The River Valley Alliance and the RVA Mobile App

We are coming to the end of the first stage of our RVA Mobile App project and it is time to introduce the public to one of the projects the River Valley Alliance is working on.

Back when there was snow on the ground, the RVA Communications Committee brought forward a proposal to create a mobile app that would highlight the trails along the river valley.  Not only would it provide residents new places to explore, it would give visitors exposure to our world-class park system. A secondary use for our project would be to highlight where we still need connectivity to build the world’s largest urban park. 

The River Valley Alliance partnered with a great company who are the brains behind a fantastic trail mapping system and website called EveryTrail.  If you go to www.everytrail.com , you will see over one million trails covering 145 countries around the world.  It is social media on steroids and is a fantastic site to find and explore the world around us.  

Right now, the RVA is focusing on walking trails and there are 60+ walking guides covering over three hundred kilometers of the river valley. Looking down the road, the RVA plans to add cross-country ski trails, neighborhood walks and bike trails as we continue to build out and add to our trail information.  The goal of the RVA Mobile App Project is to become a one-stop shop for residents and tourists who want to learn and explore the river valley system.

It was a tough year for mapping the trails with poor weather hampering the process and a record year for mosquitos.  However, it has also been a rewarding experience of discovery and exploration of a trail system that goes from fully developed parks to just a simple nature trail running in the trees.  You never know who you will bump into out there: runners, bikers, pets, naked people, university researchers, kids, boaters and so many other park users. The river valley is a vibrant, living place and it is on everyone’s doorstep.  

I can tell you firsthand from walking from Fort Saskatchewan to Devon and meeting the people that live in the capital region, it is the river valley system that people love and embrace.  Ten million visits a year to the river valley can’t be wrong.

Our first mobile app is available in the Android market here:  River Valley Alliance mobile App.  As we release different mobile versions of our app, you can always explore our guides online at: http://www.everytrail.com/destination/albertas-capital-region-river-valley-parkdate

 

As always, follow the RVA at our website, twitter, facebook and right here.

Enjoy your river valley!