The Shuswap Hut-To-Hut Trail Circuit and Waterway Initiative;
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The Shuswap Hut-to-Hut Trail and Waterway Initiative Phase 1 Report Preliminary Concept Development November 20, 2006 DRAFT Prepared by: Phil McIntyre-Paul Project Research and Consultation Assistance by: Jeremy Ayotte, Graham Casselman, Ivan Casselman, Jim Maybee, Steven Patterson, and Lori Schneider Wood Consultation and Route Plotting: John Coffey Proponent Sponsor: Dave Andrews, Community Futures Development Corporation of the Shuswap With funding assistance from: Western Economic Diversification Canada and the Columbia Shuswap Regional District Area E Economic Opportunities Fund Shuswap Hut-to-Hut Trail Circuit and Waterways Initiative Phase 1 Concept Development – Updated: November 20, 2006 1 Prepared by: Phil McIntyre-Paul (250-804-1964/[email protected]) Acknowledgements Pilgrims were people wondering, wondering. Whom shall I meet now? (Anne Carson, 2000, p. 133) This report is the result of 24 months of hard work and cooperation from a remarkable group of people who in themselves model the very best of what the Shuswap Hut-to-Hut Trail and Waterway concept envisions. If every trail tells a story, and the richness of a trail is in the experiences it guides us to, then the journey of friendships, dreams, disappointments and rediscovery, of natural wonders, and fine people met along the way are the true measures of its value. To everyone who has contributed to this pilgrimage into the landscape – a journey reflected in this report with plenty of untraveled trail ahead – thank you. You are the local geniuses of landscape that writer and naturalist, Barry Lopez, speaks of. (2004, p. 84) You are the “people in whom geography thrives.” Phil McIntyre-Paul Salmon Arm, British Columbia November 20, 2006 Special acknowledgement must go to the members of the original SH2H ad hoc Steering cluster, our regional community and economic development leaders, local trail advocates, the Shuswap Hut and Trail Alliance board and founding members, and all those who have found themselves “tricked” from the trail into boardrooms and meetings and road journeys to places away from the hills on behalf of the project: Dave Andrews Robyn Cyr Nicholas Mitra Andreas Artz Chad Eliason Estelle Noakes Jeremy Ayotte Don Elzer Steven Patterson Shirley Bates Norm Embree Tom Peasgood Roger Beardmore Doreen Favel Laura Rae Janet Beltz Gwyneth Gau Brian Sansom Adelheid Bender Paul Heckendorn Greg Scharf Brad Case Leo Lenglet Lori Schneider Wood Graham Casselman Sharon Jules Clint Smith Ivan Casselman Carmen Massey Colette St Amour John Coffey Jim Maybee Louis Thomas Jim Cooperman Greg McCune Wayne Truax Barb Craven Joan Mitchell Leah Whitehead Shuswap Hut-to-Hut Trail Circuit and Waterways Initiative Phase 1 Concept Development – Updated: November 20, 2006 2 Prepared by: Phil McIntyre-Paul (250-804-1964/[email protected]) In addition, the following good folks have provided wise council both on and off the trail: The Honourable George Abbot MLA, Blair Acton, Tim Adam, Chief Art Anthony, Dorothy Argent, Mel Arnold, Neil Babiy, Ted Bacigalupo, Joyce Balestra, Carl Bannister, David Baxter, Deb Bischoff, Jay Boppre, Art and Annette Borkent, Tom Brighouse, Joan Bristow, Claudette & Jack Carlsen, Steve Carr, Blaine Carson, Neil Christiansen, Kory Conwright, Nancy Cooper, Jim Cooperman, Tom Crowley, Jean Day, John Delay, Denis Delisle, Olive Dodd, John Evdocimoff, Steve and Sharon Fabro, John Glaspie, Ken Gibson, Bill Grainger, Caroline Grover, Jim Hall, Carol Harder, Connie Harris, Brenda Hartley, Jon Heska, Greg Hislop, Nick and Ali Holmes Smith, Gordon Holmstrom, Rob Hood, Pat Hutchins, Steve Hyam, Gary Kalloch, Laurie Kerr, Casey Lawrence, Doug Leatherdale, Chief Nelson Leon, Tony Lewis, Estelle Noakes, Terry MacDonald, Rhona Martin, Dave Maxwell, Colin Mayes M.P., Dean McKinley, Kathy McIntyre-Paul, Ben and Jake McIntyre-Paul, Cathy McPherson, Ray Mills, Don Mitchell, the North Shuswap Naturalists, Cathie Pain, Andrew Paul, Russell Popham, Victor & Lavina Pukas, Jennifer Pring, Don Reed, Robin Reid, John Rivette, Ron Routledge, Kim Sinclair, Fred Thiessen, Dr. Mary Thomas, the Thursday Morning Geezers and the Thursday Night Debate Society, Gordon Tichner, Gilles Valade, Phil Wallensteen, Ken Whitehead, Ron Wiens, Lynda Wilson. The work of Don Elzer and the Adventure Okanagan Cooperative/Bearfoot Canada must be given special recognition. Their commitment to a vision of local rural communities, tourism, ecological education, and environmentally sustainable wilderness travel practices launched an audacious vision into the commercial land tenure world of outdoor recreational tourism in the Province of British Columbia – to create a Southern Interior Trail Council Alliance and trail system that would span the