All around the world, railways that are no longer useful are being replaced with long-distance cycling and hiking routes. And as we celebrate the 130th anniversary of the Esquimalt and Nanaimo Railway on Vancouver Island, which first ran in 1886, maybe we need a new vision. Maybe we should be dreaming of a bikeway, not a railway.

Picture it: A safe, serene, off-road route all the way from Victoria to Courtenay, passing over the Malahat to Shawnigan Lake, Cowichan Station and downtown Duncan, then continuing north to Chemainus, Ladysmith, Nanaimo, Lantzville, Parksville, Qualicum Beach and Courtenay. From Parksville, it would run through the forest to Coombs and Port Alberni.

It would be a pleasure for cyclists and pedestrians, maybe for horse-riders too, in places, with an unpaved path alongside it. Along the way, it would pass through a tunnel, cross impressive bridges and wind its way through deep forests, rural acreages, and alongside the ocean. In every community along the route, it would open new safe off-road possibilities for commuting, shopping and leisure travel, and for children going to school.

And then there would be the cycling tourists, coming to the Island and staying at bed-and-breakfasts along the route as they do on Quebec’s Route Verte, on the Kettle Valley railway and all over Europe. There would be other benefits, too, since people who cycle regularly take fewer sick days, have lower health costs, have increased productivity at work and are happier.

For 13 years, the Island Corridor Foundation has been trying to persuade us that a restored railway could be viable if only it could receive a sizable investment and an annual operating subsidy.

An alternative to the Malahat seems enticing, but it would be very costly, and for only modest benefits. The Malahat carries 40,000 people a day. In 2010, the IBI Group study found that if the railway were upgraded, it might carry up to 622 passengers a day — just 1.5 per cent of the Malahat traffic. With new planned housing developments along the route, that might rise to 2,000 passengers a day, but so would the overall traffic.

And at what cost? The study found that preserving the railway and making it safe would cost about $70 million in 2009 prices, and need an operating subsidy of $4,000 a day. For freight, bridge repairs would increase the cost to $120 million. Including the capital investment spread over 25 years, the railway passengers would need a $15,000 daily subsidy to operate a fossil-fuelled railway.

The ICF says it can get the trains running again for just $20 million, and it’s asking the federal, provincial and regional governments to cover the cost. But this is highly unrealistic. Serious analysis of ICF reports shows this would cover just a fraction of the upgrades needed to provide a functioning railway.

Last month, the Nanaimo Regional District voted against providing the money, saying it had grown impatient with the lack of progress.

So maybe it’s time for a rethink. Maybe, in spite of the hopes and dreams of hard-working train enthusiasts, it’s just not going to happen. The track is just too old, and the 48 bridges and trestles, some built more than 100 years ago, are too rickety.

So let’s change our thinking. Let’s pay for a solid engineering study to look at the cost and benefits of building a bikeway. The weight of the bikes would be almost nothing compared to a diesel train, so bridge repairs would cost far less. Instead of 600 people a day, an Island bikeway might carry many thousands of people a day.

The ICF says bikes and trains can co-exist, since there’s room on the railway right-of way for both. That’s true on the land, but not on the bridges. And would any analysis support running a modern train over those old bridges? We doubt there’s an engineer in Canada who would say so.

The Galloping Goose Trail took 10 years of effort by hundreds of volunteers, local politicians and government staff to turn the vision into a reality. It has been so successful, you’d be hard-pressed to find anyone who wishes the old train still ran.

The ICF, municipalities and First Nations along the rail corridor have performed a truly valuable service by protecting the right-of-way, which future generations will thank them for. But maybe it’s time to let the old dream go, and start paying serious attention to the new dream of a safe, enchanting, long-distance bikeway.

By Guy Dauncey and Denise Savoie

Guy Dauncey of Ladysmith is the author of Journey to the Future: A Better World is Possible.
Denise Savoie of Comox is a former Victoria city councillor and former member of Parliament.

Vancouver Island offers some of the best hiking anywhere in the world. Summers are very pleasant – no humidity, and not too hot – and the only threats to safety come in the form of wild animals, like bears and cougars. But that adds to the excitement of hiking in British Columbia, and seeing a bear or cougar in the wild can be a wonderfully memorable experience. Bear bells will help announce your presence to bears and other wildlife, but a good dose of common sense is more likely to keep you out of trouble. Some parks are extremely remote, with very limited emergency services, or none at all, so hikers should be well prepared and self-sufficient.

Cape Scott Provincial Park
Location: North Vancouver Island
You would need over a week to hike the trails and see everything in Cape Scott Park. Trails range in length from two to thirty kilometres, and from a pleasant stroll to a challenging and demanding test of skill and stamina. The incessant rain results in muddy conditions on primitive trails, but the visual and emotional rewards are beyond comparison, especially on a clear day. Cape Scott Provincial Park Trails.

San Joseph Bay, Cape Scott Provincial Park, North Vancouver Island

Pacific Rim National Park
Location: Pacific Rim, West Coast Vancouver Island
The Long Beach area offers nine short walking trails, two of which are wheelchair accessible. Most feature interpretive signs or brochures explaining the cultural and natural heritage en route. In addition to park trails, approximately 20km of sandy beaches provide enjoyable hiking. The 75-km West Coast Trail is the mother of all hikes on Vancouver Island, attracting adventurous hikers from around the world. The internationally-acclaimed hiking trail retraces an old telegraph route that once connected Victoria with Cape Beale near Bamfield. West Coast Trail

The shoreline along the West Coast Trail, Pacific Rim National Park, Vancouver Island

Carmanah Walbran Provincial Park
Location: South West Vancouver Island
The 16,450-hectare park provides excellent opportunities for wilderness camping and hiking. Trails in the park lead either up or down Carmanah Creek. The northern route leads 7.5 km to the park boundary, and beyond, while the southern route is closed at the 2.6-km mark for public safety and to preserve the fragile environment. Carmanah Walbran is way off the beaten track on the southwest corner of the island, so visitor numbers are very low. Don’t be alarmed to encounter no other hikers while enjoying the silence and solitude of this remote and wilderness park.

Randy Stoltman Grove, Carmanah Walbran Park, Vancouver Island

Strathcona Provincial Park
Location: Central Vancouver Island
The rugged wilderness areas, glaciers, snowfields and mountains of Strathcona Park provide endless opportunities for day hiking and multi-day backpacking trips. Trailheads are situated at 3 locations in the park: hiking routes originate in the Forbidden Plateau region to the summit of Mount Becher and to McKenzie Meadows, and other trails into Forbidden Plateau begin from the Paradise Meadows trailhead on Mount Washington. Great Central Lake is the trailhead for the Della Falls Trail.

Trail alongside Battleship Lake, Strathcona Provincial Park, Vancouver Island

East Sooke Regional Park
Location: Greater Victoria, South Vancouver Island
East Sooke Park is one of the most spectacular parks in the Greater Victoria region, providing over 50 kilometres of trails through forest, marsh and field, with pocket beaches, rocky bays and tidal pools for exploring. The ten-kilometre Coast Trail is considered one of the premier day hikes in Canada, taking hikers through lush rain forest, along windswept bluffs and down to the ocean’s edge. The trail is rough and winding, a challenging 6–hour trip even for energetic or experienced hikers. More on the Coast Trail.

Petroglyph at Alldridge Point on the Coast Trail, East Sooke Park, Victoria, Vancouver Island