FALL 2013
Transcription
FALL 2013
Editor: Stan Fenton NEWSLETTER STP Executive President Chuck Breathat Secretary Treasurer Don O’Connor VP of Operations Richard Bleskie Operations Director Norm Hein Mon - Friday 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. For more information call 705 693-7669 - ext 12 The STP holds general membership meetings on the second Tuesday of every month at 7:00 p.m. in the board room. 1380 Falconbridge Hwy. All members are welcome to attend. INDEX Pg 2 Pg 3 Pg 4 Pg 5 Pg 7 Pg 8 Pg 9 – VP Operations Report -- Permit Prices – Coming Events – Club Corner – BDSA -- NBSS – WSR – Tourism Loop FALL 2013 Well it is already that time again. This year Mother Nature gave us a wonderful show of fall colours, but it would seem autumn is just about over. Next will come those frosty mornings with just a sprinkle of snow which tends to get us all excited about the next season, the season many of us enjoy the most. We can now turn our thoughts to getting our sleds ready for another fun filled winter of snowmobiling. I know that everyone in my household is starting to get the itch to get out there for that first ride.....yes, I know it is yet several weeks away. I suppose it is a good thing that the season start is still a bit away as we continue to go through the annual ritual of prepping and signing the trails. The meetings and planning also continues for the seemingly annual changes that take place on many of our trails. Speaking of changes, those of you who have been keeping in touch with the transformation going on with snowmobiling in Ontario will already be aware of the new structure in permit pricing; for those of you not aware I will mention it again. At the annual OFSC general meeting, held in September, the delegates approved the proposed “Framework for Change.” This framework will bring forth significant changes in the way that the clubs, associations and districts do business. I suppose the easiest way to describe it would be as a new revenue sharing system that tries to get as much money to the areas throughout the province that need it the most. Hopefully, this is the start of great things and will help to grow the sport we all love. For the average snowmobiler, the most obvious change they will see is the pricing on permits. People have been asking for a cheaper permit for years and now the OFSC member clubs have come through with just that. 1 BOARD MEMBERS Broder Dill Snowmobile Association. Lloyd Myllynen Conniston/Wanapitae Driftbusters Michelle Menard Nickel Belt Snow Spirits Al Ross Northbound Sno Drifters Marcel Roy Capreol Ridge Riders Jack May Onaping Falls High Riders Joel Brousseau Valley Trail Masters Don Martindale Walden Sno Runners Murray Baker Permit Sales Outlets -Mid City Sports – Falconbridge Hwy, -Sudbury Boat and Canoe -Sportsman Lodge ‐ Kukagami Lake Welcome Confectionary Lasalle Blvd., -Gillo’s Gas & Lube - Dowling, -Levack Home Hardware – Levack, -Windy Lake Motel – Onaping, -Hi-Way Restaurant - Cartier, -Western Valley Auto - 314 Harrison -Algonquin Equipment 259 Fielding Rd (Lively) Con’t I sure hope the new lower price permit sways the fence sitters into purchasing a permit. I won't bore you with all the price comparisons; however, I for one feel it is by far the cheapest part of snowmobiling. I will challenge the doubters to come and try out our trails just to remind them that you really do get the “bang for the buck”. I would also like to remind people that the biggest reason the cost is not several times higher is that the system is run by thousands of dedicated volunteers who give so much of their free time to this sport. And with that I will close by sending out a huge “Thank You” to all of the volunteers of the Sudbury Trail Plan and its eight member clubs. The continuous hard work of these volunteers shows in our hundreds of kilometers of trails. Our groomer operators have often found themselves part of that volunteering workforce and their unpaid efforts are much appreciated. Our part time admin. person ...Jo... has had to hit the ground running as she arrives at the busiest time of year, thank you to her as well. A huge shout-out goes to our full time staff of, ONE; Normie. The dedication this man shows is second to none; he truly takes his work home with him. We are fortunate enough that our three executive members have returned for yet another year. I have had the good fortune of working with Richard and Don for several years now and I can certainly say they go above and beyond the call of duty. I for one think that the STP is blessed with the greatest staff and volunteers; hopefully Mother Nature will provide the required elements to make it all worthwhile. Remember to mark those permit purchase deadlines on your calendars, and I hope to see you on the trails. Chuck Breathat STP President -Royal Distributing – Lasalle Blvd., -Desjardins Service Stn – Chelmsford, -Naughton General Store - Naughton ……………………………………….. VP Operations I guess it is time I get to this. Boy it has been a busy few months since I last wrote this column and much has happened. Let's see, where do I start. 