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[Burbot]

So will this be the new hot spot for vehicle break ins then?

[Sandman]

Good move by the city for the wheelchair folks. Does this help the old and infirm but not wheelchair bound?

Sure the resurfacing of the trail will make it easier to walk, and the clearing of brush close to the parking lot will give everyone easier access.  My question is, should they place signage along the rocks where they clear the brush (ie:yield spot to physically challenged anglers).

[Rodney]

Wow. The city is going to a lot of effort and expense to maintain the accessibility of the location (and create accessible fishing opportunities at other locations), while trying to mitigate the flow of garbage. It seems to be a very balanced solution.

Kudos to the city of Chilliwack and to the stakeholders (Chris et al) who made their voices heard.

I agree Clarki, the City has taken the time to listen to inputs from the Fraser Valley Salmon Society and they are trying their best to accommodate the concerns anglers have. In the past year, Tourism Chilliwack (like most other regions in BC) has shifted its focus from farm tours to outdoor activities like hiking, mountain biking and fishing, therefore it makes sense to create better (not necessarily easier as we can see in this case, but more organized) accesses for anglers. Proper parking spaces, washrooms should definitely be welcome by the angling community. By tidying up the access spots, perhaps that will reduce irresponsible usage. It'll be important to keep this dialogue going with the City as development progresses.

One unfortunate outcome of this will be the loss of access to those easier spots by the train bridge for the older anglers. Sure the trails will be smoother to walk on and some walking is definitely healthy for the body, but many older anglers I know can barely walk 100ft so walking from the parking lot to those spots will be out of the question.

There are also a few other concerns. Burbot has already pointed out one of them. One of the perks with parking your car along that trail is being able to keep an eye on your vehicle while you fish. Hopefully with a properly assigned parking lot will also bring proper monitoring by some type of patrol, so we don't end up with regular break-ins like we have seen at Lickman and Peach in the past.

The other thing which will most likely happen is that, knowing how fishermen think, they'll end up parking on the Yarrow residential side and walk across the railway bridge instead of utilizing the new parking lot on the Chilliwack side.

My third concern is how will the city make sure the designated parking slots for disabled users (users, not just anglers, because walkers, bikers etc will also be utilizing this parking space) are not abused. Will there be sufficient parking spaces to accommodate anglers in September and October as well as other non-fishing users who arrive later in the morning?

Anyway, it is always good to see progress. Personally I am excited to see some of my regular spots becoming foot-access spots instead of vehicle access spots for obvious reasons.

[Fish or cut bait.]

Overall this is a good thing.
There was a time when there was NO rotary trail.
(You had to bushwhack)
The river ran along the road In certain sections etc;...
Folks get used to stuff and get POed when life changes.

[flyrod]

