To: Honourable Terry Lake

I am writing on behalf of the 35 member Oliver/Osoyoos Women’s Bike club and believe I also have the full support of the Oliver/Osoyoos Naturalist club as well as many private citizens and a number of tourists we meet trying to use our bike path.

The bike path runs along the Okanagan river canal and enjoys heavy use by citizens of all ages.   I have attached some pictures taken this week to show you the condition of the path.   This is an ongoing problem which we believed was solved last year when our local Parks and Recreation Department took over mowing the edges of the path on a regular basis and provided routine maintenance.   This was done with the cooperation of the Town of Oliver and the Regional District Area C.  Both bodies recognize the significance of the bike path as a healthy life style resource and an economic benefit to Oliver.

This year staff from the Ministry of the Environment have refused to allow Parks and Rec to maintain the path and have stonewalled efforts by the Regional District Area C and the Town to get a formal agreement and license of occupation on the trail so they can manage its maintenance.   No one knows why your staff have taken this position.

Without maintenance the bike path has become an embarrassment and a source of considerable danger to cyclists.   It was once a drawing card for tourists to this area.   It has provided a green corridor for travel.   It provided a beautiful place for both seniors and children to walk and exercise.  My own children and many others in the community used it to get to school or work safely without riding in traffic.   Schools and programs created for the Meadowlark Festival bring people of all ages along the path to learn about the efforts to create new fish habitat and build up fish stocks again.   Visitors used it to link visits to various wineries.

As you can see from the pictures,  weeds have encroached on the path so that it is impossible to pass another cyclist on many stretches.  Cyclists have to dodge overhanging branches so they are not hit in the face and they have to try and protect their eyes from being damaged.   Poison ivy has invaded the path almost to the centre line in some areas.   Children and tourists are unlikely to recognize the plant is poisonous.   It is difficult to get by and still avoid contact.  The tall weeds are bone dry and fire is also a continual concern.

Earlier this week,  our biking group met some very frustrated tourists from England who were trying to negotiate the path.   We had to recommend they load their bikes back on their van and move further up the valley to pick up the path at Okanagan Falls.    As you can imagine, the Oliver Tourist Association is not happy when tourists have to be turned away.

This town has just lost its high school and auditorium to a major fire.   We simply can’t afford to lose anything else.   Please.   We urge you to direct your staff to provide formal tenure for management/maintenance of the trail so our local Parks and Recreation crew can get out and mow the path and make it safe and usable again.

Yours sincerely, Marion Boyd – Oliver resident since 1968