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WEEKLY NEWS FOR JUNE 11

Good afternoon folks,

Bike season is finally here, with the Sun Peaks Bike Park opening this Saturday, June 13! I’ll be there snapping photos and getting some quotes from those first in line, so be sure to say hi if you see me wandering about. 

The calendar is absolutely stacked for the summer, with competitions, events and more to keep you busy. 

I spoke with Liz Wilkinson, director of events and partnerships at Sun Peaks Resort who went through the calendar with me and for my first summer in Sun Peaks, I couldn’t be more excited. 

“We've got a fantastic course, we've got a great bike park, and we're able to deliver these really high level events,” Wilkinson said.

Scroll down for more information on bike events coming soon.

Next, the bike park’s 2026 squad has been released! With new and returning members, the squad is divided into two groups: The Athlete Stream and The Ambassador Stream. The Athlete Stream consists of training, racing and competing athletes whilst the Ambassador Stream consists of athletes sharing their Sun Peaks journey through photography and film. 

Read more below.

Plus, Keenan Kovacs returns to the bike park after almost 10 years away. In his new role as manager of the bike park, Kovacs is excited to bring lessons learned over the last decade to Sun Peaks. I chatted with him about what he hopes his impact will be. Scroll down to read more.

Finally, would this be both of our first summers in Sun Peaks? Hollie wrote us a nice little guide on the DOs for us mountain biking newbies. Thanks to Ian Logan and Pip Albrow from the resort for sharing safety tips and more for this article. 

You’ll catch each of these stories plus extras in our annual Bike Issue, hitting the shelves this Friday. Find them anywhere in the village! 

See ya on the trails,

SUN PEAKS GEARS UP FOR BUSY SUMMER OF MOUNTAIN BIKING EVENTS 

The Canadian Cup, Junior Downhill and Enduro races are expected to bring hundreds of athletes and visitors to the resort through the summer season.

MEET THE BIKE PARK’S 2026 SQUAD

With new and returning athletes, the squad will represent Sun Peaks on the trails and through visual media. 

SUN PEAKS MOUNTAIN BIKING TERRAIN GUIDE: WHAT TO KNOW AND WHERE TO GO

Hitting Sun Peaks mountain biking trails this summer? Here’s a few things to consider.

KEENAN KOVACS RETURNS TO SUN PEAKS AS THE NEW BIKE PARK MANAGER AFTER A DECADE AWAY

Bringing new lessons and expertise, Keenan Kovacs takes on the Sun Peaks Bike Park.

IN CASE YOU MISSED IT 👀

REGIONAL DISTRICT MOVES FORWARD ON BRICK-AND-MORTAR LIBRARY IN SUN PEAKS

The Thompson-Nicola Regional District resident survey showed 88 per cent in favour of building a Sun Peaks library.

We're asking 30 readers to step up as new monthly supporters by June 22 — enough to keep our reporting strong through to the October municipal election. Make a local impact and support Sun Peaks Independent News today.

YOU SHOULD KNOW 

Local and regional tidbits you should be aware of.

🐯 There have been a few cougar sightings in Sun Peaks over the past week near the lower end Sunburst Chair and The Annex. If encountering a cougar, be sure to stop, stay calm, do not turn your back or run and maintain eye contact. Look big, yell, be assertive and back away slowly. Don’t forget to carry bear spray and try to stay together in a group. Visit WildSafe BC for more information on cougar safety.

🚨 Sun Peaks Mountain Resort Municipality is reminding residents to sign up for Voyant Alert!, an emergency communication app with real-time, official emergency notifications. Head to voyent-alert.com/community/ to sign up. 

YOU'RE INVITED 💌

Join the SPIN team for a coffee!

Where: Vertical Cafe

When: Friday, June 12 at 11:30 a.m. 

Bring your community questions and story ideas and connect with reporter Noelle Suzuki, editor Hollie Ferguson and partnerships manager Justin Moore.

EVENTS 🎫

⚽️ Join Morrisey's for international soccer festivities from today June 11 to July 19. Afternoon and evening games will be shown all tournament long. Swag and exciting prizes will be up for grabs. Reservations are recommended. Call 604-880-813.

🚵🏼‍♀️ The Sun Peaks Bike Park opens Saturday, June 13, kicking off at 10 a.m. with Harry Bear! Plus, enjoy a complimentary beverage at Lift and Lager with a valid lift ticket or season pass.

👩🏼‍🌾 The Sun Peaks Farmers’ Market returns Sunday, June 14 from 9:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Stroll through the village and browse products from local farmers, ranchers and artisans. 

🏎️ Speed Week returns Friday, June 17 featuring a luxury, vintage and race cars showcase and a vendor village. Email donnaspeedweeks@gmail.com for more information. 

WEEKLY

Sundays

⛪️ Sun Peaks Church will be holding a service every Sunday evening at 5 p.m. Everyone is welcome to join at the Annex.

📚 The Thompson-Nicola Regional Library’s mobile library visits Sun Peaks School every Sunday from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. and Whitecroft Village from 2:15 p.m. to 3:15 p.m. 

Tuesdays

💪🏽 Join Heffley Creek Hall for Golden Fitness classes, all ages and fitness levels welcome. Dancersize is at 11 a.m., followed by gentle weights at 12:30 p.m., Tai Chi walking at 1:30 p.m., chair pilates at 2 p.m. and chair yoga at 2:30 p.m.

Fridays

❤️ AA community addictions meetings run every Friday at Sun Peaks Secondary beside the Health Clinic, starting at 7:30 p.m. 

DOWN THE HILL

🏳️‍🌈 This week marks Kamloops’ Pride Week of 2026 with a lineup of events all week long! Visit Kamloopspride.com for a full list of events and times.

KEEP IN TOUCH 📲

Did you know we are on social media? While Meta’s response to Bill C18, the Online News Act, significantly reduced the amount we are able to post on Facebook and Instagram, SPIN posts regularly on BlueSky. From time-to-time we may even hop on a TikTok trend! Follow us on both using the icons at the end of this email.

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