2 Well, let’s start with the spring. We did manage to get all our groomers and drags back in and thanks to the efforts of our groomer coordinators did manage to get most of the repairs done and ready for the coming season. There are still a few things to do as parts were back ordered. We will get these when we do our fall inspections. This is no small task and we owe these operators a big round of thanks as they spent many days crawling around, over and under these machines trying to find all the problems and potential problems so they do not break down on the trail. While this was happening the executive also came up with a new budget for the 2013/14 season. Then came the STP summer shutdown for the most part. Yes, things were still happening in the background. We finally got the broken water line fixed, did some building maintenance and even cut the grass. One of the biggest items on our agenda was putting an application together for a new groomer. Now we need to hold our breath and cross our fingers and toes that we are successful. During the summer as usual we keep hearing about trail issues and pass these on to the clubs for action. Some of these have resulted in projects that are and will take place before the snow falls to make our trails safe and in even better shape. I am sure you will notice a few changes when the snow falls. With these projects came applications for funding. This took a lot of effort by clubs, staff and the executive to get organized and sent in. Like the groomer application we now wait for the results and hopefully a few dollars to get the work done. As summer closed and a new season started the STP held its annual AGM and elections. The result was that the executive will remain the same as last season with Chuck Breathat as president. Richard Bleskie as VP Operations and Don O'Connor as SecretaryTreasurer. With the fall we also had our volunteer electrician (Al Ross) also doing some work fixing the furnace and setting up our security system electrics. The STP sent our President to the OFSC AGM for what will probably be the biggest change to hit organized snowmobiling in years. The Framework for Change was discussed and reviewed. This will change the way snowmobiling is funded and be based on costs and permit dollars available. It will hopefully allow these permit dollars to flow more easily to where the snow is in the future. This year is a transitional year to get clubs and district used to it. It will also work out some of the kinks as they are brought to light. In this regard you will also notice a change in the permit pricing. To the average snowmobiler this could result in a savings if you buy your permit early and online. I will say that if it passes, to get this discount you will need to apply for the permit online ONLY and before November 1st, after that you can buy the permit as you did last season but will not get the discount. I guess these are the main things and I will not bore you with a bunch of trivial items so, until next time I suggest you spend a little time checking over your sled and getting ready for that first snow. Richard Bleskie ****************************************************************************************************************** Under Framework for Change, among other things, a new permit cost structure was implemented. This new structure will lower the purchase price of some permits and establish a uniform permit base cost to clubs across the province. This online purchase will ease some of the administration and volunteer burden. Permit buyers who purchase their permit online prior to November 1st will get a 3 special price of $180 (plus handling fee of $7.50). They must be purchased online as no permits will be available at local permit selling establishments prior to November 1 st. A second item to be aware of is the changes to Classic Permit pricing. There is no pre November 1st discount however, there is an after Dec 1st price increase to bring it in line with regular full season permits. So here are the permit prices for the 2013/14 season Regular season permits: Pre Nov 1st (online only) $180.00 Plus a $7.50 handling charge per permit After Nov 1st to Dec 1st $210.00 After Dec 1st $260.00 A permit bought after March 10th (online only) will offer the buyer a 2014 permit and a 2015 permit at no charge delivered in the fall. Classic permit: Before Dec 1 After Dec 1st $140.00 $170.00 Replacements: $10.00 Other permits: 1 day Special occasion 3 day 7 day $35.00 $75.00 $140.00 ****************************************************************************************** 38th Annual Sudbury Snowarama for Easter Seals Kids! The Sudbury Trail Plan Association and Easter Seals Ontario are gearing up to host the 38th Annual Sudbury Snowarama for Easter Seals Kids. On behalf of Easter Seals Ontario, we would like to extend an invitation for you and your family to participate in this fun filled event. This year’s event will be hosted by the Broder Dill Snowmobilers Association and takes place on Sat., Feb. 1, 2014 at the Colonial Inn, 28 Cedar Street, Coniston, ON. Participants are required to have a trail permit and must raise a minimum of $25 in pledges. Registration will be open from 9 am - 2 pm. The snowmobile ride will take place from 10 am - 2 pm, followed by prizes for everyone, including prizes for Top Fundraising Individual and Top Fundraising Club as well as for Oldest and Youngest Drivers, and Youngest Riders (M/F). A complimentary lunch will be available from 12 noon - 3 pm. for all participants. Funds raised at this event help provide financial assistance for children with physical disabilities for essential mobility equipment and communication devices. Snowarama for Easter Seals Kids would 4 not be a success without the support of the snowmobiling community. We sincerely hope that we can count on your support and participation. Visit snowarama.org to register and invite your friends and family to support you online. