PISTON LAKE CRUISER Posted December 15, 2019 Share Posted December 15, 2019 Below is a post from their Facebook Page. This news affects some of the Fergus Elora Belwood Clubs trail network near Lake Belwood. To All of our Dedicated Supporters, Lake Conestoga Snowmobilers has been unable to secure land-use permission for any of our trails that are located on Grand River Conservation Authority properties. As such, our club will be respecting the landowner by closing the B109 trail from Sideroad 3 (intersection with Palmerston Snow Kings) to the Diamond Side Road (affecting Millenium, Beaver Pond, Selinger Road and Duck Pond trails) as well as somewhere near Sideroad 15 to Wellington Road 45 (affecting Tornado Alley, Sailing Club Road, Clubhouse, and Park trails) for this season. In addition, local club trails from the Millenium T to Concession Road 5 (affecting the Pumphouse Trail) will also need to be closed. We are deeply saddened that we will not be able to open our clubhouse as it is located on the affected trails. Lake Conestoga Snowmobilers dedicated volunteers and gracious landowners have been hard at work this entire autumn to install our network of trails for your enjoyment. Please refer to the OFSC Interactive trail guide for the latest trail status updates. At this time Lake Conestoga Snowmobilers would like to thank the Grand River Conservation Authority for the successful partnership we have enjoyed over the past 45 years. We look forward to a collaborative effort involving the affected clubs, the OFSC and the Grand River Conservation Authority to discuss and overcome the challenges that were presented this year and move forward with a healthy relationship in the years to come. 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wrightonalan Posted December 15, 2019 Share Posted December 15, 2019 I wonder what has changed ,this is bad news for a really good club.Conestoga lake club always does there best to open trails with not a lot of help from mother nature.Hopefully this can get resolved.Always like to stop by the club house . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PISTON LAKE CRUISER Posted December 15, 2019 Author Share Posted December 15, 2019 49 minutes ago, wrightonalan said: I wonder what has changed ,this is bad news for a really good club.Conestoga lake club always does there best to open trails with not a lot of help from mother nature.Hopefully this can get resolved.Always like to stop by the club house . I read a post by someone I don't know that said the GRCA wanted insurance coverage all year round. I'm not sure if that is fact. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
volunteer2 Posted December 16, 2019 Share Posted December 16, 2019 Fergus Elora Belwood ( FEB ) also posted on FB they will have major closures too. Not sure but I am hoping the D9 office has taken this issue to the OFSC to get some help. There may be more clubs and areas that get closed Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Baylaker Posted December 16, 2019 Share Posted December 16, 2019 5 hours ago, PISTON LAKE CRUISER said: I read a post by someone I don't know that said the GRCA wanted insurance coverage all year round. I'm not sure if that is fact. This is true Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Baylaker Posted December 16, 2019 Share Posted December 16, 2019 50 minutes ago, volunteer2 said: Fergus Elora Belwood ( FEB ) also posted on FB they will have major closures too. Not sure but I am hoping the D9 office has taken this issue to the OFSC to get some help. There may be more clubs and areas that get closed We will be losing a lot of trail this year...so much for sledding from home this year. Trail head is one street over from where I live. Bummer.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blackstar Posted December 16, 2019 Share Posted December 16, 2019 (edited) Elmira club is in the same boat. As is Hillsburgh. From what I can see, I will have to trailer to ride this year. Bridgeport club is landlocked. Edited December 16, 2019 by Blackstar Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
volunteer2 Posted December 16, 2019 Share Posted December 16, 2019 12 hours ago, Blackstar said: Elmira club is in the same boat. As is Hillsburgh. From what I can see, I will have to trailer to ride this year. Bridgeport club is landlocked. Yup If something doesn't change the Fat Lady can start to sing It's not the lack of snow that will kill our sport here its this issue. Just another nail in the coffin I bought a new ATV glad it wasn't a sled Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Strong Farmer Posted December 18, 2019 Share Posted December 18, 2019 All terrible news for us southern riders. Real issue is government has cut funding to allot of programs within areas like grand river conversation authority and insurance is a major cost. As a result they want ofsc to fund liability insurance for whole year. Conestoga and Belwood areas were some of best areas for me to ride near home and many other riders too. I wonder if ofsc can survive without d5 and parts of 9? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Diceman Posted December 18, 2019 Share Posted December 18, 2019 On 12/15/2019 at 3:56 PM, PISTON LAKE CRUISER said: I read a post by someone I don't know that said the GRCA wanted insurance coverage all year round. I'm not sure if that is fact. Why would they request that? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PISTON LAKE CRUISER Posted December 18, 2019 Author Share Posted December 18, 2019 14 minutes ago, Diceman said: Why would they request that? Possibly to save some money given the government cutbacks of funding to Conservation Authorities. Just my guess. