to be driving the processes. I will put forward to council a motion to direct staff present a strategic grant acquisition program and proposal in concert with every capital budget items and other relevant grant opportunities.

Brad Hodge - Council Candidate

Reply just received: November 15th

Q1: Yes, I will support meaningful funding.  I would definitely support permanent funding for the first three categories identified in the Trails Master Plan (Primary/Corridor, Area/Collector & Neighbourhood)      On the more outlying trails (ie. those that are considered purely recreational) I would be willing to work with the Trails Society and other groups to establish some permanent fundraisers to support these activities, and will always be willing to lend a hand to that end.  One idea I tossed around (just as a starter) was seeing if the big three grocers in town (and perhaps Walmart) might be willing to partner with us and create a permanent donation system that residents could conveniently pay into, a dollar here, two dollars there at a time, with funds specifically earmarked towards trails and other causes on some sort of percentage basis.  Definitely needs to be thought through more, but really the issue boils down to raising revenue from an already stressed tax base, so we need to be creative.  Perhaps we could also approach developers and strata councils who build/own property adjacent to trails and benefit from enhanced property values as a result.  A small, reasonable amount.  All of these efforts together could significantly enhance funding.
 
Q2: To be honest, I don’t have an exact answer.  I would prefer the experts involved in trails maintenance came to the District with a specific funding request.  We could then figure out what resources the District had directly available and plot joint strategies to fundraise for the rest.   I think a percentage of the budget could then be established and committed to.
 
Q3: Yes, I think it is essential to seek revenue from all possible sources, as I mentioned above and from other levels of government where possible.  The effort must be immediate and sustained.
 
Q4: The same way I intend to push for affordable housing.  Be persistent about it with Council and raise it at every opportunity.  But we need your help also – Council has many needs to balance and sometimes things drop off the table.  The Trails Society and other groups should maintain constant pressure and come forward with ideas.
Brad

Mike Jenson - Councilor Candidate
I support the Outdoor Recreation brand for Squamish. Trails are an important component of that brand. Our OCP incorporates trails in our overall principles. I agree with the recently adopted Trails Master Plan. I like our Vision Statement “Squamish will have a comprehensive network of sustainable multi-use trails that will be valued as one of Squamish primary assets.” As a trail user and community member, trails provide recreation as well as connecting our community. I use the trails, mainly as a cyclist. I volunteer as a Trails Society Brush Back Brigade member maintaining trails. Besides, the social value, trails have an economic value. As I said in the beginning, we are the Outdoor Capital, therefore, we must support the brand financially.

When on Council, in 2006, I supported the new position of Trails Co-ordinator and an operating budget. We supported that position with the means to be effective. I continue to support that position. As a Brush Back member, I appreciate the need for a liaison between the District and our volunteers. It is so much more effective to have a member of the District staff do the leg work with grant applications, land owners, other District departments and the public so we can do our task of maintaining the trails.

The Trails Master Plan has Recommendations and an Implementation Strategy with seven phases. In terms of a commitment, I will fully commit to the continuation and completion of this plan. As to a financial commitment, be it an annual amount or a percentage of the budget, the amount remains to be determined. I will continue to support the funding for the Trails Co-ordinator. I will support the resources to continue with Trails Master Plan. The plan is well thought out and comprehensive. There will be funding as the community supports trails. Current Council supported this plan because it is a good plan and the community supports it. I will support this plan because it is a good plan and the community supports it. 

As to grant funding, it is a priority with the high cost of infrastructure. Our Trails Co-ordinator has had much success with grants. This must be encouraged. Matching grants makes good economic sense. I support the concept of matching dollar for dollar whether the source is from grants, fund raising or donations.

In summary, the next Council must continue with the Trails Master Plan for Squamish.

For more information, please visit my web site www.mikejenson.ca.or email me at mikejenson@shaw.ca.


Peter Kent - Councilor Candidate
Will you support dedicated and meaningful funding for the trail maintenance and construction for each year of your 3 years term?
Yes, I will.  Biking and walking in Squamish are some of our greatest experiences and draws tourism from far and wide.  I am avid trail walker myself and fully understand the amount of work it takes to maintain and service these features.

What would you suggest as a suitable budget for trail maintenance and construction
 Yes, with a percentage of the parks budget added. 
 
Will you take immediate steps to ensure that grant money is sought for the above? (To ideally match the District trails budget.)
I am not deeply familiar with the funding processes as yet.  Not being privy to them, but would look to those in the community who have experience reaching out to the grant agencies as soon as possible after getting into office.


