Kimberley’s trail system is seeing some welcome improvements in time for hikers and other users hitting the trails and enjoying the outdoors during the summer months.

Upgrades have been made to signs along the city’s trail network. The $7,900 Kimberley Trails Society Signage Project includes funds from the B.C. government's Resort Municipality Initiative. New kiosks and maps are located at trailheads throughout Kimberley to provide information about the city’s landscapes to locals and visitors alike.

The new 3.5-kilometre Thunder Turkey Trail also opened last week, connecting the Horse Barn Valley trail network with the Nordic Centre area trails. The $22,000 project was also funded by the Resort Municipality Initiative along with the Columbia Basin Trust.

A ceremony to celebrate the new signs is scheduled for Monday, July 28 at 2 p.m. at the Swan Ave. Trailhead.

Quotes:

Shirley Bond, Minister of Jobs, Tourism and Skills Training and Responsible for Labour -

“Kimberley is the ‘Bavarian city in the Rockies’ and one way British Columbians and visitors from around the world enjoy its scenery is by walking the area's many trails. Congratulations to Kimberley on the opening of the Thunder Turkey Trail and also for the impressive new timber-frame kiosks. These additions no doubt add to visitors’ outdoor experience.”

“One way to encourage tourism in the area is by making recreation opportunities even more enjoyable. This funding helped to boost the efforts of volunteers and project partners to make the project a reality.”

Mayor Ron McRae, City of

“Kimberley’s participation in the Resort Municipality Initiative is critical to the continued growth and vibrancy of our tourism industry. The creation of new trailhead kiosks and construction of new trails such as the Thunder Turkey Trail are examples of creative uses of RMI funding to further enhance the visitor experience.” 

Quick Facts:

• Since 2006, through RMI, more than $87.6 million has been invested in tourism infrastructure and programs to support local and regional tourism economies.
• Tourism is one of the largest resource industries in the province and one of the highest contributors to B.C.’s GDP.
• In the last decade, tourism revenue in B.C. has increased by 42.9%.
• B.C. continues to grow its tourism sector through the provincial 'Gaining the Edge' tourism strategy. In part, Gaining the Edge focuses on developing key tourism products such as touring vacations, city experiences, skiing and snowboarding, Aboriginal tourism, conventions and meetings, as well as outdoor adventure/eco-tourism by supporting communities and businesses to offer world class visitor experiences, and by enhancing industry sustainability and competitiveness.  

B.C. continues to grow its tourism sector through the provincial 'Gaining the Edge' tourism strategy. In part, Gaining the Edge focuses on developing key tourism products such as touring vacations, city experiences, skiing and snowboarding, Aboriginal tourism, conventions and meetings, as well as outdoor adventure/eco-tourism by supporting communities and businesses to offer world class visitor experiences, and by enhancing industry sustainability and competitiveness.

Learn More:

To find out more: http://www.kimberleytrails.org/news

To learn more about the RMI program: http://www.ruralbc.gov.bc.ca/about/RMI/RMI_Index.html

To learn more about the BC Jobs Plan: http://www.bcjobsplan.ca/

Media Contacts:

Media Relations
Ministry of Jobs, Tourism and Skills Training and Responsible for Labour
250 387-2799