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave K Posted December 18, 2019 Share Posted December 18, 2019 30 minutes ago, PISTON LAKE CRUISER said: Possibly to save some money given the government cutbacks of funding to Conservation Authorities. Just my guess. That was my 2nd hand info as well. Govt cutbacks, trying to save money. It will be interesting to see how the trails look in a few years with overgrowth etc... given that the groomer doesn't knock down all the small stuff anymore. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Turbo Doo Posted December 27, 2019 Share Posted December 27, 2019 On 12/15/2019 at 11:04 PM, Blackstar said: Elmira club is in the same boat. As is Hillsburgh. From what I can see, I will have to trailer to ride this year. Bridgeport club is landlocked. Sounds like they got connected back. Hats off to the tireless club and volunteers that are making this happen. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PISTON LAKE CRUISER Posted December 27, 2019 Author Share Posted December 27, 2019 32 minutes ago, TURBO DOO said: Sounds like they got connected back. Hats off to the tireless club and volunteers that are making this happen. I've been told that Elmira was somehow able to get an agreement with the GRCA. Pictures on the Lake Conestoga FB seem to indicate that they are working (apparently successfully) on a bypass route around the GRCA for some of their trails. Last I heard, Bridgeport was hopeful of getting around the GRCA land by going into FEB trail system for a few km's. x2 to the various club exec and volunteers for all their hard work during this holiday time of the year. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Turbo Doo Posted December 27, 2019 Share Posted December 27, 2019 39 minutes ago, PISTON LAKE CRUISER said: I've been told that Elmira was somehow able to get an agreement with the GRCA. Pictures on the Lake Conestoga FB seem to indicate that they are working (apparently successfully) on a bypass route around the GRCA for some of their trails. Last I heard, Bridgeport was hopeful of getting around the GRCA land by going into FEB trail system for a few km's. x2 to the various club exec and volunteers for all their hard work during this holiday time of the year. Great news. Now if the sledders can respect the trails and the local landowners for the new access, as well as the normal trail system, we will definitely be in good shape.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
volunteer2 Posted December 27, 2019 Share Posted December 27, 2019 Yup FEB was able to connect Bridgeport to Elmira. Really helped us out since they don't have any other trail in the area. The area has lost alot of trail. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave K Posted December 27, 2019 Share Posted December 27, 2019 1 hour ago, PISTON LAKE CRUISER said: I've been told that Elmira was somehow able to get an agreement with the GRCA. How would one club be able to get permission, but not another? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Turbo Doo Posted December 27, 2019 Share Posted December 27, 2019 34 minutes ago, volunteer2 said: Yup FEB was able to connect Bridgeport to Elmira. Really helped us out since they don't have any other trail in the area. The area has lost alot of trail. Awesome news.. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PISTON LAKE CRUISER Posted December 27, 2019 Author Share Posted December 27, 2019 45 minutes ago, Dave K said: How would one club be able to get permission, but not another? I have no idea how that works Dave. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nith Valley Sledder Posted December 28, 2019 Share Posted December 28, 2019 16 hours ago, Dave K said: How would one club be able to get permission, but not another? Possibly personal relationships. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sledguy74 Posted December 28, 2019 Share Posted December 28, 2019 Thanks to the clubs and land owners for working together Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sledguy74 Posted February 23, 2021 Share Posted February 23, 2021 (edited) Lake Conestoga Snowmobilers FB page asking for people to email thankalandowner@gmail.com their thanks to landowners, just asking for first names and age and a nice thank you note. someone is going to send the emails to the local land owners i got a reply after sending my thank you. just sharing Edited February 23, 2021 by Sledguy74 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ToSlow Posted February 24, 2021 Share Posted February 24, 2021 Was down that way yesterday and trails come to a dead end going south. Didn’t want to venture out on the the lake didn’t know the conditions turned around and run back towards fergus Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PISTON LAKE CRUISER Posted February 24, 2021 Author Share Posted February 24, 2021 2 hours ago, ToSlow said: Was down that way yesterday and trails come to a dead end going south. Didn’t want to venture out on the the lake didn’t know the conditions turned around and run back towards fergus Not sure where you were but the only dead end I know of on their trail system is a short trail that goes east to sideroad 18 near the Hamlet of Holden. I believe it gives the cottagers on the west and north side of the lake trail access. It shows on the ITG. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Strong Farmer Posted March 7, 2021 Share Posted March 7, 2021 On 2/24/2021 at 3:21 PM, ToSlow said: Was down that way yesterday and trails come to a dead end going south. Didn’t want to venture out on the the lake didn’t know the conditions turned around and run back towards fergus Goes in a loop just north of lake. Safe way is to cross at side road 15 and pick trail up at other side. Plc did side road 18 but is a longer ride down lake to side road 15, to pick trail back up. I crossed several times this season at side road 15 and just went straight across. Never have issues there with ice unless it is a bad winter. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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