Silicon Valley. Just say the name and it conjures up images of young, rich, geeky people.
Crank Corridor. The tag needs work, but you get the idea. Last week’s announcement by development company Solterra was a small piece of a bigger puzzle. The company’s project in the Squamish Business Park targets design and manufacturing companies who supply the equipment that fills a lot of Squamish residents’ garages. It builds on recreational communities within Squamish that thrive and businesses, such as climbing apparel company Blurr, that have established roots.
With a climbing gym and indoor mountain bike park in the works, proponents hope these facilities will act as magnets to draw in rec-tech industries. Talks are underway, while company names are being kept under wraps because negotiations are in early stages. But if you read the sponsor lists for Whistler’s freeride mountain bike festival Crankworx, you’ll get a good idea of who’s eyeing Squamish as a new home. For climbers, just check the brand name of your bouldering pad and think Canadian.
Mountain biking, climbing, kiteboarding; all these sports are growing worldwide. In the United Kingdom, the number of youth climbing competitions has jumped by 50 per cent in the past five years, according to the British Mountaineering Council. At the same time, the number of climbing gyms has increased from 300 to 400, the council noted.
The sports mean cash in the local economy’s till. In 2013, a Squamish Off-Road Cycling Association study reported local mountain bike trails brought $8 million into town. That number is bound to grow as the number of riders increases. And it is — since 2006, local ridership has quadrupled.
If Squamish wants in on these growing sports industries, this is the time. Land prices in the Lower Mainland make it difficult for start-ups to set up shop. Forty-five minutes up Highway 99, Squamish is cheaper and surrounded by an outdoor playground. The District of Squamish’s five-year property tax exemption on projects worth $500,000 or more within the business park is another plus and one recognized by Solterra vice president Mike Bosa.
Vancouver is the closest community in Canada to a rec-tech hub, said Karl Burkat, the chief executive officer of international mountain bike website Pinkbike.com. Vancouver’s traffic is congested, spread out and not conducive to product testing at one’s doorstep. And that’s where Squamish steps in. Let’s fill that gap. Let’s pick up the rec-tech banner and create our own busy valley. This one can be full of young, rich and athletic people.
