The Burnaby Citizens Association (BCA) party wants to restore and upgrade the Velodrome Trail — Burnaby’s answer to the Grouse Grind. For the past 18 months, the scenic steep hiking route on the northwest corner of Burnaby Mountain has been closed over major safety concerns.
Sitting Burnaby city councillor and BCA candidate Daniel Tetrault says the party wants to bring walkers and runners back to an improved trail, although making the route safe will require more than just a few repairs.
“It’s not a quick, easy fix. And so, we’re reassessing what we can do. My goal is that we bring it back, but make it even better,” Tetrault said in an interview with Daily Hive Urbanized earlier this week.
The trail’s restoration is one of BCA’s platform promises for the civic election, with the main voting day scheduled for Saturday, Oct. 17, 2026.
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The route begins near the Harry Jerome Sports Centre velodrome, just off Barnet Highway. Its wooden staircase climbs the mountainside to connect with Pandora Trail, which continues towards the Kamui Mintara sculptures and the mountain’s upper park area — situated northwest of Simon Fraser University’s mountaintop campus.
The City of Burnaby’s website describes the route as a 1.4-km-long hike with about 240 metres of elevation gain and a 500-step staircase. The trail offers stunning views of Burrard Inlet, Indian Arm, and the mountains.
Tetrault said problems with both the slope and the condition of the stairs have made the route unsafe. As a result, the trail has been closed since April 2025.
According to the municipal government’s closure notice, erosion and aging wooden steps have forced the stair section between Mountain Air Trail and the top of Pandora Trail to close indefinitely. City staff are developing a plan to restore the area.
“The stairs are all deteriorating,” he said.
Burnaby Mountain Conservation Area trail map. Click on the graphic to open a larger version. (City of Burnaby)
Courtyard Residence at SFU’s campus atop Burnaby Mountain. (Ledcor Group)
Before the closure, the trail attracted people looking for a walk or a more demanding uphill run. Tetrault said he frequently used it himself, sometimes attempting to run the climb.
He described it as popular among those familiar with it, but suggested its reputation had largely remained within Burnaby, particularly residents living around the mountain.
Reopening the route could also give visitors another way to reach Mintara Restaurant, with a meal or drink available after the climb. Tetrault pointed to the restaurant’s recently expanded deck as an opportunity to complement the hiking experience, alongside the views from the upper mountain.
“And then at the end, if they wanted to have something to eat or a drink, they would have that option,” he said.
He sees restoring the trail as a way to provide more outdoor recreation opportunities as demand grows in Burnaby, while allowing residents to enjoy the mountain’s natural surroundings.
BCA is running eight candidates for Burnaby City Council and seven candidates for Burnaby School Board. The party does not have a mayoral candidate.
Kashfe Chowdhary/submitted
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