Ottawa Valley Recreational Trail – Multi-use trail including snowmobiles

The Future of Rail Trails

As you may know, Lanark County purchased the rail bed within it’s boundaries from CP and are now undergoing community consultations for it’s use. While parts of the rail bed you know as the 311 are in use this season on a trial basis, the hope from the snowmobiling community it to continue to expand on this idea throughout the entire county, creating a trail that will give excellent access to towns and villages, as well as an uninterrupted thoroughfare for the entire length of the rail bed.

We believe that OFSC clubs and infrastructure offer great advantages with our volunteer base and great snowmobiling community, and want to work together with other interest groups to create a trail system that can be enjoyed by all. The revenue alone that snowmobiling brings to local businesses both directly and indirectly is huge.

The final of four meetings held through the region will be this Thursday Feb. 16th between 6 and 8pm in Almonte at Old City Hall. What we really need from our snowmobiling community is a strong show of support in numbers attending this event, and to hear the concerns so that we may all work together to have multi-use trails that will benefit all residents and people of all recreational interests.

Please look at the attached information sheet and join us next Thursday!

Snowmobiling Fact Sheet Feb 17 v3

https://www.facebook.com/events/1827264094152297/

2017 Poker Run in support of The Snowsuit Fund – Updated Info!

2017 Poker Run in support of The Snowsuit Fund - Updated Info!

WCSTA Poker Run 2017, February 4th

Eventbrite - WCSTA 2015 Charity Snowmobile Poker Run, in support of the Snowsuit Fund!

Join the fun at the 2017 WCSTA 5th Annual Poker Run, in support of The Snowsuit Fund.

This year’s event is being held on Saturday February 4th in partnership with Kinburn Community Association – starting and finishing at Kinburn Community Centre. The Poker Run is a great way to get out and run our trails in West Carleton – and raise money for a great cause. Starting with breakfast between 8 and 11 am, and ending with dinner and prizes afterwards, it will be a great day!

All proceeds go The Snowsuit Fund which helps children under 19 years old where their family cannot afford winterwear.

To date, our poker runs have raised $5200.00, which has helped 148 children in our area keep warm in the winter. So, come out for the outdoor fun and/or dinner and help us keep this going!

We will also be collecting gently used winter jackets, gloves, boots etc…. So please drop off what you can.

Schedule

Breakfast 8 – 11 AM, served by WCSTA volunteers

Registration from 10 – 11 AM

Snowmobile Poker Run starts at 11 AM sharp.

Community Centre with Cash Bar opens at 3 PM

Dinner at 6 PM with many prizes from the Poker Run and for the “dinner only” guests.

Location

Kinburn Community Centre, 3045 Kinburn Side Rd., Kinburn, ON. (There will be plenty of parking on site for those who wish to trailer to and from the event).

Poker run and dinner tickets:

(per sled – includes community charity dinner for one and one poker hand):

35.00 Early Bird (limited number)  plus service charge online only at eventbrite.ca
40.00 after Early Bird sold plus service charge
25.00 Youth (12-18 years old)
Community Charity Dinner only tickets: $20.00 plus service charge

Children under 12 free!

Additional poker hands: $5.00 each

Prizes: 1st, 2nd, 3rd place, oldest/youngest riders and more!

Thanks to our many sponsors, who have contributed some fabulous prizes:

Title Sponsors:

Calabogie Motorsports Park

Delta Global Logistics

Nordik Spa-Nature

Pivot Point Solutions

Urban Sport Arnprior

Sponsors:

Black’s Corners Motorsport

Budau Manufacturing

Eli El-Chantiry, Councilor Ward 5

George’s Marine & Sports

The Hamilton family

Jaws Performance

Kanata Myers Chevrolet

Nicholls Gas Bar

Perth Power Sports

The Prior Sports Bar

Sammy’s Pizza

Urban Ford Arnprior

Please contact us if you or your company is interested in becoming a sponsor!

 

Remember, proceeds will benefit The Snowsuit Fund. We’ll be collecting donations of new and gently used winter wear (snowsuits, hats, mitts, boots) of all sizes. Let’s help out a great cause and have fun on the trails!

The Snowsuit Fund logo

Please visit this site or our Facebook event, West Carleton Snowmobile Annual Charity Poker Run in Support of the Snowsuit Fund! for updates or cancellations. 

For additional questions please contact Scott Hamilton

We hope to see you there 🙂

Eventbrite - WCSTA 2015 Charity Snowmobile Poker Run, in support of the Snowsuit Fund!

 

 

Article – Crossing Farmers’ Fields

Article - Crossing Farmers' Fields
Crossing farmers'fields

Photo by Martin Lortz for Ontario Tourism

Every year when snow is on the ground and our throttle thumbs are itching, our club is often asked why some trails remain unavailable for riding each year longer than others. While weather, running water and terrain play a big part in it, opening trails and keeping them open is a process with many moving parts. To help explain, please have a look a the attached article, by Craig Nicholson and Graham Snyder, and courtesy of OFSC Go Snowmobiling Magazine, Vol. 8 #2.

