Ontario Trail News - information about 2600 Ontario Trails and the people that support them

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 Waterfront Regeneration Trail, Frontenac County and Chatham Kent County for honouring your membership commitment.

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Rain Barrel Event Supports Water Trails
 

Hi, Help support the 10th Annual Haliburton-Muskoka-Kawartha Childrens Water Festival in September 2014.

 

Order your rain barrels at the following, tell your family, friends, colleagues, community organizations.  Pickup sale day is Sat. July 5th 9am - 12 noon at 12750 Hwy 35 beside Kawartha Dairy, Minden.

 

http://rainbarrelcanada.com/2014/07/feel/

     

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Trails Education News









NEXT COURSE - JUNE  2014

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

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Varsity A how-to guide to safe cycling in the winter with advice from Toronto ... Varsity - While these bikers might seem courageous (or, alternatively, crazy), wintercycling is not as unsafe as it may seem. By taking extra precautions and ... Flag as irrelevant

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Bay Today It's is Snowmobile Safety Week in Ontario Bay Today - The OPP is committed to saving lives on Ontario's highways, trails and waterways through the reduction of preventable injury and death. Initiatives are ... Flag as irrelevant

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Fisheries and Oceans Canada Recognizes Volunteer for ... SYS-CON Media (press release) - For many years, Walter Oster has been a tremendous contributor to, and advocate for, recreational fishing and conservation in the province of Ontario ... Flag as irrelevant ___________________________________________________________________________________ blogTO (blog) What do you think of these new Ontario Place designs? blogTO (blog) - A looping multi-use trail will tie both areas together. toronto ontarioplace The final design that incorporates the results of a public survey is due to be ... Flag as irrelevant

Ontairo Trail News - check out snowmobiling on Ontario Trails

Ontario Snowmobile Trails on Facebook

Sunset Trail Riders waiting for cold weather to begin grooming operations

By Reg Clayton, Reg Clayton, Kenora Daiy Miner & News

Thursday, December 5, 2013 10:39:18 EST AM

Snowmobilers are advised to restrict their riding to dry land as lake ice isn’t yet sufficiently thick enough to support Sunset Trail Riders club trail groomers. FILE PHOTO/FOR THE ENTERPRISE

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There’s plenty of snow but grooming operations by the Sunset Trail Riders are on hold until cold weather freezes the ground and water beneath the network of land and lake trails maintained by the snowmobile club in the Kenora area.

“We’re getting snow but the problem is it’s acting as an insulating blanket and keeping the ground from freezing underneath,” explained Sunset Trail Riders president Richard Wilkening. “We need colder weather, there’s enough ice on the lakes to support the snow but our groomer weighs 20,000 lbs. and we need at least 16 inches of good, hard, blue ice and that takes a while to form. We’re all volunteers and nobody likes to get wet.”

The thin ice has also prevented club members from getting out on the lakes to mark trails although Wilkening hopes that staking activities will get underway shortly.

Snowmobilers are well advised to limit their riding to solid ground until lake conditions improve.

Wilkening also commented on Ontario Hydro’s proposal to charge snowmobile clubs for trail access along powerline corridors to recover a portion of property taxes the utility pays on the land.

“At this point it’s all being argued at the provincial level. We’ll have to wait to see what happens,” he said. Wilkening suggested the issue may be more relevant in southern Ontario where powerline corridors and snowmobile trails cross private property compared to the Northwest where they are primarily located on Crown land.

Algoma-Manitoulin MPP Michael Mantha criticized Ontario Hydro’s plan as a “cash grab” that threatens the community-based volunteer snowmobile clubs across the province.

“Snowmobile clubs do not have the funds to cover property taxes for hydro corridors,” Mantha stated in a news release.

Meanwhile, Wilkening noted seasonal permit sales are going very well with about 475 members purchasing the permits prior to the end of the early bird discount on Dec. 1.

“We’re a little below last year but doing well,” he said.

The Ontario Federation of Snowmobile Club permits now cost $260.

Wilkening is also looking for members to help out with all aspects of club activities, including trail workers, groomer operators, marketing and communications.

To volunteer, or for more information on club activities as well as up-to-date trail conditions and grooming reports, refer to the Sunset Trail Riders website at: www.sunsettrailriders.com.

Reg.Clayton@sunmedia.ca

twitter@RegClayton

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