CALL FOR VOLUNTEERS: Building Sherman Olson Trail

Volunteers are needed for trail building on Friday, October 7, 2022 to complete the new equestrian-primary trail in the Thornhill area. All users of the municipal horse trail network are invited to help finish this important new route. NOTE: We ask that volunteers please contact us via email (volunteer@haneyhorsemen.com) to sign up for this workbee.

Time: 9am-2pm
Place: Meet at 104 Avenue & 256 Street in Maple Ridge; we will walk in to the site from there

This new trail, which is being developed in cooperation with the City of Maple Ridge, will be named in honour of Maple Ridge’s trails pioneer Sherman Olson (1928-2013). Sherman Olson volunteered a lifetime of effort and commitment to Canada’s equestrian and trail-building community. His devotion to trails and trail-riding was evident in his volunteerism — among the many ways he contributed was as director and president of Trans Canada Trail Foundation, director and vice-president of Canadian Equestrian Federation, and as the founding president of Horse Council BC, which he started to help recreational riders build, map and maintain trails in the province. Learn more about Sherman Olson’s legacy to the Canadian equestrian community at Trails BC.

Postponed: HHA Playday on July 30th

POSTPONED due to heat wave.
This event will be rescheduled.

HHA will be hosting a public Playday at Allco Park for equestrians on Saturday, July 30th, to introduce the new trail agility obstacle course. The park gate will be open 10am-4pm for those wishing to haul over. Refreshments available (coffee, treats, and BBQ’d hotdogs). HHA t-shirts and our handy trail maps will be for sale.

Join us for a fun afternoon of horse-play! Please RSVP to Dianne at dstoesz6@gmail.com

August 2022 Allco Campout

HHA members’ camping weekend August 12-14, 2022. Cost is just $10 per person, per night. Potluck to be held on Saturday evening.

Earliest arrival at the Allco camp site is noon on Friday, August 12; departure is on Sunday, August 14.

Riders must be Haney Horsemen members to join this campout. One non-riding significant other of a participating HHA member is permitted; contact Lynn for specifics on this.
Click this link to join HHA.

HHA requires a $20 deposit to hold your spot, e-transfered to Lynn Byer.
Limited number of spots available, so please contact Lynn asap to book your horse camping weekend!

NOTICE: Intermittent Trail Closures

Intermittent trail closures of Centennial Trail will begin Monday, July 11, as the City of Maple Ridge starts work in the area that is expected to last for several months.

The City of Maple Ridge will be expanding a pump station at the corner of 236 St and 132 Ave, beside the Centennial Trail (just north of Wildplay and the dog park). Part of this work will include some trail closures while work is underway in the vicinity, including to construct a new retaining wall and make water line connections.

The first of these trail closures will happen on Monday July 11th, for a few days while some tree removal work is completed. This work will be ongoing, with intermittent trail closures as required by the project contractor over the next number of months and into 2023. Signage will be installed at the trail heads to provide notice of the trail closures when in effect. The trail will be left open and in a safe condition during most of the construction if the contractor is not working in that direct area.

The work area is shown in the map below. (The dashed red line is Centennial Trail.)

CALL FOR VOLUNTEERS: Thornhill Trail Building

In cooperation with City of Maple Ridge, volunteers are needed for trail building on Friday, July 15, 2022 (a new equestrian primary trail) and also on July 24, 2022 (a new mountain bike primary trail). HHA members and their friends are invited to volunteer for both work bees.

NOTE: The City requested feedback from HHA on our expected number of volunteers for this event. With that in mind, we ask that volunteers please contact Allison via email (Geofroy5@gmail.com) to sign up for either/both workbees.

NOTICE: Upgrades to Vernon Trail

Portions of Vernon Trail and the surrounding area will be inaccessible for recreational trail use starting near the end of August, as the City of Maple Ridge’s Parks Planning & Development Department will be re-building a section of the trail there.

The area affected is located at 21791 Park Lane, Maple Ridge, BC V4R 2T1 and is highlighted in red in the image below. The City will also be incorporating a horse gate and concrete barriers along the east entrance at Park Lane.

HHA will update members when these improvements to Vernon Trail are completed.

CLOSURE: Appaloosa Trail

Confirmed by the City during the last meeting with the HHA Trails Committee, Appaloosa Trail continues to be temporarily closed due to development in the area. HHA will share updates about the reopening of this trail as soon as the information is available.

Monthly Meeting Day & Seasonal Format Changes

After a poll of members and a vote at the 2022 AGM, HHA’s monthly meeting day has been changed to the second Tuesday of the month, starting with the September 2022 meeting. Furthermore, the format will vary depending on the time of year.

In-person meetings will be held for the months of September, March, April, May and June; ZOOM meetings will be conducted for the months of October, November, January and February. Date/format details will be emailed to members ahead of each meeting.

Note that no meetings are held in the months of July, August and December.

UPDATE: Allco Trail

HHA just got word from the Operations Manager at Golden Ears Park that the large fallen tree on Allco Trail, on the “Golden Ears side”, and not far from the junction with the Alouette River, has been removed. He mentioned that the remainder of Allco Trail is clear as well.
Happy Trails!

Allco Trail is clear again
All clear again on Allco Trail near the junction with the Alouette River

UPDATE: Repair Done on Pony Creek Trail

UPDATE: The sinkhole on Pony Creek Trail has been repaired! Happy Trails!

Previously, HHA wrote:
Riders should avoid Pony Creek Trail at this time due to a significant sink hole at the west end of the bridge. This sinkhole opens right down to the creek.
HHA has notified the City of Maple Ridge about this hazard, and crews will be attending to it very soon.

Sinkhole on Pony Creek trail
Sinkhole on Pony Creek trail at west end of bridge

Sinkhole on Pony Creek trail