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Public invited to celebrate improvements to popular Salmon Arm trail network

Grand opening ceremony planned for Oct. 1 at South Canoe trailhead.
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The Shuswap Trail Alliance is hosting a grand-opening ceremony to celebrate improvements to the South Canoe trail system on Saturday, Oct. 1, 2022. (File photo)

The Shuswap Trail Alliance is inviting the community to celebrate improvements at Salmon Arm’s much-used South Canoe trail system.

A grand opening ceremony is planned for 10 a.m. on Saturday, Oct. 1 at the South Canoe trailhead, which has seen many improvements/enhancements over the last couple of years. Among them, said Shuswap Trail Alliance (STA) executive director Jen Bellhouse, is the expanded accessibility to the park and trails for people of all ages and abilities. A gazebo (a work in process) is expected to make the trailhead more usable for all weather/seasons.

“The addition of accessible trails for universal mountain bike and hiking access has allowed a broader range of public use including families with young children and seniors of varying abilities,” said the STA in a media release. “The expansion of the parking area and improvement of safety fencing has helped to accommodate and manage this increase in community use.”

The Ida View trail and East Canoe Creek bridge have also been completed and connect the South Canoe trail network with the Larch Hills Traverse via the Rubberhead trail system. This was the final section of the Larch Hills Traverse needed to create a loop through the Larch Hills Nordic ski area, with trails starting and ending in South Canoe.

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“The East Canoe Creek Bridge is a prime example of what can be accomplished when folks work together,” said Bellhouse. “Between donations, volunteer hours and grants, the bridge was completed over the span of a year and was a real labour of love for many. We could not have done this without support from the City of Salmon Arm, and we extend huge thanks to everyone that has helped make this possible.”

The STA invites the public to the South Canoe trailhead grand opening where there’ll be coffee and snacks, while recognition is given to everyone who contributed to the improvements. For those interested, the Shuswap Cycling Club will be leading a guided ride after the celebration.

For more information, visit www.shuswaptrails.com or contact Bellhouse at 250-804-3530 or email jen@shuswaptrails.com.



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