Meet Sorca’s Vice President, Rosemarie Perkins!
Q: How long have you lived in Squamish? Where and when did you first begin mountain biking?
I’ve lived in Squamish for seven years (wow time flies!). I dabbled with mtb on a friend’s bike on Rob’s/Cliff’s Corners and at Fromme and then got my own bike once I moved here.
Q: Moving from being a rider to joining the Board is a big step. What was it about the Squamish mountain bike community or the trails themselves that made you want to take on a leadership role with SORCA?
It always comes back to the people. I find it extremely motivating to volunteer alongside so many passionate people who give their time to making our trails and community an awesome place. My day job can be heavy at times, so it is amazing to be able to accomplish very fun things with others.
Q: Moving from being a rider to joining the Board is a big step. What was it about the Squamish mountain bike community or the trails themselves that made you want to take on a leadership role with SORCA?
It always comes back to the people. I find it extremely motivating to volunteer alongside so many passionate people who give their time to making our trails and community an awesome place. My day job can be heavy at times, so it is amazing to be able to accomplish very fun things with others.
Q: How do you maintain your own love of riding when much of your bike-related time is now spent on the logistics and advocacy required to keep the network running?
Giving back is extremely important to me so I don’t see it as a pull away from my bike-related time. HOWEVER, I’m human, so it can sometimes feel all consuming. I try to be careful about balancing volunteer projects and yewww time, and make sure I remember to participate in dig days and events.
Q: We talk a lot about making Squamish feel like an inclusive place for everyone to ride. From your perspective on the Board, what does a "welcoming" mountain bike community look like, and how do we continue to build on that so every rider feels that they have a place here?
Mountain biking has a strong culture and can be quite exclusive. At its core, a welcoming community is a community where all feel as if they belong…. it doesn’t matter how you look, your gender or ethnicity, how fast you ride, what bike you are riding etc. I think SORCA’s role is a mixture of supporting other organizations who are doing amazing work to increase inclusivity within recreational spaces, and continuing to build our own initiatives to make our community more diverse. Personally, I think we have a lot more work to do here and I am excited to connect with others who think similarly.
