Three Conservative MLAs will be exploring the Cariboo on one of the region’s iconic trails, in one of its unique ways.
MLAs Lorne Doerkson, Teresa Wat, and Ward Stamer, as well as several Cariboo Regional Directors (CRD), will be going up the Gold Rush Snowmobile Trail with Mark Redl and guides of the 108 ATV Club this weekend.
Redl says the MLAs will be going up in three different groups on Thursday, August 14; Friday, August 15; and Saturday, August 16.
He hopes that having MLAs Wat and Stamer, the Tourism Critic and Critic For Forests respectively, will be able to see the Cariboo Countryside in one of it’s more special ways.
“We want them to see that ATV and ORV tourism is a great thing, and that it can really expand our tourism in this area,” Redl says. “We want the same rights as other areas in the province, and in our country, that will be able to bring more tourism into 100 Mile House.”
“I don’t think there is a business in town that won’t benefit from the added tourism, which will have more people using our hotels, restaurants, fuel stations, and other tourism businesses.”
Redl says the other motive to have the CRD Directors with the MLAs is to show the work that has already been done alongside tourism clubs and businesses to revitalize the trails and paths in the Cariboo Region. But, to also show the work that still needs to be done.
“Having these trails will also help forest fire fighting,” Redl points out. “We’re advocating shared trails, shared tourism, we’re just trying to help our communities survive, really…There are trails all over the province, but especially in the Cariboo that are being deactivated, we just don’t know why, and we want to figure that out.”
The Gold Rush Snowmobile Trail runs from Clinton all the way up to Barkerville, some 460 kilometres long, and takes multiple days to travel. However, the MLAs will not be taking the full journey up the Cariboo Countryside.
The MLA groups will only be doing a 25-kilometre trail ride starting at the 100 Mile Snowmobile Clubhouse, and going up some Forest Service Roads before connecting to some of the trails in that area. Redl says the plan is to take the MLAs to “really experience” the unique way ATV tourism can explore the region. He hopes to show the MLAs some of the lakes, meadows, and viewpoints that someone can’t get to experience any other way than on these trails.
“We also want to show how much of a hub 100 Mile House actually is, and could be. We can go North, South, East, and West across the Interior, and work with some great stakeholders in the First Nations. We’d love to be able to develop more trails, looping trails that can connect with the First Nations communities in the Interior. But we need more people to see that potential and need. Tourism is all about experiencing, education, and connecting with our own nature.”
