Tag: canadian outdoors

Say Hello to Your New Trans Canada Trail!

June 8, 2021

Old name, new look

You may have noticed that things look a little different these days on our website, social media pages, and maybe even trail signs. As of June 1, 2021, the name of The Great Trail of Canada has changed back to its original name, and is once again known as the iconic Trans Canada Trail.

The background

Back in 2016, we decided to separate the name of our organization (Trans Canada Trail) from the name of the physical trail (The Great Trail), as a way to celebrate and highlight the significant milestone of connection in 2017.

Charting our course for the future

Post-connection, we began the process of charting a course for our future. In order to build on this historic achievement, we undertook significant consultation and research with our partners, donors, funders and stakeholders to secure their input on our future direction.

Part of this outreach included focus groups and research into the name change. As good stewards of our brand, understanding how our name and our work resonate is valued feedback. We were also looking to respond to lingering concerns and confusion about the name change.  To address this, we conducted extensive polling and focus group research to find out exactly what Canadians know about us, and what they think of our name.

What we heard

The research showed that the Trans Canada Trail name was the preferred option. Almost all participants told us that they favoured the original name for the physical trail. And, the majority (70%) supported returning to the original name.

When we asked them why, the reasons included an emotional connection to the name and a strong sense of pride in a name that identifies the Trail as uniquely Canadian.  The other piece of information that the research yielded was the low level of awareness of The Great Trail name. The Trans Canada Trail name surpassed that of The Great Trail by a factor of 10:1.

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RCMP revs up covert ops ahead of May 24 start of ATV season

May 21, 2021

Since 2018, 38 people have died in ATV crashes in N.L.

CBC News · Posted: May 20, 2021 4:55 PM NT | Last Updated: May 204 comments

The RCMP launched Phase 2 of their ATV safety campaign in Newfoundland and Labrador on Thursday. (Jeremy Eaton/CBC)

There has been one death this year involving an ATV in Newfoundland and Labrador, compared with four at the same point last year, according to the RCMP, which launched the second phase of its ATV safety campaign on Thursday. 

With the Victoria Day long weekend ahead, the RCMP picked Thursday to reiterate the importance of ATV safety with an expected increase in ATV activity over the weekend and through the rest of the summer.

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Yukon considers easing COVID gathering restrictions to up to 100 people outdoors

May 21, 2021

Author of the article:The Canadian Press

The Canadian PressPublishing date:May 19, 2021  •  1 day ago  •  1 minute read  •   Join the conversation

Article content

WHITEHORSE — Yukon officials are looking at further easing restrictions on both indoor and outdoor social gatherings, allowing people to get together for cultural events as well as weddings and funerals.

Premier Sandy Silver told a news conference Wednesday that officials may soon allow up to 20 people to gather indoors and as many as 100 outside with physical distancing and masks.

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Alberta abruptly cancels request for drone surveillance to watch campers on public land – CBC News

May 20, 2021

Minister of parks and environment says no one in his office approved the request for proposals

Michelle Bellefontaine · CBC News · Posted: May 18, 2021 12:02 PM MT | Last Updated: May 18

Parks across Alberta are seeing an influx of users, leaving more garbage and concerns about trespassing. (Wallis Snowdon/CBC)

The Alberta government on Tuesday abruptly cancelled a request for proposals seeking a contractor to provide long-range drones to help with enforcement of camping on public lands this summer.

Posted on Friday, the RFP suggested Alberta Environment and Parks planned to use drones to take photos and video of “designated areas” of public lands over four weekends this summer and fall.

“ISR (Intelligence Surveillance Reconnaissance) collection will take place within designated areas in Alberta between July 1–4, 2021, July 31- August 3, 2021, September 4-7, 2021 and October 9-12, 2021 … to include detection of campfires, off-highway vehicles operating in restricted areas, gatherings of ten (10) or more individuals, and officer safety support,” the bid document stated.

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La Ronge walking trail year-round addition funded – Welland Tribune

May 10, 2021

JRBy Jessica R. Durling, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter Humboldt Journal

Fri., May 7, 2021 timer2 min. read

Approximately seven kilometres of walking trails in La Ronge received provincial and federal funding so they can be made accessible year-round.

These additions include hard surfaces on areas that would be uncrossable in the summer.

“A lot of the trails are only usable in the winter time, after the ground has frozen because there’s some muskeg-y areas the trails go through,” said Tonia Logan, La Ronge’s recreation facility operations manager. “So we’ll either upgrade them with boardwalks or depending on since the price of lumber is so high, there might be other options we can look at.”

The trails are expected to be wide enough to accommodate strollers and bikes. Other modifications may include stairs in some areas as well as handrails.