GSM Vol8#2 OFSC – Crossing Farmers’ Fields

 

IMPORTANT message regarding riding on rail line from Carp to Craig Side Rd.

 

IMPORTANT message regarding riding on rail line from Carp to Craig Side Rd.

We have been informed that the people who keep the track clear for the trains are having trouble as some Snowmobilers are running down the section of track to connect with the trails. Please STOP doing this. Self explanatory. You are trespassing….

Here is a notice from the CN website:

ATV and Snowmobile Safety
Safety starts with you…

  • Riding a snowmobile or ATV can be an amazing outdoor experience. It can also be fatal — in the wrong hands. Here are some tips for riding safe.
  • Cross only at designated locations (it is illegal and dangerous to trespass on railway property).
  • Ride on approved trails only (look for signs about approaching a railway crossing).
  • Expect a train on any track, in either direction, at any time.
  • Be especially cautious at night or in snowy conditions (both make it difficult to see obstacles, passing trains or railway crossings).
  • Stop at railway crossings to ensure you don’t ride in front of or into the side of a passing train.
  • Contact the railway (using the emergency number prominently posted at crossings) or call 911 immediately if your ATV or snowmobile gets stuck on a track or railway line (a train can come at any time).
  • Keep in mind that helmets, engines, wind and weather may muffle the sound of an approaching train.
  • Do not ride next to the tracks (locomotives and railway cars are wider than the rails, leaving little or no room for you).

2016-2017 Trail Guide now available in PDF

WCSTA Trail Guide and map

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The WCSTA Trail Guide and map for the 2016-17 season is now available in PDF format. There have been quite a few changes and some exciting new additions to West Carleton trails for the 2016 – 2017 season. Much hard work has gone into getting access to the two sections of the old rail line between Arnprior and Blakeney and getting it opened up for OFSC member use. The BEAST has also been granted use of the same rail line from Carleton Place to Smiths Falls.

Printed versions to arrive very soon. To see our latest trail routes right now, download a PDF Trail Guide.

Pick up a printed copy when you’re visiting local club supporters and businesses in the new year. And please remember to support the businesses who have made this guide possible by advertising in it!

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Wait for it… wait for it….

Keep sleds parked

Another awesome dump of snow last night and today and in the distance I think I hear groomers starting to warm up for some pre-season packing. Hopefully a good cold snap will also help our waterways and swamps, which are still far from being safe. But things are looking great!

Please, everyone remember that trying to get that jump on the season before trails are open risks it for all of us. We have lost some valuable links on local trails this season and have been working hard to find suitable reroutes. One sled wandering where it shouldn’t be can result in a trail becoming a permanent dead end – and we can’t blame our landowners for trying to protect their crops, property and livelihood.

On a lighter note, West Carleton has some exciting new trails being opened this season, like the W311 – the rail bed linking us from Arnprior, through Pakenham, Almonte, Blakeney and continuing on in the BEAST as #311. Huge thanks to the families who went out and brushed and put up the signs!

It’s going to be a great year if people can please, PLEASE keep the sleds parked until they show “Available” on the Interactive Trail Guide. And if you know that person that still insists on trespassing on unopened trails – put some pressure on them – they are messing with all that money you have invested riding this year.

2016-17 OFSC App and WCSTA Trail Guide Advertising now available! 

wcsta-maps-in-holders

 

For a very limited time, we have advertising spaces available on the WCSTA Trail Guide.

You can also get your business identified on the iSnowmobile mobile app and the OFSC Interactive Trail Guide as a Point of Interest, or have trailside signs installed near your business for the season. Deadline for advertising is Thursday December 15th, so don’t delay!

Single Map Ad:

1 square – $200.00 per square, colour ad (1-7/8 x 2”)
($100.00 per additional square to make your ad stand out)

Point of Interest (P.O.I.) Listing on OFSC Interactive Map and iSnowmobile Mobile App:

$75.00 per listing. This is the mobile app that many snowmobilers use to navigate. This is great for restaurants, gas stations, dealerships and motels/hotels.

Trail signs:

$75.00 This includes up to three trails signs that we place to direct snowmobilers to your business. The signs are supplied by the advertisers and approved by the club. With this option you also get to post one ad on our Facebook group per week to promote your business and/or specials

Package:

Trail map ad, POI listing and Trail signs. $300.00

Please email contact@wcstai.com for pricing and more details, or phone Ian Torrey at 613.832.4596.

 

Trail Guide Advertising 2015-2016WCSTA Trail Guide Map

Trail Status – Not Available

not-yet-sign-1024x420

The snow is still falling out there – beautiful! It’s looking like a great season ahead! But remember that conditions are still very unsafe for riding and absolutely no trails in Ontario are open. Your volunteers have been and are currently working hard to get signage in and find reroutes for trails that have been closed off from last year. Traveling on unopened trails is trespassing on private property and trespass charges can be laid, trails can be closed, but most importantly it is unsafe! And we all want to see you out there once we are able to get them open.

If you’re itching to get out on the trails, why not contact us to see where you can help with getting them opened up! Thanks.