Ontario Trails News - Greenbelt must accommodate mixed use trails and farming.

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Land use plans must put farmland first 13

Mark Reusser, Special to the Examiner

Monday, March 9, 2015 5:46:55 EDT PM

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This spring will be remembered as the season of land use deliberations in Ontario. Four significant land use plans are under review and the process could have significant implications for Ontario farmers.

The Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing recently announced a review of four provincial land use plans – The Growth Plan for the Greater Golden Horseshoe, the Greenbelt Plan, the Oak Ridges Moraine Conservation Plan and the Niagara Escarpment Plan.

The four provincial land use plans under review are intended to manage growth, protect agricultural lands and the natural environment, reduce greenhouse gas emissions and support economic development in Ontario’s Greater Golden Horseshoe and Greenbelt. Through the review process, public consultations will be held to evaluate the plans, consider expansion of the Greenbelt, build transit friendly communities and support economic development.

The Ontario Federation of Agriculture (OFA) participated in an active consultation and advisory role 10 years ago when the first plans were implemented and will be actively involved in the review process. The OFA’s position remains that farmland preservation is critical. With the average loss of 350 acres per day of agricultural land in Ontario, it’s never been more important to address policies to protect this prime resource.

But along with preserving farmland we also need policies to ensure that farmland can be worked sustainably. The OFA encourages the government, policy makers and parties involved in the land use review to consider farmland from our perspective. Preserving farmland, our most strategic resource, preserves the tools necessary for sustainable farming and ensures a local food source.

We will be taking our messages directly to government, providing insight, suggestions and a fair evaluation of the four land use plans. The OFA believes consistency across all four land use plans is vital. We need to see the implementation of fixed urban boundaries and higher urban density requirements as a key element in preserving farmland in areas surrounding the protected land.

The OFA will be engaged in the upcoming public consultation period and encourages all OFA members in the greater Golden Horseshoe, Greenbelt, Niagara Escarpment and Oak Ridges regions to submit feedback on these land use plans. The 90-day public consultation period will include 12 regional town hall meetings and commenting through the Environmental Registry.

The OFA’s own vice president, Keith Currie, has been appointed to the expert advisory panel for this land use plan review. Currie is one of six members on the panel, including former federal cabinet minister and former mayor of Toronto, David Crombie.

We are encouraged to see the government undertake such a thorough review of these four plans. And we look forward to participating in such an important consultation process because of the significant implications for Ontario agriculture.

Mark Reusser is an executive Member of the Ontario Federation of Agriculture

Ontario Trails Council Facilitates Accessible Trails Day - Simcoe County

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Ontario Trails News - Find your favorite ATV Trails, off-roading in Trent Hills debate

Find your favorite ATV Trail - View Map

Mar 09, 2015 | Vote100   0

Trent Hills approached once more about opening up roads to ATVs

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John Campbell

Trent Hills resident Betty McCarrell made a presentation to council last week asking that it consider passing a bylaw to allow ATVs on designated roads.

Trent Hills Independent

By John Campbell 

Trent Hills is again being asked to grant all-terrain vehicles access to some of its roads to create a route that will allow ATV users to pass through the municipality and connect with other trails.

The request this time, however, came from a resident who doesn’t own an ATV and isn’t a member of the Northumberland District ATV Riders Club, which tried and failed three years ago to get a road use bylaw passed.

But members of the club, including president Mike Ainsworth, were present March 3 to show their support for Betty McCarrell when she appealed to a new council to open up certain roads to ATVs with a bylaw that would designate their location and deal with issues surrounding noise, speed, time of day and seasonal use, and trespassing.

The retired dairy farmer touted the many economic benefits that would come from allowing “a family-orientated activity” a wider ambit for its enjoyment, saying ATV riders would spend money on food, fuel and lodging during extended trips.

Thirty-eight municipalities in eastern Ontario allow ATVs on their roads, including all five neighbours of Trent Hills: Quinte West, Havelock-Belmont-Methuen, Stirling-Rawdon, and Cramahe Township.

McCarrell presented correspondence from several sources affirming the municipalities have had no problems with ATVs making use of their roads.

Stirling-Rawdon Police Chief Darrio Cecchin said his department has received “no significant concerns or complaints” about the operations of ATVs, adding ATV clubs “are educating their members well with respect to safety and following the rules of the trails.”

Cramahe Township Mayor Marc Coombs said his municipality has received only one complaint about an off-road vehicle since it passed a bylaw in 2009 allowing ATVs on roads north of Highway 401 “and that was about a dirt bike.”

