ADVOCACY
At PORCA, our dedication to advancing mountain biking in Pemberton is underscored by our impactful advocacy efforts. Our team, comprising both committed staff and volunteers, actively engages in pivotal committees such as the Pemberton Valley Recreation Trails Master Plan Working Group and the CN Train Bridge Group. Playing a pivotal role, our Executive Director is instrumental in fostering community relationships. Regular meetings with Rightsholders, government representatives, land managers, user groups, and local stakeholders exemplify our commitment to maintaining open lines of communication. These connections are vital, enabling PORCA to effectively advocate for the interests of our valued members.
Below are examples of what PORCA does to not only advocate for mountain biking, but to foster connected communities.
PORCA's vision for a skills park in Pemberton, that included an asphalt pump track, dirt jumps and skills area, started in 2017 to support riders of all levels. A passionate group of volunteers searched for an appropriate location for 2 years with the help of the Whistler Blackcomb Foundation awarding PORCA with a $25,000 grant to get the project off the ground.
In 2020, the Village of Pemberton (VOP) came on board and in 2021, was successful in securing $974,258 in funding through the Community Economic Resilience stream of the Community Economic Recovery Infrastructure Program (CERIP) for the construction of the Pemberton Area Mountain Bike Skills Park. Opened in 2022, the Pemberton Bike Skills Park at Den Dufy Park is the result of a collaborative effort between PORCA, the Village of Pemberton, and the Squamish Lillooet Regional District.
PORCA has committed to the VOP to help fund the skilled maintenance required to keep the dirt jump line in tip top shape. This committment is $5,000/year and includes reshaping the jumps in the spring and fall and annual close down tasks. If you use the park regularly or are a commercial operator using the park, consider donating towards our maintenance fund. Check out our Skills Park page for more information about this amazing community amenity.
PORCA regularly communicates with the Village of Pemberton and provides feedback to projects and plans that effect mountain biking and trails in Pemberton such as the (on-hold) update to the Offical Community Plan, the Cycling Network Plan and the Hillside Development Guidelines.
PORCA is grateful to the VOP, together with the Squamish Lillooet Regional District, in providing $12,000/year (for five years 2023-2027) to support PORCA’s Executive Director position.
In 2020, the Pemberton Valley Recreational Trails Master Plan (PVRTMP)was finalized after several years of consultation and collaboration between Rightsholders, governments and user groups. The Líl̓wat Nation was a partner in the planning process to incorporate their unique interests and values on the land, and address the need for trail use and development to be carried out with recognition and respect for Lil’wat Nation aboriginal Rights, including Title. The Trails Master Plan is guided by the vision of an inclusive and well-managed trail network with a full spectrum of recreational opportunities that fosters; environmental sustainability, respect for cultural values, community well-being, individual well-being, economic opportunity. You can read through the full document here. From the executive summary:
The Pemberton Valley Recreational Trails Master Plan (Trails Master Plan) provides a framework for the management and maintenance of trails within a designated area within the unceded traditional territory of the Lil’wat Nation, the Village of Pemberton(VOP) municipal boundary, and a portion of Electoral Area C within the Squamish-Lillooet Regional District (SLRD)
PORCA is honoured to take part in the PVRTMP Working Group Committee, with representatives from the Líl̓wat Nation, Squamish-Lilloet Regional District, Village of Pemberton, Pemberton Valley Trails Association, Stewardship Pemberton Society, Pemberton Wildlife Association and the Speĺkúmtn Community Forest.
PORCA played a pivotol role setting up the PVRTMP Working Group Committee by hosting the first meeting by a user group, creating the terms of reference, letter of understanding and fostering an inclusive, decolonizing approach to guide the work. This committee’s mandate is to carry out the recommendations outlined in the Trails Master Plan. You can read the Meeting Minutes HERE.
In the next 20-25 years, Nkwúkwma plans to bring approximately 450 residential units to the land above the Pemberton Valley. In 2019, the province negotiated the purchase of the Nkwúkwma by Líl̓wat Nation and their subsidiary companies for development as a reconciliation offering. The Nkwúkwma neighbourhood represents an opportunity to reshape a previously approved neighbourhood with the potential to benefit the Village of Pemberton and Líl̓wat Nation.
PORCA has been meeting with Nkwúkwma developers since 2019 advocating on behalf of mountain bikers. You can learn more about the development and the impact to mountain bike trails in the area on their website by clicking the title above.
The Tenquille Lake Visitor Use Management Project (“the Project”) is a partnership between the Province, Líl̓wat Nation, and N’Quatqua. The partnership is built on a foundation of mutual respect and an acknowledgement of Líl̓wat and N’Quatqua Rights and Title.
Most notably for mountain bikers, this updated management strategy excludes mountain bikes from the area. Read through the full documentation, by clicking on the title above, to learn about the complex set of issues that led to this decision.
The Spel̓kúmtn Community Forest (SCF) landbase encompasses 17,727 hectares (ha) of land around the Village of Pemberton and Mount Currie communities. The lands are entirely within the Líl̓wat Nation Traditional Territory.
A partnership between the Líl̓wat Nation and the Village of Pemberton, the SCF is designed to promote reconciliation, increase community benefits from local resources and be a local voice in the management of the surrounding forest. All of Pemberton’s trails lie within this new community forest.
PORCA and SCF meet regularly to stay informed of each others plans and projects plus there is potential to work together on mountain bike trails in the future. Click on the title above to learn more.
PORCA helped to put together the CN Train Bridge Group to find a solution to the safety issue of mountain bikers crossing the bridge to access the Mackenzie Basin area. This passionate group of volunteers led by Claire Fuller spent two years researching alternatives to the current situation and looked to other communities for solutions.
Their conclusion can be reviewed, by clicking the title above. The solution for a safer crossing now sits in the hands of the Squamish Lillooet regional District to advocate to provincial and federal levels of government.
To advocate at a provincial and federal level, PORCA is a member of the following organizations:
