Ontario Trails News - news and activity, hiking, waking, biking, camping - information from all over Ontario's 2600 trails!

Burlington Holds Trail Consultation Meeting

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TRCA Holds Community Consultation on Trails

Good afternoon, 

For those of you who I have not yet had the pleasure of meeting, my name is Mark Burkholder, and I have replaced Adam Szaflarski as the Project Coordinator for TRCA’s Durham Conservation Lands. 

Please be aware that there is a Glen Major Forest and Walker Woods Stewardship Committee meeting scheduled for June 4th, 2014 from 7pm – 9pm.  The meeting will take place at Goodwood Community Centre located at 268 Hwy. 47 in Goodwood.  An agenda will be sent out prior to the meeting. 

Looking forward to seeing you there. 

Kind regards, 
Mark

Mark Burkholder, BES | Coordinator, Conservation Lands | Cell 416.454.6972 | Phone 416.661.6600 x.5597 | Fax: 416.667.6278 | mburkholder@trca.on.ca

Toronto and Region Conservation | 5 Shoreham Drive | Toronto, ON | M3N 1S4
 

Be Careful on ATV's

Bayshore Broadcasting News Centre

Ontario Provincial Police, the Ontario Federation of All-Terrain Vehicle Clubs and the Ministry of Transportation remind ATV owners to be safe while ...

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Metis Youth Starting 2000 km Canoe Trek in Ottawa DigitalJournal.com OTTAWA, ON--(Marketwired - May 23, 2014) - Eight young Métis Nation of Ontario (MNO) citizens from across the province will set out from Ottawa on ... Flag as irrelevant

Home Community Petticoat Creek offers panoramic views, picnic... Simcoe.com One of the best trails in the area is the Waterfront Trail within Petticoat Creek Conservation Area which is located on the shore of Lake Ontario. Flag as irrelevant

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Ontario Trails Council Supports Trail Programs

Thanks to Jessie Metelka of the Georgian Bay Coast Trail for her acknowledgment of OTC support for the Amazing Places program in the article below.
 

Search is on for area’s amazing places

‘People won’t protect what they don’t know about’ – Georgian Bay Biosphere Reserve launches initiative to recognize region’s natural landmarks

By  Stephannie Johnson

PARRY SOUND – Last week nearly 40 interested parties from in and around the Georgian Bay Biosphere (GBBR) participated in a workshop that hopes to highlight the area’s amazing places. Hosted by the GBBR at Canadore College, participants came from Honey Harbour, Bala, Muskoka Lakes, Parry Sound, Almaguin, the French River and Sudbury.
The Fundy project’s executive director, Megan DeGraaf, spoke about the Amazing Places project and how it may work for eastern Georgian Bay, DeGraaf outlined the project saying that in their biosphere reserve in New Brunswick, conservation and environmental education were the focus.
“People won’t protect what they don’t know about,” DeGraaf said. “As an educational organization, we wanted to expose residents and visitors to some unique areas within the biosphere reserve and take tourists beyond the typical sites.”


Everything must be controlled to ensure that the highest quality product – accurate information, thinking about how the place tells a story, and promoting the places with outstanding photographs and high-definition video.” The goals of the GBBR are to celebrate the UNESCO designation, provide nature education and, with the implementation of this project, explore the value of the natural area along with partners, said general manager Greg Mason.
“If it is of interest, we will facilitate some planning with a group of partners that can make it happen,” Mason said. “At the same time, we are trying to coordinate this as a provincial project in the other biosphere reserves…which is quite a challenge.”
Because of the positive reception of the participants, GBBR manager Becky Pollock said the organization has outlined some next steps. “They include the pilot project, which is to nominate 10 amazing places and then promote them all summer,” Pollock said. “Then at the end of that we can do a feasibility study and say ‘how likely is this to work in our area? What would the costs be? Who are the partners?’ And especially for those who weren’t at the workshop, ‘How do we reach out to other organizations?’”
There were many positive comments following the event. “I know there is a huge amount of work that has to be done and has yet to be done, but today had a very positive feel to it,” said Julie Lee, owner of Mariner’s Rest Bed & Breakfast.
Jessie Metelka, with the Georgian Bay Coast Trail, said she saw how this project could assist with the potential expansion and promotion of hiking trails in the area. “I know that the Ontario Trails Council supports all the biosphere reserves in Ontario in growing this project,” said Metelka.
In addition to the many tourism operators in attendance, including Parks Canada and Ontario Parks, several marketing interests and private consultants were present, including: the Ontario Tourism Marketing Partnership Corporation, the Georgian Bay Destination Development Partnership (visitgeorgianbay.com), the Regional Tourism Organization (Explorers Edge) and Parry Sound Tourism – a new private enterprise. Each of these perspectives was shared throughout the day. Any organization still wishing to be involved should contact the Biosphere at 705-774-0978.

