Oxford County Trails Tours – scheduled for Sunday afternoon, and Wednesday afternoon, the Oxford County Trails Council has put together a walking, cycling and water tour for delegate enjoyment. That way its not all just indoors but you get to enjoy and experience some of Oxford County’s finest trails! To book a spot contact Wayne Daub of the OCTC at wdaub@ofatv.org
Join us for the Trailhead Ontario Opening! – Starting at 0900 sharp, we will be welcomed by the Warden of Oxford County, Don McKay. Don is supportive to the quality of life and to tourism, and is also an active volunteer in the County. So he is keen to gain insights into both the importance of trails at Trailhead Ontario, this year. Please join us to express our appreciation to Oxford County for being our Trailhead Ontario 2012 hosts!
Ontario Trails Strategy – this session is designed to provide the trails community, trail managers and volunteers with up to date information on the status of the 2007 Ontario Trails Strategy, and its relationship with the Recreational Framework, re-written in 2011. Trails are supported by the Ministry of Tourism, Culture and Sport and they have the mandate for both implementation and support of recreation and trails. Our panel of Ministry staff will lead the way in detailing the policies and how they make them work at the provincial level!
Rouge Park – Canada’s First Urban Wilderness Park – fantastic! But what are the challenges and opportunities of creating an urban wilderness park? Come and hear from representatives of Rouge Park, the Toronto Region Conservation Authority and Biosphere experts as we discuss the unique aspects of this wilderness in an urban setting. A must attend session for conservation and park staff operating wilderness rail trails, conservation lands, forests and parks in urban areas.
Trails Education and Skill Development Program – Become a trail development leader! Launching in Ontario – first ever series of 14 courses in the development and management of trails. Designed for both volunteers and professionals. Learn more about the various program elements, the calendar of courses, how we select the content, on-line learning options and more. Got staff that need training – attend this session and learn how you can get your staff to courses so you can have better trails! http://trailheadontario.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/05/Risk-Managment-@TrailheadOntario.pdf
Towards a Provincial Cycling Strategy – in 2011 the Ontario Ministry of Transportation initiated a cycling data collection project. The intent of the project was to gather best practice information from both within the province and around the world on the various considerations that need to be taken into account should Ontario wish to develop a provincial cycling route network. The project also collected data on bicycle route networks across the province, such as selected municipal and tourism focused routes, in order to get a better understanding of where people are currently cycling for recreational purposes. In this session the ministry will discuss some of the best practices learned through the completion of this project.
Ontario Trails Council AGM – a working luncheon that will process the annual business of the OTC. Join the Ontario Trails Council today! Have a vote. Make your input count.
Provincial – National Trails Panel – We welcome the Hon. Michael Chan (invited) to open our session Once again the OTC appreciates the support of the Canadian Trails Federation and The National Trails Coalition as they report on their efforts nationally in Ottawa, and across all 13 territories and provinces as they work to implement, improve and provide funding for trail development. A must-see section for groups that are project ready, require a few more dollars to get that project off the ground, or for folks who are just interested in how other provinces do trails! In 2011 Ontario informed BC about Active transportation. Come and expose your work on the national scene – others can learn from your experience.
Regional Trail Initiatives – In this session we profile 4 projects of regional significance. All of these projects will improve regional tourism visitations, regional heritage, open regional lands for trail use and promote the regional sense of trails – networks and connectivity. This is important. Each of these projects is regionally significant and represents a different angle on trail type. In this way the trail implementation and trail management process is subtly, but importantly, different. Learn more about how these types of trail are benefitting the region and how you may get a similar project underway in your region.
Northern Trail Projects – Vast spaces, 100’s of kilometers at a stretch, limited resources, no people, no infrastructure – Northern Ontario is different and so are the demands on trail implementation organizations. Yet there is enthusiasm and longing for trails – on land and water and in the wild. Hear about our Path and Paddle and the Kinghorn Rail Trail leadership as they describe the immense space, community support and they way they are building trails in the North.
Say Yes to Trails – the new Ontario Recreational Policy and it’s impact on Trails – The re-alignment of tourism destination marketing organizations and their implementation of a trail tourism economy inspired sessions on Trail Tourism – bring your Town Clerk and a Staff to our roundtable. A must session for elected officials and staff. Understand the importance of trails to your community. They will learn about the economic, health, and social benefits of trails, how to create jobs, safer communities and have a healthier population when they SAY YES to TRAILS!
Carolinian Canada Coalition: Planning The Erie Coastal Stewardship Eco Trail – Carolinian Canada Coalition and the Erie Coastal Stewardship Eco Trail – the Carolinian Canada partnership network is protecting and restoring the last of the Carolinian Forest across southwestern Ontario, an area under great pressure. How do you balance landscape protection with diverse land uses and interests? Learn how this unique trail concept is stewarding rare species and coastal health while promoting enjoyment of Canada’s south coast through green tourism strategies.
Trails Tourism a Cohesive RTO Approach – working with leading trails and tourism experts this panel explores the variation in trail tourism products across Ontario. It also introduces trail products, assessments, valuations and development from the national support, provincial Ministry support and RTO resourcing levels. All 13 RTO’s are different. Not all regions provide similar products or services. Come bring your regional approach – this session provides a broad overview that will enable the encapsulation of an “Ontario Trails Tourism” picture.
Trails Training Day - Our 14-point program is moving along, and while we are still determining whether this is an on-the-ground trail building, or an in classroom educational session(s) one thing is for sure – staff who require practical hands on building or functional useable skill development they can use on your trails will want to attend. We’ll let you know as soon as the decision is made!
Lunch, Dinner and Coffee – conferences are often noted for their ambiance, the food served and the functionality of the breaks. Make no mistake the Oxford County Trails Council picked a regional dining and accommodation excellence showcase in the Elm Hurst Inn and Country Spa. Located close the 401 its easy to find and a quick ‘outtahere’ at the end of the event. It’s beautiful and so we suggest you bring your spouse or significant other and make our conference a weekend within the week.
