Keynote Addresses

1. John Bellini - Trans-Canada Trails (TCT)

• TCT is the umbrella group promoting the concept. $23 Million net over 5 years. Also contribute 5-10% to individual segments as seed money.
• This seed money is leveraged with local contributions 5-10 times.
• Need accountability at the local level. Prospective contributors all want to see a plan. Need to know what segment and when it will be built.
• TCT is a passionate enterprise combined with business savvy.
• Need major homework on potential sponsor - how their involvement furthers their own objectives and the need to find a champion on the inside. Examples of Chrysler and Canada Trust. The importance of getting into their advertising budget versus charity budget.
• Need marketing and advertising expertise to promote functional trail benefits.

2. Doug Murray - PEI Tourism Development Director

• CN left in '89 and now ROW's converted to trails. Original plan of 350km done next summer. Current plan scaled up to 420km. Off this spine is 450km of branch lines all over. Had cooperative public and private sector involvement. Agriculture and tourism are biggest industries.

Keys:

1. Trails as infrastructure have shown great results for economic development by expanding tourism and attendant services.
2. Community involvement.
3. Education
4. Marketing - once segments were built, then further development snowballed. Trail network becomes the core of tourism promotion.
5. Standards maintained.
6. Patience.

3. Al MacPherson - faculty member at Sir Sanford Fleming College

• Self-professed "tree hugger". Considered accredited certification for "eco" trails comparable to 5 green leaves certification for hotels. Also definitions on what constitutes an eco-trail. Concern about overload factors on some trails, sustainability questions and use of pressure treated wood.
• Eco-tourists are 45-65, spend $161 daily and are looking for undisturbed nature and physical activity with hiking as #1 preferred activity
• Trail promotion involving the medical community, environmental teachers and students
• Mention of Howard Watson Trail as an eco-trail

Official Opening Remarks by Hon. John Snoboden, Minister of Nat. Resources

Noted that tourism is a $6 billion industry annually in Ontario and that the need for natural spaces is growing. Noted 2200km of trails exist. Various cities - Thunder Bay, Toronto, and Sault Ste. Marie were mentioned as having trail development and initiatives as a response to demand for such. Mention of Great Lakes Heritage Shoreline and 30 years of the Bruce Trail. (The disappointment expressed later in one session was that he did not announce any new dedicated provincial funding in this area although his was a very polished performance.)

Some Notes on Attended Sessions

1. Doug Murray - Trails as a Tourism Product

• 40% growth in tourism after Confederation Bridge opens in'97. Numbers have held with smaller incremental growth since and ongoing expansion of services to accommodate visitors
• '93 feasibility study of rail lands led to stated goals of trail network to be world class, multi-use, considerate of landscapes, conservation and island heritage, a renewed link to replace the railroad and provide opportunities for people to meet
• slides are most effective as a presentation tool
• mailing list of his trail newsletter includes politicians
• equestrian interest being accommodated
• Trails Act in Legislature - responsibility shared between Tourism and Highways
• specific individual to look after a segment with non-profit group involvement in building
• 150,000 people in PEI, 150 organizations in support
• created 5 year Action Plan for Tourism - at top of list of key catalyst attractions was completion of Confederation Trail
• Provincial Visitors Guide promotion of trail is very important
• Bicycle repair and rental shops, eateries and B&B's have sprung up in towns that have seen deterioration since the railroad left - trail has stimulated rural development
• Snowmobile clubs hold lease from Dec 1 to Mar 31
• Generally, opposition disappears and turns around as people see other folks using and enjoying the trail system
• 10' wide gravel surface now has thrust to interpretive signage, especially as relates to rail history - also with brochures
• Emphasis on former rail station locations and junctions - shelters, picnic tables and signs. Vandalism not seen there but typically at gates
• Marketing includes other maps with smaller connecting trails, cycling and snowmobile guides.
• Have a "Trail Fest" promotion outlining various events held at 29 different participating communities. Sponsors include Island Trails and the medical community
• PEI Tourism conducts seminars for tour operators with birders and cyclists targeted. B&B industry responding and provides car ferrying
• PEI website at www.peiplay.com

2. Jan Thomas - Funding Challenges and Successes: The Haliburton Highland Trails and Tours Network

The Network Structure came out of a Chamber of Commerce Strategy initiative in '91 thru '95. The Board of Directors is set up as so:

• 4-7 Trail and Tour organization reps
• 4 members at large
• 2-4 other organizations
• 1 local gov't rep
• 2 Chamber of Commerce/business reps

Miss 3 meetings and you are out!

