Residents lay groundwork for permanent bike path in qathet

Willingdon Beach trail in Westview is a well used pathway for cyclists and walkers alike. However, many newcomers to the area and/or tourists are unaware that once they arrive at the end, the bike/walking path continues on into Townsite, on the other side of a logging road.

qathet residents and cyclists Will Van Delft and Leo Zagwin are on a mission to create a convenient, easy-to-ride bike path with signage that connects (lower) Westview and Townsite. A mid-level connector, which connects Brooks Secondary School to Powell River Recreation Complex, is already in the works and partially funded by a provincial active transportation grant, and is part of City of Powell River parks and trails master plan.

For the past few years, Van Delft and Zagwin have been laying the groundwork for their bike path plan, and hope the city and province will help fund the creation of a permanent cycle route with signs.

"Many cyclists already use this pathway in order to get to Townsite and beyond, however, many parts are steep," said Zagwin. "We are creating a more level and eventually wider pathway that will be accessible to everyone."

Zagwin and Van Delft said one important part of their plan they hope will be approved by the city is to have better signage. 

Currently, once one steps off the Willingdon trail there are no signs directing people where to go next. 

"We have seen cyclists going up the cut on Marine Avenue, which is dangerous," said Van Delft. "We want cyclists to know that there is a safer pathway to bike on."

Preparing path

Zagwin and Van Delft, along with a trail building group, the Chain Gang, have been clearing brush, roots, logs and levelling out a direct path, with the intent to eventually widen it and have it be accessible to all forms of active transportation, including mobility scooters.

Zagwin is from the Netherlands, where he said people have been creating active transportation routes since the 1950s. He has been riding his e-bike around the qathet region for many years now but believes there could be a lot of improvement. 

"Marine Avenue is considered a highway and so it doesn't have a designated bike lane, but something called a shoulder.” 

Active transportation 

Sunshine Coast Tourism has been working on a plan to connect Sechelt to Lund with a safe route for cyclists, pedestrians and people using scooters. Van Delft and Zagwin welcome this idea but think the plan, if it happens, will take too long.

"Our long-term plan is to continue to build a bike path all the way to Lund, if we can figure out a way around the Wildwood hill," said Van Delft. "We have a vision and we move at the speed of trust."

Meaning, they have been working with stakeholders strategically, and will approach the city this coming fall, when the Sustainable Official Community Plan is discussed again.

So far the Province of BC has funded six active transportation projects in the city, and has a cost-sharing program that helps communities build cycling projects that attract and support commuter and tourism cyclists.

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