Ontario Trail News - community consultations, trail education, new trails and more

TRCA Holds Community Consultation on Trails

Good afternoon, 

For those of you who I have not yet had the pleasure of meeting, my name is Mark Burkholder, and I have replaced Adam Szaflarski as the Project Coordinator for TRCA’s Durham Conservation Lands. 

Please be aware that there is a Glen Major Forest and Walker Woods Stewardship Committee meeting scheduled for June 4th, 2014 from 7pm – 9pm.  The meeting will take place at Goodwood Community Centre located at 268 Hwy. 47 in Goodwood.  An agenda will be sent out prior to the meeting. 

Looking forward to seeing you there. 

Kind regards, 
Mark

Mark Burkholder, BES | Coordinator, Conservation Lands | Cell 416.454.6972 | Phone 416.661.6600 x.5597 | Fax: 416.667.6278 | mburkholder@trca.on.ca

Toronto and Region Conservation | 5 Shoreham Drive | Toronto, ON | M3N 1S4
 

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Niagara Continues to Pursue Trails

Congratulations to Tracy-Lynn Bell, President of the Niagara Trails Committee. We look forward to continuing to work with you to bring multi-use trails to Niagara.


 

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East Don Trail Study - input sought

Project Update – May 2014 www.toronto.ca/eastdontrail

Highlights of Work Completed

 
Since March 2013, fieldwork has been taking place in the study area.  The project team was planning to have all work completed this spring, however with a long and snowy winter survey crews experienced some difficulty getting to the site. The goal now is to complete field work:
·        topographical surveys and tree inventory in June; and
·        geotechnical surveys later this year.
Within the study area you may continue to see temporary orange painted markings and/or stakes in the ground. These markings will remain in place until the design work for the study has been completed.

Before selecting a preferred trail alignment for the next round of public consultation, the project team addressed requests from different stakeholders for a review of additional trail alignments in:

• Area 1 (north end of the study area near Charles Sauriol Conservation Area);
• Area 2 (middle of study near the Gatineau Hydro Corridor and Flemingdon Park Golf Club).

The requests were variations of trail alignments presented at the second public meeting last September. Given some of the concerns about impacts to either private property or the natural environment, the project team evaluated these additional trail alignments. The evaluation involved consultation with the Technical Advisory Committee, Community Liaison Committee, and key stakeholders. A preferred trail alignment has been chosen to move forward to the next study phase and public consultation. Visit the East Don Trail Community Liaison Committee webpage under Meeting #5 for a complete list of trail alignments considered.
 
Next Opportunity for Public Input June 24
 
Design concepts for the preferred trail alignment will be presented at the next public event on June 24, 2013. Design concepts will show the physical features (e.g. slope) and potential impacts (e.g. trees) of the trail. Join us to learn more, speak with members of the project team, and be part of the conversation to select the best options for the preferred trail alignment.
 
Date: Tuesday, June 24, 2014
Drop-in: 5:30 PM – 8:30 PM
Presentation: 6:30 PM
Location: Victoria Park Hub, 1527 Victoria Park Avenue (Victoria Park Ave. and Eglinton Ave. East)
 
Thank you again for your interest in the East Don Trail Study.
 

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We Welcome Returning Members!

 Thanks for honouring your membership commitment.

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IMBA Canada Re-structures

        Kitchener, ON - May 15, 2014 -

        Twenty fourteen will be a year of restructuring for the International Mountain Bicycling Association (Canada), the national body that advocates and organizes on behalf of mountain bikers north of the Canada/US border. The organization struggled through a difficult period financially last year while executive director, Lora Woolner, was away on maternity leave, resulting in a halt to regional
programming, decreased operational capacity, and the loss of several staff.

        During Woolner's leave, direction of IMBA Canada's operations was handled by its US counterpart in Boulder, Colorado. Despite good intentions, the lack of Canadian leadership and oversight has led to
the need to revisit current programming and organizational structure.

