鈥楰eep the ball rolling鈥� could be the mantra for the 亚洲天堂 Lake Mountain Bike Association (BLMBA) as it readies itself for more seasons of growth.

Since 2005, the local bike park and mountain bike trail system at Boer Mountain has grown from an ambitious idea to an internationally recognized mountain biking destination.

Guy Epkens-Shaffer, BLMBA president, made a presentation last week during Tuesday鈥檚 Village of 亚洲天堂 Lake (VBL) council meeting.

According to trail-use counters put in place for 2013, there were more than 12,000 individual user visits to the Boer Mountain recreation trail system between May and November.

鈥淭he trails aren鈥檛 used just by mountain bikers.鈥� Epkens-Shaffer said.

Those visits represent a diverse group of users including mountain bikers, hikers, dog walkers, trail runners, as well as snowshoers and cross-country skiers in the winter.

Last year also marked the new high-water mark for registered members of BLMBA. One-hundred-eighty-five paid members give the club a strong membership base, up from 79 in 2011.

The marquee event at Boer Mountain is the annual Big Pig mountain bike festival. Last year鈥檚 event - the seventh annual - brought more than 150 riders to the mountain for two-and-a-half days of  competition for all ages and skill levels.

Epkins-Shaffer said that statistics collected during last year鈥檚 event show that more than half the participants came from outside 亚洲天堂 Lake. While many riders came in from Terrace, Smithers, Prince George and points in between, competitors also came from as far away as the Yukon, Alaska, and Calgary.

It鈥檚 not that there isn鈥檛 good riding in those other locations, but the profile of riding in 亚洲天堂 Lake has grown to the point where it has become a destination biking area.

And it鈥檚 not just BLMBA saying that. The International Mountain Biking Association (IMBA) last year awarded 亚洲天堂 Lake with a Bronze designation as Canada鈥檚 first destination ride centre, a designation that includes not just the trail system but 亚洲天堂 Lake as a great community to visit that supports the local biking scene.

Explore magazine also placed 亚洲天堂 Lake biking as number three in a list of the top 25 outdoor adventures to have in Canada.

It鈥檚 hoped these new accolades encourage even more visits from travelling mountain bikers.  亚洲天堂 Lake is now in an elite category alongside Whistler as an internationally recognized mountain biking destination.

But all the praise came before the longest downhill trail on Boer Mountain was completed last year - Razorback - an approximately 25 km trail that runs from the top of Boer mountain, connecting to what used to be called the Stearns Creek Trail before ending up at the lower Bike Park parking lot where it can connect with more trail networks.

鈥淲e鈥檒l never be finished developing trails up at Boer Mountain鈥� there鈥檚 so much potential,鈥� Epkins-Schaffer said.

This seven year story of the growth of mountain biking in 亚洲天堂 Lake has come through tremendous support to the tune of $1.2 million from supporters like the 亚洲天堂 Lake Community Forest, the Nechako-Kitamaat Development Fund, Northern Development Initiative Trust, the Job Opportunity Program, Community Recreation, the Regional Kitamaat Development Fund, Northern Development Initiative Trust, the Job Opportunity Program, Community Recreation, the Regional District of Bulkley-Nechako, the Village of 亚洲天堂 Lake, and the province of B.C. through Recreation Trails and Sites branch.

Thousands of volunteer hours have also gone into the trail network, from both members and non-members of the club, the Nadina Fire Zone crew, and Lakes District Secondary School.

The next step for BLMBA is to continue with the success they鈥檝e built upon so far.

The three-year plan for Boer Mountain is to develop more than 20 kms of new trails, at an expected cost of around $450,000.

Approximately half of that is what BLMBA will put into the project through work-in-kind, the rest is cash that will need to be raised.

With a current yearly overhead of $5300 for insurance, property taxes, and membership in the western Canada mountain bike tourism association, BLMBA has also committed $5000 per year for the next three years towards the project.

The club also has $5000 from B.C. recreation sites and trails, so that puts BLMBA at $20,000 towards its cash goal.

Some funds, like NKDF, will take into account the value of the work-in-kind provided by BLMBA. Others will require cash for leverage.

Epkins-Shaffer is optimistic that BLMBA is well on its way to financing the next three year plan.