Ontario Trails News - Trailwise - January 26, 2017

• Trail Management • Trailhead Events • Membership Drive    • Donate to Trails Today • Member News • Activity Updates

Updates from Around Ontario Trails! Nickel City's largest natural playground, Kivi Park open for fun Snowshoeing, hiking and dog walking all available  Kivi Park is now open for snowshoeing, hiking, walking, fatbiking and dog walking. Kivi Park is located at 4472 Long Lake Rd. It was born out of the demolition of the defunct Long Lake Public School when Sudburian Lily Fielding donated land to the city this past summer. At 300 acres, Kivi Park is the city's largest park — 23 times larger than Bell Park, in fact. The park provides public access to Crown land leading to three lakes – Crowley Lake, Linton Lake and Camp Lake – and provides a city connection to Killarney Provincial Park. Thanks to the work of more than 100 volunteers, as well as the talents and equipment of Pioneer Construction Ltd., the park marks a dramatic expansion to the existing sports facilities in Greater Sudbury. Explore LaCloche P.P Thanks JustaBitFurther! Watch our Twitter for Tons of Trail Information! Family Day Trail Events and More! Wye Marsh Snowshoe Ecotours - January 14th, 21st & 28th 2017 Experience areas of the Wye Marsh that are otherwise not open to the general visiting public! After a brief lesson on the art of snowshoeing, you will head out in search of the many mysteries that animal tracks & signs present while being followed by hungry chickadees that like to eat right out of your hand! Your Naturalist guide will teach you how to identify trees in the winter and interpret the symphony of bird songs overhead. You will then have an opportunity to warm up by the fire at Freshet's Creek while enjoying some roasted bannock & hot Cedar tea! Winter Pursuits for Kids! Saturdays Jan. 21-Feb.11 2017 Participants will be given opportunities to learn through exploring nature! Exclusively run outdoors, this program will focus on embracing all that winter has to offer! From snowshoe obstacle courses & bannock roasting to shelter building & animal tracking, participants will learn to embrace winter - after all, there is no such thing as bad weather only bad clothing! Annual General Meeting Jan 28th at 1pm Join the Wye Marsh for their Annual General Meeting at 1pm. Hear all about the successes of 2016 and learn about plans for the future. New this year we've got a special guest speaker to give you a History of the Wye Marsh presentation. Marsh by Moonlight Snowshoe Experience February 4th, 11th and 19th 6:30-8:30pm Join us for this new and exciting opportunity to experience nature at night! Hearst Winter Carnival from Ontario Travel Come enjoy the winter activities that characterize Hearst: A mega outdoor boot hockey tournament, ice sculpture, dog sleigh rides, outdoor curling challenge, snowmobile and car rally tube rides pulled by horse, biathlon-running and snowshoeing, line dancing and rock band tributes! EVENT DATES: Feb-17-2017 to Feb-19-2017 ADMISSION: Free Price Details: Prices vary according to each activity. Family Day - Northumberland Ontario Family Day is February 20, 2017 and is the 3rd Monday in February each year. Escape for the weekend to Northumberland and enjoy quality family time in the great outdoors: Festivities and Activities Outdoor Skating Ice Fishing Skiing, Snowshoeing, Hiking, Biking, Toboganning Snowmobiling Family-Friendly Accommodations                        Festivities and Activities Family Day celebrations take place in Cobourg centering around their outdoor skating rink just a block south of King Street and right beside the Millstone Bakery where you can warm up with a hot chocolate and nibbles.    The Keeler Centre in Colborne will have their annual skate on Family Day, too. Port Hope has lined up swimming, skating, crafts and gym challenges at two of their Parks and Recreation Centres. Algonquin College Trail Education Program - Trail Planning Module Begins ! Trailhead Hastings! Get Outside and Embrace Winter in Ontario January 19, 2017 Many Ontario Parks Offer Family Fun All Year RoundWinter has arrived, but that doesn't mean staying indoors until spring. Ontario's provincial parks continue to offer many activities this time of year, with more than 25 parks open all winter long. So bundle up, get outside and enjoy the crisp air and quiet forests. Here are five ways to take part in winter fun in Ontario's provincial parks: Learn something new Ever heard of winter camping? Try it! Frontenac offers winter camping workshops to teach you all the basics - from trip planning to equipment details and safety. Eat what you catch Try your hand at ice fishing at Sibbald Point, Windy Lake or Silent Lake Provincial Parks.  No equipment? Windy Lake has an ice fishing kit you can borrow. Just be sure you have a valid fishing licence and outdoors card, and ensure you follow the rules of ice fishing in Ontario's parks. Skate through the woods Glide through the woods at MacGregor Point and Arrowhead Provincial Parks where summer campground loops become skate trails. Visit MacGregor Point at night when the outdoor lights come on, making an evening skate truly magical. Stay active There are lots of ways to stay active this winter in Ontario's provincial parks. Grab a friend or the family and go for a hike through Presqu'ile Provincial Park.  