Ontario Trails - OFSC Permits On-Sale And More From Ontario Trails

 

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  Ontario Trails supports all efforts at truth and reconciliation with our first nations peoples.     OFSC Snowmobile Permits are now for sale! Go Out and Enjoy the fall colours! Trail rules to know before bringing your dog on a hike Thanks to the Weather Network for producing this video!   Ontario Trails at Eagles Nest Trail Opening Grand reopening ceremony held at Eagles Nest September 29, 2021 By Mike Riley Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Bancroft this Week The intermittent chance of rain couldn’t dampen the spirits of everyone who attended the grand reopening ceremony of 18 kilometres of non motorized trails at Eagles Nest on Sept 24 from 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Present at the ceremony were HDTI chair Dora Trimbee, HDTI board member Cathy Trimble, Hastings County Warden Rick Phillips, OTC CEO Patrick Connor, Hastings Prince Edward Public Health medical officer of health Dr. Piotr Oglaza, Limerick Township Mayor Carl Stefanski, Bancroft Councillor Wayne Wiggins, North Hastings Economic Development Designate Chair (and Mayor of Tudor and Cashel Township) Libby Clarke, Wollaston’s Deputy Mayor Darlene Coulton, the chair of the North Hastings Fund Development Committee Kim Bishop and representatives from the Algonquins of Ontario Ada Tinney, Diane Martin and Dora Yateman. After a closing prayer by Tinney, there was a ribbon cutting ceremony and an invitation to explore the rehabilitated trails. HDTI sent out a press release about this grand reopening of 18 kilometres of non-motorized trails throughout North Hastings on Sept. 7. The event celebrates the completion of a project made possible by a $145,800 grant from the Ontario Trillium Foundation, so that residents and non-residents of all abilities can enjoy the outdoors via these trails. Trimbee welcomed everyone and thanked them for coming out to the ceremony that day. She then introduced Trimble, a board member with HDTI and the past chair. Trimble thanked everyone for coming, saying that COVID-19 stopped them last year but it was great to be here now. She also expressed gratitude for all stakeholders who had made the reopening of the 18 kilometres of non-motorized trails a reality in the Town of Bancroft, Limerick Township and Wollaston Township. She also mentioned the concurrent children’s program with the North Hastings Public Library running in Millenium Park. She also provided a land acknowledgment and thanked the contributions of the Algonquin nation in the whole process. Next up, Tinney, Martin and Yateman had a smudging ceremony, which is a cleansing ceremony done daily to get rid of any negative energies. They also played a song about the eagle, since the ceremony was happening at Eagles Nest. They explained that they honour the eagle because it can take prayers and messages up to the Creator because it can fly the highest of all the birds and above the clouds. Oglaza said that the HPEPH was proud to have been a partner in the development of these trails. “The investment in these trails came at an optimal time. Over the past year and a half, we’ve been taught the lesson about the value of outdoor spaces and the activities we can enjoy in them. These trails will contribute to the improved physical and mental health of our community now [continuing to deal with COVID-19] and well into the future,” he says. Connor spoke next, and said that over the past two decades, the OTC has supported about $4.5 million of the Ontario Trillium Foundation funding grants and they’ve worked on a couple of infrastructure grants with Infrastructure Canada through the National Trails Coalition. “At the bedrock of all this, we’ve worked hard to ensure that provincially and nationally, local groups like yours get the resources they need and it’s our pleasure to have developed 51 of these committees to our 220 member organizations, including HDTI and Hastings County and we’re grateful for your support,” he says. Trimble spoke again, outlining each trail system and the upgrades they had received including; new kiosks, new stones and bedrock placement, new signage, wayfinding and directional arrows, bear bins, accessible washrooms and upgrades to the trails themselves to make them more maintenance free. “Everything was upgraded with major improvements through the grant at this particular location. With the counters we’ll be able to have some statistics and we can apply to other grants and funders because we’ll have some actual statistics. So, these are some of the major improvements that were taking place at the different locations, so we hope you enjoy them,” she says. Wiggins, who attended for Mayor Paul Jenkins, who was otherwise engaged, was up next. He mentioned the town’s partnership with NHPL, who are going to be doing a backpack system for people to come and enjoy the trails and the nature around Bancroft. “It’s quite a little package put together. I know the backpack includes a lot of stuff like binoculars, etc,” he says. Stefanski spoke next and said that McGeachie Conservation Area boasts a myriad of outdoors activities for people to do and a trail system second to none. He also highlighted the rescue team at their municipal office that could respond in short order should an incident occur on the trails. “HDTI and Ontario Trillium Foundation have stepped up to make exercise on these trails viable and a truly outdoor experience for those who may not have another way to enjoy the outdoors and with that bring economic growth to North Hastings,” he says. Next up was Wollaston’s Deputy Mayor Darlene Colton, who remarked it had been quite a hike on the new trails. “So, it’s best to make sure you have a good pair of shoes/boots especially with all this rain the past week and don’t forget a camera. Wollaston invites all visitors to visit The Gut and all destination trails that bring economic development to the area,” she says. Clarke was next up and said that NHEDC was one of the first who thought of the idea of bringing non-motorized trails to fruition in the area. “Cathy Trimble and other board members formed the original trails subcommittee who procured the Trillium grant. Eventually this subcommittee became known as Hastings Trails and received the $145,800 in grant money from the Trillium foundation to rehabilitate the trails with extra funds from Hastings County and Carlow Mayo. NHEDC is thrilled to have been part of making these non-motorized trails a reality,” she says. READ FULL ARTICLE     Ottawa eyes rail corridor purchase     Ontario Announces Tourism Recovery Grant Program   Bear Hunting Season   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. 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   Hi - we are asking that folks complete a short survey on Trail Counters. Thanks. COMPLETE SURVEY Hi - we are asking that folks complete a short survey on trail access for horses. Thanks. COMPLETE SURVEY          Does anyone know of similar benches with a Canadian Distributor? 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 Ontario Trails - staying open in difficult times - if your membership is due we could use your renewal! New upcoming projects include: Web Path Mapping Project with RTO3 and City of Hamilton - confirmed and underway St. Lawrence Park Commission Trail Committee Development - September 21, 24, 29 and 30. Insurance Survey Results - November 3, 2021 Risk Management Committee - September 14, 2021 11am - 1pm Trails Education Committee Meeting - TBD Hastings Destination Trails Inc. - September 13, 2021 11am Hasting Destination Trails Inc. Trails Re-opening September 24, 2021, Bancroft Ontario. Trails Tourism Committee - September 16, 2021 1:30 pm OTC Board Meeting - September 16, 2021 7pm National Roundtable on Trail Risk Management - November 25, 2021 We thank members for renewing or supporting the OTC through membership.  Credit Valley Conservation Authority McMaster University 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!

