More to Three Blind Mice than biking, but that’s important, too
PENTICTON – The city and region have 20/20 vision when it comes to seeing recreation opportunities in the Three Blind Mice area.
City of Penticton Communications Officer Simone Blais said the city has identified the area, located at 1400 Riddle Road, as an area of potential for sport and recreational use.
The Penticton and Area Cycling Association is in the process of developing International Mountain Bike Association certification on its network of trails in the Three Blind Mice area. The IMBA certification will set standards for the trail network.
“The area is also a draw to the area for sport use, whether it be hikers, walkers, or climbers,” Blais said.
A portion of Three Blind Mice was unanimously approved by council last week for the Penticton Disc Golf Club to operate an 18 hole course on approximately 27 acres of the area. Council noted the course would co-exist with PACA's mountain biking activities, which have also been licensed to operate in the area. By formalizing their existence in the Three Blind Mice, the disc golf club hopes to improve their course enough to attract tournaments.
The Three Blind Mice is made up of 300 acres of city owned property, the remainder being Crown land.
“People also use the area for their own purposes,” Blais said, noting there are no plans to formally create a park in the area. The city owned portion of Three Blind Mice was recently designated as parkland under the Official Community Plan, however.
The Three Blind Mice stands to be an important part of efforts to turn the region into a cycling mecca.
“Cycling is seen as an extremely accessible sport, with many participants,” Blais said.
“Penticton has more bicycle commuters per capita than anywhere else in B.C., and the city and region has an excellent mix of road and mountain bike terrain available, including what is available at Three Blind Mice.
“We’re starting to see several pieces of the cycling puzzle come together,” she said.
The Regional District Okanagan Similkameen also recently expressed interest in facilitating PACA’s recent efforts to draft a master plan in developing a license to use (Section 57) application to the province. The regional district’s KVR trail also has two access points to the Three Blind Mice, which could prove to be a cycling tourism benefit to the entire region.
To contact the reporter for this story, email Steve Arstad at sarstad@infonews.ca or call 250-488-3065. To contact the editor, email mjones@infonews.ca or call 250-718-2724.
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How can disc golf and mountain biking co-exist?Bicycles should not be allowed in any natural area. They are inanimate objects and have no rights. There is also no right to mountain bike. That was settled in federal court in 1996: http://mjvande.nfshost.com/mtb10.htm. It’s dishonest of mountain bikers to say that they don’t have access to trails closed to bikes. They have EXACTLY the same access as everyone else — ON FOOT! Why isn’t that good enough for mountain bikers? They are all capable of walking….A favorite myth of mountain bikers is that mountain biking is no more harmful to wildlife, people, and the environment than hiking, and that science supports that view. Of course, it’s not true. To settle the matter once and for all, I read all of the research they cited, and wrote a review of the research on mountain biking impacts (see http://mjvande.nfshost.com/scb7.htm ). I found that of the seven studies they cited, (1) all were written by mountain bikers, and (2) in every case, the authors misinterpreted their own data, in order to come to the conclusion that they favored. They also studiously avoided mentioning another scientific study (Wisdom et al) which did not favor mountain biking, and came to the opposite conclusions.Those were all experimental studies. Two other studies (by White et al and by Jeff Marion) used a survey design, which is inherently incapable of answering that question (comparing hiking with mountain biking). I only mention them because mountain bikers often cite them, but scientifically, they are worthless.Mountain biking accelerates erosion, creates V-shaped ruts, kills small animals and plants on and next to the trail, drives wildlife and other trail users out of the area, and, worst of all, teaches kids that the rough treatment of nature is okay (it’s NOT!). What’s good about THAT?To see exactly what harm mountain biking does to the land, watch this 5-minute video: http://vimeo.com/48784297.In addition to all of this, it is extremely dangerous: http://mjvande.nfshost.com/mtb_dangerous.htm.For more information: http://mjvande.nfshost.com/mtbfaq.htm.The common thread among those who want more recreation in our parks is total ignorance about and disinterest in the wildlife whose homes these parks are. Yes, if humans are the only beings that matter, it is simply a conflict among humans (but even then, allowing bikes on trails harms the MAJORITY of park users — hikers and equestrians — who can no longer safely and peacefully enjoy their parks).The parks aren’t gymnasiums or racetracks or even human playgrounds. They are WILDLIFE HABITAT, which is precisely why they are attractive to humans. Activities such as mountain biking, that destroy habitat, violate the charter of the parks.Even kayaking and rafting, which give humans access to the entirety of a water body, prevent the wildlife that live there from making full use of their habitat, and should not be allowed. Of course those who think that only humans matter won’t understand what I am talking about — an indication of the sad state of our culture and educational system.
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