The United Riders of Cumberland (UROC) have hired their first trail crew staff. As another first for the association, the crew will continue to help maintain the almost 100 kilometres of trail in the network.
“By bringing the trail crew on board, UROC continues to increase its capacity to maintain and manage the trail network,” said Erik Holbek, president of UROC. “Volunteer trail builders and maintainers will continue to play a huge role in Cumberland’s trails, but with a network of this size, having paid staff to address maintenance priorities, identify and deal with safety concerns, and continually improve the trails is a huge step forward.”
Funding for the trail crew comes from UROC member support, revenue from events and fundraising, and grant contributions from local governments.
Working closely with UROC trail manager Nathan Kwan, the trail crew will be able to respond to feedback about the trail network from users, and continue to meet obligations of the Land Access Agreement that UROC has established with the landowners.
“This year has seen UROC’s capacity expand immensely, and it’s great for both the members of the association and local community to start seeing even more tangible changes and improvements to the network,” said Kwan. “The crew is excited to continue creating awesome trail experiences for the community. If you see the crew when you’re out on the trails, make sure to stop and say hello – we’re looking forward to engaging and connecting with trail users.”