Tag: canadian outdoors

Peel’s top doctor says he wouldn’t recommend reopening outdoor activities right now – CP24

April 30, 2021
Kerrisa Wilson

Kerrisa Wilson, Web Content Writer, CP24

@kerrisawilson

Published Wednesday, April 28, 2021 11:28AM EDT

Peel Region’s top doctor says he wouldn’t recommend reopening outdoor recreational activities right now in order to avoid mixed messaging, as the province is under a stay-at-home order amid a third wave of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Medical Officer of Health Dr. Lawrence Loh says he would not call on the provincial government to reverse its decision about closing golf courses, basketball courts and other outdoor amenities as the Region of Peel continues to see heightened coronavirus cases and hospitalizations.

“At this time, however, I think calling for reopening is a bit challenging in my position because as I’ve said we are still not yet out of this very severe third wave and I think to the degree that we’re trying to really get people to understand essential meetings, essential purposes only and always with precautions,” Loh said during Brampton’s weekly COVID-19 press conference Wednesday morning.

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Cycling around lake offers an adventure in history – Orillia Matters.com

April 22, 2021

Cycling is a permitted activity during stay-at-home orders and this 55-kilometre route offers something for every one.

about 2 hours ago By: Kathy Hunt

  • Cyclists, and others, are happy to find the bridge at Lock 42 open, after a long closure to restore the Trent-Severn Waterway bridge.
  • Here is your columnist taking a side trip on the around the lake cycling route to explore an old railway near Portage Bay Road in Ramara.
  • The Uhthoff Trail offers a quiet route to get back into town from Severn Township.

Cyclists, and others, are happy to find the bridge at Lock 42 open, after a long closure to restore the Trent-Severn Waterway bridge.Kathy Hunt/OrilliaMatters

If you feel like going for a bike adventure, but can’t go too far from home, here’s a route that takes you around Lake Couchiching that has lots of opportunities for exploring.

The 55-km route, starting from the Atherley Narrows, travels through two townships, the Chippewas of Rama First Nation, the City of Orillia and features three unique national historic sites. It also passes through or nearby lakeside parks, Simcoe County forests, and offers a variety of trails and paved roads, suitable for road or gravel bikes.

The first historic site on the route is the Mnjikaning Fish Weirs, the largest and best preserved wooden fish weirs known in eastern North America. The weirs were in use from about 3300 BC until the recent past. Today the Anishinaabeg are stewards of the site.

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N.L. government broke its own rules in allowing ATV trail in protected waterway

April 22, 2021

Conservationists upset about potential damage to Main River watershed

Lindsay Bird · CBC News · Posted: Apr 22, 2021 6:00 AM NT | Last Updated: 6 hours ago6 comments

The Main River was designated a Canadian Heritage River in 2001 for its pristine watershed and old-growth forest. In 2009, it became a provincial park. (Submitted by Lem Mayo)

Gary Gale has known the Main River his whole life — and how special the Northern Peninsula waterway, and the land surrounding it, is.

“I’ve fished and hiked the Main, God — since I was knee-high to a grasshopper, I suppose,” he told CBC from his home in Hampden.

The Main River is about as remote as it gets in Newfoundland. You can see the mouth of it, where it spills into White Bay between the two communities of Sop’s Arm and Pollard’s Point, but there was no road access into its watershed whatsoever until the mid-1980s, and even then, nothing beyond rough woods roads.

Its pristine waters and old-growth forest led to it being designated a Canadian Heritage River in 2001 — the first one in the province — for what that organization deemed “its outstanding natural and recreational values.” In 2009, an extra layer of protection was added, when the province established the Main River Waterway Provincial Park.

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Local Trail Association Building Interest In Hiking, Cycling – Discover Estevan

April 22, 2021

 Category: Local News Published: Wednesday, 21 April 2021 15:38 Written by Rob Mahon

Photo credit – Discover Estevan

The Estevan and Area Trails Association is trying to make hiking more accessible and more fun in the Estevan area.

Walking, jogging, hiking, and cycling are all among the few physical activities not interrupted by COVID-19 since the pandemic began. The weather is starting to turn to the point where people can get out and do it, and now they just need a place to do so.

One local group is trying to make sure people have space outdoors to perform the oldest form of exercise in the world and a few others as well. The Estevan And Area Trail Association has been working on cleaning up the trails around Estevan and adding some new elements to them as well. 

“We’re just looking to get more users on the trails and keep the vegetation down and the soil packed,” said organizer Tanner Mantei. “I also just love seeing people out and enjoying the outdoors like I have my whole life.”

