i bike burlington: Halton's one size fits all - short-sighted approach

"At home, cycling tourism has a tremendous positive impact in Niagara. ~ 5,000 jobs, $200 million in annual revenues.   While cycling our waterfront trail, I encountered a group of Penny Farthing cyclists from South Africa, Germany and New Zealand.  Cycling tourists spend more per day and stay longer in the area than other tourists.

Halton Region sometimes adds 1 metre paved shoulders to rural roads when they are resurfaced.  Numerous studies show the paved shoulder extends road life and provide other benefits making it worth the added cost.  It appears that Halton views the speeds vehicles travel on these roads as a secondary issue e.g. currently under resurfacing, Derry Road has a 1 metre shoulder (sometimes less) despite cars buzzing by at speeds well over 70kph.  Going forward after Derry Road, Halton is proposing 1.5m - if it can be easily done.  One size fits all is the Halton approach."

Essex kids sing for votes

"'I want a playground for Essex. Only a playground will do.'

Those are the opening lines of the song they're singing as an outpouring of community spirit has pushed Essex public school ahead of schools from big cities across Ontario in the frenzied chase for up to $1 million from the Aviva Community Fund.

'I'm so proud how everybody has come together for this project,' said retired teacher Pam Gibb. 'We are doing well against some major centres. This town is plastered with Aviva signs.'"

Ontario Vacations & Tours, Ontario Travel Guide & Vacation Packages - RealAdventures

"Canadian Canoe and Kayak Wilderness Adventure Trip
Algonquin Park, Ontario Canoeing & Kayaking
Exceptional, all inclusive Canadian wilderness experiences by Canoe, Kayak, White Water Raft or Dog Sled in Ontario, British Columbia, Yukon and Nunavut. Also Belize Coral Islands wilderness kayak adventures.
Rates From C$ 395 Per Person"

A North Woods adventure | StarTribune.com

"Come winter, things really start to heat up in Thunder Bay, Ontario.

This picturesque slice of the Canadian North Woods is a winter wonderland for outdoor enthusiasts of all kinds, offering almost countless opportunities for downhill and cross-country skiing, snowboarding, dog sledding and more."

Wye Marsh Winter Workshops and Winter Activities Midland Ontario

"Midland, ON - Shopping for that special gift for the nature lover on your list? Thanks to the generosity of the Moun-tainview Mall the Wye Marsh’s Gift Shop will be conveniently located for your shopping ease. Choose from a wide selection of quality clothing , expert field guides and books to nature inspired jewellery, stained glass and treasured keepsakes. Or, give a gift certificate for a snowshoe ecotour or falconry workshop.

Location: Mountainview Mall Date: December 11—24
Contact: 705-526-7809 or email: info@wyemarsh.com"

Kayak found floating on Chemong Lake - Peterborough Examiner - Ontario, CA

"Peterborough County OPP found a 12-foot blue kayak with a white seat on Chemong Lake in Smith-Ennismore-Lakefield Township on Nov. 27.
The kayak was found floating upside down, covered in snow and about 30 metres from the shoreline, police said.

Anyone with information can call police at 742-0401 or 1-888- 310-1122 at night."

Trail permit sales took a plunge in 2010 - Timmins Daily Press - Ontario, CA

"Snowmobilers engines are revving as the Timmins Snowmobile Club prepares for a better season than last.

With numbers revealed during the annual general meeting, club president Gilbert Fortin called last year's sledding season one of the 'worst in 50 years.'

'It affected everyone,' he said. 'We were actually lucky ot get seven weeks. A lot of places down south got only two.'"

In order to improve sales the OFSC is now offering a no-snow guarantee.

Snow Guarantee: OFSC members are entitled to purchase Snow Guarantee coverage from the OFSC, which pays out $200 if the total snow accumulation at the Barrie airport is 31 cm or less between Dec. 25, 2010 and March 15, 2011.

Snowmobiling almost here - The Sudbury Star - Ontario, CA

"Here in Sudbury, we're lucky to have eight clubs that make up the Sudbury Trail Plan (STP): Broder Dill Snowmobile Club, Walden Sno Runners, Coniston/Wahnapitae Driftbusters, Northbound Sno Drifters, Onaping Falls High Riders, Valley Trail Masters, Nickel Belt Snow Spirits and Capreol Ridge Riders. All combined, more than 3,000 permits are sold. Why? Superior trails, great hospitality, and a wide variety of scenery."

