Sault Cycling Club looks to build for future with new Finn Trail project

Proposed mountain bike trail system in Sault The Sault Cycling Club unveils details on a proposed mountain biking trail in the Finn Hill section of the city’s existing hub trail.

SAULT STE. MARIE — A new series of mountain biking trails may soon be more central for the residents of Sault Ste. Marie.

The Sault Cycling Club is releasing new details on a proposed trail along the Finn Hill section of the hub trail, amounting to almost 4 km of trail for riders to enjoy.

"This trail is going to start at the top and it's going to weave its way up and down and just take advantage of all of the escarpment," said Mark Santana, club president.

Santana said the trail will cater towards more beginner and casual riders, instead of others you can find in Hiawatha or Crimson Ridge.

"In the cases of those trails, they're out on city limits and are harder to get to, this will be more central," he said.

"We want to provide something where at three years old, with their parents, five years old, ten years old, they have a place to come, have a lot of fun and hopefully spark that love for biking throughout the rest of their lives."

With this being one of the first true mountain biking trails within the city, the club is looking to build off it with more in the future.

"We want to create it in a way that it's all interconnected," said André Riopel, Sault Cycling Club Advocacy Director.

"No matter where you are in the community, you can jump on your bike, you can get on the system and you're away from traffic, you can go to school, you can go shopping."

While a trail system that serves a similar purpose already exists within the city, by way of the hub trail, Riopel said this proposed plan will complement the existing trail network by eliminating much of the congestion it now faces.

"Between walkers, people with dogs, this isn't the safest way to ride through the city," he said.

"So this will sort of reduce some of that congestion and take some bikes off the trail and put them beside it and hopefully everybody wins in this situation."

The Finn Hill trail project still needs the approval from city council, which the club is confident it will get.

That's because it’s agreed to build and maintain the trail itself and will soon begin fundraising for that process.

If all goes to plan, it expects to begin building by the spring.