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact Joanne Bowers at 705-566-8858 ext. 6 or email [email protected] We look forward to seeing you on the trails! - 0o0 The Big Deal is Back!! After two years of one of the biggest Poker Runs in Northern Ontario, Larry Berrio and Sudbury Trail Plan have set the date for Saturday, February 22, 2014. The host location will be at the newly owned and renovated Summit Restaurant (Monte Vista Golf Club in Val Caron). The stop locations will include Rockie's on Lake Wahnapitae, Sportsman's Lodge on Kukugami Lake and a few other surprise stops. Prizes and special guests will be announced soon! Part proceeds will benefit Big Brothers and Big Sisters of Sudbury. For more information, you can contact Larry Berrio. [email protected] -0o0Some of the STP gang will be at the Toronto Snowmobile and Power Show held at the International Centre in Toronto on October 25-27th. A few have been working on this for some time now and will be attending a booth to highlight the area all weekend. Stop in and say hello if you are down that way. ***************************************************************************************************************** Broder Dill Snowmobile Association Richard Bleskie Hello and welcome back for another season. What a great winter 2012/13 was. Last winter BDSA took on an extra 100 km of trail stretching all the way to Killarney. This was no small feat as for many of us this is a two hour drive just to get to sections of the trail to do trail 5 preparation. Looking back at last season the club completed many trail projects and this season will be no different. Although we have no big projects planned, we do have many small ones that we will be doing and a few that have already been done. I am sure we will find a few more surprises as we explore the trails this fall. Some BDSA volunteers have already been out fixing culverts, checking trails and starting signage work. This work will continue until, and even after the snow falls, so if you have a few hours or day to spare we would appreciate the help. If you live close by a trail - possibly the best help you could offer is to adopt that section and make sure it is cleared and ready to go. If you encounter a major problem on it, as always we would get others to help, just let us know so we are not wasting time and other volunteer hours retracing your steps. A couple of jobs that come to mind off hand are repairing the second bridge on C108D - some planks have deteriorated and need to be changed and upgrading signage on C107D. Once again we thank the many volunteers that give of their time to do some of the many tasks it takes to keep the BDSA trails in great shape. Last season BDSA once again teamed up with Walden to host our annual season ending social and once again it was a real success. After a great meal and some fun at the casino games, many items were handed out at the silent auction going at basement bargain prices, only to be followed by many more prices given for the casino games and them for door prizes and draws. A great time was had by all. If you have not attended one of these annual events plan on being there for the 7th annual social on March 21st 2014. Last winter the club also said hello to several new members and we hope they stick around for many more years. It was great to see and get to know them and we value their input and help. To our regular and longer volunteers we also say thank you once again for all you do. Many of these volunteers do not even ask but just go about doing what needs to be done and we find out later. We appreciate this effort and it does not go un-noticed. Many over the years have put in exceptional efforts for which a thank you can never be enough and we seemingly continue to ask more of them and they continue to deliver. This fall several BDSA members attended the OFSC AGM in Markham in different capacities (Lloyd as district Governor, Richard as district Operations Coordinator, Anne as the BDSA delegate and Guy as district Via Coordinator). I am not going to rehash all that went on but I will mention that BDSA did not go unnoticed. BDSA was honoured to take home the Ted Day Communications Award for it's newsletter and communications effort with our members. This was something the members asked for and as the editor I tried to provide. Also we started a Facebook page and it has grown steadily since. We welcome all to comment on this page or tell us what you have been doing