Norwood real estate agent Todd McRobbie said he’s “not aware of any empirical evidence” that expanded ATV regulations “decrease property value.” In his experience they’ve been “a non-factor regarding real estate transactions."

McCarrell told council she had collected nearly 700 signatures on a petition in support of her request, including those of 34 businesses, who thanked her for taking on the challenge.

She read a letter from the owner of The Garden of Eatin’ in Warkworth, Karen Raymond, who wrote that council is “taking away a great deal” of business by not allowing ATV traffic to her restaurant.

McCarrell pointed out that ATV clubs will create, groom and police trails “at no cost to the municipality” and with its input.

As well, they do a great deal of work “to ensure public safety” through training sessions and educational materials that promote observance of the law and proper use of the machines by their owners.

Councillor Rosemary Kelleher-MacLennan praised McCarrell for having done her homework in putting together “a really great presentation” that gave council members “something to really think about.”
Council voted to have a staff report prepared updating information that was compiled a few years ago in response to the initial request for an ATV road use bylaw.

McCarrell said in a later interview she was prompted to act after learning a farmer’s son had been fined $118 for riding an ATV on a municipal road between his house and a woodlot to get wood.

“I see the common sense and the rightness of it, for the businesses and the people,” to pass an ATV road use bylaw for a trial period, McCarrell said.

“What harm can be done?” she asked. “Let the feedback from the businesses and the public decide after that one year whether it should stay or not.”

The Northumberland District ATV Riders Club says “Trent Hills is an important link” in connecting its trails with those managed by the Eastern Ontario Trails Alliance in an area that stretches from the Bay of Quinte to Algonquin Park.

Ontario Trail News - find you favorite snowshoe trail, and a quick snowshoe lesson from the Hamilton Spectator

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Snowshoeing: A Quick Lesson

Snowshoeing: A Quick Lesson

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Looking for some wintertime adventure?

Snowshoeing is a great way to get outdoors during the winter months. It’s safe, easy to do and a fantastic form of exercise that will give you a full body workout as well as some much needed sunshine, fresh air and adventure.

Exercise can be hard to come by during the snowy seasons-but it goes a long way to staying happy and healthy. Snowshoeing offers a low impact and safe workout that strengthens muscles, improves endurance and burns a massive amount of calories.

The concept of snowshoes is a simple one. Putting more surface area on your feet distributes the weight more evenly across the snow, making it easier to walk on, rather than sink into.

On modern snowshoes the frame is made of aluminum making them strong, lightweight and maintenance free.

The decking creates the increased surface area and is composed of extremely rugged, waterproof material 

Ontario Trails News, many trails in Ontario Conservation Areas, congratulations Saugeen Conservation!

Learn more about our supporter - Conservation Ontario

Forest Donated To Saugeen Conservation

By John Chippa on March 2, 2015 10:42am

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A large piece of property south of Kincardine is changing hands.

A total of 100 acres of forested land has been donated to Saugeen Conservation from the Martyn Family from the Pine River area.

The donation was made in memory of Donald ‘Murray’ Martyn.   The property has been in the Martyn family since 1852.

Jim Penner, Manager of Forestry with Saugeen Conservation says this 100 acre property is a haven for local wildlife because of its size and the fact that it’s one of the few larger forested properties in the Pine River Watershed.

Saugeen Conservation will erect a special sign on the property in recognition of the generosity of the Martyn Family.

Luke Charbonneau, Chair of Saugeen Conservation, stated, “This is an exceptional property in that it is entirely forested. Only approximately 7 per cent of the Pine River Watershed is forested. To have a piece of property within this watershed, entirely forested, is a real gift”.

Murray’s daughters remember planting trees on the property when they were young girls. “My dad was always an outdoorsman”, stated Mary, one of his daughters. “He took great pleasure in the planning and planting of thousands of seedlings. Over the years he spent many happy hours wandering the property, planting additional native species and making note of the increasing wildlife.”

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Ontario Trails News - about regional trails networks and Trailhead North

Trailhead North - a Trailhead Ontario Project

Developing regional trail network can have tourism benefitsLOCAL

Matt Vis, tbnewswatch.com

Area trail development coordinator Kirsten Spence says developing a regional trail network can help boost tourism.

