Submitted by:
Heather Nielsen,
RISE Economic Development Officer |

Swan Valley RISE, partnering with Swan Valley Sport Fish Enhancement, would like to announce the approval of the Partner 4 Growth grant for trail mapping.

The project is budgeted for $24600 with $12200 coming from the province and $12400 being shared between Swan Valley RISE and Swan Valley Sport Fish Enhancement.

Upon completion of the REAP (Regional Economic Analysis Process), tourism was identified as a strong economic driver. Swan Valley RISE’s current main focus is tourism economic development. Our first step was obtaining a Tourism Development Plan which we did by hiring a consultant, partnering with Valley in the Mountains Tourism, local tourism entities and passionate community members. One of the outcomes of the Development Plan was the abundance of trails and the question how do we make them more available. We have trails for walking, hiking, quading, sledding, cross country skiing, downhill skiing and mountain biking with many groups and individuals putting in countless hours maintaining and developing them. At this point in time there are many trails without maps and signage. The success of marketing and promoting our trails is dependent upon maps and signage. This project will develop the maps which will be available online, downloadable, and at the Tourism Centre as well as some well placed signage.

Travel MB recognizes the Parkland region as “an area of beautiful parks, vast forests, diverse wildlife, and never-ending recreational opportunities”. Swan Valley RISE is committed to providing the conduit for people to explore the opportunities in Swan Valley which have unlimited economic potential and expansion. We are building a better Swan Valley by establishing partnerships with local organizations and maximizing the use of our trails to explore the vastness and abundance of our Swan Valley while utilizing natural resources in all 4 municipalities as well as the economic development that can be achieved by tourism events.