Quoting from the “LAKE MAJOR WATERSHED SOURCE WATER PROTECTION PLAN” (sorry about the caps. directly copied title from the document) linked by @bent6543 . It says below, “At this point no group has been identified”. I thought BNS Trails was working on this. Perhaps MTB Halifax?
Mountain Biking
Generally, mountain biking does not pose a problem if bikers keep to main access roads and
away from critical infrastructure; however, the tendency has been to create new trails and
challenges. Since a new subdivision was developed in the Spider Lake area there is renewed
interest in mountain biking leading to new trails, illegal tree cutting, unsafe ramps and water crossings being constructed throughout the area. Halifax Water posts signs and removes
structures as they are found, to no avail. Halifax Water has been striving to identify responsible
group(s) to propose developing guidelines with/for them which are similar to the Geocaching
Policy (see 4.3.3 Geocaching above). At this point, no group has been identified; however,
Halifax Water has made contact with some who may be interested in collaborating on solutions.
This is a new post. There’s a discussion in the trail conditions thread about a repaired bridge in Spider Lake, and that DNR or Halifax Water could dismantle the bidge. Rather than continue the discussion in the trail conditions thread, I thought it deserves its own.
@CyclingGirl and I dropped in to a few BNS Trails meetings, and Spider Lake was on their agenda to try to get a land agreement, or something. If anyone knows the status of those discussions, it would be great to have an update.
If they didn’t go anywhere, now that MTB’ers are getting more organized (thanks MTB Halifax and MRWA!!), maybe it’s something worth looking into.
Years ago we approached them. That would have been back when we formed Nova Scotia mountain bike trails association and had some conversation. They had issue with the skull trail stunts and wooden structures but also trail access and parking. When Lawerence was active in bns he had some further discussions with them but with no answer for access and parking I don’t think talks went any further but you would have to ask him.
If they’re concerned about illegal tree cutting, they could talk to the hunter who cut down trees to block trails to try to protect “his” hunting area.
I always liked Spider Lake trails, and think they could really do with some work like proper draining and rock armouring to help make them more sustainable, as well as more accessible throughout the year.
I understand it the way @darkmyth presented above - access and parking issues. Nothing accomplished since Lawrence was working with them, as well.
I’ve reached out to Tim Farmer who is in the mtb advocacy role at BNS and he has not been part of any discussions, either. This is a relatively new document dated June 2017. Maybe it’s worth opening the conversation again. I’ll speak with Tim at BNS and see if this is maybe a conversation that could be rekindled.
I got a tip today, so I’m just going to put this out there… whoever is building bridges on skull trail is burning bridges for all of us so FFS stop now.
