I can’t exactly remember where I became aware of this, but that’s not as important as that I did. Now I’m going to let all of you know about, and ask for a little help as well.

As part of the Ontario Trails Strategy, Land Information Ontario (LIO) has to collect and collate trail information in the form of maps (digital and hard copy) and interpretive information (i.e. name, length, surface, etc) and integrate this information into a consolidated spatial database to be called the Ontario Trails Network (OTN). The OTN Data is publicly accessible under a separate license(s) at no charge on an unrestricted use basis. It currently contains 2100 km of trails within the province and over 750 trail heads at this time.The OTN will focus on all single and shared-use outdoor designated trail networks in urban, rural and wilderness settings that are specifically managed by a named organization for recreation, active living, utilitarian or tourism purposes including but not necessarily limited to:

• Trails with natural (e.g. cross-country skiing) or treated surfaces
• On-road bicycle routes
• Walkways, boardwalks and sidewalks
• Trails located with transportation and utility corridors
• Access roads (i.e. for forestry and mining) “designated” for trail use
• Trails that are integrated with public transit services
• Waterway routes (e.g. canoe routes, canals) and portage routes

The Ministry coordinating this wants to know:

Does IMBA have such mapping or trail head locations or known trail routes that could be incorporated into the OTN? Or perhaps access to mountain bike organizations within the province that could help me acquire this information?

There will be several workshops across the province in association with the Trans Canada Trail and the Ontario Trails Council and hoping to get all trail organizations out in order to discuss the formation of Regional Trail Committees. You’ve heard my take on the OTC before, and it hasn’t changed. So the unfortunate effect is that the bicycling community has not been represented at previous meetings.

Dates for upcoming meetings are:

• North Gower (near Ottawa): November 14th, 2008 - Strathmere Country Retreat, 1980 Phelan Road, North Gower, Ontario
• Barrie: November 21st, 2008 - Travelodge Barrie, 300 Bayfield Street, Barrie, ON
• Peterborough: December 5th, 2008 - Robinson Place, MNR Building, 300 Water Street, Peterborough, ON
• Sarnia: February 6th, 2009 - TBD
• Sudbury: January 16th, 2009 - TBD
• Niagara Region: February 13th, 2009 - TBD
• Thunder Bay: To Be Determined - TBD

In addition, workshops and community meetings are planned in North Shore Lake Superior, Cochrane, Atikokan, Dryden, and Kenora.

I hope that those reading this post, and who have an interest in mapping, GIS, GPS, etc. will take the time to attend one of these meetings to see what is going on. How can mountain biking contribute to this? What can mountain biking gain from it? If you plan on attending one, please get in touch with me. That way we can act in a more coordinated fashion. More after the jump…

The agenda each day looks like this:

• 10:00 AM        Welcome & Introductions

TransCanada Trail - Kirsten Spence

• 10:15-10:35    Trail building
• 10:35-10:55    Marketing & Communications
• 10:55-11:15    Fundraising

Ontario Trails Council - Pat Connor

• 11:15-12:00     Updates

• 12:00 PM        Lunch (Provided)

Land Information Ontario/MNR - Carol-Anne Albertson

• 12:30-3:00     Provincial Trail Mapping Initiative
  • Regional Review of Mapping
  • Ontario Trails Access Agreement

• 3:00-3:30         Wrap up Discussion

In addition to letting me know that you’re attending please RSVP to Kristen Spence.