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OFFICIAL NEWSLETTER OF DISCOVERY ROUTES TRAILS ORGANIZATION Summer 2008 |
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In This Issue:
Trail Projects on the Go
Trails Across the Region
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The long-awaited TRAIL MAP has finally arrived! Members check your snail-mail mailbox for a copy. If you are not a member, sign up now and you will also receive the new trail map immediately. As always you can sign-up online at our website or visit us at the Travel Information Centre in North Bay. The trail map includes over 500km of hiking, snowshoe, bicycle, ATV, motorcycle, cross-country ski and canoe routes and trails in our region. These are the trails in our Conservation Areas and Provincial Parks, as well on municipal land, crown land and private property. Many of the trails are managed and maintained by volunteers that are trail enthusiasts themselves. Use the map to explore the region’s most valuable natural asset, have FUN and report back on your adventures!!! |
| Trail Projects on the Go | |
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Thanks TD Friends of the Environment Foundation
TD Friends of the Environment Foundation is helping Discovery Routes stay dry and protected this summer as we tour the region’s events and festivals. The Foundation has generously agreed to support Discovery Routes with the acquisition of a tent and promotional display that will be used across the region to build awareness of trail opportunities and encourage responsible use. These festivals will provide Discovery Routes with the opportunity to connect with trail enthusiasts from across the Near North and entice new users to the natural environment. Volunteer groups take note: The 10 x 10 tent and trail display will be available to borrow when not in use.
The historic connection between Corbeil and North Bay has received considerable attention over the years. Thanks to a grant from the Ministry of Health Promotion’s Communities in Action Fund, Discovery Routes will now be working with a local consultant and area partners to create an Action Plan for the Voyer Trail. The Action Plan will identify the many challenges that have caused the trail to remain unopened, and make recommendations on their resolution. This particular trail offers a significant connection to the region’s trail network with links to the Kate Pace Way/ Trans Canada Trail, the OFSC snowmobile trail network, the La Vase Portages and the Corbeil Conservation Area. As part of the same project, Discovery Routes will work with the Near North District School Board and the North Bay-Mattawa Conservation Authority to initiate a “Pathways to Learning” school program. This program will be designed to get school aged children active on local trails. The support of the Government of Ontario is acknowledged. The City of North Bay and the Township of East Ferris are also supporting the project. |
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Trails Across the Region |
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Magnetawan
Magnetawan Run 5 & 10 km Runs
The Magnetawan and Area Business Association will be hosting their 5th Annual 5-km Run on September 6, 2008. This year, MABA has expanded on the event and added a complementary 10 km run. In the past, the event has hosted up to 55 runners, and this year Magnetawan is expecting to exceed this number. The Health Fair hosted on the same day has been a big hit in the past, and will be on again this year. Money raised through the event’s silent auction goes to the Magnetawan and Area Scholarship Fund and also to a local community organization chosen each year. This year, MABA has decided to include the Magnetawan Home and School and the area Nursing Station in their fundraising efforts. For more information about this event, or to register, please visit the Magnetawan and Area Business Association’s website at www.magnetawanarea.com or call Walter Reich at (705) 387-0115.
Mattawa Adventure Week
The community of Mattawa plays host to a full week of outdoor adventure from July 19 to July 27. The week begins on July 19, 2008 with the 13th annual Lost in the Rocks and Trees bike race. The race is dubbed Ontario’s Toughest Mountain Bike Race with a 50km and 100km course that utilizes the Voyageur Multi-Use Trail System (VMUTS). The popular event attracts racers from across the province looking for the challenge offered by these remote wilderness trails. Trail enthusiasts looking for a less intense experience can try geocaching on the trails at the Canadian Ecology Centre on July 19th. GPS units are available through the Ecology Centre, with fun and prizes throughout the day. Water trails are also a focus during Adventure week with Samuel de Champlain Provincial Park’s Voyageur Rendezvous on July 23. The day includes events such as voyageur tours on traditional voyageur canoes, voyageur food, stories by the campfire and other children's activities. The Mattawa River Canoe Race hosted by the North Bay-Mattawa Conservation Authority is another tradition that challenges canoers along the 64km Mattawa River. The event is on Saturday, July 27 this year. Discovery Routes will also have a presence during Mattawa Voyageur Days. Visit us at the VMUTS booth on Main Street to get a copy of the new trail map. For further details and contact information regarding any of these events, please visit Mattawa Adventure Week's website.
La Vase Heritage Canoe Day On July 26, 2008, the Friends of La Vase will be holding their third annual Canoe Day. This enjoyable and educational tour begins at 8:00 am at Champlain Park on Lake Nipissing. Participants will be shuttled to the Upper Portage at Brandy Lake where the adventure begins. Canoeists will travel the historic route from Trout Lake to Lake Nipissing in small groups lead by a Friends of La Vase guide. After travelling the Upper and Middle Portages, lunch will be enjoyed at Billy Bob’s Chip Stand. The voyage will then continue down the Lower Portage and La Vase River, where the journey ends back at Champlain Park. Registration for this event is only $25 per person. To register, please contact Chris Mayne at mayne@onlink.net or at (705) 474-1532. City Trails Getting a Facelift Anyone familiar with the Kinsmen Trail will know the notorious tunnel full of sand on Chippewa Creek. Well good news! The North Bay-Mattawa Conservation Authority has received funding to perform mitigative measures along Chippewa Creek. The work will involve improvement of the floodplain. The new design calls for the removal of the abandoned rail bed and includes re-alignment of the Kinsmen Trail. Work is scheduled to begin in the Fall. And more good news, the clean material that is removed will be re-located to Booth Road to provide a base for the Kate Pace Way along the same road. Details of the new Kate Pace Way alignment have not yet been finalized by the City of North Bay, but work is being done towards that end. Both the City and the Conservation Authority will also be completing asphalt work on the Kate Pace Way this summer as part of the regular maintenance. |
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| Helping Us Connect | |
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Discovery Routes would like to thank all of our current Business Members for supporting our organization and the region's trails.
- FRi Ecological Services - All of our trails partners throughout the region provide continuous support to our organization by keeping us up-to-date on the status of trails and local trail events. Discovery Routes would like to extend our thanks to these Trail Connector Members for contributing to our organization and our efforts:
- West Nipissing Nordic Ski
Club - Over the past year, Discovery Routes has welcomed new Municipal Members to our organization. We would like to thank the following for their support:
- City of North Bay - Trails connect communities businesses and families. Bring trails to your business or organization and become a member of Discovery Routes. By building awareness and exposure of our regional trails system, you will be contributing to a healthy, natural Near North. |
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1375 Seymour Street, North Bay, P1B 9V6 ~ T: (705) 472-8480 ~ F: (705) 472-8027 ~ info@discoveryroutes.ca |
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