Debra McBride - Councilor Candidate
Yes.  Trails are used for people commuting to work, school, events and for enjoyment. I would hope the last 3 years have seen an improvement for those who use them regularly. Trails alleviate use of motorized vehicles and thus improve air quality.  Air quality is further improved when trails are used by commuters thru forests and trees are preserved.
I would consider this necessary, $200,000 as it is not only for events it is for commuters.
Trail users with their own energy as alternate energy and that's the best one can do! Trails have little impact compared to pavement and installing pavement is to cater to an unsustainable energy source. Hopefully we can employ people locally so they will be able to work in ways that restore our natural resources thru protection of the waterfront and use peddle power! Our estuary is not only a draw for its beauty it is also a source of employment in research, restoration, food sources and a climate perfect for greenhouses, the film industry and recreation for all ages and abilities. Third Avenue has as many wonders to discover as any area and I have the photos to prove it, much to my delight and within a few steps of downtown.
This is an interesting question and I hope the feeling of intrusion because trails cross private property can be alleviated by sheltering and      providing for those who are in unfortunate circumstances so they will not have to resort to forest living, or using trails as a way to access homes to steal.
Any grant money available should be applied for and matched by the District.
There is always a surplus at year end.  It is important to fund first and fully grants in aid.  I would consider the Trails Society proposals necessary and fund them so we can adapt and survive.    $200,000 is only about 3 projects.  Where water crossings are involved there should be matching funds from DFO.  BC hydro has cut back on projects, but has also been able to fund projects river bank stabilization which could be combined with stabilizing a trail.  Education projects also have funding available and if interested in organizing tours, there could be funds available for mapping and developing trail areas.  Even the universities may have funds or volunteers for the paperwork involved with projects developing trails for students to commute to school on trails.  The more I think about it the more ideas I have to assist the community in adapting to commuting without cars and finding enjoyment on trails.  Hope some of my ideas are useful.Sincerely
Deb McBride
Candidate for Squamish Council
and the SLRD Board of Directors position


Larry McClennan - Councilor Candidate
My focus is on the efficient fiscal management of municipal funds. Before I commit to any funding I would require a breakdown of the particular request to see haw to incorporate it into the budget. I have no problem supporting funding for trail infrastructure and maintenance but I wouldn't pander to any particular group requesting funding without seeing how the request would fit into the overall municipal budget and priorozing accordingly.
I would not commit to any substantial fixed fund.

Ted Prior - Council Candidate
Yes, trails are an amenity.  We should have our youth working on trail maintenance as summer jobs.   Our connector trails are a lineal park, most communities embrace this concept.  I think a % of the district parks and recreation budget is most likely the way to go.   This is for the linkage trails on district property.   I would like to see a resource person at the district looking for grants of all types at all times. 

Doug Race - Councilor Candidate - Incumbent
 Let me first make some general comments and then I will answer the questions separately. Funding for trails was raised at the last election and I recall the question from Shawn Gosnell about applying  a set 10% of the annual paving budget (historically about $1 million is spent annually on paving, road repairs, etc.) to trails. I told him at the SORCA all candidates meeting that I could not commit to a set amount as funding decisions are very difficult and we have to look at all community needs but that I was sympathetic to the improvement of our trail system. I am also a user of trails. In the following year we spent close to $1 million on trails alone. That included monies spent on the Corridor Trail which were funded largely from Gas Tax money received from the federal government but included approximately $250,000 which came from our operations budget to build the Government Road bike lanes. In the year after that, in addition to the money spent on the Carpenter’s Son bridge, we budgeted another $250,000 on the bike lanes project because an anticipated provincial grant did not materialize. In addition to that, we continue to fund a Trails Coordinator and some monies have been included in the Operations Department budget for maintenance of trails. 
                I think part of the misconception that there is little or no funding for trails is because of the different perceptions of what “trails” actually are. From the District’s point of view, the priority since I  have been on Council has been “commuter” trails. The Corridor Trail and  the Government Road bike lanes are examples.  They are priorities, I think, because they represent alternative forms of transportation to motor vehicles and alternatives to travelling on the portions of roads used by vehicles. Such alternatives have been an oft repeated and consistent community desire. One of the highest priorities of the current Council  is “Safe Routes to Schools”.  That will involve constructing connections with existing trails and sidewalks to provide children routes to schools without going on the travelled portions of roads. That will come forward in the next round of budget discussions. The priorities have not included some of the more remote bike or running trails that we use that are purely recreational. Another difficulty with trails funding is that it is problematic for a municipal government to spend taxpayer dollars on any facilities (trails being one example) that are outside our municipal boundaries or that are on private property without some security of tenure from the property owner. Many of our commonly used recreational trails fall into one or the other of those categories.
                My final comment on this is that the  efforts of the volunteers in the community in building and maintaining trails is well recognized. I have personally been involved in aspects of that in the past. I don’t think we will ever get to the point where volunteer effort is not needed. If you look at any other sport or recreational activity in our community, there is always a large volunteer component to make it work. There simply are not enough public funds available anywhere to ever get to a point where it would not be needed.
 So in answer to the three questions:
1. Keeping in mind the comments above, yes I do support funding for trail construction and maintenance.
 2. I  could not commit to a specific amount or percentage. Given our recent history, as set out above, that may at times even limit funds being spent on trails. I am very much in favour of a strong and extensive trail network in our community but budget decisions have to be considered each year in light of all other community priorities.
 3. District staff are already tuned in to the opportunity of grants for all sorts of infrastructure projects. They have a clear direction from Council to take advantage of grant opportunities whenever possible. We have staff members who are experienced in writing grant applications. I would want that to continue. The opportunity for matching grants to leverage District funds is always attractive. Thanks for  opportunity to discuss this.  Doug Race