The following were mentioned sources of funds for a grant total of $126,333

• HRDC $25K
• Haliburton County Development Corp $6K
• Shell Oil Environmental Fund $4.3K
• Community Economic Development Committee $28K
• Polaris (snow machine mfg.) "Grants-in-Aid" Safety Fund $500 for signs
• Millennium Fund - Asked for $14.6K and got 10K (kiosks at county gates)
• HRDC $42K (Local Labour Market Prog.)
• Ontario Trails Council $500
• Community Econ. Dev. Comm. $3K and additional funds for mapping
• County Council $18K - brochures

Looking ahead for other fund raising possibilities drew these mentions. Sale of the following items for profit included T-shirts, Chrissman Maps, annual individual and family memberships, organizational support, corporate support, and advertising sales at kiosks, newsletters and a line of brochures with maps.

Untapped grant givers included the Trillium Foundation, Rural Job Strategy of Ministry of Ag. and Food, and the Ministry of Citizenship, Culture and Recreation. It was noted the Allstate Foundation of Canada has a list of 26 sources for grants.

Participants offered these suggestions from their own experience:

• Elgin County has voluntary payment boxes
• Weekly "Trails and Tours " column in the local paper
• Optimist Club's war on purple loosestrife using 60 teens in a quasi-military digout operation with pledges raised $6K when $2k was expected
• Terry Fox Run held on trail, mountain bike races in suitable locations
• Health unit involvement
• Muskoka needs bike lanes on highways to accommodate safely huge number of touring cyclists
• High school students need credit for community service - conducting surveys, clean-ups on adopt a trail
• Snowmobilers have a very well organized network with huge corporate support
• Anticipate a public policy debate about who foots the bill for trail maintenance

3. John Marsh - International Perspective on Trails

The presenter forgot his slides but did well otherwise, as he is a Professor of Geography at Trent University who is building the biggest trails library in Canada with over 2,600 items. Building electronic access. See www.trentu.ca/academic/trailstudies/ A student did his thesis on Trail Developments and Economic Benefits.

4 A's of Tourism - Attraction, Advertising, Access and Accommodation

• A trail event could be a trail fair which included guided hikes, craft sales, elderhostel senior outdoor events featuring medicinal plants and native archeology
• Canadian Trails are not maintained - 50% of trails in parks are not up to snuff. Need for signs, surface maintenance and maps.
• Example of Peterborough in Ontario and England. Both comparable in size but in Ontario it's $1Million over 10 years from Parks and Recreation and Rotary Club participation vs. $7Million in Europe which includes a visitor center.
• Trails successes (i.e. trail tourism) in Canada are mostly found in National or Provincial Parks. Examples mentioned were the West Coast Trail on Vancouver Island, Chilcoot Pass joint US/Can follow the gold rush route, a Baffin Island park trail that appeals to mostly foreign backpackers and mountaineers, Banff Trails that use Swiss guides as done 100 years ago and the Bruce Trail which has mostly Ontario users.
• International mentions include Hadrians Wall ($10M), the Pennine Way thru the Lake District in England (with separated equestrian track), Wadi Run in southern Jordan for Lawrence of Arabia fans, Chile's Park system, Mount Everest, the Milford Track in New Zealand which has 2 year advance booking and a few others.
• His emphasis on making the investment to deliver high quality for global appeal
• Example of Norway where free maps for orienteering are conveniently found at local gas stations

4. Anne Robinson - Go for Green's TrailPAQ Initiative

Compaq Computer Co., in conjunction with Go for Green, has initiated in June '99, a $1.5 Million dollar program over 10 years to inventory all trails in Canada, available on the Internet for the world to see at www.trailpaq.com. Official launch date is June 2000 at an international trails conference in Owen Sound. Compaq will also establish a Community Trail Activation Fund with grant seed money for up to $4K for established local groups with criteria as yet being developed. This website will only link to "well maintained" trails. The example was of Nova Scotia where only half their inventory qualifies. For example, Bluewater Trails would establish a page that could include lots of other local links for accommodations, attractions, dining, events, etc. Care and feeding would be our responsibility.