Okanagan Shuswap highlands from Osoyoos to Sicamous – the 5 Rings Trail. This Shuswap trail consultation and concept planning process was edged on by that vision and the willingness of Don and the AOC crew to refer to the SH2H Trail and Waterway Initiative as a “model” from which to add more rings to the 5 ring trail system they have proposed. Finally, a huge word of appreciation to Dave Andrews and the good folks at Community Futures Development Corporation of the Shuswap for taking a risk on the SH2Htrail and waterway initiative, and acting as the anchoring proponent organization as the Shuswap Hut and Trail Alliance formed and took it’s first steps. P.S. Dave ~ we’ll get you up on that ridge line soon enough! Shuswap Hut-to-Hut Trail Circuit and Waterways Initiative Phase 1 Concept Development – Updated: November 20, 2006 3 Prepared by: Phil McIntyre-Paul (250-804-1964/[email protected]) “We need more wildlands, wildlife, wildlife corridors, mixed-use zones, wild and scenic rivers, and, even urban wilderness. But above all, we need people who know in their bones that these things are important because they are the substrate of our humanity and an anchor for our sanity.” (David W. Orr, The Nature of Design, 2002, p. 197) Shuswap Hut-to-Hut Trail Circuit and Waterways Initiative Phase 1 Concept Development – Updated: November 20, 2006 4 Prepared by: Phil McIntyre-Paul (250-804-1964/[email protected]) Table of Contents . Acknowledgements ................................................................................................................. 2 Table of Contents . .............................................................................................................. 5 List of Figures ................................................................................................................................................ 8 Section One: Introduction and Background ......................................................................... 9 Imagine an Epic Story: The Great Shuswap Trail Circuit ............................................................................. 9 The Need for a Coordinated Regional Trail Effort ......................................................................................... 9 Purpose of the Report .................................................................................................................................. 11 Methodology and Milestones ....................................................................................................................... 11 Section Two: Building the Concept – Connecting the Shuswap ....................................... 15 Founding Vision and Goals ......................................................................................................................... 15 The Shuswap Hut-to-Hut Experience: Creating Wilderness Sacred Spaces ............................................. 16 Geographic Boundaries: The Shuswap Watershed Region ....................................................................... 17 Shuswap First Nations: An Ancient Weave of Walkways ........................................................................... 19 On Walk-About through Layers of History .................................................................................................. 23 An Ecological Pathway: “Weave It Green” .................................................................................................. 24 Honouring the Nature of Play ...................................................................................................................... 27 A Trail Alliance Held in the Public Commons ............................................................................................. 28 An Education Underfoot .............................................................................................................................. 28 Supporting Local Economic Diversity ......................................................................................................... 30 Public/Private Partnerships ......................................................................................................................... 31 An Epic Story with International Appeal: The 5 Rings Trail ....................................................................... 33 Centralized Booking, Access, Custodians and Locks ................................................................................ 33 A New Old Idea Who’s Time Has Come? ..................................................................................................... 34 Section Three: Research and Consultation ........................................................................ 35 Leveraging Resources: An Invitation to Work Together ...........................................................................