Press Release - Tourism Kamloops Freeride Fund Directs $22,250 to Pineview and Harper Mountain Trails
Pineview Valley Recreation Trails
Sean Jenkins
Fund's Steering Committee identify priority projects as spring conditions accelerate maintenance needs across Kamloops' network
For Immediate Release
Kamloops, B.C. — Tourism Kamloops' Freeride Fund Steering Committee has approved $22,250 in trail project funding, directing support to two of Kamloops' most active riding areas at the start of a dry and demanding season.
The Freeride Fund is a Tourism Kamloops initiative that reinvests tourism revenue into the mountain bike trail networks that attract visitors to Kamloops. In partnership with the Thompson Okanagan Tourism Foundation (TOTF), a provincially registered non-profit with CRA charitable status, 100% of donations go to trail maintenance and operations, with administration costs covered by Tourism Kamloops.
This year the Fund will contribute $12,250 to trail maintenance at Pineview and $10,000 toward rebuilding work on the Gnarwhal and Pimpernot trails at Harper Mountain. Both projects were identified through the Steering Committee process, which brings together Tourism Kamloops, the Kamloops Mountain Bike Trail Association (KMBTA), and the Kamloops Bike Riders Association (KBRA) to ensure funding decisions reflect community priorities and documented maintenance needs.
"What makes this fund work is the collaboration behind it," said Erik Fisher, CEO of Tourism Kamloops. "KMBTA and KBRA know these trails better than anyone. When we put the decision-making in their hands and back it with real dollars, we get investment that lands exactly where it's needed. That's how you protect what makes Kamloops worth riding to."
An unusually early and dry spring season highlighted the urgency of this round of investment. Current Freeride Fund priority areas include Pineview, Harper, Bike Ranch, and Stake Lake — high-use destinations for both residents and out-of-town riders whose trail quality depends on ongoing, active maintenance support.
This work is made possible in part by community donors who have invested directly in Kamloops' trail network. Tourism Kamloops thanks FortisBC, Waratah, and Volkswagen of Kamloops, along with the many individual donors who have supported the Fund, for their contributions to Kamloops' trail network.
This summer, the Fund is supported by a growing network of community activations. Red Collar Brewing is launching a "Freeride Ain't Free" Blonde Ale, available at Angry Otter Kamloops locations from July through September, with partial proceeds supporting the Fund. Tourism Kamloops' visitor station at Riverside Park has added a Freeride Fund donation option at the Bike Valet. A regional and local awareness campaign is currently running to support donations and share the partnership story.
In October, Tourism Kamloops, KMBTA, KBRA, and Paramount Theatre will co-host the Freehub MTB Film Festival in Kamloops, bringing the riding community together around the trails and stories that define the destination.
Ready to ride it forward? Support trail sustainability today. Learn more and donate at: https://www.tourismkamloops.com/freeride-fund
About Tourism Kamloops: Tourism Kamloops is the destination marketing and management organization for Kamloops, BC. For more information, visit tourismkamloops.com.
Media Contact:
Ryan O’Donnell
PR Specialist, on behalf of Tourism Kamloops
| 403-978-6000
