Wednesday, January 8, 2014

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

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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 »

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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 »

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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 SudburyOntario... 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 »

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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 »
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Tuesday, January 7, 2014

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

Ontario Trails Council Membership Annual Dues - Due Now

Those that use us value what we do. We appreciate the kind words.

Hope your holidays were good. I just wanted to touch base with you and let you know that Niagara Trails Committee is on the move with the Region. Which is AWESOME. Finally after how many years! But to be honest with you if it wasn't for the help of Ontario Trails and Patrick I think it would have been sitting still. Ontario Trails Council has been a great and huge help to myself and this group and I couldn't thank you enough. I wanted to share this with you for as you know we have been battling this over many of years and they are finally listening and acting on what we are doing. Thank you for the support! Hopefully soon a trail will be available. Yours Truly, President of Quad Niagara ATV Club Tracy-Lynn Bell .
 
Be A Friend of Trails
  • Savings on conference/seminar registration
  • Weekly e-bulletins Trailwise
  • Access to OTC trails database
  • Great gift price!
  • Savings on trail literature/maps
$25.75 + $3.38 = $29.13 (includes 13% HST)
Student
  • Weekly editions of the OTC newsletter 
  • Access to OTC trails information
  • Conference and selected literature savings
  * must provide student verification

$20.60 + $2.67 = $23.27(includes 13% HST)

Organizational Members
Our members include municipalities, conservation authorities, parks, trail management groups, trail clubs, trail user groups, health units and other trail-related supporting organizations.
Benefits to Organization
  • Access to Trail Insurance package
  • OTC Web page(s) representation
  • Option on registration in Trillium Trail Network
  • Social Networking Circulations
  • Access to Professional Development sessions, i.e. Trails Tourism Practices, Trails Tort Reform, Trail Design Build Workshops
  • User conflict resolution
  • Representation on OTC trails maps
  • Regional Trail Management Committee Development
  • Knowledge exchange
  • Office services and networking support
  • Advocacy benefits - provincially and nationally
  • Savings on conference/seminar registration
PRICING - Buy fax, credit card or mail (all include 13% HST)
Yearly Rates BaseHSTTotal
Small <200 td="" trail="" users=""> $103.00$13.39$116.39
Medium 200:5000 users $257.50$33.47$290.97
Large >5000 users $772.50$100.42$872.92
 
We Thank Our Renewing Members!

Town of Minto

Escarpment Biosphere Conservancy

Town of Hearst

Cataraqui Conservation Authority

Huron County

Lakehead Region Conservation Authority

Chatham-Kent Trails Council

Monday, January 6, 2014

Ontario Trails News - Trail News from all around Ontario's trails

Education News - Winter Program starts Jan 14th!


Trail News
Ontario Ministry Tourism, Culture and Sport Announces Grant FundingThe Ministry of Tourism, Culture and Sport is pleased to announce the launch of the 2014-15 Ontario Sport and Recreation Communities Fund. The OSRCF is a grant program that supports a vision of getting and keeping Ontarians active in community sport, recreation and physical activity. The fund:
·         increases opportunities for participation in sport and recreation by developing new programs or increasing access to existing programs to encourage individuals to become more active and keep those who are, engaged throughout their lives
·         supports implementation of physical literacy as a foundation for lifelong physical activity among individuals enabling them to make healthier activity choices
·         strengthens the community sport and recreation sector by providing training in areas such as coaching, youth development, and volunteer development to provide enhanced service and quality programming

Ontario Ministry Announces Grant Funding - Enabling Change Program
The Accessibility Directorate of Ontario (ADO) is pleased to announce the call for expressions of interest for this year’s round of EnAbling Change Projects. Each year the ADO sets different strategic funding priorities based on upcoming Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA) requirements and the compliance needs of targeted sectors.
This year’s funding priorities are:
  1. Accessible Websites and Web Content: The web accessibility requirements will transform how Ontarians with disabilities find and use information. Accessible websites and web content are critical to reaching our goal of an accessible Ontario by 2025. This year, EnAbling Change will support projects that promote understanding and compliance with accessible website requirements.
  2. Support compliance and reporting in 2014: All across Ontario, organizations are making changes to make their business practices accessible. A key element of meeting AODA requirements is filing compliance reports with the Government of Ontario. This year, EnAbling Change will support projects to increase compliance reporting in private and not-for-profit sectors.
Application period opens: November 29, 2013 Application period closes: January 31, 2014
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Sunday, January 5, 2014

