Woolastook Mountain Bike Trail Master Plan

2022 | Fredericton, NB

River Valley Cycling (RVC) is a not-for-profit, volunteer organization that supports mountain biking in Fredericton, New Brunswick. RVC hosts events, builds and maintains sustainable single track, and advocates for access by building and maintaining robust relationships with various landowners. RVC needed someone to guide their professional and volunteer construction efforts over the next several years as they developed Fredericton’s Woolastook Mountain Bike Trail Network into one of Atlantic Canada’s premier riding destinations. As RVC President Chris Norfolk says, “We wanted to do this right.”

The McElhanney Outdoor Recreation Infrastructure (ORI) Trails Division was engaged to collaborate with RVC on a Mountain Bike Trail Master Plan for the Woolastook Trail Network. The work also included designing and laying out the first phase of trails to be constructed as part of the strategic plan.

“Matt Hadley and his team members at McElhanney had an impressive depth of experience to bring to the project,” says Norfolk. “They travelled to New Brunswick on several occasions to walk the woods and to understand our goals. They brought ideas and valuable advice on how to develop a trail network sustainably, that’s got a lot to offer to all riders, and will stand the test of time.”

The backbone of many trail networks across Canada are dedicated community champions that volunteer their time building, maintaining, and advocating for trails. One of the core roles within the ORI Trails Division at McElhanney is to increase capacity within these volunteer-led groups. The ORI Trails Division team helped RVC “upskill” within their group by providing professional services related to trail and infrastructure funding, planning, design, and construction administration. This will empower RVC’s volunteers to communicate more effectively with landowners, secure funding for development and maintenance, and build and maintain trails that are both resilient and provide an amazing experience for trail users.

McElhanney provided: