soupkids Posted December 21, 2019 Share Posted December 21, 2019 WTF !!! Public Notice Important Notification for Snowmobilers Date: December 20, 2019 Please be advised that, due to issues beyond the control of the Town of Midland, the sanctioned snowmobile trails that are managed and maintained by Georgian Bay Snow Riders are closed for OFSC/GBSR use until further notice. With the trails closed, access and use for snowmobiling is prohibited, as there will be no grooming, maintenance or trail supervision. The Town is committed to continue working with the Clubs to open the trails as soon as possible. For any questions, please contact Georgian Bay Snow Riders: Phone: 705-529-3307 Email: gbsr77@gmail.com Website: www.georgianbaysnowriders.com Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
coolbane Posted December 21, 2019 Share Posted December 21, 2019 This seems to be a widespread problem at the moment and will result in many multi-use trails remaining closed this winter. It seems the OFSC's insurance company has requested some changes to land use agreements,. These changes are not palatable to landowners such as towns and conservation authorities. Can someone shed some light on what the issue is? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wildbill Posted December 21, 2019 Share Posted December 21, 2019 10 hours ago, coolbane said: This seems to be a widespread problem at the moment and will result in many multi-use trails remaining closed this winter. It seems the OFSC's insurance company has requested some changes to land use agreements,. These changes are not palatable to landowners such as towns and conservation authorities. Can someone shed some light on what the issue is? The OFSC insurance is ONLY insuring snowmobile use not supplying free insurance for non OFSC users such as hikers and skiers. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ArcticCrusher Posted December 21, 2019 Share Posted December 21, 2019 1 hour ago, Wildbill said: The OFSC insurance is ONLY insuring snowmobile use not supplying free insurance for non OFSC users such as hikers and skiers. What? Tree hugging freeloaders can't pony up. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
volunteer2 Posted December 21, 2019 Share Posted December 21, 2019 3 hours ago, Wildbill said: The OFSC insurance is ONLY insuring snowmobile use not supplying free insurance for non OFSC users such as hikers and skiers. I was going to ask you Bill what is the status of the Seguin ? I was wondering if there will be issues 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
signfan Posted December 21, 2019 Share Posted December 21, 2019 3 hours ago, Wildbill said: The OFSC insurance is ONLY insuring snowmobile use not supplying free insurance for non OFSC users such as hikers and skiers. This is nothing new. It's a touch more involved than that I suspect. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Baylaker Posted December 21, 2019 Share Posted December 21, 2019 (edited) Great! Can’t sled from home this year, now midland as well?? Ffs... just lost 250kms of trail around home.. Edited December 21, 2019 by Baylaker Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Baylaker Posted December 21, 2019 Share Posted December 21, 2019 If they’re shutting down all of them, that’s a big chunk of trail system gone! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bbakernbay Posted December 21, 2019 Share Posted December 21, 2019 10 hours ago, Wildbill said: The OFSC insurance is ONLY insuring snowmobile use not supplying free insurance for non OFSC users such as hikers and skiers. As it should be but undoubtedly is of major concern to many Landowners who thought/or were told that they would be covered for persons coming onto their land to use trails in other manners than official OFSC Trail Permits. In this new instances it certainly looks like various Conservation Authorities and similar agencies who allow their trail system to be utilized by OFSC Trails wanted blanket 12 month liability coverage but OFSC Insurer likely made it clear that OFSC can’t sign LUP’s requiring insurance coverage that may include non-OFSC use. only question is to when this was made know to the various parties. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bbakernbay Posted December 21, 2019 Share Posted December 21, 2019 46 minutes ago, Baylaker said: If they’re shutting down all of them, that’s a big chunk of trail system gone! Obviously there is a lot more to this decision that an isolated property owner problem. We will stay tuned but hopefully this is not the start of something that may be permanent. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Baylaker Posted December 21, 2019 Share Posted December 21, 2019 (edited) 40 minutes ago, bbakernbay said: Obviously there is a lot more to this decision that an isolated property owner problem. We will stay tuned but hopefully this is not the start of something that may be permanent. I hope not, I really don’t want to get out of the sport, but if there’s major trail losses that continue to happen I may just sell both sleds. There’s still a lot of very good trails to ride on. But it definitely has me thinking after losing 250kms at home, and now GBSR are shutting down until further notice...which is some very good riding around my dads cottage. It just makes you wonder sometimes if this sport in Ontario is heading down the tube. It’s very frustrating... Edited December 21, 2019 by Baylaker Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Muskoka Bill Posted December 21, 2019 Share Posted December 21, 2019 I know the feeling as we had alot of trails closed in 2016 around the Bracebridge area for the complete season due to landowners concern over proposed laws. I ended up getting a trailer and driving north just to run my new sled. Big issues like this usually get resolved if we pressure local goverment folk , let them now at every opportunity how pissed off you are that conservation area's (which are owned by the people) can't be used by the OFSC. I agree with the OFSC not having to pay a full years insurance. Perhaps if you are out snowmobiling on trail 55 drop by Doug Ford's place place on fawn lake and let him know the problem that cut backs are causing. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PISTON LAKE CRUISER Posted December 21, 2019 Share Posted December 21, 2019 1 hour ago, Baylaker said: If they’re shutting down all of them, that’s a big chunk of trail system gone! Is the whole area you show on the map part of the Town of Midland? If it is, it's a huge loss of trail. The way I read it sounded like it was only Club trails within the Town of Midland that were affected. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blake G Posted December 21, 2019 Share Posted December 21, 2019 Midland doesn't show up on the map. It's near Little Lake. LOL 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wildbill Posted December 21, 2019 Share Posted December 21, 2019 40 minutes ago, Muskoka Bill said: I know the feeling as we had alot of trails closed in 2016 around the Bracebridge area for the complete season due to landowners concern over proposed laws. I ended up getting a trailer and driving north just to run my new sled. Big issues like this usually get resolved if we pressure local goverment folk , let them now at every opportunity how pissed off you are that conservation area's (which are owned by the people) can't be used by the OFSC. I agree with the OFSC not having to pay a full years insurance. Perhaps if you are out snowmobiling on trail 55 drop by Doug Ford's place place on fawn lake and let him know the problem that cut backs are causing. It is not the government it is the insurance companies and lawsuits that are causing the problems. For a fact the biggest cutbacks ever to the trail system were by the last Liberal governments. Dougy has actually increased funding. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Muskoka Bill Posted December 21, 2019 Share Posted December 21, 2019 31 minutes ago, Wildbill said: It is not the government it is the insurance companies and lawsuits that are causing the problems. For a fact the biggest cutbacks ever to the trail system were by the last Liberal governments. Dougy has actually increased funding. Thanks WildBill, Sorry for spewing garbage and not knowing the facts 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Poo Man Posted December 22, 2019 Share Posted December 22, 2019 (edited) 1 hour ago, PISTON LAKE CRUISER said: 3 hours ago, Baylaker said: Is the whole area you show on the map part of the Town of Midland? The c trail is the main trunk and is a multi use trail. Lose that and pretty much nothing connects. A lot of trails are also simcoe county forest, don't know if they suffer the same issue. Now you would have to go down a bit south if coming from wasaga area if you want to head over to orillia or parry sound. Not only that but I bet theres a lot of buyers from penetang/Midland that will no longer buy. Hell I'm in wasaga and would be on the fence if those trails were done for good. Edited December 22, 2019 by Poo Man 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PISTON LAKE CRUISER Posted December 22, 2019 Share Posted December 22, 2019 42 minutes ago, Poo Man said: The c trail is the main trunk and is a multi use trail. Lose that and pretty much nothing connects. A lot of trails are also simcoe county forest, don't know if they suffer the same issue. Now you would have to go down a bit south if coming from wasaga area if you want to head over to orillia or parry sound. Not only that but I bet theres a lot of buyers from penetang/Midland that will no longer buy. Hell I'm in wasaga and would be on the fence if those trails were done for good. I understand what you are saying BUT as I mentioned in my previous post, the first post speaks only about the Town of Midland NOT Penetang or the areas to the south like Wyevale or Waverley. The town of Midland doesn't cover that much physical area from what I can see and only the section of the C trail actually in Midland is lost if I'm reading it right. 303 , 309 and other parts of the C trail do provide a bypass of The Town of Midland. Whatever happens sledders and businesses are taking the loss in Midland. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Baylaker Posted December 22, 2019 Share Posted December 22, 2019 (edited) If GBSR are not grooming their trails, then all of those trails on that picture I posted would not be maintained this year. This is how I read it in the OP, but I could be reading it wrong. Edited December 22, 2019 by Baylaker Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Baylaker Posted December 22, 2019 Share Posted December 22, 2019 35 minutes ago, PISTON LAKE CRUISER said: I understand what you are saying BUT as I mentioned in my previous post, the first post speaks only about the Town of Midland NOT Penetang or the areas to the south like Wyevale or Waverley. The town of Midland doesn't cover that much physical area from what I can see and only the section of the C trail actually in Midland is lost if I'm reading it right. 303 , 309 and other parts of the C trail do provide a bypass of The Town of Midland. Whatever happens sledders and businesses are taking the loss in Midland. I hope you are right and this would be just a very small section being affected. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PISTON LAKE CRUISER Posted December 22, 2019 Share Posted December 22, 2019 32 minutes ago, Baylaker said: I hope you are right and this would be just a very small section being affected. If it was all their trails why would the statement say "due to issues beyond the control of the Town of Midland"? The town of Midland would have no say over the largest portion of the GBSR trails. JMHO Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Baylaker Posted December 22, 2019 Share Posted December 22, 2019 32 minutes ago, PISTON LAKE CRUISER said: If it was all their trails why would the statement say "due to issues beyond the control of the Town of Midland"? The town of Midland would have no say over the largest portion of the GBSR trails. JMHO Good point, and like I say, I hope your right! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
02Sled Posted December 22, 2019 Share Posted December 22, 2019 6 hours ago, Baylaker said: If they’re shutting down all of them, that’s a big chunk of trail system gone! How can the town of Midland close trails that aren't in the boundary of Midland Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Turbo Doo Posted December 22, 2019 Share Posted December 22, 2019 How come this is all i can find on GBSR Facebook page. Could this be the reason?? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Poo Man Posted December 22, 2019 Share Posted December 22, 2019 I hope so as it sounds like it's only a temporary issue fixed in Jan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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