Logan said the Town of La Ronge has been wanting to do the development for “some time.”

“We’re seeing a trend in parks and recreation that because of the pandemic people are focusing on their health and wellness and they’re trying to get outside and do more stuff,” she said.

“It is driven by the pandemic, and we do think that trend is going to continue and people will be excited about just being able to get outside and do their own type of recreation and leisure.”

The town will be working in partnership with the Boreal Outdoor Recreation Association (BORA), which developed those trails.

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New overnight backpackers’ guidebook out May 11

May 6, 2021

‘Backpacking in Southwestern British Columbia: The Essential Guide to Overnight Hiking Trails’ includes Sea to Sky Corridor trips.

2 days ago By: Jennifer Thuncher

Taryn EytonA shot from Rainbow Pass, one of the trips featured in Taryn Eyton’s new book. Courtesy Taryn Eyton

Taryn Eyton has written the book she wished existed for her when she started overnight backpacking.

Eyton, who is also the president of the Friends of Garibaldi Park Society, is the author of Backpacking in Southwestern British Columbia: The Essential Guide to Overnight Hiking Trails, which comes out on May 11. 

“This is the first guidebook, as far as I know, that focuses on backpacking,” she said. 

There are 40 spots featured in the book and they are all overnight or multi-day trips, with options for extending trips with day hikes beyond the campsites. 

Routes featured are from the North Shore up to Pemberton and Lytton, and from the Sunshine Coast out to the Similkameen Valley.

She includes information about how to book campsites, how many sites there are, where to source water, and how to store food. 

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25 Things to Do During Summer at Waterton Lakes National Park

May 6, 2021

Published by To Do Canada On May 5, 2021Leave a response

image

Jenny W/Flickr

In the southern part of Alberta, travellers will come across one of the most incredible national parks that the country can offer. Bordering on the United States, Waterton Lakes National Park encompasses an area that, along with the neighbouring Glacier National Park (USA), has been designated an international peace park, a World Heritage Site, and a Biosphere Reserve.

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Seize on pandemic-fuelled enthusiasm for outdoors to expand protected wilderness, former parks chief urges

May 5, 2021

In recent weeks, Alberta’s government has moved to add user fees to some of its protected areas, citing the conservation needs from increased visitors seeking to get out of the city

Author of the article:Tyler DawsonPublishing date:May 03, 2021  •  2 days ago  •  4 minute read  •   19 Comments

A hiker looks at Lake O’Hara, located in Yoho National Park, in this undated handout image.
A hiker looks at Lake O’Hara, located in Yoho National Park, in this undated handout image. PHOTO BY THE CANADIAN PRESS

Article content

EDMONTON — A former Parks Canada head says governments should look to expand protected wilderness in Canada, seizing on the enthusiasm for the outdoors that has emerged during the COVID-19 pandemic.

“I think it does help alleviate the potential impacts on existing parks and I think it creates new opportunities for people to connect with nature,” said Alan Latourelle, who headed the federal agency between 2002 and 2015. “We have a base of public support that we should seize at this time.”

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A pathway to Airdrie? How a citizen’s proposal captured the city’s imagination – CBC News

April 30, 2021

Airdrie, Rocky View County and Calgary would need to work together to make this pitch a reality

Helen Pike · CBC News · Posted: Apr 28, 2021 7:50 AM MT | Last Updated: April 28

Matthew Hicks bikes to Airdrie at least once a week to meet with clients for his photography business. (Helen Pike/CBC)

Airdrie is seriously considering a bike and pedestrian pathway that would connect the city to Calgary. 

Last week, the Airdrie city council reviewed a pitch complete with costs, stakeholders to engage, and a planned-out route to pave the path — and the idea, funnily enough, was presented by a Calgary-based photographer.

About a year ago, Matthew Hicks invested in an electronic cargo bike to cut his emissions for client meetings and shoots in Calgary. But he quickly realized that between pedaling and the extra electric-assisted power, he could push his bike range to Airdrie. 

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E-bike bylaw now in place for Whitehorse – Yukon News

April 30, 2021

Council adopts new bylaw despite opposition heard

Those who get around town by e-bike now have a new bylaw to refer to in determining which routes they can travel by.

A cyclist rides along Fourth Avenue in Whitehorse on October 15, 2019. The city has adopted its first e-bike bylaw. (Crystal Schick/Yukon News file)

At Whitehorse city council’s April 26 meeting, members approved third reading of the e-bike bylaw, along with changes to other bylaws to align with the e-bike bylaw.

The new regulations were passed despite more than a dozen presentations by phone and written submissions from residents opposed to parts of the bylaw. Many took issue with the classification system for e-bikes that determines which trails they may travel on.

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