I was down on the river above the train bridge fishing today and talking with a couple of fishermen about the road closure coming up. We understand the need to curb garbage dumping and vandalism along this stretch of the river. There is also an environmental issue with vehicles driving onto the bar. Here are some thoughts that I know have already been expressed to some degree but I will restate for emphasis sake:
1. There is a gate at the entrance to the road that could be closed at night and opened in the morning just like the gates at Peach and Lickman road entrances to parking lots.  Why can't the same people that open and close those gates also tend to the gate at this site. 
2. The city has totally abandoned maintenance of this access road and the bushes/trees along the way.  If it was kept up so that there weren't any potholes and the sides of the road were kept trimmed and landscaped it would elevate the appearance and create a higher value to the area. When the area is depreciated by the city then people will think it is then okay to take advantage with garbage and late night partying leaving beer bottles/cans/debris/fires etc. Create a park like atmosphere and challenge locals and visitors to think "green".
3. Vehicles driving onto the bar!  Are they an environmental problem to the river habitat?  It isn't a spawning area.  Vehicles don't leak oil like they used to  so minimal pollution. It is the only spot on the river where handicapped people can have easy access to the rivers edge.  Best place for families with kids to fish, tube, swim and picnic in the summer time.  I take my grand children there to enjoy the river.  I will now have to walk a couple of kilometres with picnic baskets, chairs, fishing rods etc., as will 100's of other families with little ones. 
4. I am suspicious as to the agenda of the city to enforce this without any input from the community that values the access.  There are numerous groups that are cleaning up the river areas like this of garbage a couple of times a year.  The Fraser River has terrible dump sites near Gill Road where anything and everything is left there.  The area around the Keith Wilson Bridge has garbage dumped there on a regular basis as well as the Gravel Pit up further on the Canal. 
5. The Vedder/Chilliwack River is an "urban river", no longer the rural river of yesteryear.  It is going to have to have management and policing for sure.  The beauty of this river is that it has so much access along its length; not all is easy for recreational family groups that is.  The crowds and masses of people fishing on it during salmon season is creating some challenges for sure, but manageable if viewed properly.  A lot of wear and tear on the system and surrounding areas.  But, it also brings significant revenue to the community.  The city benefits financially from the increased usage of the system.  Tim Hortons sales are up significantly during salmon season...just look at all the Tim Horton's cup and wrappers left behind on the river and in the parking lots.  Starbuck's too has a huge gain, and with the soon to be drive through Starbucks at Vedder and Keith Wilson roads even more economic benefits.  The crowds going to Cultus Lake are on the increase too creating an economic surplus. 

Sadly, abuse, entitlement and neglect of our rivers and surrounding areas are increasing.  I am not convinced that this is the best decision to solving a problem in the particular area.  I would like to see some strong input directed to the City Council and those that have made this decision.  Just like the decision on the dykes on the Fraser River that would affect the stakeholders along that area; their resistance and protests got some attention to rethink the process. 
I live in Sardis and the river is a large part of my life as it is to hundreds if not thousands not only here in the Chilliwack Community but also surrounding communities that love this river. 
Enough of my Soap Box rant.  Just frustrated and looking for some momentum from those of like spirit and mind. 

[RalphH]

It amazes me what one can read on a 'fishing' website at times.Perhaps the city should run the river through a massive culvert, cover it up,pave it over and turn it into a parking lot. It makes me want to cry what people think they should be able to do on the banks of a river or any water body.

[joshhowat]

It was abused.

Now it's lost.

Get over it.


Go volunteer some where and stop the bullsh@t that happens on the river bank. Or more access will go this way and for good reason.

[chris gadsden]

I was down on the river above the train bridge fishing today and talking with a couple of fishermen about the road closure coming up. We understand the need to curb garbage dumping and vandalism along this stretch of the river. There is also an environmental issue with vehicles driving onto the bar. Here are some thoughts that I know have already been expressed to some degree but I will restate for emphasis sake:
1. There is a gate at the entrance to the road that could be closed at night and opened in the morning just like the gates at Peach and Lickman road entrances to parking lots.  Why can't the same people that open and close those gates also tend to the gate at this site. 
2. The city has totally abandoned maintenance of this access road and the bushes/trees along the way.  If it was kept up so that there weren't any potholes and the sides of the road were kept trimmed and landscaped it would elevate the appearance and create a higher value to the area. When the area is depreciated by the city then people will think it is then okay to take advantage with garbage and late night partying leaving beer bottles/cans/debris/fires etc. Create a park like atmosphere and challenge locals and visitors to think "green".
3. Vehicles driving onto the bar!  Are they an environmental problem to the river habitat?  It isn't a spawning area.  Vehicles don't leak oil like they used to  so minimal pollution. It is the only spot on the river where handicapped people can have easy access to the rivers edge.  Best place for families with kids to fish, tube, swim and picnic in the summer time.  I take my grand children there to enjoy the river.  I will now have to walk a couple of kilometres with picnic baskets, chairs, fishing rods etc., as will 100's of other families with little ones. 
4. I am suspicious as to the agenda of the city to enforce this without any input from the community that values the access.  There are numerous groups that are cleaning up the river areas like this of garbage a couple of times a year.  The Fraser River has terrible dump sites near Gill Road where anything and everything is left there.  The area around the Keith Wilson Bridge has garbage dumped there on a regular basis as well as the Gravel Pit up further on the Canal. 
5. The Vedder/Chilliwack River is an "urban river", no longer the rural river of yesteryear.  It is going to have to have management and policing for sure.  The beauty of this river is that it has so much access along its length; not all is easy for recreational family groups that is.  The crowds and masses of people fishing on it during salmon season is creating some challenges for sure, but manageable if viewed properly.  A lot of wear and tear on the system and surrounding areas.  But, it also brings significant revenue to the community.  The city benefits financially from the increased usage of the system.  Tim Hortons sales are up significantly during salmon season...just look at all the Tim Horton's cup and wrappers left behind on the river and in the parking lots.  Starbuck's too has a huge gain, and with the soon to be drive through Starbucks at Vedder and Keith Wilson roads even more economic benefits.  The crowds going to Cultus Lake are on the increase too creating an economic surplus. 

