Few sports leave such a lasting impression on the Quebec imagination as mountain biking. And what's surprising is that, despite the sport's youth, its history in the province is rich to say the least: some one hundred listed networks, most of which are less than 10 years old. World Cups with hundreds of thousands of visitors, enduro series... A recreational tourism economy with impressive spin-offs, even in the remotest corners of our regions. But above all: smiles, surpassing oneself, adventures, a few scratches, but so many friendships nurtured along the trails.
These networks are born of the elbow grease of builders. People who give generously of their time, often on a voluntary basis, and whose only motivation is to share the passion that has driven them since that first time they went off the beaten track to test the limits of their bikes in rock and mud.
Francis Harvey, whom Vélo Québec would like to honor this year, is one of them. He and his gang began combing the Eastern Townships when the sport was in its infancy, and as the trailblazer that he is, and always has been, he would give birth to emblematic networks in a region considered by many to be the Quebec cradle of MTB. Networks that still have a marked influence on the development of the sport today.
Here are just a few of the milestones along the way:
Francis took his first steps into mountain biking in 1989. The sport is only fifteen years old worldwide. From 1990 to 1999, Mr. Harvey was already volunteering for the Circuits Frontières mountain bike event in East Hereford.
In 1992, with the help of a few volunteers, including Jean Davignon, Jr. Sage and Luc Larouche, he approached Parc de la Gorge de Coaticook with the idea of developing mountain bike trails in a part of the park that was not used during the summer, when only a few cross-country ski trails existed and remained little used during the winter season. The band started out the first year with 5 kilometers of trails. Later, the decision by Parc de la Gorge de Coaticook to cease cross-country skiing activities opened up a whole new part of the park to mountain biking. In just two years, Francis and his cohorts managed to develop between 12 and 15 km of trails, so that by 1994, Parc de la Gorge opened up access to the mountain bike network as an official addition to its service offering.
In 1999, 3 days before the Circuits Frontières event in East Hereford, Jean Davignon died tragically in a car accident on his way back from preparing the course for the weekend's event. This was the last event in East Hereford until 2007. Francis loses a collaborator, a great chum, but the desire to continue the unfinished work only increases.
Between trail blazing, scraping and shovelling, Mr. Harvey keeps busy. For 25 years, from 1996 to 2021, he was the owner of Foyer du Sport de Coaticook, a sports store specializing in mountain biking and downhill skiing, with a bike mechanic shop well known to locals, tourists and our border neighbors alike[...].
In the early 2000s, after many years as one of the few volunteers still involved in maintaining the mountain bike trails in Parc de la Gorge, the ADSVMQ (Association de Développement des Sentiers de Vélo de Montagne du Québec) met Francis at the Foyer du Sport and offered to help maintain the trails and organize the first IMBA (International Mountain Bike Association) Trail Care Crew event in Quebec in 2006, at Coaticook's Parc de la Gorge.
In 2007, once again with the support of the ADSVMQ and the Dalbix Mountain Bike Club, he revived the Circuits Frontières event and produced a first master plan for the development of new mountain bike trails in East Hereford. Involved on the board of Circuits Frontières for the next 10 years and also on the board of Parc de la Gorge for 8 years, this period sees Parc de la Gorge extend its offering to 18 km and Circuits Frontières add new single-track trails, building up to over 40 km of mythical trails. For more than 10 years, a Festival is held here, combining an enduro day, guided rides for all levels and the Raid Jean Davignon, named in honor of his mentor, which attracts mountain bikers from all regions.
In 2013, still with his volunteer friends, Mr. Harvey managed to convince Parc de la Gorge to open a winter fat bike course. One of the first in Quebec, maintained by volunteers and with the help of Park employees. This new network demonstrates the sport's potential as a 4-season activity[...].
In 2018, after nearly 20 years of volunteering and training volunteers for trail maintenance, Francis decided to found his own trailbuilding company with chore buddy Stéphane Thibodeau. Aménagement Sentiers Verts was born, starting with contracts in his home region of East Hereford, Parc de la Gorge and Parc Harold Baldwin. The company experienced rapid demand growth and became a member of PTBA, the Professional Trail Building Association, a worldwide organization promoting professionalism in the field. Since then, ASV has worked all over Quebec, including Massif de Charlevoix, Sentiers du Moulin, Parc de la Gatineau, Parc Bellevue in Sherbrooke, Mont Orford and many other locations, leaving behind a legacy of sustainable, challenging yet safe trails [...].
And since Francis has no desire to slow down, 2025 marks his return to the Parc de la Gorge Board of Directors to represent mountain biking and continue the development of this iconic network.
A richly deserved honor, his honorary membership of Vélo Québec marks over 35 years of tireless dedication. Francis Harvey leaves us with networks of influence that have left their mark on development far beyond his corner of Estrie. It's his expertise, his know-how and his respect for nature that this tribute highlights, and the countless hours of work with an omnipresent concern for durability and safety. But the real reason is that he still loves to ride, and he has an unshakeable desire to pass on his passion, both in the signing of his trails and in the advice and maintenance of the equipment needed to enjoy the exhilarating experience of mountain biking.
In life, it's said that what's said flies away, but what's written remains. Francis Harvey's story is written in the rock and the earth, between trees and roots, and the entire Quebec mountain bike community will share his legacy for generations to come.
