(Ross Lavigne) Cycling has seen a surge in popularity the past year, with many cyclists taking advantage of the local trails

By Tiffany Goodwein

Local trails see uptick in cyclists

Apr 27, 2021 | 6:08 PM

MEDICINE HAT,AB- Cycling through the twists and turns, local trails in the area have been bustling with cyclists eager to get outdoors.

“ I think during the pandemic and the lockdowns a lot of people figured out that the opportunities for outdoor recreation are abound in Southern Alberta and I think a lot of people didn’t realize this trail infrastructure was here,” said cyclist Matt Los.

Los is a member of the 670 Collective Mountain Bike Club, and said membership is on the rise.

“ The last year and a bit we have seen a really big surge in the sport. Lots of unfamiliar faces on the trails. We’ve all been riding here for over eight years, for myself and there is just a lot more local people discovering that we didn’t recognize,” he said

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Cyclist Dan Hager, recently retired from his job and is now looking forward to spending more time cycling on the trails.

“I got into it just because it is a shift in my personal healthcare, and just do something a little better, and when you are younger you have good health by default but as an older person you have to work at it a bit more,” he said.

Katy Courty has been a cyclist for 20 years.

“For me it is a lot of therapy. You know you have a bad day, I just need to get out and ride my bike and then the world is better again,” she said.

She moved to the city a few years ago from Ontario and was taken aback at the beautiful trails in the area

“ Back in Ontario, it is more trees, just kind of flat, meandering kind of trails, so this is a lot more challenging, a lot more elevation,” she said.

And that’s drawing in cyclists from across the country, according to Los. He said it is not unusual to meet cyclists from Calgary, Saskatoon, and Edmonton on a given weekend.

“I think it probably has to do with we have a really long riding season here. So I know for most of us we had tires on dirt by the end of February so that’s a pretty big draw for people from other riding communities. They don’t have that and we are one of the only places with dirt,” he said.

There will soon be another place for cyclists to shred some dirt. The City of Medicine Hat has started to develop a new trail system connecting the Gas City Campground and Echo Dale Regional Park.

According to City project manager Mike Hirsch, construction is set to begin in a month and will finish by the end of the year.

The trail can be used by walkers, joggers, dog owners and cyclists of all abilities, an exciting feat for cyclists like Courty.

“ I have two kids, and one is not ready for technical riding yet, and what they are building over there is more grade-level, more kid-friendly, it’s you know that’s where you start, over there, and that’s what we didn’t have before,” she said.

“It really allows more people to get involved in the sport,” she said.

A total of $1.7 million has been allocated towards the 20 km trail upgrade. The funding was made possible through the Municipal Stimulus Program, money from the province to help stimulate the economy in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. The City received $7.5 million through the initiative. Other municipal stimulus projects include a multi-court pickleball facility, Town Square, BMX track upgrades, and the Gas City Campground Construction.

A look at the municipal stimulus projects can be found on the city’s website.