Ontario Trails Blog - OTC Memberships now due - thanks for your support

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2014 Membership Form
Name:           _______________________________________________________ 
Group or
Association: _______________________________________________________
Address:          _______________________________________________________
              _______________________________________________________ Telephone:     _______________________________________________________
Fax:               _______________________________________________________
Email:           _______________________________________________________ Website:       _______________________________________________________
Annual Membership Fee*
Dues
HST
Total_______
Students
$20.60
$2.67
$23.27
Friend of Trails
$25.75
$3.38
$29.13
Small Organizations
$103.00
$13.39
$116.39
Medium Organizations
$257.50
$33.47
$290.97
Large Organizations
$772.50
$100.42
$872.92
HST #892994963RT001
Fee $______________ Donation$________________________

Payment Methods – Credit Card, Fax, Cheque, E-mail, Paypal

Credit Card
Visa____ MasterCard____ Other_________________________
Number ___________________Exp. Date_________________
Verification Code____________________________________
Signature ___________________________________________
Cheque
Please send cheque or money order, along with your completed membership form to: Ontario Trails Council, PO Box 500, Deseronto, ON. K0K 1X0
E-mail - complete all credit card information and e-mail this form to: ontrails@gmail.com
Paypal – go to the bottom of the “Join the OTC” page on the OTC website and follow the links

On behalf of the membership and Board of the Ontario Trails Council we thank you for your support!

Note: memberships are effective for the calendar year in which they are paid – OTC Executive December 15, 2010 – so renew early!

Questions?     Call the OTC at 613-396-3226
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Saturday, January 4, 2014

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


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City staff recommend e-scooters be allowed in Toronto bike lanesToronto Star
City staff are recommending that electric scooters be allowed in Toronto bike lanes but banned from multi-use trails and cycle tracks, such as those ...
See all stories on this topic »

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Police ask riders to stay on trailsTimmins Press
Local Ontario Provincial Police detachments are reminding area snowmobilers to be mindful of their responsibilities while enjoying winter excursions ...
See all stories on this topic »

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Adventure shop helps outdoor enthusiasts get into snowshoeingCTV News Barrie
But with snowshoes, you can get right out there. ... she came all the way from British Columbia to vacation with friends in "snowshoe-friendly" Ontario.
See all stories on this topic »
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Friday, January 3, 2014

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


Ontario Trails


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 »

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Home News Ice storm makes parts of Bruce Trail dangerous for...Caledon Enterprise
The ice storm has made the Bruce Trail in the Iroquoia, Toronto and ... limbs and leaning trees have resulted in dangerous conditions along the trails.
See all stories on this topic »

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Notice to Hikers

We regret to advise that due to the recent ice storm many parts of the Bruce Trail in the Iroquoia, Toronto and Caledon sections are currently unusable. Several Conservation Areas have been closed until further notice.
Please note that some (or all) TBTC hikes on the Bruce Trail have been cancelled for the next few days due to trail conditions.
Trail maintenance crews will be dealing with the problems but we anticipate that it will be quite some time until all parts of the trail are usable again.
Please check local conditions before attempting a hike.
Bob Humphreys advises that his New Year's Day hike HAS BEEN CANCELLED  due to local conditions.
Hikers should contact their hike leader to see if their hike has been cancelled.
John Grandy, Hiking Director
From The Halton Hills Chapter
Notice to Hikers:
We regret to advise that due to the recent ice storm many parts of
the Bruce Trail are currently unusable. Several Conservation Areas
have been closed until further notice.
Trail maintenance crews will be dealing with the problems but we
anticipate that it will be quite some time until all parts of the
trail are usable again.
Scheduled hikes {Halton Chapter Hikes}are cancelled until further notice. If you are
interested in joining one of the maintenance clean-up crews, please
contact Rosemary Mitter at rosemary.mitter@sympatico.ca
Any questions, contact me at mosmith@cogeco.ca
Maureen Smith, Halton Hills Chapter
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'Walking is fundamental to our survival': Chief city planner aims to ...National Post
Mr. Agarwal could be the poster child for Toronto Chief Planner Jennifer ...Walking is fundamental to our survival,” she said in a public lecture last ...
See all stories on this topic »
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Thursday, January 2, 2014

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

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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.

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Dear Patrick,
Street Smarts on-street outreach
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.
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
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,
Executive Director, Cycle Toronto

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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 »
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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 »

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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 »

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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”
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Wednesday, January 1, 2014

Ontario Trails Blog - Trail News from around Ontario's Trails

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.

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Trails ready to roll with snowNorthBayNipissing.com
NIPISSING – With snow on the ground and holidays to celebrate, people warming up the engines on their snowmobiles. The OPP and the Ontario ...
See all stories on this topic »

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Dog owners, beware of trapsOntario Argus Observer
With trapping seasons under way in Oregon, dog owners need to be aware that there could be traps in areas where they are hiking with their dogs.
See all stories on this topic »

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How Really Safe Is That Ice Or The Snowmobile Trail That You May ...NorthumberlandView.ca
(ORILLIA, ON) – The Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) is warning the public to exercise extreme caution near any surfaces that may appear to be frozen.
See all stories on this topic »
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