Bryan Raiser - Councilor Candidate - incumbent
I have been on the front lines of trail advocacy in Squamish for well over 13 years now. For the last three years as a councilor I continually strove to educate staff and council members who were unclear on the many different definitions of “trail” and why they are important as economic and recreation infrastructure.
Sadly, the trail maintenance crew budget line was not just reduced it was completely axed for three years in a row (actually it has been axed every year since it was suggested as a budget line)
This was especially upsetting since we created a trail master plan (which I’m very, very proud of) yet the first budget council votes against one of it’s most important recommendations and that is to do trail maintenance. This is why I’m very glad you are taking the time to ask these questions.
So, to answer your great questions:
Will you support dedicated and meaningful funding for the trail maintenance and construction for each year of your 3 years term?
Always have - always will

What would you suggest as a suitable budget for trail maintenance and construction
Like all budget items it is always haggled with when it comes down to the actual budget discussions. I like the idea of 50,000 for maintenance and 50,000 for capital. Of course I am also a very big fan of matching dollars from groups. Recently I brought forward a motion that council match the funding raised by SORCA’s great trail pass initiative – that was defeated.

 Will you take immediate steps to ensure that grant money is sought for the above? (To ideally match the District trails budget.)
I lobbied very hard to get a grant writer and we did to great success. However this was only recently but historically we have been less than stellar at getting the many grants available to trails. This is on the radar now and is absolutely essential.


Ron Sander - Councilor Candidate
Will you support dedicated and meaningful funding for the trail maintenance and construction for each year of your 3 years term?
I support funding for the trails. I am concerned that given the tremendous financial drain the District faces with losses at the Adventure Centre and the $8 million debt at the SODC, funding for any of our amenities and services will be dramatically affected.
What would you suggest as a suitable budget for trail maintenance and construction
It is impossible to set an actual budget until the financial picture is clear, I support setting a target. In addition, I also support the concept of giving “matching funds” to user groups and letting the experts administer the projects, rather than using part of the funds for Municipal administration
Will you take immediate steps to ensure that grant money is sought for the above? (To ideally match the District trails budget.)
Employing a grant writer in the municipal staff is a key to significant funding opportunities from both the Federal and Provincial Governments. Given the Premier’s recent announcement of $30 million in recreational funding, has your group approach the Current Council on any specific grant funding under this program? {Yes, in the past - through District Trails Coordinator and Engineering.  Not aware of the grant you mention, but should be looked into. - Bob}
I honestly believe the trail system is a vital and significant asset in Squamish. The encouragement of healthy lifestyle, recreation and competition are all key drivers in our communities future. I understand your desire for commitment and clarity from potential future Council members, and I wish I could be more specific on the funding numbers, but this community is facing a financial time bomb with the SODC debt, and until this gets properly resolved I cannot make promises that I can’t stand behind.


Rob Weys - Councilor Candidate
Being a resident of Squamish for over a decade and a mountain biker since the early 90's, my family and I have enjoyed and benefited from the trail system in Squamish.  I will support dedicated funding for trail maintenance and construction, if elected or not, as I believe the trail system adds to the economy and enjoyment of the community.

A percentage of the park budget should be allocated to trails, as they fall into this category.  As Squamish grows and develops, I would like to have more negotiated amenities added to developments.  So, as the budget for parks increased, so will the percentage for trails.

If given the opportunity to be part of Squamish Council I would look for ways to bring forward grants and proposals for trail support in council meetings.
 

Last changed: Feb 05 2012