Joey Payeur
Anyone with a love of snowmobiling (and of a fatter bank account) had best fire up their engines, or at least their computer.
The early-bird deadline for purchasing an Ontario Federation of Snowmobile Clubs (OFSC) trail permit online for the 2014-15 season is this Saturday (Nov. 1).
The $180 fee will rise to $210 come Sunday—then goes up to $260 after Dec. 1.
New Borderland Snowmobile Club vice-president John Homer said the money raised from permits is essential to the maintenance of the trail system throughout the province, including here in Rainy River District.
“If people don’t buy permits, there’s no club and if there’s no club, the trails won’t be there,” Homer stressed following the club’s annual general meeting last Thursday night in Emo.
“For example, I’ve been out there and seen where there’s plenty of trees down along the trails,” he noted.
“If those trees aren’t removed, the trails will be destroyed.”
Homer, who rose to vice-president after Chris Christian opted to step down, also said those choosing to use local trails without a permit will be in for a rude awakening.
“People actually have this impression that if they’re just riding to the lake to do some fishing, they don’t need a permit,” he remarked.
“That’s a myth. They’re trespassing by doing so,” he stressed.
“The trail wardens weren’t able to be out here last year,” Homer noted. “But they will be coming in from out-of-town this year and they will be laying fines on anyone they catch without a permit.”
Homer said trail permit sales locally were up from 86 in 2012-13 to 110 last year, with 67 of those purchased before the early-bird deadline.
The OFSC sold 104,000 permits throughout the province, including 1,075 in Northwestern Ontario, with most of those in the Kenora area.
Due to those strong numbers, the OFSC donated $376,000 to clubs throughout Northwestern Ontario this year to help with operational costs—up significantly from the $219,000 given the year before.
“Permit sales are up because we’ve had a really good last couple of winters,” said Homer.
“People are buying snowmachines on a more regular basis now.
“There are 145,000 insured snowmachines in the province of Ontario, which is a bigger number than I thought it would be,” added Homer, who knows of what he speaks as an insurance agent at Gillons’ here.
The trails throughout the district received extra care last winter, with grooming hours exceeding 500 after averaging out at roughly 400 in previous years.
Meanwhile, the local club went through a seismic shift at the top of its hierarchy at last Thursday’s meeting, with Dave Goodman also stepping down after six years at the helm as president.
Goodman, whose position was filled by new president Brendan Loney, still will act as an advisor for the club.
His daughter, Christina, has spent the last 10 years as treasurer and secretary.
But having recently had a baby, she is willing to remain in her dual role only as long as it takes to find a replacement so she can focus more time on her family.
“Christina’s done a great job and we’re really looking for someone as soon as possible to fill her positions,” said Homer, who has a multitude of events planned for local sledders this season.
“We’re going to have our poker rally again that we did last year that had such an excellent turnout,” he noted, referring to the run that went from Fort Frances to Emo and back.
“We’re also going to have another run based out of Emo that we’re calling ‘Choose Your Own Adventure,’ where you can pick from either a longer route to Nestor Falls and back or down to Fort Frances and back,” he added.
Plans also are in the works for an all-women’s ride at some point during the winter.
A Family Day weekend event in February is being looked at, as well, which would feature snowmobiling on the Saturday, then skating and sliding activities for kids on the Sunday or Monday, along with a barbecue.
Hill Road Park in Alberton is being considered as a possible venue for the activities.
“Hopefully, we’ll be able to pull off at least three of the events this year,” said Homer, who added sponsors and volunteers are being sought out to help back them.
“These activities don’t run themselves,” he stressed.
Homer also encouraged those who don’t normally ride, or who never have been on a snowmachine, to give it a chance.
“We want to get more families involved in the sport,” he remarked.
“It’s a great activity for what I call being ‘de-schedulized,’ meaning you can do it whenever you want instead of being stuck in an arena for a certain length of time.”
The local club has an active Facebook page entitled “Borderland Snowmobile Club.”
Homer noted people who are not Facebook users still can access the page by Googling “Borderland Snowmobile Club” and following the link provided.
He added a club website should be functional sometime before Christmas.
Anyone with questions or feedback about the club, or wanting to lend a hand, can call Homer at 276-6526.
