Showing posts with label Healthy Hikes. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Healthy Hikes. Show all posts

Thursday, October 20, 2016

Ontario Trails News - Bill 100 fact sheet, Trailhead Toronto Nov 24th, CycleON Consultations and more from Ontario Trails!

ADD Your Trail!

Ontario Trails - We Keep Adding Events!!

On a regular basis the trail community sends us more trail events to add to our website! Add yours today. 


Trail Events - a short sample of 100's

frontenac arch trail experiencesDate: 2016-03-08 to 2017-11-30
Event: Toronto Hiking Hikes
Type: Hike
Torontohiking.com provides over 50 hikes along the Bruce Trail and other area trails.
Date: 2016-04-01 to 2016-10-31
Event: Warsaw Caves Hike - Make Your Trail Event
Type: Hike
Enjoy an easy 7 km walk on trails ending at the beach and picnic shelter for lunch. For those who want more, there is an optional 4 km.
Date: 2016-05-01 to 2016-10-31
Event: Trans Canada Trail
Type: Natural Heritage
Trans Canda Trail is Canada's national trail heritage project. When complete the TCT will stretch from coast to coast to coast. The TCT in Ontario goes from the Manitoba border across to North Bay, down to Hamilton and from Windsor to Ottawa.
Date: 2016-05-04 to 2017-05-07
Event: Wilderness Adventurers of Ontario - Hiking Events
Type: Snowshoe
The Wilderness Adventurers outdoor club was formed more than 25 years ago by a small group of canoeists. The club has since grown and is currently around 100 members strong. Members share a variety of interests from cross-country skiing to hiking, and both flat and whitewater canoeing.
Date: 2016-09-01 to 2017-09-01
Event: Hike the Ganaraska Map/Directions
Type: Hike
Be part of this exciting initiative to promote healthy active lifestyles, healthy economies and opportunities to explore Ontario’s wonderful trails.
Date: 2016-09-16 to 2016-12-31
Event: Forest Lea Enduro
Type: Mountain Biking
The Forest Lea Trails are becoming widely recognized as the best technical singletrack system in Eastern Ontario. The FL Enduro is a trail focused fundraising event to celebrate the Forest Lea Trails and raise money for maintenance and development.
Date: 2016-10-08 to 2017-04-01
Event: Ontario Parks - Bronte Creek Nature Centre
Trail: Bronte Creek Provincial Park
Type: Nature
Ontario Parks provides a wide range of all year round events in its parks. Ontario's Parks are one of the best places to discover the outdoors and Ontario's trails!
Date: 2016-10-08 to 2017-10-08
Event: Paul's Dirty Mountain Bike Enduro
Trail: Ganaraska Forest
Type: Mountain Biking
Defiant Mountain Bike Club hosts several events and lists events on facebook.
Date: 2016-10-09 to 2016-11-28
Event: Autumn Is Show Time In Southern Ontario Parks
Type: Nature
Spectacular fall colours, cool nights, and sunny days – with no mosquitoes or black flies – make autumn a great time of year to visit a provincial park.

Ontario Trails - We Keep Adding Trails!!

On a regular basis the trail community sends us more trail events to add to our website! Add yours today. 


Windrift Kennels Dogsleddingwindrift kennel dogsledding

Come and enjoy the Canadian outdoors on your very own dogsled! You will have the opportunity to help harness and hook up your team. During the tours there is time to stop and enjoy the scenery, as well as discuss the dogs and answer any questions that you may have.

Warm drinks and snacks are provided on the half day experience at the half way point, and a hot chili lunch on the trail is provided on the full day experience.

*Please note that for safety reasons you must be 16 years old to drive a dogsled. All times are approximate and include driving your own 4-6 dog team.  All experiences are guided.  Prices subject to change without notice.

http://www.ontariotrails.on.ca/trails/view/windrift-trail

Ministry of Tourism, Culture and Sport Releases a Bill 100 Fact Sheet
minister mcmahon letter bill 100

We are pleased to provide a link to the letter the Minister sent to OTC regarding its leadership role in the passage of Bill 100. Thanks to Minister McMahon, Minister Coteau and all the MTCS staff for their assistance. We are also providing a link to the MTCS Fact Sheet about Bill 100. It closely mirrors earlier OTC releases.

