President's Message and more important information from Ontario Trails. #ontariotrails

Ontario Trails is a charity, led by a volunteer board of directors that promotes the use, management, development, and preservation of trails and trail-based activities in Ontario.    Terri's Trail Talk Reflections from OTC President, Terri LeRoux Here at OTC, there are seven (7) vital goals guide the work that we do. To provide a forum for persons who are interested in the promotion, establishment, development, preservation, maintenance and use of recreational trails to share their interest and experience with others. To increase awareness and appreciation of the value of trails and trail networks among governments, corporations, organizations and individuals. To increase the number, length, variety and accessibility of trails in Ontario. To preserve and enhance the quality of trails and trail networks, in harmony with the environment. To unify trail interest groups in an effective and efficient manner. To promote the safe and responsible use of trails; and To reflect and promote a conservation ethic in all aspects of the work of the Ontario Trails Council. Achieving these goals takes a village, or rather an entire trail sector to succeed, and the village needs a leader. OTC is that leader – and through the collective efforts of government, trail management agencies, trail user groups, businesses, NGOs and trail users, everyone has a role to play to push these goals forward and build a better trails community for the benefit of all Ontarians. The best way YOU can help is to get involved. Become an OTC member and help form the voice of our leadership.  Already a member? Join an OTC Committee and help us make traction.  To learn more please contact me or Patrick Connor, Executive Director at execdir@ontariotrails.ca Happy trails, Terri Email: ibelongoutdoors@gmail.com Instagram: www.instagram.com/ibelongoutdoors Twitter: www.twitter.com/ibelongoutdoors   Session at PRO with a Trails Focus   WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 29, 1:00 - 4:00 pm ET Indigenous Engagement in Parks and Trails  Presentation Description: This presentation will focus on initiatives led by Credit Valley Conservation (CVC) involving Indigenous engagement taking place in CVC’s conservation areas and trails. As a community-based and environmental organization, CVC strongly believes that recognizing the territories, traditional knowledge and culture of Indigenous people is crucial to moving toward reconciliation. As such, CVC actively seeks out ways to support Indigenous peoples, collaborating with Indigenous partners to develop placemaking and programming along CVC’s trails and at our conservation areas. To illustrate aspects of this ongoing work, this presentation will focus on several CVC-led projects and strategic initiatives involving Indigenous engagement, including CVC’s Credit Valley Trail (CVT), Jim Tovey Lakeview Conservation Area (JTLCA) Island Lake Conservation Area Management Plan (ILMP) and lastly, CVC’s Conservation Areas Master Strategy (CAMS). Together, these initiatives demonstrate meaningful engagement between CVC and Indigenous partners that has led to the creation of educational opportunities at CVC parks and trails; providing publicly accessible, interpretive spaces and programming that encourage the public to deepen their understanding of the ancestral history of the Credit River Watershed. This work also represents CVC’s continued commitment to our Indigenous partners; supporting Indigenous leadership and continuing to promote innovative practices and inclusivity in our parks and along our trails. REGISTER   Read the full article Ontario Trails Talk Join us Wednesday September 15, 2021 Managing Trails Please use the trails you are allowed to use!     North Bay Mattawa Conservation Authority   Bear Hunting Season   Burlington Planting Trees   Trail Surveys The OTC is interested in what you think! We have written many types of surveys and are pleased to provide links to them on this page. From such important topics as Trail Trade Specialist to Member Services we want you to help us help you!   Watch the Talk   Ever wondered who is using your trail and when? Looking for more than just a static count of trail activity? Tell others about who is using your trail and what makes your trail a popular destination! Utilizing smartphone technology trail users can now complete a short survey that: Logs in the trip Single counts individual users Consolidates results for centralized reporting Consultation on survey content. We ask your questions - the facility manager asks what they want to know! Allows for separate trail counting Multi-season operation 24/7collection Identifies quality of trail experiences Provides you feedback loop Wherever there is a smartphone signal, you could be gathering and collecting additional user reported information that will make for a better trail! Got great trails? Get the feedback that keeps you in the know! LEARN MORE Click the title below to be redirected to the survey of your choice. Help Us Help You - website improvement Upload Your Trail - add your trail to the website Upload Your Event - add your trail event to the website Trail Reform Now - legislative and insurance reform support Trail Trades Specialist- tell us what you'd like to see in a trail trades course Member Services - are you happy as an OTC member with the services you get? Strategic Planning 1: - tell us what you'd like the OTC to do Strategic Planning 2: Financial Sustainability - as a charity we can always use new ideas to sustain ourselves Strategic Planning 3: - Effectiveness - how effective are we? Customer Satisfaction - as a member of the public what do you think of the OTC? Economic Impact of Recreational Trail (ON) - for the Eco Dev/Tourism, Trail Planning office Insurance Issues - tell us about your ability to get coverage Trails of 1812 - is your community celebrating our bi-centennial On-Road Cycling Lane Petition - Norm Miller MPP - download the form here - (no web link available) Trail Priorities - what do you want OTC to do for Trails? Save the Prescott Russell Rail Trail - encourage the communities to save this trail! Voyageur Trail User Survey - if you've used this trail they'd like your feedback   National Active Transportation Strategy Announced.   Canada Community Revitalization Fund   Hi - we are asking that folks complete a short survey on Trail Counters. Thanks. COMPLETE SURVEY Hi - we are asking that folks complete a short survey on trail access for horses. Thanks. COMPLETE SURVEY          Does anyone know of similar benches with a Canadian Distributor? Do you know of any park benches that are suitable for elders? Higher seats with armrests? Place for a walker? If you do please email execdir@ontariotrails.ca Ontario Trails - staying open in difficult times - if your membership is due we could use your renewal! New upcoming projects include: Web Path Mapping Project with RTO3 and City of Hamilton - confirmed and underway St. Lawrence Park Commission Trail Committee Development - September 21, 24, 29 and 30. Insurance Survey Results - November 3, 2021 Risk Management Committee - September 14, 2021 11am - 1pm Trails Education Committee Meeting - TBD Hastings Destination Trails Inc. - September 13, 2021 11am Hasting Destination Trails Inc. Trails Re-opening September 24, 2021, Bancroft Ontario. Trails Tourism Committee - September 16, 2021 1:30 pm OTC Board Meeting - September 16, 2021 7pm National Roundtable on Trail Risk Management - November 25, 2021 We thank members for renewing or supporting the OTC through membership.  Intact Public Entities Inc. City of Cornwall Over past months we have -  provided content to the Ministry of Heritage, Sport, Tourism, and Culture Industries, supported a survey on Lyme Disease for Queen's University, put time and effort into trail categorization for trail use, supported our partner Marmak and the RFAM tool, supported a University of Waterloo Outdoor Recreation Impacts, supported and distributed the Black Sheep Mountain Bike Club Rider Survey, updated a variety of COVID related pages on the OTC website, engaged members and the trail using public on etiquette, provided consulting advice to Avon Trail, Renfrew County, the OFSC, and others, been strong with groups on public safety, facilitated work on Hastings Destination Trails Inc., added a signage page, produced a webinar video or two, and, hosted a series of webinars with our partners, and supported students with the University of Waterloo and the City of Waterloo to do trail work For all the latest on trails and trail news follow: Ontario Trails Ontario ATV Trails Ontario Hiking Trails Ontario Climbing Trails Ontario Cycling Trails Ontario Dirt Bike Trails Ontario Horse Trails Ontario Water Trails Toronto Trails Trailhead North Trails of 1812 Niagara Trails Committee Hamilton Burlington Trails Canadian Trails Federation To find your trail listing go to Ontario Trails To help trail users find trails on their mobile share Ontario Trails Map Standing by the public safety order is very difficult to do when you and your members are in the business of promoting the outdoors. Certainly being firm on Stay Home doesn't win you popularity contests with many users. And users affect our memberships. If people don't like your message membership suffers. This is what we are trying to do, the right thing overall, and we need you to look past the current messages to having OTC around in 6 months and then a year from now. We will be sending an email asking for your renewal. Based on our projections memberships should facilitate a 0 deficit, continuation of office supports and the type of education and advocacy that has seen the development of Ontario Trail Categorization, website maintenance, our response to COVID, our online training through Algonquin College, as well as our future plans for training, economic and tourism development committee, AND most importantly our Health Unit and Trails messaging process. OTC is interested in assuring that there is balance in trail use as we work to re-open full public access, with safe user practice, to the trails and trail activities you love. Support us today.  Please renew. By electronic transfer, PayPal - select your membership rate and Go! or a call with your credit card. 613-484-1140 Thanks!