1.
It is unreasonable to expect the Snowmobile Revelstoke Society to
develop a more business-oriented model of managing the snowmobile
infrastructure overnight. It will take time and probably paid staff to
generate increased revenues to allow the Society to implement the
Operational Business Plan prepared as part of this study. It is
therefore recommended that the City of Revelstoke and the
Columbia-Shuswap Regional District provide some bridging funding to
allow the Society to make the transition from non-profit society to
small business. It is understood that this bridging funding is for a
three year period, and that the funding will be made available only if
the Society demonstrates that additional revenues are being generated
from membership fees, trail users, local businesses and other sources.
2.
Every effort should be made to encourage local businesses who benefit
from snowmobile visitations to increase their contributions and
sponsorships of the Snowmobile Revelstoke Society. Many hotels, motels,
restaurants and other enterprises benefit substantially from snowmobile
tourism. It is not unreasonable to expect that these businesses should
increase their contribution to the provision of the activity that causes
the tourists to visit the community.
Large manufacturers of snowmobile product
should also be targeted as possible sponsors of snowmobile activities in
the community. These manufacturers do not necessarily have a presence in
the community, but clearly benefit through increased sales and revenues
because of the work done by the local Club and Society in developing and
maintaining snowmobile infrastructure.
3.
Another critical recommendation is that the issue of use of the
recreational land base be resolved as soon as possible. The Snowmobile
Revelstoke Society, the Revelstoke Snowmobile Club, the City of
Revelstoke and the Columbia Shuswap Regional District need to put
pressure on the provincial government to develop clear guidelines around
the management and utilization of the recreational land base. The
Society can also work with other recreational land users at the local
and provincial level to resolve this concern. The Society needs to have
some certainty that the current areas will be available for snowmobiling
before they undertake any long term development. The Club and Society
should continue the high levels of cooperation they have with the
provincial government departments.
4.
It is recommended that the Snowmobile Revelstoke Society, the Revelstoke
Snowmobile Club and all regulatory bodies make every effort to ensure
that all commercial activity on the areas groomed by the Society are
consistent with existing provincial policies and regulations.
5.
It is recommended that, due to the increased snowmobiling activity,
additional RCMP resources be allocated to increase policing of the
snowmobile areas. This would improve enforcement of regulatory and
licensing issues, and contribute to improved safety.
6.
A decline in the number of caribou in the Columbia Forest District along
with alterations in the distribution of caribou over the last decade,
suggest that some factor or combination of factors is having a negative
effect on mountain caribou populations. Until more is known about the
role of recreational disturbance in this trend, it is recommended that a
cautious approach to any expansion of recreational use should be taken
in late winter caribou habitat. In the interim, further recreational
development should be focused outside the current identified range of
mountain caribou. Again, the Snowmobile Revelstoke Society and the
Revelstoke Snowmobile Club should continue to work closely with the
provincial regulatory agencies in addressing this issue.
7.
It is recommended that the City of Revelstoke, the Columbia-Shuswap
Regional District, and various interested community groups, including
the Snowmobile Revelstoke Society, the Revelstoke Snowmobile Club and
the North Columbia Environmental Society, put pressure on the provincial
and federal governments to provide funding for additional research on
the impacts of snowmobile activities on caribou.
8.
It is acknowledged that determining the total carrying capacity of the
land base with respect to all potential users was beyond the scope of
the steering committee. This work needs to be carried out by a wider
group of stakeholders than were represented on the steering committee.
The province is planning to undertake a planning process beginning in
2003 to examine recreational land use in the Revelstoke area. The
committee recommends that the issue of carrying capacity be addressed as
part of this process.