MTCS Letter

MTCS Bill 100 Fact sheet


OTC Board Member Denise Erikson presents on ATV safety
Event's ATV safety talk covers a lot of terrain

By Michael Lea, Kingston Whig-Standard

Tuesday, October 18, 2016 7:50:24 EDT PM
Schoolchildren and their teacher listen as Denise Erickson, left, and Melanie Trottier talk about ATV safety during the Racing Against Drugs event in Kingston on Tuesday. Grade 6 children rotated through interactive displays on healthy, substance-free living. (Michael Lea/The Whig-Standard)
Schoolchildren and their teacher listen as Denise Erickson, left, and Melanie Trottier talk about ATV safety during the Racing Against Drugs event in Kingston on Tuesday. Grade 6 children rotated through interactive displays on healthy, substance-free living. (Michael Lea/The Whig-Standard)
Instead of the thousand or so Grade 6 students who have been listening to a talk on the safe use of all-terrain vehicles (ATVs) during this week's Racing Against Drugs event, it should be their grandparents who are getting the lecture, a representative of the province's ATV clubs said.
"Grandparents buy their grandkids these machines all the time and don't take into consideration how fast they go and how powerful they are," Denise Erickson, administrative assistant for the Ontario Federation of ATV Clubs, said.
Racing Against Drugs was first introduced to Kingston in 2005 by Kingston Partners for a Safe Community and Kingston, Frontenac and Lennox and Addington Public Health. They continue to be the organizers.
The initiative was created by the Royal Canadian Mounted Police as a drug-awareness program for children. The idea was to use the sport of motor racing, where there is no tolerance for substance abuse, to educate children on the need for a healthy, drug and alcohol-free lifestyle. It stresses the need to make smart choices.
This week is the first time the ATV federation, which includes 15 ATV clubs, has been represented at the event. The federation was invited by the Ontario Transportation Ministry to help spread the word on ATV safety and the importance of driving without being impaired.
As well as the need for a proper helmet and other clothing, riding the proper-sized ATV is key, Erickson said.
She pointed to the smaller of two ATVs she had on display. That should be the size 12-year-olds are riding, she said.
"Unfortunately, mom and dad own this one," she said, pointing to the full-sized machine next to it.
"So a lot of them are saying they already ride an 850 or 1,000 cc ATV, which is too big for them for their size, for their weight."
There is no age limit to ride an ATV if you are on private property, but children should always be supervised, she explained.
"I have seen five-year-olds on them," Erickson said. "It depends on the parents. Grandparents are one of the worst."
You have to be 12 if you want to drive on a trail. And you have to be 16, with a valid driver's licence, if you want to even touch any part of a road, she continued.
"These kids can ride an ATV but they can't cross a road."
Melanie Trottier, a regional marketing planner for the Transportation Ministry, joined Erickson in her concern for the young riders' safety.
She recounted how one teacher was inquiring how to install a car seat for a three-year-old in a side-by-side ATV.
"That is not appropriate. It is not legal," she said.
Trottier, too, has seen young children driving ATVs.
"You can see four-year-olds driving one of these. It is not recommended at all," she said.
Neither woman could say how many children had been involved in ATV accidents over the years.
"I would say teenagers are the worst for injuries because they believe they are not going to get hurt," Erickson said. "They drive these big, powerful machines without helmets. It's the people who are driving too fast above their experience without wearing a helmet. They are the ones getting injured."

Full Article>>>>>>>>>>>

137 People want the Prescott-Russell Rail Trail saved!

SIGN OUR PETITION TO SAVE THE TRAIL! COUNCIL MEETS IN OCTOBER SIGN SOON!
prescott-russell trails petition
Save the Prescott Russell Trail. Many people use and love this trail.
The trail is 72 kilometers long and it runs through 8 townships and many towns in eastern Ontario.
The Prescott-Russell Rail Trail is the only outdoor recreational facility of its type in the area. The trail enables healthy hiking, active walking, dog walking, safe cycling off-road and winter snowmobiling.
Suddenly and without notice there is discussion of closing the trail. Many people love and rely on the Prescott-Russell Rail Trail. This trail is beautiful and a main corridor of travel and recreation for many people.
There have been no trespass complaints from landowners. Many local community members have fought for this trail and regularly work to maintain it.
The Ontario Trails Council asks you to sign this petition because we do not believe leaders fully understand the benefits of the Prescott-Russell Rail Trail to people's health, to tourism and to the environment.

Watch a video about this trail

Trailhead Toronto Program


Join us November 24th, Ontario Heritage Centre, 8 Adelaide St. in Toronto for Trailhead Toronto - a discussion about Toronto Trails by the people that build, design, find and use Toronto Trails!

Learn more at trailheadtoronto.com

Register at: Trailhead Toronto
 

Find Your Healthy Hike
 
healthy hikes

Trails Tourism Integration Strategy Meetings Planned
rtos Mtcs
A total of 15 meetings are being held with RTO's, DMO's and other partners as Ontario Trails works to develop an RTO Trails Tourism Action Plan for release in spring 2017.

