Boulevard Magazine - August 2012 Issue

After graduating from the University of Alberta in 1959 and working as a structural engineer, he settled in Victoria in the late 1960s. He credits yoga for mellowing his Type A persona.

“It changed me from always trying to get to the summit to enjoying the route a bit more,” he says.

That outlook no doubt helped in the three years he’s already spent developing the Spine Trail. “I didn’t realize the kind of political and regulatory climate that we’d have to deal with to get a trail such as [this] built,” he says.

The route passes through six of the Island’s seven regional districts, crosses the territory of at least 10 First Nations, and goes through private and Crown land leased to forestry companies. All have to give consent to the trail right of way, something Parker has been doggedly working at, travelling up and down the Island to meet local politicians, representatives of the regional districts, First Nations, and forestry companies, as well as outdoors associations. Many groups, including the Association of Vancouver Island Coastal Communities, have endorsed the concept. Getting formal go-aheads and the money — anywhere from $2-million to $8-million — to build trails is another challenge, but Parker remains determined. “I still like to get to the summit now and then,” says Parker, who has personally contributed some $20,000 and thousands of hours of time and commitment. our version of Spain's Famous Camino In 2009, Parker founded the non-profit Vancouver Island Spine Trail Association (VISTA). Among the first to join was his friend Peter Berrang, who says, “Very few people would have the vision and the ability to pull off something like this. It’s like the West Coast Trail down the centre of the Island.”

Former Oak Bay mayor Chris Causton, who met Parker through the local Rotary Club and through Parker’s business, Ark Solar, is another backer. “It’s a great initiative,” says Causton, whose treks along Spain’s Camino de Santiago pilgrimage trail taught him its importance to local villages. The same would apply to Vancouver Island. “It’s a big adventure and a big challenge, but it’s got the right ingredients.”

In 2010 some 120 people participated in an Olympics-style torch relay to publicize the trail along almost 500 kilometres of the trail’s length, running, cycling, snowshoeing and more.

Now VISTA’s plan calls for negotiating a complete route with land owners, the regional districts, BC Parks and First Nations next year, with construction of major remaining segments in 2014 and 2015, aiming for completion by 2016.

For Parker the attraction of a long-distance hike is simple: “Every day is different, the scenery is beautiful, sometimes it’s challenging and sometimes easy,” he says. “You only have to think about the direction you’re going, where water is and how much further you have. So it gives you lots of time for meditation and thinking about what’s really important in life.” VB For more information on the trail, go to vispine.ca.

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