and seeing on the great trails in our area. Over the coming months BDSA, will once again be participating in many trail and social events. In February we plan our annual Trailside BBQ and then our club ride to a destination we still need to decide on and in March our Annual social which will be at the Long Lake Legion. Everyone is welcome to join in on one or all of these events. However to add to these we will be doing many day rides to fix signs and do trail patrolling etc. Come on out to one of our meetings and find out more about these events or better yet join the committee to help organize one. If you were not at the BDSA annual meeting you will notice a change in the executive after our BDSA AGM in April. Lloyd Myllynen -President, Martti Luoma - Vice President and John ElliottTreasurer all remain however we welcome Julie Weaver as our new secretary. Richard will also remain as meeting chairperson. As always our meetings are held on the last Thursday of the month at the Long Lake Legion at 7 pm. Meetings October 23th 2013 November 28th 2013 December 19th 2013 January 30th 2014 February 27th 2014 March 27th 2014 April 24th 2014 (AGM) 6 Events Trailside BBQ - Feb. 9, 2014 Club ride - Feb 22, 2014 Social BDSA/WSR Social March 21st 2014 (starts at 6 pm) ****************************************************************************************** Nickel Belt Snow Spirits Hello to all! As we start to experience cooler overnight temperatures and watch the leaves change to their brilliant fall colours, it is only natural to begin to daydream about smooth white trails and great winter adventures. STOP DREAMING!! Those times are closer than you think and we all have lots to do in preparation for that first ride. Sleds have to be serviced, clothing checked to see it still fits and of course trail permits purchased. Other News While you are contemplating moving all the summer toys to find the winter ones, take a few minutes to catch up on the latest news regarding the key events and activities that have been going on with NBSS and the STP club areas around us. We can’t possibly give you all the details here, but we will hopefully give you an appreciation of the effort it takes to be the successful club we are. 2013 VOLUNTEER RECOGNITION In April, STP held their annual volunteer appreciation dinner at the Colonial Inn in Coniston. The dinner was followed by a social evening and awards presentations. Barb Zaitz and Norm Terava were recognized as the NBSS Family of the Year for their hard work as volunteers and directors. Brian McKenelly was recognized as the NBSS Club Rookie of the Year, and Jean Roy was recognized as the NBSS Club Volunteer of the Year. We are fortunate to have a number of long-term Board members but always welcome new faces and new ideas. The awards noted below are for consecutive years of service. Recipient of a NBSS 15 year Director Service Award were Stewart Spry and Gilles Tessier. MEETING INFO: Club General Meetings are held the 1st Wednesday from October to March. Next General Meeting / Wed. November 6, 2013 Downstairs @ the Falcon Hotel – Garson (use back entrance) Start Time 7:00 PM. We look forward to seeing you there! Join us for more club info. CONTACT US: We are on Just search “Nickel Belt Snow Spirits” 7 Greetings everyone! Well it is that time of year again to get the trails ready for the upcoming season, volunteers are need to assist with the brushing and maintaining of our trails, so if you can volunteer time, it would be greatly appreciated. We had a great season last winter and into spring. I went for my last ride on April 14th, could not believe it, I had put the machine away, no snow in the yard. Then we got that little storm and onto the lake I went where I met some other riders from Windy Lake enjoying smooth snow covered trails. It was a great way to end a great season; we had a very successful Family Day Weekend- Rider Appreciation Day on the trail, more good times at our joint WSR Broader Dill Social. This is Walden Sno Runners 25th year Anniversary, so to celebrate the Club will be holding a dinner dance on November 30, 2013, at the Lively Golf and Country Club, 6th Ave., Lively. Tickets may be purchased for $25.00 from Louise Baker 705 866-5301 or Joanne Santi 705 692-0846, hope to see you there. checkout link http://secure.smilebox.com/ecom/openTheBox?sendevent=4d7a63344f544d7a4e546c384f44513 54d4459304d44453d0d0a&sb=1&campaign=SboxAnncmntInvt&utm_source=SboxAnncmntInvt The Annual General Membership Meeting will be held November 16, 2013, at the Kinsmen Hall, 15 Kin Dr., Lively (Library) boardroom at 7:00pm. All are welcome and the elections for the executive are held during this meeting. Please plan on attending. Murray Baker President Join us on Facebook Look for us under 8 Chiniguchi Wolf Loop (223 kms) Have you ever ridden the Chiniguchi Wolf Loop? This exciting loop travels on four different club trails. Goes through the Wolf Lake Forest Reserve, one of Ontario's old growth forests. The Living Legacy Land Use Strategy protected approximately 2,400 hectares of Boreal Forest, including Wolf Lake. Check out the scenic lookout from on Top of Wolf Mountain and view the old growth Red