        In an effort to respond to the continued support of members, partners and corporate sponsors, former executive director, Lora Woolner, and former Ontario Regional Coordinator, Igor Hoogendoorn have resumed
control of Canadian operations. Woolner and Hoogendoorn will be sharing a joint leadership position for 2014 focused on delivering essential programs, improving financial sustainability, and rebuilding organizational capacity.

        The team intends to reduce dependencies on the US office, while at the same time retaining IMBA's mission and core values. As always, Canadian dollars will stay in Canada to support Canadian trails.

        While the future of IMBA Canada beyond 2014 is still to be given much consideration and careful planning, it is clear that in this time of restructuring, IMBA Canada needs your financial support. If you are a mountain biker or make your living via mountain biking, and you value what IMBA has done and is doing to keep the sport viable in Canada, then please consider joining or renewing [2], and/or donating [3] to IMBA Canada today.

IMBA CANADA 537 Frederick Street PO Box 23034 Kitchener, ON N2B 3V1 Canada

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Trails Education News



NEXT COURSE - JUNE 2, 2014

Ontario Trails News - news and activity information from all over Ontario's 2600 trails!

Niagara Continues to Pursue Trails

Congratulations to Tracy-Lynn Bell, President of the Niagara Trails Committee. We look forward to continuing to work with you to bring multi-use trails to Niagara.


 

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East Don Trail Study - input sought

Project Update – May 2014 www.toronto.ca/eastdontrail

Highlights of Work Completed

 
Since March 2013, fieldwork has been taking place in the study area.  The project team was planning to have all work completed this spring, however with a long and snowy winter survey crews experienced some difficulty getting to the site. The goal now is to complete field work:
·        topographical surveys and tree inventory in June; and
·        geotechnical surveys later this year.
Within the study area you may continue to see temporary orange painted markings and/or stakes in the ground. These markings will remain in place until the design work for the study has been completed.

Before selecting a preferred trail alignment for the next round of public consultation, the project team addressed requests from different stakeholders for a review of additional trail alignments in:

• Area 1 (north end of the study area near Charles Sauriol Conservation Area);
• Area 2 (middle of study near the Gatineau Hydro Corridor and Flemingdon Park Golf Club).

The requests were variations of trail alignments presented at the second public meeting last September. Given some of the concerns about impacts to either private property or the natural environment, the project team evaluated these additional trail alignments. The evaluation involved consultation with the Technical Advisory Committee, Community Liaison Committee, and key stakeholders. A preferred trail alignment has been chosen to move forward to the next study phase and public consultation. Visit the East Don Trail Community Liaison Committee webpage under Meeting #5 for a complete list of trail alignments considered.
 
Next Opportunity for Public Input June 24
 
Design concepts for the preferred trail alignment will be presented at the next public event on June 24, 2013. Design concepts will show the physical features (e.g. slope) and potential impacts (e.g. trees) of the trail. Join us to learn more, speak with members of the project team, and be part of the conversation to select the best options for the preferred trail alignment.
 
Date: Tuesday, June 24, 2014
Drop-in: 5:30 PM – 8:30 PM
Presentation: 6:30 PM
Location: Victoria Park Hub, 1527 Victoria Park Avenue (Victoria Park Ave. and Eglinton Ave. East)
 
Thank you again for your interest in the East Don Trail Study.
 

blogTO (blog) The top 10 events for Toronto Bike Month 2014 blogTO (blog) toronto bike month 2014 Get on your bikes and ride - it's Toronto Bike Month once again. The annual celebration of pedal-powered locomotion, which ... Flag as irrelevant

Home Community Petticoat Creek offers panoramic views, picnic... Simcoe.com One of the best trails in the area is the Waterfront Trail within Petticoat Creek Conservation Area which is located on the shore of Lake Ontario. Flag as irrelevant

Be Careful on ATV's

Bayshore Broadcasting News Centre

Ontario Provincial Police, the Ontario Federation of All-Terrain Vehicle Clubs and the Ministry of Transportation remind ATV owners to be safe while ...

