Public Questionnaire Summary SEPTEMBER 15, 2014

Submitted by:

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QUESTIONNAIRE RESULTS SUMMARY The questionnaire featured 19 questions, ranging from demographic information, to information on

respondents’ current and desired use of the site. 1191 questionnaires were completed between June 5 and July 18, 2014. The following document summarizes the questionnaire results. Additionally we included breakout results detailing Mission residents and female respondents.

1. WHEN AT STAVE WEST, DO YOU PARTICIPATE IN? CHECK ALL THAT APPLY.

Top responses included: 4 wheel driving (67%), Camping (66%), ATVing (49%) Dirt Biking (44%), Scenic Driving/Sight Seeing (42%), Hiking (42%) and Rock Crawling (40%).

“Other” (5%) responses included: mud bogging, shooting, dual sport-motorcycle riding, clean up and boating.

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2. PLEASE SPECIFY WHY YOU PARTICIPATE IN THIS/THESE ACTIVITY (IES) IN STAVE WEST?

The top reason for recreating at Stave West is due to the location (easy to access from home or work). Many others attend for adventure/challenge and to experience solitude/relax.

The “Other” category responses included the following reasons: attend to meet new people; because there is no charge; it is unregulated; and, because it is beautiful. These responses were all under 1% of the total responses.

3. IF YOU DO NOT CURRENTLY VISIT STAVE WEST, PLEASE TELL US WHY?

10% of respondents do not visit Stave West. 60% of these respondents not visit because it is unsafe/unregulated i.e. gun use, unsafe roads and

trails, drinking/drunks, not a family friendly destination. “Other” responses included: not knowing about Stave West, not living nearby, do not have a vehicle

to access the site, and lack of planned recreation or mountain bike trails.

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4. ARE YOU A MEMBER OF ANY OF THE FOLLOWING RECREATION USER GROUPS?1

1 Note: this question was not intended to give group member responses weighted validity, rather, it provided additional information for analysis purposes. Non-group member responses were equally weighted.

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5. NAME ONE OTHER AREA IN THE FRASER VALLEY OR METRO VANCOUVER WHICH YOU ALSO USE MOST

OFTEN FOR OUTDOOR RECREATION.

The most frequently used other areas are Harrison (35%) and Vedder Mountain (12%). Popular “other” answers (all under 2%) included Tamahi, Sylvester, Chipmunk Creek, Sylvester

Road, Sumas, Blue Mountain and Stave East.

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6. I USUALLY PARTICIPATE IN OUTDOOR RECREATION AT STAVE WEST. CHECK ALL THAT APPLY.

The majority of respondents participate in outdoor recreation at Stave West with family and/or friends.

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7. HOW DID YOU HEAR ABOUT STAVE WEST? CHECK ALL THAT APPLY.

The majority of respondents heard about Stave West because they grew up nearby. Others heard through friends and word of mouth.

3% of respondents heard about Stave West via “other” means – including maps.

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8. IN WHICH COMMUNITY DO YOU LIVE?

74% of respondents live outside of the District of Mission.

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9. ON AVERAGE, HOW OFTEN DO YOU VISIT STAVE WEST?

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10. GENDER OF RESPONDENTS

11. AGE OF RESPONDENTS

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12. WHICH DESTINATIONS DO YOU VISIT AT STAVE WEST? CHECK ALL THAT APPLY.

The majority of questionnaire respondents visit the Mud Flat area (67%). A high percentage also report visiting the Florence Lake Forest Service Road (52%), Sayres Lake Campground (44%), BC Hydro Boat Launch (44%), and gated side roads (39%).

“Other” responses included: referenced trails – often by use (i.e. ATV trails, rock crawling trails) as well as the Stave Loop. A smaller number of respondents report visiting the creek beds and look outs.

13. DO YOU USE ANY STAVE WEST TRAILS?

The majority of respondents (80%) use the trails at Stave West.

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14. WHAT FACILITIES, SERVICES AND/OR IMPROVEMENTS WOULD YOU LIKE TO SEE? PLEASE CHECK ALL THAT APPLY.2

Many respondents provided write in answers regarding garbage bins/dumpsters (9%). Other related responses included: specific types of trails, particularly mud bogging; rock crawling;

ATV trails; and, mountain bike trails. Other responses also included both requests for “access to Blue Mountain via Rockwell Creek,” and

“no access from Stave West to Blue Mountain.” 5% of respondents requested that no changes be made to Stave West. Others requested that no

significant infrastructure changes be made, but that safety and security be increased.

