Further to our public statement of January 18, 2023, our group has again met with the proponent of the Bridal Falls Gondola project to share our members’ concern with the proposed gates restricting access to motorized users’ access in the Cheam, Chipmunk and Thurston area. The purpose of the meeting was to clear up the misconceptions of all parties and seek positive solutions that support a continued high value motorized recreation experience while ensuring that the proponent, and their partners, also can create the guest experience they are seeking.

Based on the information that both parties shared it is clear that an equitable solution can be found for us to support this project application and our group now awaits written documentation from the proponent on the changes we discussed. Once received this response will be shared publicly and reviewed against impacts on any of the existing provincial agreements that our groups may already have in place.

In the meantime, we are asking our members and riders to do the following:

• We appreciate the private citizen petition that was created and is being circulated but it has contained some misinformation that is jeopardizing our work on this project. We will be working with the organizer to clarify the wording to ensure signatures collected are based on
• There has been widespread use of the term CRA or Controlled Access Area in social media. This project is not a CRA but rather an application for a non-exclusive use

Commercial Recreation Tenure under the Adventure Tourism Policy. A CRA is what is used by ski hills to obtain exclusive rights on crown land that allows them to control access to the area. This is not a ski hill though it was shared that another proponent may have submitted a letter of intent to develop a ski hill in the area which is likely what is creating confusion.

• Information about CRA’s can be found at:
• https://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/industry/natural-resource-use/resort-development/public-access-and-controlled-recreation-areas

• Information about a Commercial Tenure under the Adventure Tourism Policy can be found at:
• https://www2.gov.bc.ca/assets/gov/farming-natural-resources-and-industry/natural-resource-use/land-water-use/crown-land/adventure_tourism.pdf

This proposed project is a joint project that includes a large investment by local First Nations. These nations have financially invested in this project to create economic benefit for their band members long-term and to protect their heritage values in the region. We are committed to working with these nations to find solutions on this project but also to work closely with them to better understand their cultural usage in the area separately.

We are pleased to state that despite the negative media, we are at a point where all parties are committed to working together to resolve outstanding issues on the table.

Yours truly,

Chris D’Silva, President
ATVBC Quad Riders Association of BC
[email protected]

Peter Sprague, Executive Director
BC Off-Road Motorcycle Association
[email protected]

Donegal Wilson, Executive Director
BC Snowmobile Federation
[email protected]

Kim Reeves, President
Four Wheel Drive Association of BC
[email protected]