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TRAIL PLANNING BEGINS JUNE 2, 2014

ONTARIO TRAILS MOBILE one of 12 MUST HAVE APPS

http://www.ontariotrails.on.ca/mobile

Ontario Trails News - hiking, waking, biking, camping - information from Ontario's 2600 trails!

Ontario Trails Council Supports Trail Programs

Thanks to Jessie Metelka of the Georgian Bay Coast Trail for her acknowledgment of OTC support for the Amazing Places program in the article below.
 

Search is on for area’s amazing places

‘People won’t protect what they don’t know about’ – Georgian Bay Biosphere Reserve launches initiative to recognize region’s natural landmarks

By  Stephannie Johnson

PARRY SOUND – Last week nearly 40 interested parties from in and around the Georgian Bay Biosphere (GBBR) participated in a workshop that hopes to highlight the area’s amazing places. Hosted by the GBBR at Canadore College, participants came from Honey Harbour, Bala, Muskoka Lakes, Parry Sound, Almaguin, the French River and Sudbury.
The Fundy project’s executive director, Megan DeGraaf, spoke about the Amazing Places project and how it may work for eastern Georgian Bay, DeGraaf outlined the project saying that in their biosphere reserve in New Brunswick, conservation and environmental education were the focus.
“People won’t protect what they don’t know about,” DeGraaf said. “As an educational organization, we wanted to expose residents and visitors to some unique areas within the biosphere reserve and take tourists beyond the typical sites.”


Everything must be controlled to ensure that the highest quality product – accurate information, thinking about how the place tells a story, and promoting the places with outstanding photographs and high-definition video.” The goals of the GBBR are to celebrate the UNESCO designation, provide nature education and, with the implementation of this project, explore the value of the natural area along with partners, said general manager Greg Mason.
“If it is of interest, we will facilitate some planning with a group of partners that can make it happen,” Mason said. “At the same time, we are trying to coordinate this as a provincial project in the other biosphere reserves…which is quite a challenge.”
Because of the positive reception of the participants, GBBR manager Becky Pollock said the organization has outlined some next steps. “They include the pilot project, which is to nominate 10 amazing places and then promote them all summer,” Pollock said. “Then at the end of that we can do a feasibility study and say ‘how likely is this to work in our area? What would the costs be? Who are the partners?’ And especially for those who weren’t at the workshop, ‘How do we reach out to other organizations?’”
There were many positive comments following the event. “I know there is a huge amount of work that has to be done and has yet to be done, but today had a very positive feel to it,” said Julie Lee, owner of Mariner’s Rest Bed & Breakfast.
Jessie Metelka, with the Georgian Bay Coast Trail, said she saw how this project could assist with the potential expansion and promotion of hiking trails in the area. “I know that the Ontario Trails Council supports all the biosphere reserves in Ontario in growing this project,” said Metelka.
In addition to the many tourism operators in attendance, including Parks Canada and Ontario Parks, several marketing interests and private consultants were present, including: the Ontario Tourism Marketing Partnership Corporation, the Georgian Bay Destination Development Partnership (visitgeorgianbay.com), the Regional Tourism Organization (Explorers Edge) and Parry Sound Tourism – a new private enterprise. Each of these perspectives was shared throughout the day. Any organization still wishing to be involved should contact the Biosphere at 705-774-0978.

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Tourism Industry in Consultation!

