Trail News
Photo: Submitted
The two-part series, Standing on the Shoulders, lands in tandem with the debut of the brand-new, lift-accessed bike park on June 21 .
The second episode celebrating the legacy and vision of the nation’s newest bike park at Red Mountain in Rossland is now live.
The two-part series, Standing on the Shoulders, lands in tandem with the debut of the brand-new, lift-accessed bike park on June 21 and the RED Mountain Bike Park website — now live with the trail map, pricing, FAQ, and all the details for riders ready to gear up.
It begins as a heartfelt tribute to the pioneers, the untamed passion, and the raw trail-building spirit that laid the foundation for the Kootenays’ vibrant mountain bike culture and its legendary athletes.
“From there, it dives into an inspiring behind-the-scenes journey — capturing the creativity, precision, and relentless drive of the Gravity Logic team as they transform RED’s bold dream into a breathtaking reality,” said general manager, Andrew Lunt, in a press release. “This is more than a series; it’s a powerful story of roots, innovation, and the limitless spirit of progression.”
Photo: Submitted
Bike park site map.
Episode one
Of Legends dives deep into the heart of mountain biking in the Kootenays — an ode to the roots, the pioneers, and the raw trail-building energy that helped shape the sport in Rossland and beyond.
More than just announcing a new lift-accessed park, RED is honouring a legacy — one that spans decades, thousands of vertical feet, and a passionate community that’s helped put this region on the global mountain biking map.
“It’s hard to know where you’re going if you don’t know where you’ve been,” is the theme behind this beautifully shot and soul-stirring episode one of Standing on the Shoulders, highlighting the rich mountain bike culture that gave rise to both legendary athletes and epic trails of the Kootenays.
Partnering with the world-renowned Gravity Logic — the top-tier name in bike park development — RED is building a world-class riding experience that celebrates every style and skill level.
From first-timers to seasoned shredders, the RED Mountain Bike Park is designed to be a destination where beginners feel like pros, and pros still find challenge and progression.
This multi-million-dollar project isn’t just about a bike park—it’s about building a year-round hub of adventure, said Lunt.
“The RED Bike Park is poised to be the cornerstone for the community of Rossland, the promotion of local tourism, outdoor recreation in the Kootenays, and to elevate Rossland as the premier destination four-season basecamp for a multitude of outdoor experiences,” he said.
Photo: File
A Rossland man was observed allegedly under the influence of alcohol and causing a disturbance.
A Rossland man who had caused a disturbance two weeks ago was back at it late last week.
On Friday, May 2 at 11:19 a.m. Trail RCMP officers responded to 36-year-old Rossland man causing a disturbance inside a business located in the 1000 block of Rossland Avenue in Trail.
The officers located the man in the parking lot outside of the business and observed he was allegedly under the influence of alcohol.
“The man made a threat towards the officers and attempted to strike one; however, the officers stopped the man from completing the assault and arrested him,” said RCMP Sgt. Mike Wicentowich in a statement.
The officers transported him to the Trail Detachment and lodged him into the cellblock. The officer later released the man when sober and with a condition not to attend the store. The officer will forward a report to Crown counsel about the incident.
“The 36-year-old Rossland man is the same man as reported on the other week,” said Sgt. Wicentowich. “Officers often demonstrated great patience and understanding when dealing with people on multiple occasions before pursuing criminal charges. Criminal charges are often the last resort in order to manage someone’s behaviour in our communities.”
Photo: File
A Trail victim was instructed to purchase $10,000 in gift cards.
A telephone scam selling gift cards defrauded a Trail resident out of $10,000.
On Saturday, May 3 a Trail RCMP officer received a report of a victim being defrauded out of $10,000 after falling prey to a telephone scam in Trail.
The victim received a phone call from an unknown suspect claiming to be a security officer from a financial institution. The victim was instructed to purchase $10,000 in gift cards and send the information to the suspect as part of his investigation.
The suspect remained on the phone while the victim withdrew the money from the bank and purchased the gift cards.
The victim was eventually stopped by employees at a local business who recognized that it was a scam. The victim contacted her financial institutions as a precaution to warn them about the fraud.
The funds are not recoverable.
“Please do not purchase gift cards and send the information on the cards to anyone over the phone. The money is not recoverable nor protected from your bank insurance,” said Sgt. Mike Wicentowich.
Photo: File
Rossland was the scene of a home invasion Friday night with two masked suspects attacking a third person, sending him to hospital with 'stab' injuries.
Two masked suspects, allegedly armed, invaded a Rossland home Friday night in a targeted attack, sending one man to hospital with stab wounds.
On Saturday, May 3 at 2:10 a.m. Trail RCMP officers responded to a report of a home invasion at a residence in the 1900 block of Nevada Street in Rossland.
