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No horsing around on new trails for now

Non-equestrian users complains about damage to Coombs-Parksville trail
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People walking their dog on the new Coombs to Parksville Rail Trail. The Regional District Board (RDN) committee of the whole endorsed a motion to ban horses on the trail for two months. NEWS file photo

For now there will be no horsing around on the new Coombs to Parksville Rail Trail.

The Regional District Board (RDN) committee of the whole endorsed a motion to ban horses on the trail for two months.

The decision was made following complaints from citizens, who raised concerns about the impact the horses have on the gravel surface, the unacceptable horse poop littered on the trail, and their reluctance to share the facility with the big, unpredictable animals.

The 7-kilometre trail is still new. It opened late last December.

Since the end of February, the RDN’s Parks Division has received feedback from around 50 users that include pedestrians, runners, cyclists and medi-scooters.

There were those who praised and thanked the RDN; however, two-thirds of those who wrote in complained about the horses ruining the trail and creating hazards. They wanted the horses banned from the trail, which was designed for multi-purpose use, and that includes equestrians.

Barbara Smith of the Silver Spur Riding Club, which has around 90 members, expressed the club’s opposition to the proposed ban.

In her presentation to the board, Smith requested the motion be deferred for 90 days pending a review. As well, she asked for a meeting with representatives of the club, Back Country Horsemen of B.C. and Horse Council of B.C. to discuss the issues and to find solutions to accommodate all user groups.

“We have been eagerly awaiting the completion of this trail on the understanding that a multi-use trail included equestrian use and are very disappointed now, only a few months after it has opened, to find that the RDN is considering banning horses from the trail,” said Smith.

Horses, Smith pointed out, are domesticated prey animals and any conflict between recreational groups is rare.

“It almost always results in the horse running away from the threat,” said Smith, who added that the same can be said for other users such as “large, poorly controlled dogs and speeding cyclists.”

“We suggest that the solution involves educating users on how to have positive interactions with one another rather than banning one user group,” she said.

Staff indicated the gravel surface has not compacted and is taking some time to dry out due to the wet and cold weather.

“It will take time for those materials to settle and compact so it [the horses] has exacerbated the problem,” said Tom Osborne, general manager of recreation and parks, who went on to recommend that horses be prohibited from using the trail at this time.

Parks and Trails co-ordinator Joan Michel agreed.

“We should allow it to dry out over the season and maybe we can go back and look at the horses again to see where we’re at,” said Michel. “At this point if we’re going to have the surfaced chewed up, I don’t think we’re going to get the settling that we need.”

Since it opened, the trail has been frequented by equestrians. They started taking horse trailers to the Springwood Park trail head in Parksville.

But, following complaints from the public, the City of Parksville prohibited horses in Springwood Park in January. Staff is looking for an area where equestrian parking could be provided.

Area F (Coombs, Hilliers, Errington) Director Julian Fell made three motions that the board approved. That staff be directed to continue to pursue horse trailer parking in relation to equestrian use on Highway 4A Crown Woodlot and that the matter of finding suitable accommodation for equestrians on regional trails be referred to the regional parks and trails select group. He added that horses be excluded temporarily from the Coombs-Parksville trail for a period of two months.