2 Note that there was a technical issue on this question - only one response could be checked. Once discovered,

respondents were asked to record other desired responses under "other." The majority of respondents did so.

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15. USING THE SAME LIST, PLEASE SELECT YOUR FIRST CHOICE ONLY. THIS WILL HELP US DETERMINE

PRIORITIES.

The top response for first choice improvements/services was designated multi-use motorized vehicle areas (29.8%), followed by trail improvements (11.1%), vehicle campgrounds (9.7%) and increased safety and security (8.9%).

“Other” (7.9%) included many write-in responses including “do nothing” (2.3%) and less than 0.5% listing access to Blue Mountain; cell phone reception for emergency use; and access to hunting; as well as reference to specific types of trails (mountain bike, 4x4).

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16. I HAVE HAD CONFLICTS WITH…

The group with whom respondents have the most conflicts is target shooters. Write in answers included: people dumping garbage (2%) and rowdy/drunk people (3%). 176 respondents skipped this question. Others reported never having conflicts.

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17. IF YOU SPECIFIED IN THE PREVIOUS QUESTION THAT YOU HAD A CONFLICT, PLEASE DESCRIBE THE

NATURE AND LOCATION.

Conflicts with motorized users on the main roads – speeding and weaving, driving on the wrong side of the road, generally not following the rules of the road.

People driving up expressly to dump garbage, target shooters and partiers leaving large amounts of garbage.

Target shooters set up in locations that place others in danger, including towards trails, down and across the main road.

Motorized use on generally non-motorized trails (i.e. mountain bike trails), motorized users not respecting non-motorized users. Conversely, motorized users reported conflicts with hikers, equestrians and mountain bikers who could not “share” the trail.

Motorized users i.e. ATVs crossing fish bearing streams, and other environmentally degrading behavior.

Car thieves, partiers engaging in unsafe behavior, people shooting at others. Drunk and reckless behavior, including drunk driving. People who are unfamiliar with driving on logging roads. Motor vehicle accidents on FLFSR. People believing they have more right to be in the area than others. People who go to Stave West to party and look for fights. Issues on the mudflats – “lawlessness”, making a mess of rehabilitation areas, unsafe and

disrespectful behavior, assaults. Threatened (in one case robbed) by people with guns.

18. WHAT ARE YOUR THOUGHTS ON HOW TO REDUCE FUTURE CONFLICTS?

40% of questionnaire respondents answered this question. Top responses were: o Banning firearm use/enforcing illegal firearm use (12%). o Regulating shooting: setting up designated target shooting ranges (8.5%). o Designated user areas for conflicting activities (8.5%). Some mentioned a designated off-

road vehicle park with a small admission fee. o In addition to the enforcement of firearm use, almost 50% referenced enforcement and

increased safety and security including: increased police presence, a monitored gate house/sign in registration system – some referenced searches for illegal firearms, garbage and person and vehicle check in/outs, or monitoring/patrols by others i.e. rangers. Others suggested that users be charged a small fee either at the gate, or through a key system. Some referenced that while an increased police presence may not be well received, it is necessary to increase safety at Stave West.

o Other respondents believe that education and/or better signage is key to reduced conflicts (8%), physical changes i.e. to the road, more parking, garbage facilities (5%), and attitude changes (7%).

o Some respondents felt no change was necessary (3%). o Other responses included: increasing group clean up and fun events would reduce conflicts,

and that running a deposit system for gun shells would help to reduce the garbage on site.

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19. ARE THERE ANY OTHER ISSUES OR CONCERNS THAT HAVE BEEN MISSED? IF SO, PLEASE DESCRIBE.

Responses in this section echoed concerns expressed earlier in the questionnaire, including: o 4% of respondents are concerned that the Master Plan will eliminate or reduce outdoor

recreational vehicles (ORV) access. Their comments included the role of these users in clean ups and trail building. They feel that the majority of users are respectful users of Stave West and that the destruction and security issues are caused by a small minority.

o Garbage and security are cited as major problems at Stave West. o 4% of respondents request that the area not change. Comments here also reference a need

for some combination of a gate house/enforcement of illegal activities. o 2% of respondents are existing users who indicated that they do not want to see

“attractions” such as paved areas or additional pay campsites. A few local residents cite concerns regarding increased traffic volume that may arise.

o 2% of respondents point to the economic benefits that ORV parks, mud parks and mountain bike trails would bring to the community.

o 9% of respondents requested specific physical changes including trails for specific user groups. Others commented on the multi-use trail potential at Stave West (including motorized and non-motorized).

