Thursday, July 16, 2015

Ontario Trails News - NTC, snowmobile and other funds make Discovery Routes better!

Aspin hands out funding to boost area cycling and snowmobiling trails

Friday, July 10, 2015 by: Chris Dawson

Discovery Routes Chair Mark King addressed the crowd during today's funding announcement at the North Bay Waterfront.

PHOTO BY CHRIS DAWSON.

MP Jay Aspin dished out $122,630 in federal funding to enhance regional cycling and snowmobile trails in the area.

The announcement was made at the bandshell located next to the government dock on the north shore of Lake Nipissing in North Bay this morning.

“Our beautiful region is a magnate for tourism dollars employing a significant number of people in our regional tourism sector. Recreation has become a rapidly growing tourism activity,” said MP Jay Aspin in a release.

A FedNor investment of $24,615 will allow the Discovery Routes Trails Organization to develop a feasibility study and an implementation plan for the Voyageur Cycling Route, a 400-kilometre trail network that would connect Sudbury to the Ottawa Valley.

The hope is that the study will allow the group to potentially position the region as a premier cycling destination.

“We are thrilled to partner with the Government of Canada through FedNor to advance this important initiative,” said Mark King, Chair of the Discovery Routes Trails Organization.

“This will help us boost tourism throughout the area by expanding Northeastern Ontario’s cycling network.”

King believes connecting to those other markets is key but he believes Northeastern Ontario has the potential to become a world class cycling destination just like places in Europe.

"There’s no reason in the world why we can’t take the opportunity to make something like that happen so there is no doubt in my mind that cycling is a growth industry and it will probably get bigger and bigger as we start to see more increases in fuel costs and vehicle costs and just the way we change our transportation system," added King.

In addition, a $98,015 Infrastructure investment will enable the North Bay Snowmobilers Club and the Ontario Federation of Snowmobile Clubs to establish a new bridge on North River, further enhancing the local trail network.

The funds were provided to the National Trails Coalition (NTC) through the $10 million National Recreational Trails (NTC) program.

The NTC works with local organizations to fund projects.

Tuesday, July 14, 2015

Ontario Trails News - a plea to cycling advocates to change course and get off the roads.

Link to Ontario Cycling Trails

Students of Ontario cyclist killed during hit-and-run offer support through GoFundMe campaign

After yet another cyclist was killed in Southern Ontario on July 3, following a fatal hit-and-run in Milton, an online campaign has been spearheaded to help the fallen rider’s family.

As the CBC reported, Chris Harper, a 50-year-old father of five from Oakville, Ont., was killed that night after being struck by a car. He was a victim, authorities say, of impaired driving — and after the collision, the 33-year-old driver who hit him fled the scene.

The woman responsible was charged with dangerous driving causing death, impaired driving causing death, and failure to remain.

In the GoFundMe campaign to ease the burden on his surviving family, Harper’s students — he was a teacher at Meadowvale Secondary School in Mississauga, Ont. — appear to be significant contributors. It’s not just a matter of relieving a burden, though. To hear the accounts of those close to the tragedy, it’s the alleviating of a nightmare, a word that has been used literally and explicitly to describe the situation.

“Its a nightmare,” said Heidi Cyfko, a friend of Harper’s family, in conversation with the CBC. “The family is coping as best they can and preparing for the funeral of this tragedy caused by drinking and driving.” As such, it’s a situation that his family doesn’t deserve, students say, and they want to do something about it. “[Harper was] taken from the thousands of past, current and future Meadowvale SS students whom he taught and would have taught,” wrote former pupil Mike Fugler, who initiated the fundraiser, “and positively impacted through his dedication and passion to the classroom.”

“Most importantly, he was taken from his wife Melissa and their five children, Luke, Nicole, Leah, Alison and Joseph. It is for them we give to this fund. They have lost the most important teacher in their lives, so lets help them out with their future education.”

As of this morning — only two days since the GoFundMe campaign was initiated — the fundraising drive had already exceeded its $25,000 target.

Monday, July 13, 2015

Ontario Trails News - our condolences to all those involved.

Parents - stop these tragedies.

Only you can supervise your kids.

Only you can train or buy the right equipment.

Get training in riding, follow safe riding rules.

If you can't do these things don't let your children near these machines.
_________________________________________________________

Boy on life support after ATV driven by six-year-old crashes

By Jennifer O'Brien, The London Free Press

Tuesday, July 7, 2015 10:43:30 EDT PM

It was a recipe for disaster: Five children under the age of 10, without helmets or safety gear, riding on an adult-sized all-terrain vehicle driven by a six-year-old girl.

A nine-year-old boy was clinging to life Tuesday after he was thrown from the 500cc machine during a family gathering at a rural home in Elgin County the night before, police said.