Pines and Majestic Lakes. Many of the trees here are well over 200 years old! "Scientists from Laurentian took some cores, and found one that is 310 years old," says Franco Mariotti of Science North. "We also have a cross-section, of a tree that was cut down in 1988 for an exhibit on climate change, and it's 240 years old. There are scars showing five fires that were survived over the life of this tree, which goes back to about 1760." That would be 30 years before the formation of Upper Canada. Sledders like the route because it's a scenic one, and also because it gets a lot of white stuff early in the season. "It tends to be the first trail we open in the (Sudbury Trail Plan) system," Al Ross, President Nickel Belt Snow Spirits says. "For some reason, it seems to make a lot of snow up there." Nickel Belt Snow Spirits maintains an outhouse at the base of the mountain -- a nice one, too, as far as outhouses go -- at a strategic fork in the C206D route. Ishpatina Ridge, the highest point in Ontario, is visible from the lookout on Wolf Mountain. While riding the Chiniguchi Wolf Loop, you will ride past old mining claims and active mine sites. And always keep an eye out for wild life! It's not uncommon to see Moose, Coyotes, Timber Wolfs and Northern Lynx along the Chiniguchi Wolf Loop! Cartier Moose Loop (253.5 kms) The Cartier Moose Loop travels through the rugged and rounded rocks of the Laurentian Highlands and travels through Boreal Forest. While traveling on the Cartier Moose Loop explore the remnants of the Village of Sellwood. In 1900, the village of Sellwood, located 14 miles north of Capreol, was a sawmill town of about 100 people that included prospectors and Aboriginals. In 1907 it was better known as the northern terminal of the Canadian Northern Railroad and by 1910, the discovery of iron deposits led to the beginning of mining operations. By 1916, the town had four stores, a Chinese laundry, a bowling alley, four pool-rooms and two restaurants. Accommodation could be found at one of the two bunkhouses, or at the 100-room Warren Hotel. Many of the residents owned their own homes. There was also a school, post office and a church. At its height Sellwood boasted a population of 1,500. By 1930, Sellwood was completely empty. 9 Rainbow Elk Loop (325 kms) The Rainbow Elk Loop encompasses several extremely scenic areas; Killaney Park, with an abundance of wildlife including Elk. In February 1996, the Ontario government announced, an elk restoration program. As of 2012, MNR estimates a population of 165-195 elk in the Rainbow Elk Loop area. It's common to see Elk along this loop. The La Cloche Mountains, also called the La Cloche Range, are a range of hills in Northern Ontario, along the northern shore of Lake Huron near Manitoulin Island. The hills are located in the Canadian Shield, and are composed primarily of white quartzite. With an estimated age of 3.5 billion years, the La Cloche Mountains are one of the oldest mountain ranges on Earth. The hills comprising the La Cloche Mountains are believed to have once been higher than today's Rocky Mountains. They remain among the highest altitudes in Ontario. According to legend, the hills were warning bells, or tocsins, used by local First Nations for signaling. These "Bell Rocks" could be heard for a considerable distance when struck, and accordingly when voyageurs explored the area they named it with the French word for “bell” — La Cloche The district developed a new flyer to promote the loops, check it out, they should be available in permit selling establishments and where you can find guides. Congratulations to the winners of the 2012/13 STP awards. First was the Rookie of the Year going to R. Sauve of Northbound Sno Drifters, the Volunteer Proficiency Award went to M. Baker of Walden Sno Runners and the Award of Merit to R. Bleskie of Broder Dill. Murray Baker receiving the Volunteer Proficiency Award 10 The OFSC Family of the Year Tour successfully allowed us to showcase two of our tourism loops - the Chiniguichi Wolf Loop and the Cartier Moose Loop. Waiting in anticipation at the Chateau Guay for a great Family of the Year Tour Snowarama 2013 was held in early February and the participants enjoyed a great day on the trail. The weather was ideal and the STP clubs and volunteers raised the most by any club in Ontario. Congratulations to the VTM for sponsoring this great day. At this years OFSC AGM, District 12 and it's clubs and volunteers were the recipients of not one but 3 different awards. We set the bar with 2 a couple years ago and now raised it to three. Receiving awards were- from the Espanola and District Club Mike and Sue Belanger and Family as the Family of the Year. From the Espanola and District Club Dennis Lendrum for Trail Patroller of the Year and Broder Dill received the Ted Day Award for communications with it's membership. Our volunteers and selection committee must be doing something right, Belanger Family -OFSC Family of the Year 11 Dennis Lendrum - OFSC Trail Patroller of the Year BDSA - Communications Award (R.Bleskie -newsletter editor) Congratulations to all the winners ******************************************************************* 12