A 5 yr Review of the Sorbara Report

REGISTER TO PARTICIPATE

The Tourism Industry Association of Ontario (“TIAO) is pleased to announce a province-wide consultation process that will result in a status update on the tourism competitiveness study: “Discovering Ontario: A Report on the Future of Tourism.” The report, released in the spring of 2009, contained four broad strategies and twenty specific recommendations to rejuvenate the industry.
One of the twenty recommendations identified in the report was the need for a single tourism industry association....a recommendation fulfilled by TIAO, which is now recognized as the umbrella trade association in Ontario. Given this role, the Ministry asked TIAO to lead this important consultation process which has been dubbed “TIAO Listens” in order to clearly communicate the primary objective: obtaining industry feedback.
TIAO has engaged HLT Advisory to assist with the facilitation process that will seek input in a variety of ways. Fifteen consultation sessions are planned across the province starting in early May and concluding in mid June.

http://www.tiaontario.ca/tiaolistens
http://www.tiaontario.ca/controls/calendar/calendar.aspx?ID=2
 

Niagara Classic 2014 Race Report | Ontario Cycling Association ontariocycling.org Mark Brouwer (Neworld Cycle) won the Master 3 race while Patrick Gostovic (Morning Glory CC) took the M3 race with his teammates taking places ... Flag as irrelevant

Toronto Star Toronto company building a high-tech bike with brains Toronto Star “This is really exciting, Vanhawks, of course, being a Toronto-based company, a local brand and start-up,” says Jared Kolb, executive director of Cycle ... Flag as irrelevant

CBC.ca Toronto releases new smart phone app for cyclists CBC.ca The City of Toronto released its free biking smartphone app on Tuesday, hoping the GPS-enabled app helps cyclists and develops the city's cycle plan ... Flag as irrelevant

TRAIL PLANNING BEGINS JUNE 2, 2014

ONTARIO TRAILS MOBILE one of 12 MUST HAVE APPS

http://www.ontariotrails.on.ca/mobile

Ontario Trails News - hiking, waking, biking, camping - information from Ontario's 2600 trails!

Ontario Trails fully involved in Trail Projects

From the North Shore of Lake Superior to the rolling hills of Haliburton to the St. Lawrence Seaway, through the nation's biggest cities over 430 communities in Ontario have trails that are Yours to Explore.

This article is going to tell you about a few of the projects that we have underway in several parts of Ontario. When communities turned to the OTC they ask us to help them manage, develop, properly use, and conserve their trails.

Niagara Trails – Niagara 

Just when you've experienced everything on Clifton Hill, enjoyed the 1812 overture at Niagara-on-the-Lake, or tested some fine wines in Fort Erie, you'll discover the little bit extra that the 62 trails in Niagara enable you to explore.

Niagara region is blessed with many amenities and services for tourists and trail users alike. The conservation authority lands are dotted with trails, the Niagara Gorge trail is renowned for its client and the powerful sounds of Niagara's waters.

Working with the region and the Niagara trails committee in various groups including the Niagara Bruce trail club, the Upper Canada Equestrian Association, Quad Niagara, Short Hills cycling, and the various municipalities we are re-shaping the vision and development of multi-use trails in Niagara.

So come on down bring your bike bring your boots bring your helmet, most importantly bring your sense of adventure!

Jane's Walk was alive with the sounds of mad people

insideTORONTO.com

Part of a series of Jane's Walk tours across Toronto, this specific tour was led ... The group hosted awalking tour of the old perimeter walls of CAMH.

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The Globe and Mail Toronto may add separated bike lanes on Richmond, Adelaide Streets The Globe and Mail City staff are proposing a series of improvements to cycling infrastructure in downtown Toronto, including a pilot project for separated bicycle lanes on ... Flag as irrelevant

Canoe overturned in Blind River fatals

Sault Star

Two Mississauga First Nation men drowned or died of hypothermia when their canoe overturned on Blind River, Ontario Provincial Police say.

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A few bad cyclists shouldn't stop us from building bike lanes Toronto Star Public discussions in Toronto about building bike lanes inevitably get ... A Cycle Toronto program called Street Smarts teaches new cyclists about ... Flag as irrelevant

TRAIL PLANNING BEGINS JUNE 2, 2014

ONTARIO TRAILS MOBILE one of 12 MUST HAVE APPS

http://www.ontariotrails.on.ca/mobile