Showing posts with label President's Meeting. Show all posts
Showing posts with label President's Meeting. Show all posts

Friday, October 22, 2021

Ontario Trails - More Trail Activities Receive Access, And Reopening Ontario

 

credit valley conservation picture of terra cotta location badge


Ontario Trails is a charity, led by a volunteer board of directors that promotes the use, management, development, and preservation of trails and trail-based activities in Ontario.

 

From the Ontario Trails Community 

 

President's Meeting Stimulates Discussion on Matters of Mutual Interest

ontairo trails screenshot of presidents meeting from zoom


Pembroke and Laurentian Valley to allow snowmobiling access



 

Town of Lindsay Approves ATV Access!

 

'Let’s give it a try': Kawartha Lakes council approves off-road vehicle route through Lindsay

kawartha lakes this week credit logo
Set Kawartha Lakes as My Local news
By Marissa LentzReporter
Wed., Oct. 20, 20212 min. read
City of Kawartha Lakes municipal building in Lindsay.

A controversial off-road vehicle route through Lindsay has been approved by Kawartha Lakes council.

During council’s regular meeting on Tuesday (Oct. 19), by a recorded vote of five to four, council agreed to go ahead with a two-year pilot program that will begin next May, with a review of the decision taking place after one year.

The route will be as follows: Trail Head to Logie Street, Logie Street to King Street, King Street to Lindsay Street, Lindsay Street to Wellington Street, Wellington Street to Victoria Avenue, Victoria Avenue to Elgin Street, Elgin Street to Angeline Street and Angeline Street to Thunderbridge Road.

When council first started discussing the subject, Mayor Andy Letham brought forward a motion suggesting the route through Lindsay be denied.

“At the end of the day, the majority of residents in Lindsay quite clearly do not want ATVs on their local collector and arterial roads,” Letham said.

However, prior to voting on the motion, Coun. Pat Dunn said he wanted to speak against it.

“We had about a five per cent response, and 66 per cent of those were against it. So, I disagree that the majority of people in Lindsay are against it. But, the more important factor shouldn’t be all about Lindsay,” he said.

“We’ve managed to separate the city. We spent 20 years convincing people in the outlining wards that Lindsay didn’t get special attention and special permission. When people say Lindsay gets everything, boy oh boy this sure sums it up. So, I urge you all to vote against this motion.”

While Letham said he didn’t disagree with the majority of comments made by his fellow councillors, he said he did disagree with one comment made by Dunn.

“The only comment I disagree with was the continual spin from Coun. Dunn about how we kept doing surveys until we got the answers we want,” Letham said.

Before Letham could finish speaking, he was interrupted by Dunn. “Mr. Mayor, point of personal privilege, seeing as you mentioned me by name, you’ve done nothing but sew division in this city since this topic came up,” Dunn said.

“You sit there and you play both sides of the coin. You sit there and you say, ‘I’m in favour of it,’ and then you rig the system so it fails. So, if you’re going to centre me out as putting a spin on it, recognize the own spin that you put on it yourself.”

When council voted on Letham’s motion, it lost four to five. While Letham and councillors Andrew Veale, Pat O’Reilly and Doug Elmslie voted in favour, councillors Dunn, Kathleen Seymour-Fagan, Ron Ashmore, Tracy Richardson and Emmett Yeo were opposed.
When council revoted on Dunn’s motion to go forward with the route through Lindsay, it passed five to four.

“If in a year and a half from now — and if I’m still around — it hasn’t worked, I’ll say, ‘no, it’s time to shut the program down.’ But, let’s give it a try,” Dunn said.

The meeting can be viewed via YouTube.com/watch?v=4Jaz0aWi-e4.


chronicle herald newspaper header bar

Plans ahead for trails

  • From Jonathan Portinga, Blacksheep Mountain Bike Club

This year has been the largest and busiest to date for the Blacksheep Mountain Bike Club in Thunder Bay

Currently, Blacksheep’s membership is at over 500 cyclists. Compare those numbers to just under 400 members in 2020 and less than 300 in 2019 and it’s close to double in just two years.