Police are investigating how the children — the youngest was two — came to be aboard the vehicle Monday night at about 8:30 p.m. while adults were on the other side of a home in Malahide Township.

“We’ve got five children — a six-year-old operating a very large ATV, with a two-year-old, a four-year-old and two nine-year-olds,” Elgin OPP Const. Troy Carlson said Tuesday. “Were they being supervised? How did they come about operating the ATV?”

Investigators are trying to determine if adults knew the children were on the ATV and who owns the vehicle, he said.

“You’ve got a six-year-old girl, that obviously had no intention of doing this. We are talking about a 500cc machine, and that would be a handful for a lot of adults,” he said. “Having a two-year-old on there?”

The little girl was trying to turn a corner when she accidentally pressed the throttle, “lost control and collided with two pine trees,” police said.

The nine-year-old struck a tree and became trapped between the ATV and one of the trees. He was freed by adults who heard the collision.

The boy was flown by air ambulance to hospital, where he was on life support and listed in critical condition Tuesday.

The crash came less than a week after Ontario changed the rules to allow more off-roading vehicles and all-terrain vehicles to use the shoulder of public roads while mandating all riders wear a helmet and use a seat-belt or foot rests.

Ontario’s Highway Traffic Act doesn’t apply because the crash happened on private property, police said.

In a news release, OPP Insp. Brad Fishleigh said the case was a “great cause for concern” for investigators.

“This is a very tragic example of the dangers of ATVs. ATVs are powerful vehicles, not toys for children. ATVs must be operated by trained and skilled operators,” he said. “The lack of safety gear (helmets) and the fact that there were five children on board ranging from ages two to nine is a great cause for concern.”

As of the middle of June, the OPP had investigated nine off-road vehicle deaths in Ontario.

But though the head of the Canada Safety Council called the circumstances shocking, he pointed out it is all too common for kids to be driving ATVs.

“That’s a sad story and it’s shocking that this goes on,” Raynald Marchand said. “Five on an ATV is definitely unusual, but it’s not unusual to find children using adult ATVs and hurting themselves.”

Under the Highway Traffic Act, ATV drivers in Ontario must be at least 12 years old to drive without adult supervision. But Marchand pointed out manufacturers of 500cc vehicles recommend no one under 16 years of age operate the machines.

“It’s a bad idea. Kids shouldn’t be allowed to ride any ATV unsupervised. Things happen very quickly with youngsters when they’re not being supervised. Definitely they should not be allowed to ride it period,” Marchand said. “This could’ve have been a story about a backyard pool drowning. There is a lack of supervision.”

jennifer.obrien@sunmedia.ca

twitter.com/obrienatlfpress

- - -

ATVS IN ONTARIO

The driver must be at least 12 years of age unless they are under the direct supervision of an adult.
The driver must carry the ATV/ORV’s registration permit or a true copy.
The driver and all passengers must wear an approved motorcycle helmet that is securely fastened under the chin with a chin strap.
The driver can directly cross a highway where permitted, if they are at least 16 years old and hold a valid driver’s licence.

THE NUMBERS

ONTARIO OFF-ROAD VEHICLE DEATHS

*2012 - 19

2011 - 18

2010 - 19

2009 - 24

2008 - 20

(* latest year available)

ONTARIO OFF-ROAD VEHICLE INJURIES

2012 - 410

2011 - 409

2010 - 416

2009 - 452

2008 - 398

Source: Ontario Road Safety Annual Report

Friday, July 10, 2015

Ontario Trails News - from Trailwise - join today and support Ontario's trails!

Ontario Trail Running Group

Toronto Cycling Plan - Comment Today

Toronto Paddling Destination!

Ride for a Reason

Goderich to Guelph RT MPP Announcement

Iron Horse Trail News

Rainbow Routes - New Trail Map

Canoe Canada!

Northern Ontario Photography

Noxious Leaf Guide from History.ca

Support the Kinghorn Trail Development

Last fall we started an audit of the rail corridor. This audit captures the good, the bad and the ugly. Using the latest trail auditing software, we are able to capture all the issues that need to be fixed prior to opening the trail. We will finish the audit in the spring for the full length of the line.

Please support us in building this legacy trail along Lake Superior. Even a small donation adds up and supports the capital required to upgrade the corridor for Northwestern Ontario's only rail trail!

We have plans to upgrade the railbed surface to accommodate trail users like cyclists, hikers, summer motorized use and snowmobiles in the winter months. As a full multi-use trail, we will be able to keep the trail in the public domain for future generations to enjoy.

The rail line doesn't stop at Nipigon but then turns north towards Greenstone. There has been some interest in discussing this as an option but conversations need to occur. Please support this legacy project as we create an amazing trail alongside Lake Superior - the great inland sea.

Ontario Trails Education