Ontario Trails News - News from all around Ontario Trails!

Ontario Trails on Facebook - Like Us and Share!

_________________________________________________________________________________

Cross-country skiing is the way to go in Ontario's winter weatherHamilton Spectator

It is not everyone's favourite mode of travel, for sure. It's too much like life at times, long uphill climbs and the hard-won easy ride down ending far too ...

See all stories on this topic » _________________________________________________________________________________ Record numbers for Summerstown snowshoe raceSeaway News CORNWALL, Ontario - In spite of the inclement weather forecast, the rain held off long enough for the 2nd annual Summerstown Forest Dion ... See all stories on this topic » _________________________________________________________________________________ Town wants Province to get serious about cyclingBrampton Guardian Council voted recently to endorse a Share the Road Cycling Coalition initiative that asks the Ontariogovernment to allocate one per cent of the ... See all stories on this topic » _______________________________________________________________________ How To Walk On Ice Without Breaking Your BonesHuffington Post Canada This graphic, posted on Reddit with the words, "Avoid slipping on ice by walking like a penguin! ...B&W in the Leeside neighborhood of Toronto. See all stories on this topic » _____________________________________________________________________

Ontario Trails News - Trail news from all over Ontario's Trails!

Activity News - Click the pic for more on each Activity!

ATV'ing

Cross Country Skiing

Cycling

Dog Sledding

Guelph to Goderich Trail

Ontario Trails News - News from all around Ontario's Trails!

Ontario Trails on Twitter - Follow Us!

_________________________________________________________________________________

Ontario gets hit again with blast of snow, freezing ... - CNews - Canoe

Canoe News National section offers a wide variety of articles, videos, ... "A bit of a January thaw" is setting up for the weekend in Ontario, he said, with ...

See all stories on this topic » ________________________________________________________________________ Snowshoe race this weekend at Summerstown ForestSeaway News CORNWALL, Ontario - The Friends of the Summerstown Trails (FOTST) will be hosting its second annual Summerstown Forest Dion Snowshoe Race ... See all stories on this topic » ________________________________________________________________________ Harvey continues with another top cross country skiing performanceExaminer.com ... Harvey placed in fourth place in the men's team sprint competition with Devon Kershaw of Sudbury, Ontario. ... The men's cross country skiingcompetition begins on February 9 with the men's 30km skiathlon at 3:00 a.m. MT. See all stories on this topic » ________________________________________________________________________ Who's Hiring in Toronto? Jane's Walk, Manifesto, and moreYonge Street - Toronto And Jane's Walk, the organization that runs hundreds of public walking tours in cities across the globe, needs a PHP web developer to administer their ... See all stories on this topic »

Ontario Trails Blog - Trail News from all Around Ontario's trails!

https://www.facebook.com/OntarioTrails

_______________________________________________________________________________

NEW SPIN FOR 2014 GWTA!

The 2014 Great Waterfront Trail Adventure will be returning to Lake Ontario and the St. Lawrence river, but we'll be doing a lollipop route and introducing new communities.

Starting in Brighton on August 11th and ending in Cornwall on Aug. 15th, participants will ride 40-60 km from camp to camp. The shorter days will allow riders more time to taste new local food, find hidden treasures, do more shopping, and explore unique communities.

Want to ride more? No problem, there will be additional 50-60 km optional loops, winding your way through new communities off the Waterfront Trail.

This new format with shorter distances is more inviting to cyclists who may be hesitant about a week long tour, but the addition of the loops will allow those interested to get in more mileage.

2014 is the perfect year for experienced riders to introduce loved ones to their favourite sport. Ride together or meet up for meals, cycle side-by-side in to camp then explore different routes, do some things together and others with new friends.

So bring friends or make friends. Feel the wind, water, and earth in a new way. Experience the freedom of slowing down, stopping, and trying something new.

Click here to find out more about the itinerary and changes for 2014.

_________________________________________________________________________________________

Dear Patrick,

Street Smarts on-street outreach

We've raised over $7,800 so far with our fundraising appealfor our 2014 Street Smarts cycling education and outreach program. Incredible! Now we're asking for your help to get us to $20,000 before the campaign closes on December 31.

Click here to learn how to donate.

Last year, a total of $11,500 from individual donors, partners, and grants enabled us to teach almost 500 people about basic bike maintenance through free on-street tuneups, to install 700 free bike lights for cyclists who needed them, and to deliver 14 free safe cycling workshops in communities across Toronto. We also gave away 1,000 copies of our Toronto Cyclist Handbook, teaching passers-by about traffic laws and safe riding techniques.