The club has also been hard at work creating and maintaining the trail system that lives north of the highway between Balsam Street and Copenhagen Road. It has taken hundreds of volunteer hours to make those trails available to all users. Our trail counter has registered over 30,000 uses this year alone.

It’s no surprise that mountain biking in Thunder Bay has seen such large growth. Bike sales have surged 40per cent globally since the COVID-19 pandemic began. Bike shops have been sold out of bikes since last spring and manufacturers all over the world are struggling to keep up.

One piece of development that Blacksheep is working on this year is the Skills Park located at Trowbridge Park. We have contracted local trail building company Precambrian to construct the Skills Park this fall.

There are four unique jump lines and a pump track. These features are a fantastic way for riders to build skills safely and effectively. The different trails provide a good progression for riders as they develop new skills. This skills park was just one piece in the Trowbridge Master Plan that Blacksheep developed with the city of Thunder Bay. New play structures and a pavilion are part of that plan and will be added next year.

The Balsam Connector, that was completed earlier this year, and more trails included in the master plan will have a profound impact on the community in other ways as well. Tourism has seen an increase from out-of-town riders. The trails are multi-use and see plenty of foot traffic alongside the riders. A large trail running race recently utilized some of the Trowbridge trails.

The club is all 100 per cent volunteer run and couldn’t have made this much progress without our wonderful community.

For anyone with questions regarding the Trowbridge Master Plan we have created a short FAQ page on our website at www.blacksheepmtb.com.

One piece of development that Blacksheep is working on this year is the Skills Park located at Trowbridge Park.
 


Conboy Trail Opening in Lanark County!


conboy trail opening advertisement showing people hiking on a trail in lanark county

 

 

Ontario Re-opening Plan Update from
Tourism Industry Association of Ontario

tourism industry association of ontario photo showing the ontario parliament buildings

 

