May 30, 2013 (Hamilton, ON) – Hamilton Cycling Club is thrilled to announce the opening a new trail network in the Hamilton area at Christie Lake Conservation Area. The trails will be officially opened as part of MEC Bikefest at the Christie Lake pavilion from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday, June 8, 2013.

The Hamilton Cycling Club partnered with the Hamilton Conservation Authority to build sustainably designed singletrack trails in Christie Lake Conservation Area. Over the past two years, volunteers have dedicated over 2,500 hours, with a value of nearly $40,000. The Hamilton Cycling Club has worked closely with the Christie Lake Conservation Area and the ecology staff to plan and approve all trails.

The Trillium Foundation awarded the Hamilton Cycling Club a grant of nearly $15,000 to purchase trail building tools, a trailer, signage for the network and for the skills area to be built.

Completed trails include nearly 5 km of beginner, intermediate and advanced paths, with a clay surface and few rocks. They run through the south side of Christie Lake, opening up the mostly pine-reforested area to two-wheeled exploration.

The trails were designed to resist erosion using the International Mountain Bike Association’s guidelines for sustainable trail construction. Indeed, IMBA Canada with the HCC hosted a Trail School in 2011 that taught nearly 100 local riders these principles.

Two more areas have cyclists excited. One loop, called the Enchanted Forest, is specifically designed for kids. It will allow them to experience the joy of mountain biking in a gentle trail through a cedar forest, while their parents observe from the perimeter. Also, a new skills area will include a pump track and some challenging hand built features to help riders progressively improve their riding abilities in a safe environment.

Already, local dog walkers, hikers, snowshoers and cross country skiers have discovered the trails and local cyclists are happy to share. They do ask that users stay off when it is wet, to preserve the surface, and that horses refrain from using these tight, narrow trails.

The network is only about one third completed, and the volunteers can’t wait to get back to work. For those interested in joining the builders, check HERE for more details.

Founded in 1881, the Hamilton Cycling Club is an amateur club in Hamilton, Ontario with more than 130 members. They are active in road racing, mountain biking, time trials, hill climbs, track cycling, cyclocross… and having fun. They run weekly club events and also work hard to host top-quality regional events such as the Good Friday Road Race (an Ontario Cup series event). HCC is the place to come if you want to learn to ride, to ride faster and to enjoy the wonderful sport of cycling.