Cycling education is a major part of our work to make this a better, safer bike city. We need your help to get to $20,000 this year, to expand and strengthen our Street Smarts cycling education program. Please forward this email or share this link with your friends or family who may want to donate!

Help us raise $20,000 to fund Street Smarts 2014 & receive a charitable tax receipt

With $20,000, Cycle Toronto will reach 2,000 people at 20 workshops and 24 on-street events over the course of six months and promote safe cycling across Toronto. We’ll work with our Ward Advocacy Groups to make these events attractive, exciting and relevant to local needs. And we'll continue to collaborate with our long-term partner CultureLink Settlement Services to further develop this program. CultureLink is a registered charity which reaches 17,000 new immigrants every year with engaging and innovative programs. We are pleased that CultureLink will recognize your Street Smarts donation with acharitable tax receipt.

---

To make a donation, you have two options:

1) Donate online with payment by Interac, Visa, MasterCard, or American Express

Street Smarts safe cycling workshop

• Click here to go to CultureLink's Canada Helps page
• Click the "Donate Now" button
• Enter your "Donation Amount $"
• Under "Fund/Designation" select from the drop-down menu: "Cycling Program – Street Smarts Educational Activities"
• Click "Continue"
• Review your donation details, and click "Checkout"
• Continue following the checkout instructions

Note: Donations made on-line through Canada Helps generate a tax receipt immediately from Canada Helps.

2) Donate by mail with payment by cheque or money order

• Make out a cheque or money order payable to "CultureLink Settlement Services" and include a note that it is for the "Cycling Program – Street Smarts Educational Activities".
• Ensure you include details of the individual to whom the tax receipt should be made out, including a mailing address.
• Mail your cheque or money order to:
  Cycling Program
  CultureLink Settlement Services
  2340 Dundas Street West, Suite 301
  Toronto, ON M6P 4A9

---

With your support, we can expand our Street Smarts cycling education program and reach thousands of people in 2014. Support our work today! The fundraising campaign closes December 31, 2013.

Ride safely,

Jared Kolb

Executive Director, Cycle Toronto

_____________________________________________________________________________________________

City way behind on bike lane targetNOW Magazine After another year of paltry progress on expanding Toronto's bike lane network, it could be time to declare the city's official cycling plan officially dead. See all stories on this topic »

NOW Magazine

_____________________________________________________________________________________________

Popular cross-country trails now openSeaway News

CORNWALL, Ontario - All the trails at Summerstown Forest are now open for cross-country skiing and snowshoeing. Cold conditions weeks ago ...

See all stories on this topic » ________________________________________________________________________

OFSC trail riding beginswww.insideottawavalley.com/

Sports -Grooming operations are underway for this snowmobiling season and the status of areaOntario Federation of Snowmobile Club (OFSC) trails .

See all stories on this topic » Snowmobile trails openwww.insideottawavalley.com/ All snowmobiles displaying a valid Snowmobile Trail Permit in the proper location now have access to Ontario Federation of Snowmobile Club (OFSC) ... See all stories on this topic » Trails open in Sioux LookoutKenoraOnline As of Thursday, a vast majority of trails between Kenora and Thunder Bay remain classified as unavailable by the Ontario Federation of Snowmobile ... See all stories on this topic » ___________________________________________________________________________________________

www.torontobrucetrailclub.org | 416-763-9061 | information@torontobrucetrailclub.org

E-Notes Subscribers are most welcome to forward E-Notes to a friend.

To Subscribe to E-Notes  Click Here

Toronto Bruce Trail Club E-Notes Editor, Publicist  Grant Leigh

---

“What is truly astonishing, however, is the fact that it [The Bruce Trail] has been, and continues to be, built and financed by loyal Bruce Trail Conservancy members. When you are out on The Trail, consider for a moment what this means: every blaze, every boardwalk, every bridge, every stile, is there, thanks to volunteers. … I know that not everyone is able to be an active volunteer but I’m equally sure that many more people who use The Trail every year could give financial support. Right now just over 8,000 individuals make a membership commitment. When you consider how much is achieved with such meagre finances, imagine what could happen if just ten percent of trail users became members!

Imagine too, what effect an increased membership might have on the BTC’s role as protector of the Escarpment. Every membership in the BTC is an individual commitment to conserve the Escarpment. In its public role, the BTC’s voice is only as strong as its membership. If the BTC were to represent 40,000 rather than 8,000 members just think how much stronger its voice would be. I believe that a strong voice has never been more urgently needed than it is now. …

Remember that the Escarpment is a gift that we have been given by nature—a treasure beyond price. The Trail that winds along its edge gives us the means to explore its richness and allows us to be moved and inspired by its sheer beauty. Each and every one of us bears part of the responsibility of ensuring that the Niagara Escarpment and The Bruce Trail are kept safe and well for all time and for all people.