Officers discovered that two masked suspects, allegedly armed, broke into the residence and assaulted a 26-year-old Beaver Falls man. One suspect fled the residence.
The victim sustained non-life-threatening stabs, said Trail RCMP Sgt. Mike Wicentowich in a statement, and is expected to recover from his injuries.
“We believe this attack was targeted and the suspects and victim knew each other,” he said. “We do not believe anyone else was in danger. Home invasions with violence are a very rare occurrence and we believe that no one else is at risk at this time.”
Officers arrested a male youth at the scene and transported him to the cell block at the Trail detachment. He was released from custody after appearing before the court.
Trail RCMP officers are looking for the second suspect and another individual believed to be involved in this incident. If you have any information about this crime, or the identity of the suspects, please call the Trail Detachment at 250-364-2566 to speak to an investigator.
The investigation continues.
Photo: Website screenshot
A wheelchair van and SUV is now based in Trail and will service Nelson, Castlegar, Trail and the surrounding areas.
NOW Shuttle, a Vernon-based, government licensed, transportation service, commenced service in the West Kootenay as of the start of May.
A wheelchair van and SUV is now based in Trail and will service Nelson, Castlegar, Trail and the surrounding areas, providing transportation to Kelowna for medical appointments and procedures.
“At NOW Shuttle, we provide safe, dignified and dependable transportation for individuals facing illness or disability,” read a statement from the company.
The non-emergency and private medical transportation service — to and from medical appointments — includes trips for dialysis, cancer treatment centres, hospitals and any other health-related location.
The van can accommodate one person who uses a mobility device and up to three additional people. The vans have rear-entry ramps and secure tie-down systems.
- People can call 250-540-6746 to book.
The company can be found here.
Photo: Contributed
Police discovered a child wandering the streets on April 24
A young child was seen wandering the street alone on the 1600 block of Second Avenue, in Trail on April 26.
According to police, a witness spotted the child and reported the incident. Police quickly located the child, who directed the officer to his house.
Grateful and happy to have found their child safe, the parent said their child had escaped the house after waking up early from a nap.
"We live in a community where people look out for each other, and that is nice," said Sgt. Wicentowich of the Trail RCMP.
Photo: Samantha Holomay
Over 250 people signed a petition opposing the 10 per cent tax increase included in Rossland's Draft 2025-2029 Five-Year Financial Plan.
Many Rossland residents are pushing back against the city's proposed 10 per cent tax increase, and the debates are heating up.
Rossland city council passed the first and second reading of its Draft 2025-2029 Financial Plan Bylaw and is now consulting the public to seek additional comments on the document.
As of May 1, the city's chief financial officer (CFO), Mike Kennedy, has received approximately 10 written submissions from members of the public opposing the increases. As well, a petition was signed by over 250 people who all expressed their concerns about the proposed increases.
The petition suggested that council impose a limit on the 2025 municipal portion of property tax increase to six per and that departmental budgets also be cut by four per cent in 2025, while the required studies are completed on infrastructure replacement.
The petition advocated for a freeze on the hiring of new staff, and suggests delegating tasks or sharing staff between the neighbouring communities, such as Trail and Warfield.
It also suggested that the city stop telling the public that there will be a 10 per cent annual tax increase in the draft 2025-2029 Financial Plan, and the city should lower payroll expenses.
In addition, it continued to propose that “non-essential projects” such as the Trail resident program, the Redstone playground project, and the city’s new communication plans be cut, including the Green Link project.
“Council, acknowledging their desire to 'Support and enhance access to diverse housing options for all ages, abilities and incomes' cannot be accomplished by increasing municipal property tax rates by 61 per cent over five years,” the petition stated.
“These increases will only drive rental rates higher for those who are in the rental market, while pushing current homeowners out of the city due to ballooning annual property tax rates.”
Overall, the petition advised the city to reign in spending and focus on improving the area's infrastructure, rather than launching new initiatives simultaneously. Some who signed the petition said that they believe that the proposed tax increases will run people out of Rossland.
“Taxes in Rossland are already extremely high compared to other communities, and we should look at alternatives to endlessly raising our taxes even more," said Craig McCallum.
“With the proposed tax increases, Rossland will become completely unaffordable,” said Philip Churchill. “We will have to sell our house and move. Also, without raising rents at the same pace of tax increases, it will be impossible to maintain affordable rents.”
Council previously stated that half of the proposed increase of the five-year plan's property tax revenue will go towards covering inflation, infrastructure improvements and enhancing city services. The letter also stated that some Rosslanders' recognized the need to prepare for the eventual replacement of the city's aging infrastructure.
“While I understand we need to increase taxes to pay for aging infrastructure and key services, I believe we can do better and get more creative than the 10 per cent compounding interest plan that will have more negative consequences on our great community,” said Jayme Smithers.
