Monday, July 21, 2025

Trail Wise News - July 21, 2025. Trail News and Events from Ontario and Canada. Join Today. Published regularly by Ontario Trails Council.

 

Ontario Trails Council - a provincial charity working for the development, use, management and preservation of trails and trail based activity.
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provincial official shaking hands with mayor of sudbury on announcing funding for facility upgrades.


Ontario Trails Council 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. 


Please consider supporting us through a donation or a membership. Thanks.

 


 

ONTARIO TRAIL NEWS


In Ontario, arenas and community recreation complexes, libraries and even Tim Horton's are hubs for trails and trail based activity. In many northern communities cross country and snowmobile trails pass by or through these complexes. Their upgrades support trails and the trails ecosystem. Ontario Trails Council thanks the government of Ontario for making investments in northern recreation.
 

SUDBURY — The Ontario government is investing over $12.6 million to protect jobs and support the construction of the new Valley East Twin Pad Multipurpose Sports Complex in the City of Greater Sudbury, along with upgrades to other sports and recreation facilities across northeastern Ontario. These projects are part of the $200 million Community Sport and Recreation Infrastructure Fund (CSRIF) — a provincewide initiative to help communities revitalize local facilities, grow the economy and promote active, healthy living across Ontario.

“At a time when Ontario families are facing rising costs due to tariffs, our government is proud to support organizations focused on delivering better services for people while breaking down barriers and creating opportunities for children and young people,” said Neil Lumsden, Minister of Sport. “With investments in infrastructure like this, we are protecting Ontario jobs, strengthening our communities and building a more resilient and self-reliant economy.”

The government’s $10 million investment in the Valley East Twin Pad Multipurpose Sports Complex in Greater Sudbury will help create a state-of-the-art facility featuring two NHL-sized accessible rinks, 18 changerooms, a multipurpose gymnasium, support spaces, daycare, administrative offices, a heated viewing area, cafĂ© and concession area and a public concourse. Designed to meet the needs of athletes, families and community members, the complex will also create jobs and support economic development as a community hub and world-class events hosting venue.

"Thank you to the Government of Ontario for this major investment through the Community Sport and Recreation Infrastructure Fund,” said Paul Lefebvre, Mayor of Greater Sudbury. “This $10 million contribution will help us deliver a modern, inclusive and accessible facility that meets the growing needs of families, athletes and community members in Valley East and across Greater Sudbury. With strong provincial support, we’re building not just a sports complex, but a true community hub for generations to come."

In addition, the province is investing:

  • $1,000,000 to replace the aging refrigeration system at the Espanola Arena with a state-of-the-art CO₂ system. This upgrade will reduce energy consumption while ensuring continued service for residents.
     

  • $614,600 to support critical repairs of the Kashechewan Arena, including roof replacement, bathroom renovations and lighting and safety upgrades. These improvements will extend the life of the facility and create a safer, more welcoming environment for the community.
     

  • $585,250 for renovations at the Municipality of Markstay-Warren’s Multiplex to support expanded programming such as floor hockey, pickleball and Zumba, creating more opportunities for residents to stay active in their community.

  • $484,100 to replace the roof at Don Shepherdson Memorial Arena in the City of Temiskaming Shores, improving energy efficiency and extending the facility’s lifespan.

CSRIF is a key part of the government’s plan to protect Ontario workers, businesses and families by unleashing the economy and getting more shovels in the ground, with a historic $200 billion investment to build highways, hospitals, transit, schools and other critical infrastructure across the province.

 

Quick Facts

  • The Community Sport and Recreation Infrastructure Fund (CSRIF) is an application-based program. It supports municipalities, Indigenous communities and non-profit organizations through two streams: one for repairing and rehabilitating existing sport and recreation facilities and spaces and another for building new or transformative sport and recreation infrastructure.
     

  • Each year, Ontario invests $32 million in community recreation programs to help achieve active, healthy communities across the province, including Ontario’s After School Program, the Inclusive Grassroots Recreation program and the Ontario Amateur Sport Fund.
     

  • Sport contributes more than $7.5 billion to Ontario’s economy every year, creating tens of thousands of meaningful and good-paying jobs in every corner of the province.

 

Additional Resources

Community Sport and Recreation Infrastructure Fund

2025 Ontario Budget - A Plan to Protect Ontario

 

Ontario Trails Council appreciates the promotional work of Destination Northern Ontario
person hiking in the snow in northern ontario

Many of these events support communities that support trails!
Government of Canada invests over $4.5 million to enhance tourism across Northern Ontario
Canada.ca
... Ontario. Timmins Festivals and Events Committee $391,820. To help maximize ... outdoor spaces to support new tourism offerings in Northern Ontario.

Many rails became trails
POSTCARD MEMORIES: Trail one of few reminders of once-thriving railway
Bradford Today
One of the most notable exceptions is the Thornton-Cookstown Trans Canada Trail that follows the abandoned rail line between these two communities.

The outdoors is a great tourism experience
Canada's hidden gems: Quieter alternatives to tourist hotspots - pvtistes.net
pvtistes.net
... Canadian adventure to avoid overcrowding and overtourism ... If you want to escape the city for some outdoor adventures, try the Thunder Bay area.

60% of travellers prefer the outdoor experience.
Here are Nine Hiking Destinations for US and Canadian Tourists, What You Need To Know
Travel And Tour World
According to the Adventure Travel Trade Association, over 60% of post-2020 U.S. travelers favor outdoor experiences, and hiking is now the top-booked ...

On our list of trails at Ontariotrails.ca
Vanderwater Conservation Area – Picnic by Limestone Rapids and Hike Through Mature Forests
To Do Canada
In total, the park offers 16 km of hiking and cycling trails, spread across four main trails. ... Canada Day · Thanksgiving · Halloween · Christmas

Congratulations Rouge Park. Great trails! We would appreciate your membership support at OTC!
The Government of Canada Celebrates Rouge National Urban Park's 10th Anniversary
Canada.ca
... heritage. Please note that this advisory is subject to change without notice. The details are as follows: Date: Monday, July 21, 2025. Time ...

This helps make links across the G2G - loved doing your trail audit in 2014-15
New pedestrian bridge proposed to replace Middlebrook Bridge - EloraFergusToday.com
EloraFergusToday.com
Calling the bridge a safe connector to the G2G railway system, Cottontail Road Trail, Elora-Guelph Trail, Grand Valley Trail, Trans-Canada Trail ...
 
This is quite an adventure!
The Hudson Bay Girls: Kayaking 1900km Through the Heart of Canada - Explorersweb »
Explorersweb »
... canoe guides, wilderness medical technicians, and trail maintenance foremen in the Boundary Waters and Quetico Provincial Park. Olivia Bedsoe ...
 

Membership Update

 

City of Waterloo Trails
 

Renewed this week. The City of Waterloo manages their trails through Christopher Hodgson, P.Eng. the Manager, Active & Autonomous Transportation at Transportation Services a department of the Integrated Planning & Public Works, facilitating Active Transportation and Trails.Waterloo has over 150 km of off-road and multi-use trails. We have installed trail counters at several points along our trail network.


Thank-you for your renewal!

 





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