Final Draft Report available

After an extended period and significantly expanded scope, the final working draft of the South Shuswap Destination Trail Planning Framework is ready to hand off. View the report.

The South Shuswap Destination Trail Planning Framework is anchored to the Shuswap Regional Trails Strategy and the Area C/G Parks and Trails Master Plan, Secwépemc values and priorities, and emerging land management planning efforts. It provides further direction for several priorities including new local trails, the concept of a linked destination option, and overlapping active transportation priorities.

Background information

The purpose of the South Shuswap Destination Trail Planning Project is:

• to assess the feasibility and opportunities for growing the existing South Shuswap recreational trail system into an enhanced destination-tourism asset for the South Shuswap communities;

• to prepare a Destination Trails Planning Framework to guide future trail initiatives in the sub-region that includes an inventory of existing recreational access, recommendations for proposed trails, design parameters, projected costs, and potential for partnerships and implementation.

Access the presentation from the May 31 Open House.

What are Destination Trails?
Destination Trails are trails, trail systems, trail-based experiences, and associated infrastructure and amenities that connect to and compliment local communities, culture, and environments but also invite, welcome, and attract visitors.

What is the South Shuswap Destination Trail Plan Project?
CSRD Parks have engaged the Shuswap Trail Alliance to facilitate this planning initiative. It will build on the South Shuswap (CSRD Electoral Area C) Parks and Trails Master Plan, Shuswap Regional Trails Strategy, Shuswap Tourism Strategy, and Secwepemc planning to date.

Indigenous and Community Engagement:
Meetings with Secwepemc leadership indicated that future trail planning needs to take into consideration sacred areas, including the location of traditional medicinal plants. The Parks and Trails Master Plan also acknowledged implementation of future trails requires further study to understand environmental impacts. Social impacts on local communities are also an important consideration.

An initial phase of planning was completed in 2019 that included a review of destination trail trends, values, issues, and best practices, preliminary leadership consultations, field inventories, and an assessment of opportunities and challenges for improving both non-motorized and motorized recreational access management within Electoral Area C. Completion of Indigenous and community engagement was paused during the pandemic.

The completion of this phase of the South Shuswap Destination Trail Planning process will include:

• collaboration with CSRD Parks staff and Electoral Area C Parks Advisory, Shuswap Tourism, Secwepemc leadership, Provincial land management and the Shuswap Regional Trails Roundtable
• engagement with local communtiy trail stewards for field reviews, knowledge and planning
• integration with exisiting regional, provincial, and Secwepemc plans
• community consultation sessions
• inclusion of youth/student engagement session
• follow up with Secwepemc leadership, knowledge keepers, territorial staff, and Provincial land managers to establish protocol/process for ongoing planning and review
• preparation of a final framework report with recommendations and concept mapping
• identification of short-term priorities for further planning

Desired Outcomes:
This process will give us the information needed to guide future trail plans for the region. It will also give us a better idea of what resources will be required to make these trail projects a reality.

Implementation of the Strategy:
Implementation of the strategy is outside the scope of this project, however, and will rely on the collaborative efforts of community partners willing to assume responsibility as lead proponents and champions going forward.

While a priority focus of the planning to date has been on non-motorized modes of trail-based outdoor recreational travel (foot, bicycle, equestrian, snowshoe, backcountry ski, paddle) in keeping with the existing community parks and tourism planning priorities, an assessment of motorized Off Road Vehicles (ORV) in the recreational backcountry will be included with recommendations for improving recreational access management. Collaboration through the Shuswap Regional Trails Roundtable is a key to success.

The review will also assess the potential for enhanced overnight point-to-point community and semi-wilderness accommodation points within the South Shuswap sub-region.