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Tourism Industry in Consultation!

A 5 yr Review of the Sorbara Report

REGISTER TO PARTICIPATE

The Tourism Industry Association of Ontario (“TIAO) is pleased to announce a province-wide consultation process that will result in a status update on the tourism competitiveness study: “Discovering Ontario: A Report on the Future of Tourism.” The report, released in the spring of 2009, contained four broad strategies and twenty specific recommendations to rejuvenate the industry.
One of the twenty recommendations identified in the report was the need for a single tourism industry association....a recommendation fulfilled by TIAO, which is now recognized as the umbrella trade association in Ontario. Given this role, the Ministry asked TIAO to lead this important consultation process which has been dubbed “TIAO Listens” in order to clearly communicate the primary objective: obtaining industry feedback.
TIAO has engaged HLT Advisory to assist with the facilitation process that will seek input in a variety of ways. Fifteen consultation sessions are planned across the province starting in early May and concluding in mid June.

http://www.tiaontario.ca/tiaolistens
http://www.tiaontario.ca/controls/calendar/calendar.aspx?ID=2
 

Niagara Classic 2014 Race Report | Ontario Cycling Association ontariocycling.org Mark Brouwer (Neworld Cycle) won the Master 3 race while Patrick Gostovic (Morning Glory CC) took the M3 race with his teammates taking places ... Flag as irrelevant

Toronto Star Toronto company building a high-tech bike with brains Toronto Star “This is really exciting, Vanhawks, of course, being a Toronto-based company, a local brand and start-up,” says Jared Kolb, executive director of Cycle ... Flag as irrelevant

CBC.ca Toronto releases new smart phone app for cyclists CBC.ca The City of Toronto released its free biking smartphone app on Tuesday, hoping the GPS-enabled app helps cyclists and develops the city's cycle plan ... Flag as irrelevant

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We Value Our Members - Mr. Jack De Wit, OTC President

Dear Members - I often get questioned what are the benefits of an OTC Membership?  Your financial support enables us to assist trail groups like: and many many more!

As you can see from the article and questions we are asking headed into the provincial election, we work to make sure there is a community appreciation of trails, and from the diagram below you can see how we do this on an ongoing basis.



On April 30th the OTC Board passed a Motion suggesting that all members write a letter of support to your MPP's and MP's. If you want a copy of the template just call 613-484-1140

As you can see your financial support may not return directly to your community, but with it, by keeping the OTC viable, we are able to preserve or develop trails somewhere in Ontario. And our members think we do this very well.

Sincerely, Jack De Wit, President.

 

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Ontario Trails Council Website Refresh - some hints

On the new website we showcase over 1800 trails. Did you know you can now use the Nearby Function on each trail page to highlight trip planning options! The Nearby Function teels you what trails are nearby. That way if you are out for a couple of days you can explore trails, or trails near a town.



In this example you can find trails near Moonbeam Ontario, Use each of the icons to plan your trip accommodations, meals, transit to and from, or if you are in need of supplies you can find fixes for your tent, or your bike.
 

Toronto Parking Authority (TPA) And Bike Share Toronto Participate in Bike To Work Day Group ... Marketwired (press release) This event is organized by Cycle Toronto in partnership with the City of ... sharing in Toronto a success, and to providing users of Bike Share Toronto ... Flag as irrelevant

Toronto Star Mayoral candidate David Soknacki vows to speed up Toronto bike lane expansion Toronto Star Cycle Toronto, which has been advocating for speedier approvals, noted that the environmental assessment for bike lanes on Richmond and Adelaide ... Flag as irrelevant

'Walking school bus': Inez Baker's Big Idea Toronto Star 'Walking school bus': Inez Baker's Big Idea. Inez Baker has a ... Issue: Youth and kids: How to makeToronto a better place to raise a family. What's the ... Flag as irrelevant

E Canada Now Missing Men in Algonquin Provincial Park Identified E Canada Now Algonquin Provincial Park, Central Ontario – this lovely spot of nature ... the case for two men who were last seen when their canoe tip over last week. Flag as irrelevant

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Ontario Trails asks Leaders and Candidates to Respond

As we head into the Ontario Provincial election we are often asked by our membership to make sure trail issues are valued by candidates. This year we crafted 9 questions that you may use with your own candidates.