Compaq saw trails as a good corporate fit in the message of preventative health, healthy living and the environmental slant. 25% price discounts on Compaq computers are also available to environmental and trail groups.

Other points for your consideration:

• Local trail submission should be made to Jody Conrad in Halifax - contact Go for Green for particulars
• Out of California - UTAP (Universal Trail Assessment Process)
• Canadian version is CTIP (Canadian Trail Inventory Program) - contact Patty Longmere same way
• "Back Country" trails out of the States has an interesting website apparently
• Go for Green has their site on the web for all sorts of relevant info at www.goforgreen.ca
• Katimavik - Federal program brings young people 18-25 into a community for a 3 month work term with the town supplying local volunteers, billets and space

Some time prior to her present employment by Compaq, Anne Robinson was a city councilor in the Ottawa region. She is well aware of political foibles and so Ottawa has been ordered to change the 7 layer municipal structure there. Shared some laughs when notes were compared and agreed that ridicule can be an effective tactic for change but I do digress here.

5. Will Kershaw - Designing Heritage Trails Tours

Will is with the MNR and in his presentation referred to the Ontario Living Legacy Land Use Strategy and showed many slides of Northern Ontario. The document takes the form of a business plan for Ontario Provincial Parks to generate revenue by creating and improving attractions - the most popular being self-guided interpretive tours. Brochures or interpretive plaques at location are essential. Tour design should consider 5 broad elements:

1. Setting - Landscapes would include a river from headwaters to mouth, a Great Lakes shore or island - all within a historical and cultural context. Features might be a ridge top, an old building, bridge, wetland edges, shoreline, exceptional tree, archeological site, etc. Cultural Heritage can be very elaborated in an aboriginal and early settler context, e.g. turn of the century travel and landscapes from that time.

2. Topics - Geology would note bedrock formations, sand deposition patterns, glaciation, river deltas, etc. Biology would identify types and species in vegetation patterns, animals and natural disturbances (fire, windthrows, insect outbreaks, etc)

3. Activity - Decide what's appropriate to the setting and topic. Equestrian, hiking, cycling, walking, canoeing, windsurfing, cross-country skiing, snowmobiling, etc.

4. Audience - Research and anticipate your audience. Mostly, these are summer activities that appeal to well-educated families and couples of ages 24-54 (and getting older) with recreational skill levels and interests all over the map.

5. Preparation - Visitors must know what to expect when arriving and logical allies are hotel and B&B operators for more detailed information for their guests.

Although the presenter's focus and slides related to provincial parks, the parallels are there for Conservation Areas and possible links between them and urban trail networks as well.

6. Gwen Brice - Trails and Tourism Development Project - Multi-County Trail System

The presenter brought 12 years of environmental planning in places as diverse as Vienna and Equador and her current membership on the Sir Sanford Fleming College Trails Design committee to be the coordinator of this project. This session featured a quick slide show of the entire loop of the trail that uses mostly former rail ROW in Haliburton, Victoria, Peterborough, Northumberland and Hastings Counties. This session turned into a workshop where groups of 5-6 brainstormed particular questions from the Case Study paper and then had one from the group orally present their findings. The results are being compiled by students and will be available in the New Year in the Proceedings of the Conference I've ordered. These also will document the sessions I was necessarily unable to attend.

It is certainly an impressive achievement that regional coordination took place and reflects the self-interest of the counties to know what is going on beside them and so not waste effort. The common bond was that all agreed to enhance tourism prospects by trail development and a regional coordinator's position made good sense. The Case Study paper considers the process, the structure of the organization, regional coordination challenges and issues and the next steps, which are development of a regional business plan and a regional promotion and marketing plan.

Conclusion

I thank our committee for authorizing me to attend this conference. I hope some of these notes can be of use in our own planning and building a trail network here. As tourism and retirement have been identified as growth areas locally, it makes sense to me to elevate this trail initiative to a top priority to showcase the waterfront at the river and Bright's Grove. So many other features locally can be connected as well as a bicycle commuting network to industry. So many other communities have made this development strategy pay off handsomely.