Tell us all about your trail event and join us as we celebrate Ontario's Trails!
We've checked the links, if something isn't working simply give us a call - 613-484-1140. We'll be adding these links to the various relevant trail pages in your regions and RTO's/DMO's over the upcoming year!
Missing? You may want to talk to us about OTC Membership. 613-484-1140 We'd be happy to connect with you.
Prioritizing the health and safety of vulnerable road users
Protected bike lanes foster active transportation, positively influencing the health of Canadians through safe and accessible travel for people of varying ages, fitness and ability levels.
Photo Credit Sarah Kim
By SARAH KIM
EILEEN CHEUNG
Tues., Nov. 7, 2017In the summer of 2012, Sarah Kim was cycling home on Bloor St. when a car door opened to her right, striking her handlebar. The wheel lurched left, launching her from her bike into the next lane. Dazed from the impact, she looked up to see a car approaching, the front fender at the level of her face.
In those next seconds, the hand of death passed her over: the approaching car was moving slow enough that the driver was able swerve into oncoming traffic to avoid running her over, tires screeching as panicked drivers slammed on their brakes. The car following behind the first came to a stop in front of her, a foot from her nose, filling her nostrils with exhaust.
Incredibly, no other collision occurred. She walked from the scene with a broken bike, scuffed helmet, separated shoulder and a deepened perspective on life and the lack of safe cycling infrastructure in Toronto.
As doctors, most of us spend our careers caring for people in clinical settings. Nonetheless, public health achievements are what make the most difference to our patients’ health. Clean water, sanitation, and food inspection are standard provisions by municipalities because these actions prevent illness, disability, and death. Likewise, measures to improve road safety are necessary public health interventions.
Yet, as illustrated above, to travel by bicycle is often dangerous. The main reason people give for not cycling is fear of cycling on the road with car traffic. In Toronto, more than 1,000 cyclists are injured in collisions with motor vehicles annually.
These are preventable injuries; cyclists in Europe are two to three times less likely to be injured and eight to 30 times less likely to be killed than their North American counterparts because their roads have been redesigned to accommodate people using multiple modes of transport.
Similarly within Canada, collision rates between people who bike alongside motor vehicles in Vancouver and Montreal are lower than in Toronto, despite a higher proportion of users of active transportation in those cities, because of better cycling infrastructure.
Active transportation is any form of human-powered transportation; the most common forms are walking and cycling. Most active transportation users who travel by bicycle are not professional cyclists; they are people who use bicycles to get around.
Ontario Trails Board and Staff Present Three Sessions to Parks and Recreation OntarioOntario Trails Council presented on Green Infrastructure, Trail Management and certificate Education, Conflict Resolution and the IMportance of Trail Metrics through Data Collection. Thanks to PRO for facilitating a great day and to Paul Ronan for getting us all to go!
Ontario Trails Board and Staff Present at Conservation Areas Workshops
The Annual Conservation Areas Workshop was held at Geneva Park near Orillia, Ontario: October 25
th - 27
th, 2017. The Workshop provided a valuable opportunity for training, networking, and collaboration for Land Managers and staff of the 36 Conservation Authorities in the province of Ontario. The annual Workshop provided an excellent opportunity for all staff to connect with each other. Check out the
Nine Years in Review presentation to learn more.
This year’s theme was Build, Teach, Connect.
Build: Attendees shared their experiences in making the most of natural spaces when building conservation areas.
Teach: Engaging in environmental education is crucial for land managers. The importance of educating the public on the value of conserving natural spaces, and developing deeper connections between people and nature was highlighted through this year’s conference.
Connect: The workshop emphasized how Conservation Areas across the province can connect people and promote an understanding of the importance of maintaining natural habitat. Attendees had the opportunity to collaborate on techniques and strategies for fostering these connections.
This year, the Conservation Areas Workshop was lead by an Eastern Ontario Conservation Authority, South Nation.
John Mesman, Team Lead for Communications at South Nation Conservation will be chairing this year’s conference and offering a new perspective.
A number of OTC Board Members, Dan Andrews, Paul Ronan and staff Patrick Connor all spoke at the event. Thanks to South Nation and to Conservation ONtario for the invitations to speak.
Ontario Trails wants to Know!
Hi - the OTC has listened to people and through recent consultation with:
1) Conservation Area Managers via Conservation Ontario forums, plus Park and Recreation Managers via Ontario Parks Association Parks and Recreation Ontario we have added
Dog on Leash and Dog off Leash Categorizations to your trails. We will designate but you have to tell us which ones. Also knowing if you have a dog park in your area would help as we could then also direct dog owners to these parks as well. We can add your message.
2)
Hunting Off Trail - we have been talking with the Conservation Officers Association and Ontario Federation of Anglers and Hunters and it's that time of year where many hunters using ATV, dirt Bike or other means access hunt lands off of trails. Do you allow this off of your trail(s)? We can add this information to your trails. We can add your message.
In both cases this information is viewable off our handheld website so all trail users can know this.
Both groups have indicated this would help with prosecution (if needed) trespass and landowner protection as usually signs are often deficient, or with many access points its difficult to know whether there is a sign at all access points, and in fact whether these staffs are there to educate (which they would prefer) or police.
Please advise.