City staff explained that the city has endured significant challenges over the years due to aging infrastructure, housing shortages, climate-related risks and an increase in service demands.
Some of the tax increases are also due to the Regional District of Kootenay Boundary (RDKB) planned upgrades to the Columbia Pollution Control Centre located in Trail.
The upgrades are aimed at modernizing the centre that was built in the 1970s, and is projected to cost an estimated $75 million. The timeline for its completion is that the end project is slated for 2026, although some expressed that the timing seems optimistic.
Rossland Mayor Andy Morel previously expressed that the city cannot continue “kicking the can down the road” and that the plan is a crucial step toward ensuring that Rossland remains a vibrant and resilient community for generations to come.
Council will not officially adopt the plan until May 5, and municipal budgets are to be completed by the May 15 deadline.
Photo: Samantha Holomay
The water chlorinating process will repeat every three months starting April 29 2025.
If you live near Trail and smell the faint odour of chlorine over the next few weeks, there is no pool nearby.
The City of Trail Water Treatment Plant crew will be chlorinating the Green Gables Reservoir on Tuesday, April 29.
Residents in the Waneta area are expected to be the most affected. The procedures aim to clean and disinfect the reservoirs and the water distribution system. The City of Trail said that the chlorinated water is still perfectly safe to drink and is not a health hazard.
The City of Trail said that a slight chlorine smell may be detected for approximately two weeks and will slowly deplete over time with regular water usage. This process will be reintroduced every three months.
“Thank you for your patience and cooperation as we complete this important process in your neighbourhood,” a post from the city read.
Photo: BC Wildfire Service
A burn registration number is not a permit, and residents must adhere to local bylaws and obtain the necessary papers. However you can not openly burn in certain RDKB municipalities.
Many people in Trail have been inquiring about the city’s burning bylaws, asking if property owners are allowed to have a small fire pit in their backyards.
The city has cleared the smoky air that has clouded some of the information being passed around about Trail's fire rules.
The short answer is no, you can't have any sort of fire within the Trail city limits.
According to the City’s Fire Safety and Prevention Bylaw, open burning is prohibited within city limits and the Trail communications and events manager confirmed this, citing a slew of misinformation that has been floating around.
Open burns are classified as fires that release smoke directly into the air and that aren't contained to a fireplace stove or furnace.
Some municipalities within the Regional District of Kootenay Boundary (RDKB) require residents to obtain an open burning permit for free, but Trail is not one of them. If you live in Greenwood and Montrose, interested residents are able to apply for a open burning permit.
In Greenwood each burn permit has to be renewed every seven days. Montrose opened up burn permits this year and each one is valid for one year.
Residents have to send in a picture of where they plan to have the fire, and then it is sent off to the Kootenay Boundary Regional Fire Rescue (KBRFR) for approval.
There are also few different burn categories that each city has to abide by. Category 1 burns are any fire that is no larger than 0.5 metres high by 0.5 metres wide, any fire larger than this is considered a Category 2 open fire.
For larger-scale burns, (category three) burning material must be larger than two metres high by three metres wide. This would apply if you are planning on burning something bigger than two hectares. Accepted applicants will be provided with a registration number.
It’s important to note that a burn registration number is not a permit, and that residents must also adhere to local bylaws and obtain the necessary papers. City officers can enter any building or property at a reasonable time to ensure that the regulations are being abided by.
Burning without a valid permit may result in a fine or service fee. Under the B.C. Wildfire Act, unauthorized burning can result in a $1,150 violation ticket and could be up to as much as $200,000 under the Open Burning Smoke Control regulation. Fine prices may vary depending on the municipality.
- For more information about burn restrictions head to the City of Trail website, the RDKB website or call 1-800-355-7352.
Photo: Samantha Holomay
Rossland City Hall is located at 1920 Third Avenue.
Rossland is cleaning up the community, one leaf at a time.
As we roll further into the spring season, the time has come to declutter your yard waste that built up over the winter.
On May 1, the City of Rossland will begin to collect yard waste, leaves, tree trimmings, branches, gravel and sand as part of their spring clean-up efforts.
Participants should have their items out and ready for pickup by 7 a.m. The requirements are as follows:
- Tree trimmings must be less than 10 centimetres in diameter and 3 metres in length
- Trimmings should not exceed a truckload’s worth per household
- Waste must be placed on an unmaintained boulevard
- Trimmings placed on the road or tarps will not be picked up
- Leaves, grass, and clippings should be collected in a pile on a unmaintained boulevard
- Dirt, sod, rocks, and construction material will not be accepted
- Do not place yard waste in bags, as it will not be picked up
- Gravel and sand should be raked onto an asphalt surface, but should not be put in piles
The city also reminded residents that burning garden and yard waste is prohibited within city limits.
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