This month, Capital Regional District (CRD) park rangers – ambassadors who help educate visitors about park values and preservation – are back on the Galloping Goose, Lochside and E&N trails monitoring cycling speed limits and educating the public about trail etiquette.
These rules include controlling speeds, keeping right, yielding to pedestrians and alerting others when passing, said Devon Paige Smith, a CRD Parks and Trails communications coordinator.
“Most visitors respect the signage on the trails and adhere to basic trail etiquette," said Smith. "However, the CRD recognizes that some trail users do not, which can be intimidating or off putting to others.”
Park rangers monitor trails every summer as a part of the CRD’s Cruise with Courtesy program.
Colleen Sparks, the executive director of Victoria-based cycling advocacy and training organization Capital Bike, which supports Cruise with Courtesy.
“We know that people who are returning to cycling may not be as familiar with trail etiquette and may not realize the impact on other users when they go by with excessive speed," said Sparks.
Those who use these trails can expect more signage, too.
In June, the CRD board directed staff to investigate and issue a report about the safety of the Galloping Goose, Lochside and E&N trails. View Royal’s mayor and CRD board representative Sid Tobias, put forward the related motion to do so, which he said was sparked by an incident involving a jogger and commuter riding an e-bike.
“I’m very supportive of trail use. I just think there has to be some common sense when sharing the trails.”
While CRD staff are writing their report, the District will install more signage alerting tail users to rules.