We have been in touch with each RTO and our calendar of dates includes:
 
Location                    Date
Stratford RTO4October 31st
Niagara Falls RTO2November 2nd
Newmarket RTO6November 29th
Kingston RTO9November 1st
Hamilton RTO3November 3rd
Collingwood RTO7November 7th
Peterborough RTO8November 9th
Renfrew RTO11November 10th
Sudbury RTO12&13November 13-16th
London RTO1November 18th
TorontoNovember 24th
  

During each session we will discuss:
  • Current RTO+DMO Tourism Strategies
  • Current Outdoor Activity Marketing
  • Existing Trail Inventory
  • Identify Gaps
  • Consolidate Events
  • Review Ontariotrails.ca Trails Marketing
  • New Content Initiatives
  • Share Data and Data Gathering Processes
  • Review TTIP Action Plan Outlines
  • Define Next Steps
For more information contact Patrick Connor at 613-484-1140
Locations to be announced.
Cycling Consultations Announced

ontario trails ontario cycling consultations
A total of eight (8) workshop sessions will be held throughout the province of Ontario.

Representatives from the Ministry of Tourism, Culture and Sport and other other areas of government will participate where possible to ensure we continue to build on synergies with the Ontario Trails Strategy and other important work, including regional transportation planning initiatives. The following table provides preliminary information on the regional workshop sessions.
 
Location                    Date
KingstonNovember 1st
OttawaNovember 2nd
Thunder BayNovember 7th
Sault Ste. MarieNovember 8th
TorontoNovember 10th
OrilliaNovember 16th
LondonNovember 18th
North BayNovember 24th

Each of the meetings will be held between 12:30 p.m. and 3:30 p.m. We ask that you select the date and location most applicable to your work / interests. This invitation will be followed by a set of meeting notifications containing more detailed information. We ask that you select and accept the meeting that is most appropriate to you. You should expect to receive the meeting notifications in mid-October.

E-mail - MTOCyclingNetwork@mmm.ca

Tuesday, October 4, 2016

Ontario Trails News - St. Thomas Elevated Park, Healthy Hikes, Mississauga Parks and Forestry Trails and more Ontario Trails News!


ADD YOUR TRAIL

St. Thomas Elevated Park - an OTC Supported Park Projectst. thomas elevated park
The park is to be Canada’s first elevated park.

The management master plan outlines an achievable process to design, construct and manage the St. Thomas Elevated Park. Additionally, the plan defines the concepts and costs for the park to guide its creative design. It also considers visitor impacts, programming and the potential of the park to contribute to branding St. Thomas as the Railway City and as a tool for community and economic revitalization.

Passive uses are those that can be done on a solo basis such as hiking, biking, cross-country skiing and also running, jogging and just quiet contemplation.

stepp outdoor gardens

Active uses are those uses that involve groups using traditional venues such as sports fields and play structures as well as more extreme examples including zip lines and bungee jumping.

As an active trail segment in proximity to the Trans Canada Trail, the elevated park is an exciting attraction, with potential to generate significant visitor expenditures. Trail users can be expected to be overwhelmingly represented by hikers, cyclists and cross-country skiers.

st. thomas elevated park

More information at https://www.facebook.com/StThomasElevatedPark

Find Your Healthy Hike
healthy hikes

Folks talking about @ontrails - thanks Ontario peeps!
Thanks JB! 
jb ontario trails


Thanks Mississauga Parks and Forestry!
mississauga trails ontario trails


Thanks for informing us Ryan
hamilton trail crossings ontario trails

Friday, September 23, 2016

Ontario Trails News- add your trail, take a healthy hike or support the St. Thomas Elevated Park - an Ontario Trails supported project!

ADD YOUR TRAIL
St. Thomas Elevated Park - an OTC Supported Park Projectst. thomas elevated park
The park is to be Canada’s first elevated park.

The management master plan outlines an achievable process to design, construct and manage the St. Thomas Elevated Park. Additionally, the plan defines the concepts and costs for the park to guide its creative design. It also considers visitor impacts, programming and the potential of the park to contribute to branding St. Thomas as the Railway City and as a tool for community and economic revitalization.

Passive uses are those that can be done on a solo basis such as hiking, biking, cross-country skiing and also running, jogging and just quiet contemplation.

stepp outdoor gardens

Active uses are those uses that involve groups using traditional venues such as sports fields and play structures as well as more extreme examples including zip lines and bungee jumping.