Sadly, abuse, entitlement and neglect of our rivers and surrounding areas are increasing.  I am not convinced that this is the best decision to solving a problem in the particular area.  I would like to see some strong input directed to the City Council and those that have made this decision.  Just like the decision on the dykes on the Fraser River that would affect the stakeholders along that area; their resistance and protests got some attention to rethink the process. 
I live in Sardis and the river is a large part of my life as it is to hundreds if not thousands not only here in the Chilliwack Community but also surrounding communities that love this river. 
Enough of my Soap Box rant.  Just frustrated and looking for some momentum from those of like spirit and mind.

Thanks for taking the time to write this, we brought up most of this at the meeting, we did our best but I think the closure was a done deal before we meet. Also as I may have mentioned before, 5 residents had written in before we met with the Mayor and staff with their reason to keep it open, at least during daylight hours.

[norton]

 As I remember back to the 60s and 70s , you could drive on both sides of the vedder except for a few sections. I think it's hard for older fishermen and people  with disabilities to hike long distances to be able to fish.

[chris gadsden]

Parking area is construction. Was told the gate will be locked, by the tracks same hours as Peach, Lickman etc..

Comes in effect Jan. 1, 2016

[RalphH]

As I remember back to the 60s and 70s , you could drive on both sides of the vedder except for a few sections. I think it's hard for older fishermen and people  with disabilities to hike long distances to be able to fish.

the blocking of dykes and other vehicles paths has been going on all over the FV and BC in general. I can think of several access points on other rivers, some on private land that have been gated trenched or bermed. It'd happened all the way up the Chilliwack Valley - used to be you could drive almost all the way to the Ranger run.

Basically it's happening for 2 reasons litter and landscape damage. Litter in remote places can be terribly egregious. I saw a dead cow dumped at the Queen's Island access just shortly before the dyke was gated. Another spot I like to fish had the dyke paths gated because people with 4x4s turned the roads in mud swamps and drove through fields and planted trees. You can still walk in there. Around 20 years ago when I worked for the Province I managed a remote work site. The land was private and posted, the roads were gated but before it wad closed we had regular issues with 4x4 people who'd use winches to bust the gates and and access to the road and the land. Break ins followed.

I do feel for people with mobility issues and I have had and still do have related problems but fact is I almost never see people with such issues fishing and most people who drive their vehicle straight to the river to fish are simply too lazy to get out and walk for 100 meters.

[bigsnag]

I do feel for people with mobility issues ..... but fact is I almost never see people with such issues fishing and most people who drive their vehicle straight to the river to fish are simply too lazy to get out and walk for 100 meters.

that is so true...

[chris gadsden]

http://www.theprogress.com/news/376440941.html

[RalphH]

I was there about a week ago. It's a 5 to 10 minute walk from the parking lot to the bridge. Much shorter by bicycle. The trail has been groomed to perfection and it's wheel chair and wagon friendly. People who want to picnic can carry the essentials no problem. What's the big deal?  Some people they have to carry half the household goods into the outdoors to have a good time.