Beginning October 25th, 2021, Ontario will be removing capacity limits where proof of vaccination is required. This will include settings like restaurants, bars, sports facilities, casinos, and indoor meeting and event spaces, which will be able to operate at 100% capacity as of October 25. The physical distancing requirement between patrons and the 2m distancing requirement between tables at restaurants and event spaces will also be removed as of Monday.  
Other settings/businesses will be permitted to reopen at 100% indoor capacity if they decide to “Opt-in” to the proof of vaccination certificate program. This ‘opt-in’ option is in direct response to TIAO’s latest advocacy and recommendations regarding reopening parity (read our letter here). Businesses that do not “opt-in", face gradual reopening between January and March 2022 when the vaccine passport is gradually rescinded. Businesses and organizations can choose to: 
  1. Require patrons to show proof of vaccination in order to lift all indoor capacity and physical distancing requirements in their settings OR 
  1. Not require patrons to show proof of vaccination and continue to operate with their current indoor Step 3 capacity and physical distancing limits 
Businesses or organization can choose to “opt-in” to the vaccine certificate program on a frequency of their choice including daily (except for religious services, rites, or ceremonies which will be event specific). Businesses who “opt-in” to the vaccine certificate program will also be able to remove the physical distancing requirement.  
Active screening is still in place for settings with full capacity, as well as contact tracing. There will be a signage requirement for “opt-in” settings as they will be required to notify patrons that they are participating in the proof of vaccination certificate program (this needs to be made clear at the business’s point of entry).  
TIAO thanks the Government of Ontario and especially Premier Ford and Minister Lisa MacLeod for actively considering our feedback on reopening parity across tourism sectors and swiftly responding. TIAO welcomes today’s announcement as a major step forward for tourism’s recovery in Ontario. 
Please note, Step 3 outdoor capacity limits remain the same and retail businesses will not be able to “opt-in” to proof of vaccination certificate program – they will remain at Step 3.  
Below is the outline for the lifting of measures from Fall 2021 to Spring 2022 with the intention for all regulated measures to be lifted no later than March 28, 2022.  
As of October 25th, 2021 
Removing capacity limits where proof of vaccination is required, this includes: 
  • Restaurants and bars; 
  • Sports and recreational fitness facilities; waterparks, and physical fitness training; 
  • Casinos, bingo halls, and other gaming establishments; and 
  • Meeting and indoor event spaces 
Other settings will be permitted to remove capacity limits if they require (I.e., opt-in to) proof of vaccination, including but not limited to: 
  • Locations where a wedding, funeral, or religious service or rite or ceremony takes place 
  • Personal care services (e.g., barber shops, salons, body art) 
  • Indoor areas of museums, galleries, aquariums, zoos, science centres, landmarks, historic sites, botanical gardens and similar attractions (indoor only) 
  • Indoor areas or amusement parks 
  • Indoor areas of fairs, rural exhibitions, festivals 
  • Indoor tour and guide services 
  • Boat tours 
  • Indoor areas or marinas and boating clubs 
  • Indoor clubhouses at outdoor recreational amenities 
  • Open house events provided by real estate agencies 
  • Indoor areas of photography studios and services 
Full regulations regarding ‘opt-in’ settings and requirements are available here
As of November 11th, 2021 
Removing capacity limits in high-risk settings where proof of vaccination is required, this includes: 
  • Food or drink establishments with dance facilities (e.g., night clubs, wedding receptions in meeting and event spaces where there is dancing); 
  • Strip clubs; and 
  • Bathhouses and sex clubs 
As of November 15th, 2021 to January 12th, 2022 
  • The provincial government will review the impact of the winter holidays, returning to school in January, etc.  
Winter 2021-2022 
In the absence of concerning trends, Ontario will initiate gradual lifting of CMOH (Chief Medical Officer of Health) directives, capacity limits in settings where proof of vaccination is not required, and also lift vaccine certificate requirements as follows: 
As of January 17th, 2022 
  • Restaurants and bars 
  • Sports and recreational fitness facilities (e.g., gyms) and waterparks 
  • Casinos, bingo halls, etc. 
As of February 7th, 2022 
  • Night clubs 
  • Strip clubs 
  • Bathhouses and sex clubs 
As of March 28th, 2022 
  • Meeting and event spaces 
  • Sporting events 
  • Concerts, theatres and cinemas 
  • Racing venues 
  • Commercial and film productions with studio audiences  
March 28th, 2022 and onwards  
  • All remaining public health and workplace safety measures in businesses and organizations lifted, including masking 
  • Revoke public health Emergency Orders under the Reopening Ontario Act 
  • Release guidance for specific settings if appropriate 
Ontario will continue monitor key public health and health system indicators to identify changes that pose risk to Ontarians.  
To learn more about Ontario’s plan to reopen, please visit Ontario Releases Plan to Safely Reopen Ontario and Manage COVID-19 for the Long-Term | Ontario Newsroom 
 
Copyright © 2021 Tourism Industry Association of Ontario, All rights reserved.
 
This email was sent by:
Tourism Industry Association of Ontario
207 Queen’s Quay West, Suite 405
Toronto, Ontario, M5J 1A7
 
 
 
 

Ontario Announces Tourism Recovery Grant Program

covid information update on tourism recovery grant funds

 



Bear Hunting Season

bear hunting season caution poster saying bear hunting season from kawartha atv association

 



Trail Surveys

The OTC is interested in what you think! We have written many types of surveys and are pleased to provide links to them on this page. From such important topics as Trail Trade Specialist to Member Services we want you to help us help you!


Click the title below to be redirected to the survey of your choice.

Trail Maintenance - how do you maintain your trails?

Help Us Help You - website improvement

Upload Your Trail - add your trail to the website

Upload Your Event - add your trail event to the website

Trail Reform Now - legislative and insurance reform support

Trail Trades Specialist- tell us what you'd like to see in a trail trades course

Member Services - are you happy as an OTC member with the services you get?

