5 January, 2026

Promoting Trail Stewardship and Community Awareness on Trail Care Day in Pemberton, BC

This past June, on Trail Care Day, the Pemberton Valley Trails Association hosted a trail building event and a community celebration along the Sea to Sky Trail in Pemberton, BC.

We spoke with Janice Valant, Trans Canada Trail’s Coordinator, Trail Initiatives, about her experience attending the event and speaking to participants and passersby.

An early start trailbuilding

Before the Trail Care festivities kicked off, Janice met up with Ariane Larouche, Executive Director of Pemberton Valley Trails Association, along with a group of volunteers from the local community to work on building a new trail in Pemberton. Putting shovels in the ground after following the community’s established sustainable trail building protocol, which includes consultation and approval by the Lil’wat Nation, environmental and archaeological assessments, and authorization from Recreation Sites and Trails BC, was an exciting milestone.

group of people standing infront of a green tent smiling

Photo credit: Brent Harrewyn

Promoting trail stewardship, safety awareness and community engagement – and a barbecue!

After some trail-building time, Ariane, Janice and the rest of the crew headed over to the Sea to Sky Trail for the Trail Care community barbecue and volunteer celebration. Several trail-related organizations were on site with informational kiosks: FireSmart, a community forest group, bike organizations and others attended and spread awareness about their programming.

“The Trail Care funds were used to bring the community together and celebrate the contributions of volunteers to our local trail network,” Ariane says. “As part of this initiative, Stewardship Pemberton organized a scavenger hunt along the Sea to Sky Trail, the Pemberton Off Road Cycling Association led a youth bike ride, and FireSmart BC, in collaboration with Lil’wat Forestry, hosted a fire mitigation walk on the same trail.”

two men posing with fire gear

Photo credit: Brent Harrewyn

“It was hot! Almost 40 degrees,” Janice says, “But it was great because we got to talk to lots of people; we were where everyone wanted to be – along the forested trail and down by the lake – on a hot Saturday.” Janice spoke to several community members, including youth from the area, and they had great conversations about their favourite trails in the area. “They were all naming different trails, and they knew a lot because they do a lot of horseback riding and bike riding from a young age,” she says. “It’s a very trail-centric community, and it was really fun to hear them name so many trails.”

Also in attendance at the community celebration was Trans Canada Trail Board member Michelle Gordon, who lives nearby.

Bringing the everyday work of trail groups to life

Spending time trail building and working with the trail crew was a big highlight for Janice. “Another highlight for me was getting in-person time with the director of Pemberton Valley Trails and the Crew Boss,” says Janice, “and to hear deeply about the work they’re doing and the impact in their community.”

Trail groups like Pemberton Valley Trails Association demonstrate the incredible work undertaken by trail groups from across the country as part of our Trail Care grant program. Thank you to the dedicated volunteers who work to maintain and enhance the Trail, promote trail stewardship and safety, and more.

woman and child walking along a wooden trail on a sunny day