Carolinian Canada December 2010 Eco-News - ontrails@gmail.com

In November and December the CCC Coastal Program team met with local stakeholders along the Lake Erie coast in 4 workshops to plan a Coastal Stewardship Trail from Essex to Niagara. Each workshop identified some great ideas, and we can’t wait to hear what else you have in mind for this exciting project! Send us additional suggestions and participate in the online workshop and survey at www.carolinian.org
This project is supported by the Ontario Trillium Foundation, Parks Canada, and the Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources.

Skiis & Biikes

"It was 1996 and Collingwood was just starting a new development boom. We decided to open a Collingwood store in order to look after our customers when they were skiing in Collingwood. Skiis & Biikes Collingwood, was supposed to be a small pro shop servicing our city customers where they skied, but it quickly developed a clientele of its own. In 2003 we built a brand new beautiful building for the Collingwood store right next door. You can’t miss it; it’s right beside the Beer Store."

December Do More On the Shore-zine. Waterfront Trail newsletter - ontrails@gmail.com

The Do More on the Shore Ezine is a newsletter directed towards Waterfront Trail users. It contains information about the Trail including project updates, featured attractions and routes, upcoming events and trail closure notices.

Stay up to date on the most recent happenings on Lake Ontario’s waterfront. To receive this monthly ezine directly, please send an email to info@wrtrust.com.

Ontario Snowmobile Trails - Garmin : Red Pine Mapping GPS Snowmobile Maps, Sled Maps for Garmin, Magellan, and Lowrance

"We're proud to introduce the OFSC endorsed GPS snowmobile trail map! For the first time, Ontario snowmobilers will be able to ride with a routable GPS map featuring complete and current trails. This map installs on your Garmin GPS and clearly shows you all of the OFSC trail system and thousands of searchable gas / food / lodging / parts / repair waypoints, as well as highly detailed coverage of roads, lakes, rivers, cities, railroads, and natural landmarks.

The map is routable, meaning your GPS can give you turn by turn directions, and also show you how many kilometers are remaining to your destination."

For a full list of the clubs that support Ontario snowmobiling see:
For permits, rider safety information and gps maps of snowmobile trails see:

North America Canoe Trips & Kayaking Adventures, North America Kayak Tours, Ocean Kayaking Vacation & North America White Water Kayaking - RealAdventures

"Ontario Canoeing & Kayaking"
Exceptional, all inclusive Canadian wilderness experiences by sea Kayak into the incredible Georgian Bay 30,000 Island archipelago recognized by the UN as a unique littoral ecosystem of international importance, a UNESCO World Biosphere Reserve.
Rates From C$ 495 Per Trip
For a fuller list of canoe, kayak and wilderness water trail adventures see: http://www.ontariotrailsmap.com/ontariotrails.html?cat=3&icon=canoeing.png

LONG-TIME TRAIL USER UPSET - The Sarnia Observer - Ontario, CA

"Sir: Re: The article 'ATVs tearing up trails' (The Observer, Oct. 19, 2010)

I guess what is upsetting is that these trails were made by the local residents of Confederation and

Churchill Line, for the purpose of the recreational use of off -road vehicles such as dirt bikes, ATV's, snowmobiles and also horse riding, which my father was given permission to use. Then we are told, 'You can't use it anymore, we want it for people to use for walking.

As far as I am told, the city didn't ask anyone around the area if that's what the people there wanted. The local residents didn't get a choice in the matter. There is a reason why people live in the country and in the city, but the people who live in the country are not allowed to enjoy what they moved there for."

Earlier we published an article detailing how a nature trail was lost, in this case it's a motorized trail. In each case there was a loss - and this happens all over Ontario to all groups.

At the OTC we promote the development of regional trail committees so that all groups, government, land owners and users can come together to plan. In each of our recent stories that seems to be the problem - a lack of inclusive planning.

Trillium Foundation grants fund two Kenora projects - Kenora Daily Miner and News - Ontario, CA

"'Funding from the Ontario Trillium Foundation contributes to building economic and social resilience in communities across the province by helping many charitable and not for profit groups build constructive partnerships and networks,' stated Ontario Tourism and Culture Minister Michael Chan in a news release.