Strategic Planning 1: - tell us what you'd like the OTC to do

Strategic Planning 2: Financial Sustainability - as a charity we can always use new ideas to sustain ourselves

Strategic Planning 3: - Effectiveness - how effective are we?

Customer Satisfaction - as a member of the public what do you think of the OTC?

Economic Impact of Recreational Trail (ON) - for the Eco Dev/Tourism, Trail Planning office

Insurance Issues - tell us about your ability to get coverage

Trails of 1812 - is your community celebrating our bi-centennial

On-Road Cycling Lane Petition - Norm Miller MPP - download the form here - (no web link available)

Trail Priorities - what do you want OTC to do for Trails?

Save the Prescott Russell Rail Trail - encourage the communities to save this trail!

Voyageur Trail User Survey - if you've used this trail they'd like your feedback

Trail Access for Horses - are you able to ride your horse where you want?

Do you use trail Counters? - tell us how you count your trail traffic?


 

      
Does anyone know of similar benches with a Canadian Distributor?

a couple of pictures of a park bench
Do you know of any park benches that are suitable for elders? Higher seats with armrests? Place for a walker?

If you do please email execdir@ontariotrails.ca



three men walking along a trail in the woods talking and drinking coffee





Ontario Trails - staying open in difficult times - if your membership is due we could use your renewal!


Upcoming meetings include:
  • Risk Management Committee - October 26, 2021
  • Trails Tourism Committee - November 18, 2021
  • National Roundtable on Trail Risk Management - November 25, 2021
  • OTC Executive Meeting Dec. 2, 2021
  • OTC Board Meeting Dec. 9, 2021
We thank members for renewing or supporting the OTC through membership. 

Town of Midland

Over past months we have - 
  • provided content to the Ministry of Heritage, Sport, Tourism, and Culture Industries,
  • supported a survey on Lyme Disease for Queen's University,
  • put time and effort into trail categorization for trail use,
  • supported our partner Marmak and the RFAM tool,
  • supported a University of Waterloo Outdoor Recreation Impacts,
  • supported and distributed the Black Sheep Mountain Bike Club Rider Survey,
  • updated a variety of COVID related pages on the OTC website,
  • engaged members and the trail using public on etiquette,
  • provided consulting advice to Avon Trail, Renfrew County, the OFSC, and others,
  • been strong with groups on public safety,
  • facilitated work on Hastings Destination Trails Inc.,
  • added a signage page,
  • produced a webinar video or two, and,
  • hosted a series of webinars with our partners, and
  • supported students with the University of Waterloo and the City of Waterloo to do trail work
For all the latest on trails and trail news follow:

Ontario Trails
Ontario ATV Trails
Ontario Hiking Trails
Ontario Climbing Trails
Ontario Cycling Trails
Ontario Dirt Bike Trails
Ontario Horse Trails
Ontario Water Trails
Toronto Trails
Trailhead North
Trails of 1812
Niagara Trails Committee
Hamilton Burlington Trails
Canadian Trails Federation

To find your trail listing go to Ontario Trails
To help trail users find trails on their mobile share Ontario Trails Map

Standing by the public safety order is very difficult to do when you and your members are in the business of promoting the outdoors. Certainly being firm on Stay Home doesn't win you popularity contests with many users. And users affect our memberships. If people don't like your message membership suffers. This is what we are trying to do, the right thing overall, and we need you to look past the current messages to having OTC around in 6 months and then a year from now.

We will be sending an email asking for your renewal. Based on our projections memberships should facilitate a 0 deficit, continuation of office supports and the type of education and advocacy that has seen the development of Ontario Trail Categorization, website maintenance, our response to COVID, our online training through Algonquin College, as well as our future plans for training, economic and tourism development committee, AND most importantly our Health Unit and Trails messaging process.

OTC is interested in assuring that there is balance in trail use as we work to re-open full public access, with safe user practice, to the trails and trail activities you love.

Support us today. 

Please renew. By electronic transfer,

PayPal - select your membership rate and Go!


or a call with your credit card.

613-484-1140

Thanks!