Best Practices for Trail Stewards, Operators, Managers and Owners
This document is a best practices manual intended to give guidance and direction on minimizing risk and liability for persons with an interest in operating and maintaining trails. Specifically, it seeks to help trail operators, managers and owners, mitigate risk and reduce liability, that can arise from trail design, trail use and maintenance operations. The techniques discussed here are intended to be applied with prudence and due consideration of the particular circumstances of each trail.
by Alberta Tourism, Parks and Recreation Parks Division
Trails are an important economic asset to the recreation and tourism industry of Alberta. Trails preserve critical open space, and provide important transportation options and connections to different areas in Alberta. Trails and their associated activities attract both visitors and locals to recreate in Alberta. Their economic potential as highly desirable destinations, facilitate job growth in the tourism and construction industries. Entrepreneurial opportunities like restaurants, lodging, gift shops, and other local specialty stores often get built alongside popular trails. Small towns and municipalities are realizing the economic importance of trails and are utilizing the development of trails as a model for community economic revitalization and rural diversification. As trail usage and trail development increases, there is a need to equip trail operators, managers and owners with the necessary tools to manage and minimize the risk and liability associated with trail operations. Creating a safer environment for everyone improves the economically feasibility for trail groups to operate these trails over the long term.
Alberta's parks inspire people to discover, value, protect and enjoy the natural world and the benefits it provides for current and future generations. This vision was set by Alberta’s Plan for Parks.
Greenways and Crime on Nearby Properties
posted Jan 30, 2020
This study investigates the question of whether the presence of a greenway increases the risk of crime occurring on the properties adjacent to the greenway.
Examining the Impacts of an Urban Greenway on Crime in Chicago
posted Jan 29, 2020
Using multiple analytical approaches, our study showed that creation of Chicago’s 606 was associated with decreases in violent, property, and disorderly crimes between 2011 and 2015
Protection From Liability: Promoting The Use And Development Of Recreational Trails
posted May 30, 2018
The Courts and the Legislature have expressed a clear policy to permit the use of available recreational property, both public and private, in its natural condition, without placing the burden and expense of altering the property and defending claims for injuries on the landowner.
