I have been trying to get permission from Metro Vancouver to fix up the BCMC trail for a couple of years now.  I'm still working with Richard Walton, Mayor of the District of North Vancouver who is a Metro Van director.

In the mean time I'm trying to get some input on how it should be improved.  I have put together a couple of documents at the links below.  I would appreciate your ideas.  

https://drive.google.com/open?id=0B6_lQ8W-3F70a1otV0pvcTNIXzQ

https://drive.google.com/open?id=0B6_lQ8W-3F70ancwTmpObW1hZEk

Hello Jay,

You have done good work regarding planning to repair the BCMC Trail.  There was considerable discussion a year or two ago as to whether or not the BCMC trail crew should invest its time and energies into the BCMC trail.  It was felt by some members of our main trail building crew (which I am a part of and more often than not am the leader of) that this was something we didn't want to invest our personal volunteer time into for numerous reasons.

That being said, I do not want to discourage you or your efforts, nor other members from participating in your initiative.   This is just some of the history.

Each BCMC member is welcome to start their own initiative, and I am sure that there will be members willing to come forward and help.  You are also welcome and encouraged to present any funding requests to the club Executive at a BOD meeting for consideration.

Chris Ludwig

BCMC Webmaster

Hi Jay,

I wanted to let you know that I really appreciate your initiative and efforts.  I do feel that our club has some stake in that trail.  I agree that the trail requires maintenance, however, I would rather it become a creek bed than the staircase that is the Grouse Grind.

Winifred

Yes, perhaps Winifred I was too discouraging of Jay's initiative.   I think it would have been fairer to say that I personally have more trail projects on my plate than I can handle as it is without taking on another.

Chris

I don't use the BCMC trail very much myself.  I prefer the Flint, but I think it provides a great public service.  I talked to Don McPherson once of the people who fixed the trail in the 90s.  I think he used to be a member of the BCMC.  They didn't have permission to fix the trail originally either.

I don't the trail to be all stairs either.  Since it isn't as steep as the BCMC, we don't need to build nearly as many stairs, but in order to stop erosion around quite a few tree roots, I think it is better to build some stairs.  I envision making the stairs with 6x6 cedar.  Hopefully that will last better than the 2 x 6 cedars they used 25 years ago.

Do you really want the trail to become a creek-bed?  Because that is what will happen pretty soon.  If the trail is wrecked more people will start braiding it, it will become wider and even more of a mess in some areas.  More people will start using the Flint to avoid the BCMC.