We have forwarded these to the leaders of the 4 major parties.
 

OUTDOORS - There are over 80,000 km of trails in Ontario in 430 communities, these communities may not have an arena, a pool, a library or a church, but they have a trail. If elected, what types of improvements would your government continue to make in the outdoor development sector?
 

• ACTIVE LIVING - Active living is an issue, in both the health benefits from activity and the negative effects of inactivity. Ontario has over 2600 useable active living trails. How would you and your government work with the Ontario Trails Council to promote trail use?
 

• ACTIVE TRANSPORTATION - Ontario has gone to great lengths to develop the GTA Greenbelt, UNESCO Biospheres, the CyclingON Strategy, promote transportation alternatives through funding of increased GO and other mass transportation supports. Would you and your government work with the Ontario Trails Council to develop a layer of inter-connected trails to rails, trails to bus, trails to trains as advocated by individual trail uses, at the provincial level so that all Ontarians would value know of this inter-connectivity?
 

• PROVINCIAL MATCHING FUNDING - Ontario Trails Council Membership is made up of land management groups that work with volunteer groups to make trails, access to funds for trail development is sometimes difficult and programs often change. The Ontario Trails Council did this in 2009-10, and will again in 2014-16 with the federal announcement of funds in the last budget for the National Trails Coalition. Would your government create a dedicated trail infrastructure development fund that could be managed by voluntary sector leaders?
 

• POLICY COORDINATION - Since 2005 Ontario has had an Ontario Trails Strategy. With this came a planning process called the Ontario Trails Coordinating Committee. This partnership won the Province's highest award for intergovernmental cooperation "The Amethyst Award" and developments, these developments include, trail safety by managing user conflict (motorized and nonmotorized harmony); a legislation review, and an award winning website for trails. If elected would you and your lead Ministry for trails make a commitment to ensure that the OTCC meets monthly to manage the affairs of trails?
 

• BUSINESS COSTS - There are issues with liability and operational costs for land owners, or groups that own or operate a trail. The costs of litigation and the process of litigation fail to bring case resolution since often cases are settled out of court. Would your government consider a fund to support the costs or trail litigation, (as they have in Nova Scotia), or the tort (such as the 2009 National Trails Act in the USA) – for trail groups, trail operators and land managers that promote the public good through trail activity?
 

• TRAIL JOBS - Nearly 1 million individuals use the Ontario Trail Website to plan or find a trail. We estimate trails to be a value between $2.5 - $4 billion dollars to the economy each year. We believe that this number is low. Many Regional Tourism Organizations promote outdoor activity, but have not defined the product range for trails. Would your government work with the OTC to ensure that each RTO promotes trails through a joint trail promotion program so that this trail economy could be expanded and developed throughout the whole of Ontario?
 

• PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT - Waterfront development is of value to all. The OTC works with communities in Northern Ontario, Georgian Bay, promoted the development of the Windsor Riverfront Trail, Carolinian Canada, Waterfront Trail Rides, and the Trans Canada Trail. Recently we offered comment to the Ontario Place Revitalization plans. There are 100's of significant destinations and experiences people can enjoy on trails in Ontario. How would your government work to ensure the OTMPC and other government department’s engaged Ontario Trail leaders in developing destination marketing with world-class trail tourism products as a result?
 

• WORLD CLASS EVENTS - The Pan-Am Games are coming to Ontario in 2015. The Ontario Trails Council has worked with Hamilton, McMaster, the Trans Canada Trail, and other communities such as Thunder Bay, and the Pan-Am Path in Toronto to make the games a reality on trails. There are many benefits to communities through world-class events. At the OTC we often hear from Centurion, X-terra, Tough Mudder etc. but there is not enough variety for these event planners to use Ontario. - Do you see an opportunity going forward to promote more trail events in more places through OTC/Ontario/Private sector partnerships?

As you receive local responses please send your answers to the OTC and we'll keep a record of who said what. 

Home News Downtown cycle-only day could drive shoppers away,... www.kingstonregion.com/ Kingston Heritage - Will an upcoming cycling event in Downtown Kingston do ... A Toronto-based non-profit organization, 8-80 Cities, has received ... Flag as irrelevant

Chatham Daily News Cycling offers seniors a new way to travel Chatham Daily News Pat and Kathy McCulloch are part of a growing industry in Ontario's tourism sector – recreational long-distance cyclers. “We do a big trip in the summer ... Flag as irrelevant

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