As an active trail segment in proximity to the Trans Canada Trail, the elevated park is an exciting attraction, with potential to generate significant visitor expenditures. Trail users can be expected to be overwhelmingly represented by hikers, cyclists and cross-country skiers.

st. thomas elevated park

More information at https://www.facebook.com/StThomasElevatedPark


 
Find Your Healthy Hike
 
healthy hikes

Folks talking about @ontrails - thanks Ontario peeps!
Thanks Dorinda Murray! 
 
dorinda murray barry's bay


Thanks Kevin Edward Proulx
cup and saucer trail from edward proulx

Glad we helped!
oak ridges fundraising
Thanks Passport Puppy!
passport puppy mentions ontrails

Wednesday, August 31, 2016

Ontario Trails News - wrap up of important Ontario Trails events, updates and trail information

ADD YOUR TRAIL
Ontario Trails News - from all over Ontario!

5 Great Hikes in Algoma 5 great hikes in algoma country

Make Kakabeka Falls a trails destination!visit kakebeka falls

Why Thunder Bay Area? Here's why - thiunder bay profiled in explore mag

Credit Valley Conservation Youth Programscredit valey conservation youth programs

Find Your Healthy Hikehealthy hikes

Tuesday, September 29, 2015

Ontario Trails News - please support our work! We support others - Kinghorn Rail Trail

Find and use your favorite today!

Please consider supporting our work

Please consider making a donation or taking out a membership today! We rely on the generous support of the Canadian trail community to allow us to do our work.

Our Mission - to promote the preservation, management, use and development of trails.

Everyday, somewhere in Ontario we educate, support a group, lead or assist a community improving its quality of life through trails.

Thanks
 

Need Funding? - Here's a list of where to turn

Often we hear from trail groups - most recently TRCA, G2G, Elgin County and Lennox and Addington who want to develop trails, but there is no strategic or business plan in place. Most grants develop programs and services or fund service provision.

We want to hear from you - where did you get funding for your strategic plan for your trails? Could include master plan or other plans that involve trails. Thanks. 613-484-1140 execdir@ontariotrails.ca
 
National Trails Coalition - infrastructure (closed) - but reviewing their grant app would get your docs prepped for a different application

Ontario Trillium Foundation - 4 streams, including capital
There are a number of provincial grant applications you could explore but you have to be registered with the Grants Ontario System to see the applications by Ministry - closed till next round - see the website for more details.
 
MEDIE - has a stream - more for eco development, and the Invest in Ontario Funds - I might suggest regional funding streams includes Southern Ontario Prosperity and NOHFC programs
 
Also the Federal Enabling Accessibility Fund - Eligible Grant Recipients Include:
Not-for-profit organizations;
Small businesses;
Aboriginal organizations (including band councils, tribal councils and self-government entities);
Territorial governments; and,
Municipalities are eligible to submit an application only for projects that deliver activities under Priority #1 (enhancing access to recreational spaces for children with disabilities).
 
Indigenous Peoples Aboriginal Economic Development Fund - grant stream
 
Great Lakes Guardian Fund - Grants are available for projects that take place in Ontario within the Great Lakes and St. Lawrence River Basin. This includes: Lake Superior, Lake Huron, Lake Erie, Lake Ontario, the St. Lawrence River, the Ottawa River, their connecting channels, and their watersheds. This guide includes a map to help you identify your watershed. https://www.ontario.ca/page/great-lakes-guardian-community-fund#section-7
 
There are  other infrastructure grants you could pursue through the relationships you have with the County - they can use gas tax surplus for infrastructure grants -
 
Cycling Funds CycleON Strategy
Building cycling infrastructure is important in helping us achieve the vision of #CycleON: Ontario's Cycling Strategy: Ontario as a great place to ride a bike.
 
OMAFRA also offers a long list - you'll have to pick a stream and discuss with a program manager
 

Support the Kinghorn Trail Development

Last fall we started an audit of the rail corridor. This audit captures the good, the bad and the ugly. Using the latest trail auditing software, we are able to capture all the issues that need to be fixed prior to opening the trail. We will finish the audit in the spring for the full length of the line.

Please support us in building this legacy trail along Lake Superior. Even a small donation adds up and supports the capital required to upgrade the corridor for Northwestern Ontario's only rail trail!

We have plans to upgrade the railbed surface to accommodate trail users like cyclists, hikers, summer motorized use and snowmobiles in the winter months. As a full multi-use trail, we will be able to keep the trail in the public domain for future generations to enjoy.

The rail line doesn't stop at Nipigon but then turns north towards Greenstone. There has been some interest in discussing this as an option but conversations need to occur.  Please support this legacy project as we create an amazing trail alongside Lake Superior - the great inland sea.

Healthy Hikes Program!

Saturday, September 28, 2013