A District of Houston councillor is taking exception to one magazine writer's dismissive comment about Houston and area.
Writer Ben Haggar travelled Hwy16 writing about the towns along the way and what they offered in terms of a mountain bike riding experience for tourists and those living in the region for a mountain-biking focused magazine called Freehub.
And when Haggar came to Houston, his observations were both short and pointed.
"The town is little more than a gas station and a diner, but the area is renowned for both lake and river fishing," he wrote.
That didn't sit well with Jonathan Van Barneveld who wrote both the magazine and the writer to express his dissatisfaction.
"It was not good that they call this just no more than a gas station and a diner," he said.
"Articles like that undermine all the work that we've really tried hard to do over the last number of years."
Although Van Barneveld thought it may be cheeky, he did invite Haggar back for a more thorough visit.
"If they haven't actually been here, you know ... come up and see what we have to offer," he added.
Van Barneveld said the magazine's reference also comes at a time when the District of Houston has ramped up tourism-focused website and has adopted new branding.
It's part of a series of efforts by the District to rebuild an economy crushed when Canfor closed its sawmill, the community's dominant employer, and then decided not to replace it with a new one.
"There's been a tremendous development in our recreation groups. Houston Hikers has done a lot, the ski club has really ramped up, the [mountain] biking club on Mount Harry Davis has done a lot of developments," Van Barneveld said.
As for the District itself, a series of mostly provincial grants and some federal participation has enable it to revitalize 9th and 10th streets downtown with 11th next on the list.
There's new signage on both highway approaches to the community and overhead lines have been placed underground on the highway as it runs by the downtown core.
Municipal parks are also going through a significant rehabilitation with several millions being devoted to Jamie Baxter Park and Bymac Park.
Van Barneveld also thinks there's a connection in the mountain biking travel guide, produced in conjunction with a group called Mountain Biking B.C., between advertising and the amount of information on each community.
"And so what I've learned is that's an organization that you basically have to pay to play kind of thing in terms of advertising," he said.
The result is some communities bunched together with others, such as Houston with Fort St. James under the article heading of 'Bulkley - Nechako' while others, such as Burns Lake, are all by themselves.
It's convinced Van Barneveld now that Houston has a revamped tourism strategy and look, that it might have to join in on paying to play to get some deserved attention.
"It just seems that no matter what it is, Houston just really has to fight for everything," he said. "It's just things seem to just come easily for some communities and they just kind of happen and then like we're always fighting to get recognized," he said.
Still, Van Barneveld did acknowledge that the brief information on Houston did mention the Mount Harry Davis network as family friendly and one that is "fast and flowy" and expanding every year.
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As vast as it is varied, northern British Columbia is an area of untapped potential.
Historically, value was placed on the seemingly endless natural resources in this immense wilderness. While resource extraction has supported northern communities for more than a century, the forests, mountains, and rivers offer a new form of currency: Outdoor recreation.
Lucky for us, no activity has been more embraced than mountain biking. It takes some effort to get here but if you’re looking for more than your standard riding experience, the rewards are infinite.
Highway 16 slices a perfect cross-section through the stacked, postcard-perfect mountain ranges synonymous with BC which makes it like the charcuterie board of road trips. From the jagged peaks of the Rocky Mountains; past rolling plains, aspen-studded hillsides and picturesque farmland of the Interior Plateau; to the Coast Mountains with forests so lush it will make you redefine the color green. It’s hard to think of anywhere that could serve up a more diverse experience for traveling mountain bikers. Amenities are well spaced (even EV friendly), but not extravagant. You’re more likely to soak in hot springs than hot tubs, camp beside untamed rivers than sleep in chain hotel beds, and find the locals more welcoming than anywhere else.
A road trip along this historic route will introduce you to nearly all the province’s landscapes, vibrant indigenous art and culture, and a hidden plethora of BC singletrack.
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