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MISSION RESPONDENTS

302 of the 1191 respondents were from Mission (26%). This section of the summary compares and contrasts Mission resident responses with the overall results.

Camping (57%) was reported as the top activity at Stave West for Mission respondents, followed by hiking (52%) and 4-wheel driving (49%), compared to the questionnaire results where 4-wheel driving, camping and ATVing were the

top responses.

More respondents from Mission indicate that they go to Stave West to experience solitude/relax than for adventure/challenge.

Respondents from Mission who do not currently visit Stave West cited similar reasons to the overall results: it is unsafe/unregulated i.e. gun use, unsafe roads and trails, drinking/drunks, and is not a family friendly destination.

There was a more even split of responses by gender from Mission residents 51% Male and 37%

Female, compared to the overall results of 69% Male and 22% Female.

More Mission respondents completed the questionnaire as a family at 13% vs. 9%.

Destinations that Mission respondents frequented varied from the overall results, including:

Respondents from Mission Overall Questionnaire Results

Highest Response

BC Hydro boat launch (69%) Mud Flat Area (67%)

Second Response Mud Flat Area (57%) Florence Lake Forest Service

Road (52%)

Third Response Florence Lake Forest Service Road (49%)

Sayres Lake Campground (44%)

Fourth Response Sayres Lake Campground (43%)

BC Hydro boat launch (44%)

Mission questionnaire respondents use the Stave West trails slightly less than the overall

questionnaire results found with 70% vs. 80%.

Top facilities, services and/or improvements that Mission respondents wanted to see were similar to the overall questionnaire results including vehicle campgrounds, designated multi-use motorized vehicle areas and safety & security at the top of the list. The primary exception was boat launches, which were more important to local residents.

When asked to select their FIRST CHOICE of which facilities, services and/or improvements should

be prioritized at Stave West safety and security was the top priority vs. the 4th priority in the overall results.

Similarly to the overall results, respondents from Mission reported that most of their conflicts were

with target shooters.

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The following charts highlight some of the key results discussed above.

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FEMALE RESPONDENTS

The majority of questionnaire respondents were male. Only 21%, 255 respondents, were female. This section of the summary compares and contrasts female responses with the overall results.

The most popular activity for female respondents is camping (68%), followed by 4-wheel driving (57%), hiking (54%) and ATV’ing (51%). Walking, swimming,

scenic driving/sightseeing and picnicking are also very popular.

The reasons why female respondents participate in activities in Stave West was very similar to the

overall responses; however, more go to experience solitude/relax than for adventure/challenge.

Female respondents who do not currently visit Stave West cited similar reasons to the overall results: it is unsafe/unregulated i.e. gun use, unsafe roads and trails, drinking/drunks, not a family friendly destination. Many noted that they would go if there were safety and security measures in place.

The majority of female respondents live in Mission (43%) and Maple Ridge / Pitt Meadows (30%).

Top facilities, services and/or improvements female respondents wanted to see were similar to the

overall responses, including: designated multi-use motorized vehicle areas, vehicle campgrounds, and safety and security. Boat launches were seen as a greater priority, as the second most selected facility.

When asked to select their FIRST CHOICE of what facilities, services and/or improvements should be done in Stave West the following differences were found:

Female Respondents Overall Questionnaire Results

Highest Response

Designated Multi-use Motorized Vehicle Areas (12.6%)

Designated Multi-use Motorized Vehicle Areas (29.8%)

Second Response Toilets/shower facilities (10.2%)

Trail Improvements (11.1%)

Third Response Trail Improvements (10.2%) Vehicle Campgrounds (9.7%)

Fourth Response Vehicle Campgrounds (10.2%) Safety and Security (8.9%)

o Safety and security was #6 on the list at (8.4%). “Other” responses included horse trails, charging at the gate for entry, “nothing should change” and mountain bike trails.

Similarly to the overall results, female respondents reported that most of their conflicts were with target shooters. This was followed by general traffic on FLFSR, 4x4 users and ATVs.

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The following charts highlight some of the key results discussed above.

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