By Matt Vis, tbnewswatch.com

THUNDER BAY -- An area trail development coordinator sees a vast amount of untapped potential in Northwestern Ontario.
Kirsten Spence gave a presentation to the Thunder Bay District Municipal League and said trails are overlooked when it comes to their ability to enhance regional tourism.
“They’re an excellent product that’s already developed which can be used to keep people half a day long or an hour longer in a community, that’s a success,” Spence said.
“A lot of municipalities are looking at trail development as a way to diversify their economies moving from single sector to multi sectors. Trails are one of those offerings that can help municipalities with attraction.”
She said there’s an extensive inventory of existing trails through Northwestern Ontario that can all play a part in showcasing the region.
There’s already evidence showing trails can serve as an attraction.
“You look at the Sleeping Giant Provincial Park. That park has a lot of trails and that’s a large reason why people visit that park,” she said.
Nipigon Mayor Richard Harvey has been working on developing both local and regional trail development strategies as a tourist draw.
Having a network benefits the entire region.
“What people have to realize is if you have one good tourist attraction you’ll get some people to come in for a day,” Harvey said. “If you have attractions through a whole region people will stay an awful lot of longer and that money they spend is not only multiplied, it’s multiplied exponentially.”
Development is ongoing with the Kinghorn Rail Trail, which would use a discontinued rail corridor to provide a path from Thunder Bay to Nipigon.
Spence said the project is a “work in progress” as developers are trying to get it right.
“Most people aren’t going to travel the 111 kilometre trail at one time,” she said. “We have to make sure it’s well planned out in terms of access areas and logical starts and stops.
Harvey sees the Kinghorn Rail Trail, which has been discussed since 2005, as having the potential to be a significant draw.
“That could easily become a world-class trail where people would come from around the world for things like the Pass Lake Trestle, the incredible vistas and views, the lakeside experience you can have on that trail,” Harvey said.
The rails have already been cleared from the trail while the ties are in the process of being removed. There are also a number of hurdles which need to be cleared, which Spence hopes an upcoming Provincial Trails Act will help address.

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Ontario Trails News - Timmins snowmobiling and the discussion about Ontario snowmobile trails!

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Grooming Partnerships in the City with a Heart of Gold

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.@Goldcorp_Inc Partners with Timmins Snowmobile Club to maintain existing snowmobile trails http://3bl.me/gaxbd6

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Thursday, February 26, 2015 - 6:00pm

Above Ground

Chances are if you live in the City of Timmins, you or someone you know owns a snowmobile.  After all, Timmins is considered to be one of the most snowmobile-friendly cities in Ontario.  With over 440 km of trails in the area, Goldcorp Porcupine Gold Mines recognized the value of ensuring that the Hollinger Haul Road did not disrupt existing trail connections in the City.

Patrick Dzijacky, Environmental Technologist for Porcupine Gold Mines (PGM) explained that since the initial proposal for the Hollinger Project, PGM has been working with the Timmins Snowmobile Club to ensure that existing snowmobile trails could be re-established in the area of the new haul road. Careful planning allowed the new snowmobile trail to follow the base of the haul road and the construction of an underpass, specifically for snowmobiles, provided a safe way to cross the road and connect with established trails. Goldcorp’s pit crews, with their heavy equipment, did an excellent job grubbing, removing trees and bringing in material to make the trail base more than suitable for the Timmins Snowmobile Club.

The efforts by PGM did not go unnoticed. Marc Lepalme, Vice-President of the Timmins Snowmobile Club said that the club is very grateful to have a world class company like Goldcorp who is willing to work with local organizations to ensure that mining activities are able to co-exist with outdoor recreational activities such as snowmobiling. 

Lapalme commented, “The work Goldcorp put into ensuring a connection could be made to our existing trail network exceeded our expectations. The new snowmobile tunnel adds another distinctive feature to our trail system and is often the topic of conversation amongst snowmobilers that are travelling from outside our region. On behalf of the Timmins Snowmobile Club and all its permit holders, we thank you for making this trail a reality.”

This unique part of the Timmins trail system also caught the eye of the Temiskaming Abitibi Trail Association. In 2014, Northern Ontario Travel began promoting Ontario Snowmobile Tour Loops and as a result, the Temiskaming Abitibi Trail Association (OFSC District 14) developed the Gold Rush Tour, a 710 km circle route that takes snowmobilers through many historic and operating gold mines. According to Crystal Girard, Manager of the Temiskaming Abitibi Trail Association, the new section of the A111C snowmobile trail that PGM has developed is an excellent addition to this tour. It follows the haul road into the City of Timmins and provides snowmobilers the opportunity to see heavy mining equipment at work. It also passes around the historic Hollinger Mine property, home to PGM’s newest operation the Hollinger Open Pit. This new trail will no doubt bring riders into our District to experience these unique aspects of the Gold Rush Tour.

