Mission and Mandate

Mission

Promoting a trail network, including the Trans Canada Trail, connecting all Albertans.

Mandate

• We support local and regional groups in their trail-building activities.
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  We offer direction and assistance to the trail community in many ways, including a province-wide plan for future trail development and the opportunity for liability insurance for trail organizations. We develop and distribute practical information and advice on the planning, design, construction and management of trails. We promote a planned approach to developing Alberta’s provincial trail network and support the creation of tools and resources to assist volunteer groups who develop, manage and maintain trails.
• We promote active living through the development and use of sustainable recreational trails.
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  We also support active transportation choices, including on- and off-street bikeways, trail commuter routes, and long-distance linkages for the multiple benefits and opportunities they provide.
• We represent recreational trails, related trail infrastructure, and trail interests in land use discussions.
• We provide a forum for all trail interests and groups including provincial trail user associations.
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  We partner with provincial trail user associations and other trail stakeholders to develop and deliver user education programs and to promote responsible recreational access.
• We represent and promote, through a formal agreement, the Trans Canada Trail in Alberta, and manage routing, trail registration, requests for funding, and reporting processes.
• We act as agents for the Province of Alberta in allocation and management of the provincial Trans Canada Trail Grant Program.
• We own rail rights-of-way in Alberta that may have originally been donated to the Trans Canada Trail, and have assumed responsibility for managing and planning for the eventual development of trail on these lands.

History

Alberta TrailNet was formed in 1989 and celebrated its 25th anniversary in 2014. The Society was formed in recognition of the need for a more organized and comprehensive approach to trail development and use in Alberta. Over the years, provincial trail user associations and regional trail groups have joined Alberta TrailNet’s Board or become members, providing the opportunity for trail stakeholders to work together on issues of shared concern within the recreational trail community.