Jump to content

SAD NEWS FROM LAKE CONESTOGA S/C (GRCA ISSUE)


Recommended Posts

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.

  • Confused 1
  • Sad 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

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 .

Link to comment
Share on other sites

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.

  • Like 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

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 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

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

Link to comment
Share on other sites

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..

Link to comment
Share on other sites

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 by Blackstar
Link to comment
Share on other sites

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 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

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? 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

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?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

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.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

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.

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 2 weeks later...
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. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

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.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

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..

Link to comment
Share on other sites

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?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

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.

  • Confused 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Thanks to the clubs and land owners for working together 

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 1 year later...

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 by Sledguy74
  • Like 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

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 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

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.

  • Thanks 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 2 weeks later...
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. 

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

×
×
  • Create New...