The Kenora Trails Committee will receive $68,000 for the next stage of development on the Rotary Trail. The grant will fund the extension of the paved nature trail along Rabbit Lake to Garrow Park.
According to city parks supervisor Barb Manson, the extension will create a fully accessible, paved loop from Nairn Avenue to the Kenora Rowing Club to provide the elderly, infirm and wheelchair bound with an enjoyable outdoors experience along the scenic woodland walkway."

Congratulations Kenora! Thanks Trillium Foundation.

Rainfall warning continues

"A rainfall warning for the Ottawa region remained in effect Wednesday morning, more than 24 hours after it was issued by Environment Canada, and was expected to continue until 6 p.m.

A strong low pressure system moving north of Lake Superior into northeastern Ontario is forcing a large area of rain over Eastern Ontario. Brisk southerly winds in advance of the low and a cold front extending from the low south through Toronto are pumping up plenty of moisture originating from the Gulf of Mexico. As a result, the rain is expected to be heavy at times through the morning, the forecaster says."

Be careful out there on the trails when its extra wet.

Win the Ultimate Canadian Canoe Adventure

"Ontario is the perfect playground for outdoor adventurers and one of the top destinations for Canoeing and Kayaking. With 330 parks covering more than nine million hectares, 400,000 lakes and rivers to explore and the longest network of canoe and kayak routes in the world, you’ll be in your element.
Ontario Tourism has teamed up with Windows on the Wild to offer you the chance to win the ultimate Canadian canoe adventure in Ontario, Canada."

We are posting this for all the Canadians with a relative in England, whom you may want to see a trail. Send them this link.

Back to Nature Initiative Moving Ahead

Two years ago, a group of individuals representing over 30 organizations from the youth, planning, environment, recreation, health and education sectors, gathered for a weekend of discussion at Royal Botanical Gardens. Our common concern was the growing disconnect between children and the natural world, and we explored ideas on how we might work together to build capacity within our organizations and sectors so that more of Ontario’s children have access to play and learning outdoors. At the end of the meeting, RBG agreed to secure funding to help build and mobilize an Ontario-wide Back to Nature network that would facilitate multi-sectoral collaboration and raise awareness on this issue.

In 2009, we struck a collaborative partnership with Parks and Recreation Ontario and Ontario Nature, to prepare an application to the Ontario Trillium Foundation to fund the short-term strategic actions noted in the Back to Nature report. Today we are pleased to share the happy news that the Ontario Trillium Foundation has approved funding to support a two-year Back to Nature Network project.

Group divides up St. Williams trails - Tillsonburg News - Ontario, CA

"A big step in the management of the St. Williams Conservation Reserve was taken this summer when the council in charge of the sprawling property divided up its trail system among assorted user groups.

Word of these changes is only now filtering down to the community level.

The nearly 2,000-acre property has been divided into four quadrants, with the dirt section of South Walsingham Concession Road 6 serving as the north-south diving line.


ATV riders and dirt bikers retain access to the trail network in the northwest quadrant. Hikers, bird watchers and horseback riders have access to the trail system in the southwest and southeast quadrants south of Concession Road 6.
No trail system is allowed in the northeast quadrant adjoining Forestry Farm Road because it is home to a significant wetland and numerous rare species.

The decision brings to a close 10 years of sometimes acrimonious debate over who has the right to use the former St. Williams Forestry Station and its extensive network of trails."

Ontario signs on with Mississauga to redevelop old Lakeview site - 680News

"The province has reached an agreement with the city to ensure the 160-acre property is turned into something that benefits the community.

The plant shut down five years ago and was demolished three years ago, and now the community is ready to reclaim the land.

Mississauga Mayor Hazel McCallion said there's incredible potential.

'This is the last piece of Mississauga,' Mayor McCallion said. 'We have an opportunity here second to none to do something very different.'

Locals would like to see cafes, recreational trails and maybe some waterfront condos.

'To do whatever is necessary to make a community fit together that's walkable,' Jim Judge, president of the Lakeview Ratepayers Association, said. He added that the land will finally be put to good use."

Lakeview could use some trails, even as a beautification project.