Ontario Trails News - snowmobiling pass on sale till Nov. 1, 2015 from the Ontario Trails News Archive

Find snowmobile information at Ontario Snowmobile Trails

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BARRIE— Following participation growth of almost 30 percent over the past two winters, the Ontario Federation of Snowmobile Clubs ( OFSC ) celebrates the coming season by announcing that the primary Ontario Snowmobile Trail Permit is now on sale at a very affordable fee that has not increased for three years.

This 2016 Seasonal Permit, which enables snowmobilers to ride any of the more than 30,000 kilometres of OFSC Prescribed Trails for the entire winter, is now available online only (ofsc.on.ca) until November 1 for $180—its lowest fee of the season and a 30 percent saving off its regular fee of $260.

The OFSC is offering this pre-November 1 Seasonal Permit saving to help keep snowmobiling really affordable for everyone. Last winter, Ontario riders responded enthusiastically to this value proposition, contributing to an unprecedented 83 percent of permits being acquired online in 2015. OFSC online transaction is fast, easy, convenient and meets applicable government privacy and security protocols, enabling snowmobilers to purchase a permit without leaving their home and with total peace of mind. This shift to online sales represents a massive shift in buying pattern from 2009, when snowmobilers purchased 100 percent of their trail permits at local retail outlets. Riders continue to agree with a 2014 Ontario Snowmobiler Preference and Opinion Survey conducted by the OFSC, wherein 95.8 percent of respondents believe that Ontario snowmobiling is enjoyable, very enjoyable or extremely enjoyable.

Ontario Snowmobile Trail Permits are an official licence product of the Ministry of Transportation of Ontario (MTO) and the OFSC is the exclusive authorized sales agent. Ontario law requires that snowmobiles entering an OFSC Prescribed Trail for the purpose of recreational snowmobiling must have a valid Ontario Snowmobile Trail Permit displayed. So by purchasing a 2016 Seasonal Permit online on or before November 1, snowmobilers can not only save money and ride legally for the winter, but also contribute to the $1.7 billion economic impact that snowmobiling generates for this province each winter. Other permit types and fees are available online after December 1.