Showing posts with label Government. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Government. Show all posts

Saturday, May 24, 2014

Ontario Trails News - news and activity information from all over Ontario's 2600 trails!


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. 


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Home News Downtown cycle-only day could drive shoppers away,...
Kingston Heritage - Will an upcoming cycling event in Downtown Kingston do ... A Toronto-based non-profit organization, 8-80 Cities, has received ...
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Chatham Daily News
Cycling offers seniors a new way to travel
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 ...
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TRAIL
 PLANNING BEGINS JUNE 2, 2014

 Algonquin College On-Line Trails Education


ONTARIO TRAILS MOBILE one of 12 MUST HAVE APPS



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Saturday, May 3, 2014

Ontario Trails News - news and activity information from all over Ontario's 2600 trails!


Development News - Kinghorn Press

Ontario Trails Council Supports Youth Programs
We are pleased to announce that the OTC is assisting in the provision of youth programs in 6 different parts of Ontario this season. 3 areas are highlighted below.

Quinte Conservation, through the Frink Centre

Frontenac Arch Biosphere

Lower Thames Valley Conservation Authority


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Bayshore Broadcasting News Centre
Local Jane's Walks May 2-4, 2014
Named after famous Toronto native Jane Jacobs, Jane's Walks are free, locally organized walking tours in which people get together to learn about ...
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Urban Planner: May 2, 2014
The project started here in Toronto, and there are over a hundred different walks you can take across the GTA over three days, exploring urban art, ...
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News you can use – what you need to know in Toronto this weekend
Here's what's happening around Toronto this weekend. ... Jane's Walk is an annual series of locally led walking tours inspired by the late urbanist ...
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Doors Open Ontario 2014 kicks off May 3
Trails Open 2014 – supported by TD Bank Group – features special tours and activities to showcaseOntario's breathtaking natural heritage along ...
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TRAIL
 PLANNING BEGINS JUNE 2, 2014

 Algonquin College On-Line Trails Education


ONTARIO TRAILS MOBILE one of 12 MUST HAVE APPS



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Sunday, March 30, 2014

Ontario Trails Council - news from around and by Ontario's 2600 recreational trails!

Development NewsGoderich supports trails development! Thanks Goderich.

Update on the Ontario Place Revitalization initiative, more design options. What do you think?

Greens Mountain Area looking at development of a recreational plan. Meeting dates posted.

We Welcome New Members!
Avon Trail

Lower Thames Valley Conservation Authority

Motorcycle and Moped Industry Council

Regional Tourism Organization 1

We Welcome Returning Members!
Lake Simcoe Region Conservation Authority

Muskoka Trails Council

City of Belleville

Friends of Second Marsh

Sporting Council of Central and South Eastern Ontario
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Wednesday, March 19, 2014

Ontario Trail News - information and activity updates from all over Ontario's trails!

Support Ontario Trails - renew your membership today!

Trails Symposium, meant to inform and inspire
Carol Oitment from the Ontario Ministry of Tourism, Culture & Sport opened the day with an overview of theOntario Trails Strategy and provincial ...
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Conservation Authorities Can Help You Learn About Your Watershed to Celebrate Canada Water ...
NEWMARKET (March 17, 2014) Through our watershed report cards, source protection information and a new website, Ontario's 36 Conservation ...
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Greens Mountain Recreational Master Plan
Notice of Stakeholder Meetings
Greetings!

Thank you for your interest in the Greens Mountain Recreational Master Plan planning process.

Stakeholders with a potential interest in the Greens Mountain area are invited to attend a series of meetings over the next few weeks to provide their input for the planning and development of recreational areas and facilities.

These meetings have been organized into groups with similar interests in order to better understand the needs, desires and concerns of each group and their vision for Greens Mountain.

The municipality has developed a focus for the development of outdoor experiences over the next five years which is outlined in the Highlands East Strategic Plan . Click here for a copy.

Below is a list of input meetings:

Location: McCausland Centre - Gooderham
Off Highway VehiclesMonday, March 31 - 7:00pm to 9:00pm AGENDA
Business & Tourism
Tuesday, April 1 - 7:00pm to 9:00pm
AGENDA
General Public MeetingThursday April 3 - 7:00pm to 9:00pmAGENDA
Non-Motorized UsersMonday April 7 - 7:00pm to 9:00pmAGENDA
Special Interest GroupsTuesday April 8 - 7:00pm to 9:00pmAGENDA
Adjacent LandownersThursday April 10 - 7:00pm to 9:00pmAGENDA

The meeting agendas, also easily accessed through this link, are for your review and to assist you in preparing for the meeting.  If you cannot attend, please ensure another representative is able to participate in the meeting. These initial consultations are intended to learn more about your needs and desires as well as your thoughts about how to better manage recreation at Greens Mountain.

An on-line community survey will be posted on the Municipality of Highlands East website prior to the meetings. Please take a few moments to complete the survey.

We are also seeking one primary contact from each stakeholder group to participate in a user group questionnaire to gain more specific information about their organization. If you are the primary contact CLICK HERE or please forward this email to them.
 
 
Sincerely,
 
David A Clark Consulting Inc.
Greens Mountain Recreational Master Plan

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