TRAIL Vision 2000
Sooke Hills Mountain Bike Park Concept Overview
A Sooke community intitiative in partnership with the PacificSport National Cycling Centre

INTRODUCING THE SOOKE HILLS MOUNTAIN BIKE PARK

The Sooke Hills Mountain Bike Park will be a mapped and signed mountain bike trail system for cyclists of all abilities. It will be designed to support a variety of events that will host local, national and international athletes. It is a concept borne out of civic pride, community leadership, sport partnership and Canadian vision. It is inspired by the natural facilities that make British Columbia, in general, and Vancouver Island in particular, a haven for outdoor sport. Natural beauty.temperate climate.boundless green space.rugged terrain.from sea level to mountain summit.

The Sooke Hills Mountain Bike Park will make Sooke and Vancouver Island synonymous with the best mountain biking the world can offer. Our aim is to create a community legacy and to provide a focal point for cyclists of all ages and skill levels, including many of the world's top mountain bike racers who call this part of the planet home.

PacificSport, National Sport Centre - Greater Victoria and the National Cycling Centre are willing partners in this project and are committed to using this area as a training and event venue.

GEARING UP FOR CYCLING
People are gearing up for cycling. There are two forces that are bringing cycling to the fore. First, there is the resurgence of road cycling, especially in the United States, in part due to Lance Armstrong's amazing win of the 1999 Tour de France. Second, with the acceptance of mountain biking as an Olympic sport and our Canadian athletes basking in the afterglow of record medal hauls at the 1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta, the 1998 Commonwealth Games in Kuala Lumpur and the 1999 Pan-American Games in Winnipeg, enthusiasm in mountain biking is reaching an all time high. Cycling is one of the most popular physical fitness activities for Canadians. It's on the move at all levels, from teens, families and other recreational riders, to the world tour of high performance professionals. Cycling is hot for both men and women, and carries with it a positive attitude of active, outdoor living. Life on two wheels looks good for the new millennium - and there's no place that's feeling the buzz more than beautiful Vancouver Island and British Columbia.

SOOKE AND MOUNTAIN BIKING
Sooke is a natural for mountain biking. With its terrain, climate, location and community willingness to take action, it is ready to embrace a sustainable business project that meets the community's profile. Neighbouring the provincial capital of Victoria, one of the world's most beautiful heritage cities, Sooke features the same year-round temperate climate that makes Vancouver Island one of the most popular tourist destinations in North America. Cycling is possible from January right through to December.

OUR MISSION
To enhance community life, develop sport tourism and cultivate dynamic opportunities for cyclists of all ages and skill levels by creating the world's premiere mountain bike park and trail system.

OUR VISION
To create the world's leading mountain bike park, training facility and competition venue that: - Appeals to riders of all ages and skill levels by modeling itself after leading-edge standards in alpine and Nordic skiing. - Establishes Sooke, Greater Victoria and Vancouver Island as an international mountain biking destination.

TIMING
Now is the time to take advantage of this exciting proposal. Sooke is a community in transition. It is no longer able to rely on fishing and logging as its main sources of employment. The tourism and spin-off potentials for this project are outstanding. Because governments are willing to support communities as they go through transition, Sooke is in a favourable position to capitalize on many of their programs. This year, Southern Vancouver Island has more professional cyclists per capita than any other city in the world. Canadian Olympians such as Alison Sydor, Adreas Hestler, Lesley Tomlinson and Roland Green, along with our national team, have all experienced the potential of the trail system in and around Sooke. By helping our Canadian National Cycling team train, and by development the sport for future generations, Sooke will create its own home grown international marketing team.

YOU AND THE TRAILS
At this point, the Sooke Hills Mountain Bike Park is at the conceptual stage. A group of local people representing the cycling community, business, economic development, RCMP, B&Bs and more, is taking the initiative to begin the planning process. The primary focus of the first stage is making contacts and establishing partnerships with key stakeholders. The Sooke Hills Cycling Association, a newly formed non-profit society, will require leadership, directors and members to take the concept through to completion. The current group of temporary directors will continue their commitment to the project.

If you, or someone you know, can get excited thinking about this great opportunity, and can see the benefits of the completed Sooke Hills Mountain Bike Park, we invite you to step forward and join our dynamic team of community leaders.

Short term needs for the project include:
- Seeking endorsement and help from community groups and business associations
- Finding a champion willing to lead a group of dynamic people
- Attracting members who take pride in achieving excellence
- Researching other models currently in existence
- Writing proposals
- Exploring funding opportunities for development of comprehensive strategic and business planning
- Participating in community promotion and activities
- Procuring government support in aid of economic growth and promotion of a healthy society.

Thank you for your interest in our project.

For further information, comments or questions, please contact:
Barb Broster, Vice-chair, Juan de Fuca Economic Development Commission Director
Sooke Hills Cycling Association
Phone: 250-642-7320