Play your part—become a member NOW”

Ontario Trail News - all about the over 2500 trails in Ontario! Yours to Explore.

Great cross-country ski spots in OntarioThe Globe and Mail

The three-trail network spread across Algonquin Park comprises two groomed trails and one back-country trail. Difficulty levels range from beginner to advanced ...

See all stories on this topic »

Trail Heros

Know somebody that works hard on trails? If so nominate them to be an Ontario Trails "Trail Hero!" We'd be happy to review your recommendations and acknowledge in a small way their contribution to trails in your community.

---

Trail Blog

Every day trails are news! Every day we blog about trails. In communities all over Ontario trails are big news, for cyclists, runners, canoe or horses, every day we capture in one spot all the trail news - local, provincial or national! Join today!

---

Trail Leaders!

Become a trail development leader. Join Ontario's first ever series of 14 trail education courses in the development and management of trails. Designed for both volunteers and professionals. Next course April 30th in Woodbridge. Topic - Trail Legislation Review with Kathy Weile. Register today - registration is open 24/7 until the morning of the event. 

---

Join OTC

The Ontario Trails Council is a nonprofit charitable organziation, established in 1988, that promotes the development, preservation, management and use of recreational trails. With over 130 organizational members and 25 individual supporters the OTC continues to grow! Support trails in Ontario - join the OTC

Ontario Trails News - grant programs assist youth programs using trails all over Ontario

A French version of this message is included below. La version française de ce message se trouve ci-dessous. Informational Webinars for EnAbling Change Applicants Please join staff from the Accessibility Directorate of Ontario for an informative webinar that will provide insight into applying for this year’s EnAbling Change Program. Aimed at potential program applicants, the webinar will cover the parameters of the program, the basics of the Grants Ontario application portal, and a question and answer period with ADO staff who evaluate proposals. Please join us on one of two dates: ·  Thursday December 12, 2013, 1 p.m. – 2 p.m. ·  Tuesday January 14, 2014, 1 p.m. – 2 p.m. To join the webinar please visit the link below: ontario-ca.adobeconnect.com/r4e4zocusc2/ To submit an application or for more information please visit Grants Ontario: www.grants.gov.on.ca/GrantsPortal/en/OntarioGrants/GrantOpportunities/PRDR006997 EnAbling Change Program contact information: Phone: 416-212-1033 TTY: 416-326-0148 Toll-free TTY: 1-888-335-6611 Fax: 416-325-9620 Email: enablingchange@ontario.ca Webinaires d'information pour les organismes demandeurs Joignez-vous au personnel de la Direction générale de l'accessibilité pour l'Ontario (DGAO) pour un webinaire d'information qui vous permettra de mieux comprendre la démarche à suivre pour demander une subvention au titre du programme InterActions pour le changement pour 2014. Ce webinaire qui s'adresse aux demandeurs potentiels traitera des paramètres du programme, des principales composantes du portail de demande de financement de Subventions Ontario. Il comprendra également une période de questions à laquelle participeront les membres du personnel de la DGAO chargés d'évaluer les propositions. Joignez-vous à nous le mardi 14 janvier 2014, de 14 h à 15 h. Pour prendre part au webinaire, veuillez consulter le lien ci-après : ontario-ca.adobeconnect.com/ecpfr/ Pour présenter une demande : http://www.grants.gov.on.ca/GrantsPortal/fr/OntarioGrants/GrantOpportunities/PRDR007000.html Coordonnées du programme InterActions pour le changement : Téléphone : 416 212-1033 ATS : 416 326-0148 ATS sans frais : 1 888 335-6611 Télécopieur : 416 325-9620 Adresse courriel : enablingchange@ontario.ca Insurance companies get proactive, council hearsNorthumberland Today Rowden brought the news from a Conservation Ontario meeting. ... "They are trying to be proactive and working with conservation authorities, planning ... See all stories on this topic » BlackburnNews.com - Huron County Promotes Active Transportation Chatham-Kent, London & Area, Midwestern Ontario, Sarnia Lambton, Windsor Essex ... Related Itemsactive transportationcyclinghuron countytrails · Tweet · Pin ... See all stories on this topic » Citi Bike Action Plan Aims to Beat Winter StormsDNAinfo Citi Bike operators have drawn up a blueprint for how to move thousands of bikes from ... Toronto's system has been in place for two years now, Egan said, and it ... See all stories on this topic »

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

• 

Change text size for the story

Print

Report an error

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