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B.C upgrading provincial campsites and parks to boost tourism

April 20, 2021

 Jon Gauthier, staff Sunday, Apr. 18th, 2021 Elk Falls camping. (Feature photo Supplied by Explore BC Parks)

The province is expanding the BC Parks budget to help make provincial park visits more enjoyable than ever.

During the next three years an $83 million increase is on the way for BC Parks, helping build  new campsites, expanded trails and strengthened management of the park system.

“It’s absolutely clear how deeply people care about our provincial parks. The pandemic has brought more people than ever to visit BC Parks so they can safely spend time with family and friends while connecting to nature,” said George Heyman, Minister of Environment and Climate Change Strategy

 “Investing in our parks helps secure our magnificent natural legacy so more British Columbians can appreciate its beauty. We are also supporting local businesses and the economy by creating employment opportunities through new investments in park infrastructure.”

In response to more demand for camping and out recreation, the money will be heading towards construction of new campgrounds, and more campsites and amenities at existing campgrounds.

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Cable of B.C.’s Sea-to-Sky Gondola deliberately cut for 2nd time – CBC News

September 15, 2020

Line severed overnight, sending cars crashing to the ground, general manager says

Rhianna Schmunk · CBC News · Posted: Sep 14, 2020 7:33 AM PT | Last Updated: 7 hours ago

A car from the Sea-to-Sky Gondola lies crumpled on the ground after the cable was cut on Sunday. (Squamish RCMP)

The cable of the Sea-to-Sky Gondola near Squamish, B.C., has been deliberately cut in the middle of the night for the second year in a row, leaving the tourist attraction in shambles and its staff completely bewildered.

The thick, downhill cable of the gondola was severed overnight, sending dozens of cars crashing into the mountain around 4 a.m. PT.

General manager Kirby Brown said his phone started ringing off the hook with the news before dawn.

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Happy trails to you – Bike and Trails group excited about expansion – The Cold Lake Sun

September 15, 2020

Dan Brisebois
More from Dan Brisebois Published on: September 14, 2020 | Last Updated: September 14, 2020 9:56 AM EDT

With seven existing trails running about six kilometres, the local trails system is still in development, but promises to be one of the City’s top tourism draws, according to the Cold Lake Bike Park and Trails Society.

The society, formed last spring, now has seven members, and Don Harris and Ed Machtmes updated City Council on progress on the project during its Tuesday, September 8 meeting.

To date, nearly 900 volunteer hours have been invested in the construction of the trails.  That doesn’t include time spent on regular trail maintenance and inspection.

“I can’t emphasize enough how are volunteers and the community have stepped up,” Matchmes added. “We have saved tens of thousands of dollars from people that would just come up out of the blue. We post on social media that we need either people or materials or what have you, and it just shows up.  It’s just amazing.”

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World Rivers Day mentions ORCBC – PR.com

September 15, 2020

World Rivers Day 2020, set for September 27, commemorates the many values of rivers and encourages river stewardship and conservation around the globe. This massive worldwide event involving up to 100 countries has its roots in British Columbia Rivers Day which celebrates its 40th anniversary.

Vancouver, Canada, September 14, 2020 –(PR.com)– World Rivers Day commemorates the many values of rivers and encourages river stewardship and conservation around the globe – massive worldwide event involving up to 100 countries has its roots in British Columbia Rivers Day which celebrates its 40th anniversary.

Millions of people and thousands of events around the world will mark World Rivers Day 2020, either virtually or physically, on Sunday, September 27 in what has become one of the largest environmental celebrations on the planet. With many of the world’s rivers facing increasing pressures associated with climate change, pollution, and industrial development, close to 100 countries will participate in this year’s festivities.

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5,663 views|Sep 13, 2020,07:30am EDT

September 14, 2020

Behind The Scenes Of North America’s Hottest New Bike Park – Forbes

Cassidy Randall Contributor Travel

Since it opened in 2007 , Revelstoke Mountain Resort has held a reputation for its monster vertical (at 5,620 feet of lift-accessed terrain, it’s the longest descent in North America), alpine bowls, rainforest glades, record snowfall and near-ridiculous scenery. But where most resorts also boast thriving summer operations to complement winter skiing, RMR had largely stayed relatively quiet on the summer front, with most warm-season activities centralized on the bottom of the mountain.

Until this year, when it became British Columbia’s newest bike park, giving RMR’s epic terrain a new lens through which to shine.

Revelstoke Mountain Resort mountain biking
Revelstoke Mountain Resort opened its new bike park on June 23, 2020. IAN HOUGHTON

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