Council will be discussing a newly updated Off-Highway Vehicles (OHV) Strategic Plan during this Tuesday’s council meeting, which could see two additional OHV staging areas constructed.

In 2016, a master plan was created to address OHV use, however, the wildfires drastically changed the landscape, and the plan was rendered no longer compatible.

An Urban Service Area Off-Highway Vehicle Strategic Plan (the Plan) began by gathering feedback from roughly 2,200 local stakeholders and residents in 2021, with 63 per cent of feedback supporting additional staging areas.

OHV staging areas would be considered in the far north and south of the urban service areas to provide parking, trail access, and a group meeting location.

According to the Plan, one of the most significant recommendations was to give residents access directly from their own property to designated OHV corridors that lead outside the Urban Service Area.

During an online survey in March 2021, only 25.4 per cent of respondents believed they had adequate access to OHV trails and destinations from the existing designated OHV staging areas.

OHV Bylaws are not intended to be changed as part of the Plan, but adjustments are being recommended, which must go through a formal process through the RMWB Council.

Administration is recommending that council allocate $200,000 from the Emerging Issues Reserve to begin a feasibility study on creating the proposed staging areas.