Brendan Zuidema, Mine General Manger for PGM, firmly believes in Goldcorp’s tenant that building partnerships and giving back to the communities where we operate is essential to being a good corporate citizen. “This trail system is important to the City of Timmins and the region. The construction of the underpass was a small investment compared to the returns for the Timmins economy and the enjoyment of thousands of snowmobile enthusiast.”

Goldcorp is committed to building a legacy of social and economic benefit in the communities it operates.

- See more at: http://3blmedia.com/News/Grooming-Partnerships-City-Heart-Gold#sthash.GrnI1TH2.dpuf

Ontario Trails News - meet us at Trailhead North, and gaps in riding in Toronto

Northern trail fan? Meet us at Trailhead North!

CITYSCAPE

Mapping the City’s Bike Network Gaps

Toronto is slowly making progress on its bike network, but there's lots of room to grow.

BY SEAN MARSHALL

Toronto’s bikeway network is often a source of frustration for the city’s cyclists, and with the map above, it’s easy to see why. It illustrates the extent of Toronto’s bike infrastructure―or in some parts of the city the lack thereof―as of January 2015, and how there’s plenty of room for improvement to fill in the gaps. Toronto’s bikeway network includes off-road multi-use trails, separated cycle tracks like those on Sherbourne Street, bike lanes and contraflow lanes (like those on Shaw), and signed bicycle routes that otherwise have no facilities for cyclists (“sharrows” notwithstanding). With the recent addition of the Adelaide and Richmond bike lanepilot project west of University Avenue, and the new contraflow lane on Simcoe Street, the downtown network of bicycle routes is slowly improving; though cyclists await the completion of the oft-delayed Queen’s Quay project.

Ontario Trails News - find your favorite dog-sledding trail and new map to draw cyclists to Simcoe

Find your favorite dog-sledding trail here!

New maps expected to draw cycling tourists to north Simcoe

Local municipalities support Cycle Simcoe initiative

Midland Mirror

By Jenni Dunning 

MIDLAND – A new map of north Simcoe’s cycling routes will launch next week with hopes of attracting droves of tourists from the Greater Toronto Area.

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Midland is the last local municipality to jump on board after Brendan Matheson, cycling strategy co-ordinator for Cycle Simcoe, a Barrie/Simcoe Cycling Club initiative, requested $3,000 each from Midland, Penetanguishene, Tiny and Tay for maps and online development.

Midland council will officially vote on the funding request as part of the town’s upcoming budget meetings.

“This is going to be the start of a great partnership,” Mayor Gord McKay said during Monday’s council meeting.

As part of the request, Matheson also asked the town to help Cycle Simcoe by installing safety signage, improving cycling infrastructure and distributing safety education information.

The “Heart of Georgian Bay” cycling map, which is scheduled to launch at the Toronto International Bicycle ShowMarch 6, will feature seven routes, said Matheson.

They range from eight kilometres in length along the Midland Rotary Waterfront Trail, to 95 kilometres on quiet roads and trails through all four municipalities, he said, adding they will include three trails and four road-based routes.

At the bike show, Cycle Simcoe also plans to launch cycling maps for the Oro-Medonte, Severn and Ramara areas and for the Wasaga Beach, Collingwood and Blue Mountain areas.

“We’re finding most of the cyclists that come up here are from the GTA,” he said.

A Ministry of Tourism survey found two million people took part in cycle tourism in Ontario in 2010, spending $391 million. Compared to 2009, this was a 25 per cent increase in cycle tourists and an 18 per cent boost in spending.

Cycle tourism refers to someone who travels at least 40 kilometres to go cycling, according to Matheson.

He said he hopes cyclists will take advantage of Cycle Simcoe’s interactive online maps by, for example, taking photos of and marking the location of potholes.

The organization, which began in 2012, can then contact municipalities about any problems for quick fixes.

Coun. George MacDonald, an avid cyclist, spoke in support of the maps and confirmed with Matheson air pumping stations will be available along the routes.

“I’m not volunteering because my air is all hot air,” MacDonald quipped.

Coun. Cody Oschefski offered to help Cycle Simcoe with spreading its message on social media.

“There’s a misconception in Midland for young families that there’s nothing to do here,” he said.

Coun. Glen Canning added one of the biggest complaints he hears from cyclists visiting the town is a lack of route maps – “besides the lack of bicycle racks downtown.”

Ontario Trails News - Ontario announces funding, join us at Trailhead Ontario

Join us at Trailhead Ontario - June 7-10, 2015 in Hamilton

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Ontario Trails News - join Hamilton and Burlington as they present Mantracker at Trailhead Ontario Community Day June 7th

Find your favorite snowmobile trail

Learn more about Mantracker here