Message from Councillor Crist reproduced here by his request

wow , where to start with that one ?

ernie claims to be a life time biker . . . . i think that is good . . . anybody ever see him out on a bike ? anywhere ?

he also concedes that he can understand how ( stunt ) biking could appeal to anyone still in the growing stage . well , i'm 46 , and by looking at peter morin , i'd say i've still got some growing left in me . get the message , ernie ? this is a lifetime sport . it doesn't have to be about " stunts " . just getting out in the nearby forests where we live is reward in itself .

as for the environmental barbarism . . . well , look around ernie . erosion is a fact of life . as long as there is gravity there will be erosion . mountain bikers are the ones who are up there minimizing our impact . until the BP trail day not long ago , when was the last time anyone did any work on a HIKING trail , and that was a MTB group doing the work . . . .

i could go on picking points to contest , but alas . . .

i'll close with this : ernie , if i read correctly , you did say you WILL NOT seek re-election . i hope that you will take some time for yourself and enjoy your retirement . you deserve it . ( not e-sarc )

As a home owning, tax paying member of the north shore (unfortunately in west van, otherwise i'd have had the distinct pleasure of voting against mr. Crist) I find his letters and attitude as an elected official completely infuriating.

"I suggest you brush up on your Sun Tzu"
"In my opinion, it would be have been better to look beyond the end of your short NSMBA nose and go for a bigger prize"
"The fact that you continue to vilify me is not a victory for you either but an indication of weakness."

These are not the comments of an elected official attempting to work with all interest groups in his riding toward the betterment of the community. These are the comments of someone with a personal grudge against a specific target group.

If you're reading, I'm glad to hear you're giving up politics. The minute you stopped trying to serve ALL of the community was the minute you gave up your mandate.

"I can understand why stunt biking is appealing to people who are still in the growing stage."

I think in a way, mountain biking helps people to continue to grow all their lives - by challenging them to develop physically, mentally and emotionally.

Mountain biking in its various forms helps a wide range of people get active and to stay that way all their lives.

It provides a chance for people to learn about the environment and the stewardship it requires through maintaining trails, learning how to (and how not to) build trails, and how to work with other recreational groups that use the same area. A desire to share the love of the sport can encourage people to be more involved in both the mountain biking community and the community at large they live in when they want to facilitate the co-existence of their sport with others. Environmental stewardship and cooperation are important values for everyone to learn.

Riding alone can provide time to reflect on life, focus on training or work out problems. Riding with a group provides the opportunity to spend time with friends, improve on your skills, and meet people that you might not have met otherwise. Development of new skills helps to build self esteem and confidence, traits which generally help to improve a person's quality of life.

I think that to dismiss outright the chance to learn and grow from mountain biking itself and from the current situation is to miss out on the positive aspects of a sport with a rapidly growing popularity. You could look at it as our opportunity to make the world a better place.:)

Is it possible Mr Crist missed out on his 'growing stage' altogether, and is lashing out as some sort of revenge?

http://www.bikemoscow.org/

on the other hand, maybe a march to moscow isn't such a bad thing

The Big issue everyone seems to be missing, and Ernie is probably holding out on (and laughing behind our backs), is that most of lower Fromme is probably going to be covered with houses in the next 10 years.

Look at Cypress (British Properties) the houses on that mountain extend to the 1200 foot elevation, where as the housing on Fromme stops at around the 800 foot elevation (maybe 1000 feet at Dempsey / Breamar).

I was riding up past the corner of Dempsey/ Breamar the other day when I noticed the curb cut and future road head that extended up towards the forest. That

WHY, do we give this guy sooooooooo much press?

His motions are not going anywhere and he wastes a lot of energy that could be directed toward more positive initiatives at this point.

I was riding up past the corner of Dempsey/ Breamar the other day when I noticed the curb cut and future road head that extended up towards the forest. That

All I have to say is that I feel sorry for someone who is that bitter that he cannot open his eye wide enough to see the true nature of "stunt bikers" and realize the we are just a bunch of average people who like to have fun.

Mr. Crist,

I don't even ride Mount Fromme, but friend, I've certainly heard more than I care to hear about you.

I hope in your retirement you make simple matters far less difficult for hardworking, honest people. Enjoy it all sir, this is as good as it gets.

Respectfully yours,
Evan

albeit not on forested and rain drenched slopes. Environmental barbarism just is not my bag

very amusing, if he actually thinks Mt. Fromme is some sort of pristine, virgin wilderness that needs to be protected. I'm sure somebody here can dig up old photos from the early half of the 20th century when it was a desolate wasteland of a clearcut, sawn down to feed north vancouver's rapacious sawmills.

If Mr. Crist wants to go on a crusade about protecting trees, I would like to suggest that he join Earth First and chain himself to the nearest available old-growth redwood.

Mr. Crist, I just want to say you convinced me, and I support you now!

I've put my bicycles up for sale, and I've just purchased a hotted up Subaru WRX which should be fantastic for ripping around the streets with! I've heard about this "drifting" and "street racing" thing, and it sounds much better for the environment and everyone around me, than riding my bicycle in the woods!

Thanks for opening my eyes! Hey, wanna come for a spin around the neighbourhoods with me? I can stop by your house to pick you up? You'll know when I'm there… I've got a horn on the car that plays the Dukes of Hazard car horn music! :heart:

All I'd like to see from Mr. Crist is some actual SUPPORTED statements. It's easy to make statements that sound like facts - but without documented studies they are just opinions (with no support). Please note that all supporting documents must include source(s), location of study, and noted simularities with Mt. Fromme. Normally several such documents would be required from various different sources, however any single document specifically supporting your claims done on Mount Fromme from an unbiased group would be sufficient.

Anyone can claim that it[Mt. Fromme] is an endangered enviroment being destroyed by mountain biking - it even SOUNDS believable as a statement on it's own to the UNINFORMED, BUT without proof that a) it's endangered b) the level of additional erosion or destruction of the environment due to biking is an actual concern, it is NOTHING MORE THAN AN [UNSUPPORTED] OPINION.

So please, Councilor Crist, if you wish to make such statements please provide documented support.

I look forward to reviewing your references to your claims thus made.

I was riding up past the corner of Dempsey/ Breamar the other day when I noticed the curb cut and future road head that extended up towards the forest. That