Williams Lake Indian Band looks to rebuild bike trails lost in last summer's wildfires

The devastation of last summer's wildfires still lingers in many areas of British Columbia, including the badly damaged bike trails left behind inWilliams Lake.

The Williams Lake Indian Band, whichoriginally built many of the trails, is hoping to restore the bike paths because of the health and business benefits they bring to the area.

"[The fires] wiped out every single trail that we had built," said band councillor Willie Sellars.

"We take great pride in building those trails."

About15 kilometres of biking trails were lost, including a cross-country mountain biking trail and a network of trails leading down into the Williams Lake Indian Band community and to main campsites in the area.

"We're talking about healthy living, protecting our heritage," Sellars told Shelley Joyce, the host of CBC's Daybreak Kamloops.

Business of biking

But it's also a matter of business, Sellarssaid, as Williams Lake increasingly promotes itself as a mountain biking tourism destination.

"Trails are becoming pretty important and pretty big business within the city of Williams Lake," said Sellars. "It's what we are known for."

The band is working with the cycling club in Williams Lake and waiting for the area to be logged and the dead trees to be removed, which is expected to start July 1,before beginning to rebuild.

"We have to look at not only rebuilding but maybe making [the trails] better and just looking at how it's going to roll out with all that burnt land," Sellars said.

With files from Daybreak Kamloops.

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