Urban mountain biking needs to be demystified. Major cities such as New York and Toronto offer dozens of kilometers of marked trails in several locations. In Quebec, the efforts of Sherbrooke, Victoriaville and Rigaud should be highlighted, all of which offer dedicated mountain bike facilities. But in Montreal, despite the immense potential of Mount Royal, some feel that the presence of cyclists on the trails can damage them. Yet a review of best practices shows that sustainable, environmentally-friendly mountain bike trail design is possible in major cities. In fact, good design minimizes environmental impacts and reduces problems of cohabitation with other users.
Vélo Québec believes that Montreal needs a mountain bike policy. We need trails on Mount Royal: that would solve the endless cat-and-mouse game between illegal users and municipal authorities. But the city also needs to develop other sites, such as the Complexe environnemental Saint-Michel, Olympic Park, the cliffs on rue Saint-Jacques and Parc Jean-Drapeau, for example. The aim is to relieve the pressure on Mount Royal and to offer other places in Montreal where mountain biking can be practised. As mountain biking is a popular activity among young people, we would like the city to provide a positive framework, encouraging them to respect both the environment and other users. This approach would be far preferable to a ban on mountain biking in Montreal.
A municipal mountain bike policy should also make room for a local club that would oversee trail development, maintenance and animation, as is the case for trails in rural areas. In Montreal, the Sentiers Royal group has expressed interest in taking on this role. Vélo Québec is pleased to see that a group of citizens is standing up for its ideas and offering its help in finding solutions. We support them and will act as a relay with the municipal administration, in the hope that the dialogue undertaken with the City will bear fruit.
Suzanne Lareau
President and General Manager
Listen to the interview on the Mount Royal file on the program About time! (at 8:22 a.m.)