Once the snow accumulates, many parks also offer snowshoeing, cross-country skiing or tobogganing. Book a cozy cabin Stay warm and toasty in a cabin at Quetico or Sleeping Giant Provincial Park, or enjoy a trailside yurt at Pinery or Algonquin Provincial Park. Reserve mid-week for the best availability! Remember, winter outdoor activities always depend on the weather, so check park conditions before you leave home and dress appropriately. QUICK FACTSMore than 450 kilometers of cross-country ski trails are offered this winter in 19 Ontario Parks. Ontario has more than 330 provincial parks, which cover more than 8 million hectares — an area larger than the entire province of New Brunswick. In 2016, Ontario’s provincial parks received more than 10 million visits from people around the world and brought in over $82 million in revenue, which supports jobs and businesses across the province. MTCS Community Recreation Grant FundingOntario is now accepting applications for the Ontario Sport and Recreation Communities Fund (OSRCF) 2017–18. OSRCF is a grant program that supports the government’s vision to enable people in communities across Ontario to lead healthy, active lives. The fund increases opportunities for participation in sport and recreation, supports implementation of physical literacy as a foundation for lifelong physical activity and strengthens the community sport and recreation sector. The deadline to apply for the Ontario Sport and Recreation Communities Fund 2017–18 is February 1, 2017 at 5:00 p.m. EST. Full details, including who’s eligible and how to apply, are available through Grants Ontario, the providers in your area. Federal Student Experience Grant FundingThe 2017 Canada Summer Jobs (CSJ) application period for employers is now open. EXTENDED TO FEB 3, 2017! Canada Summer Jobs is a Government of Canada initiative. It provides funding for not-for-profit organizations, public sector employers and small businesses with 50 or fewer full-time employees to create summer jobs for students between the ages of 15 and 30. The application form as well as the applicant guide is currently available at www.canada.ca/canada-summer-jobs. You can submit your application online, by mail or in person at any Service Canada Centre. For a better understanding of the Canada Summer Jobs program including key tips to apply, please watch this YouTube video: https://youtube/SfMoLhkgjU8 We encourage you to submit your 2017 application online. By doing so, you will benefit from a fast, easy-to-use, and secure way of applying as you will: have access to the Canada Summer Jobs application 24/7, from any location, allowing you to complete it at your convenience; ensure your application is received immediately by Service Canada; receive an instant acknowledgement confirming that your application has been received; and, avoid postal delays.  There are two systems available to enable you to apply online: Grants and Contributions Online Services (GCOS): If you already have a GCOS account, please use this online platform to submit an online application; or CSJ online application form. For more information: Click: www.canada.ca/canada-summer-jobs Call: 1-800-935-5555 (ATS: 1-800-926-9105) Visit: a Service Canada Centre CSJ presentation: https://youtube/SfMoLhkgjU8 Use the OFSC Trail Guide this season! Use the trail guide for the best accuracy in open and closed trails this season. Trailhead Canada - Save the date! Trails Tourism Integration Underway Based on your feedback we are making improvments, areas include such things as: having an event map self directed trail or event edits mapping and maps guided services listings improved weather reporting improved trip planning with printout adding trails for folks with pets to cater to the traveler with pets add trekking and other unique experiences re-brand off-road cycling as mountain biking, add fat-biking as a specialty space for local content improved site search functionality more links across RTO's improved forms with additional categories more support route content like Wine or Arts Routes event to trail linkages on trail content pages cms capability to red flag broken links more! trails! We appreciate the feedback from all the marketing and branding staffs we have worked with and all the suggestions for improvement. Thank- you Membership Renewals - Thank-you for your Support!We wish to thank the following organizations that have already completed their membership for 2017. We couldn't do our work without your continued support. Many thanks! Renew Today! "The OTC provides us with the ability to communicate and collaborate with industry stakeholders, professionals and advocates. It also provides us with the tools to develop our own capacities, skills and networks. As well, it is important to back to the OTC and trail communities in our province.  Being an OTC member allows us to benefit from the knowledge of other members through education and professional development opportunities such as the Trailhead Ontario conference, and through professional networking. The OTC is the influential body that will help guide and shape the political, professional and physical landscape of trails in Ontario. Joining the OTC provides an opportunity to be part of this process: to both contribute and gain knowledge in a community of passionate, like-minded individuals and organizations."  - Damian Bradley, Cycling advocate and Developer Guelph Regional Trails Council Membership Benefits INFORMATION AND FUNDING OTC Trails and Event page representation Representation on OTC trails maps Social Media represents you to 60,000+ people Fund Development through grant writing, grant support ACCESS AND INFLUENCE Connectivity to the Ministry of Tourism Culture and Sport Leadership at the Ontario Trails Coordinating Committee Office services and networking support BEST PRACTICES Partnership Support and Knowledge exchange Access to Professional Development sessions Tourism Practices, Trails Tort Reform, Trail Workshops TRAIL IMPROVEMENTS Access to Trail Insurance Broker Option on registration in Trillium Trail Network Local, regional or provincial User conflict resolution 2017 MEMBERSHIP FORM - PDF     2017 MEMBERSHIP FORM - WORD DOC CATEGORIES Become a "Friend of Trails" Savings on conference/seminar registration Monthly e-bulletins Access to OTC trails database Great gift price! Savings on trail literature/maps $26.52 + $3.45 = $29.97 (includes 13% HST) Benefits to Student Editions of the OTC newsletter Trailwise Access to OTC trails information Conference and selected literature savings * must provide student verification $21.21 + $2.75 = $23.96 (includes 13% HST) Our members include municipalities, conservation authorities, parks, trail management groups, trail clubs, trail user groups, health units and other trail-related supporting organizations. Base HST Total Small Non-profit, Small Organizations $109.27 $14.20 $123.47 Conservation Authorities, Medium Municipalities, Counties, Regional Tourism Organizations $273.18 $35.51 $308.69 Municipalities, Provincial Level Organizations >5000 users $819.54 $106.54 $926.0