RAINY RIVER—A number of factors over the past several years slowly have been eating away at area snowmobile clubs—and now Rainy River, Emo, and Fort Frances are considering amalgamating into one to save the movement in the district.
Brian Russell, acting chair of the Rainy River Wildlands Snowdusters snowmobile club, said lack of snow, high trail permit costs, and bureaucratic regulations have seen his club go from 140 members to just 13 last year.
Lacklustre snowfalls over the past four or five winters have meant less time and good conditions for the sport. Couple that with trail permits that top
out at $230 per season and fewer and fewer people have decided to get involved with the club.
Russell also said some members have quit over bureaucratic moves that ticked them off.
“We had a couple of guys who went out and put all the signage up on their own time. Then the insurance companies said we had to redo all of them,” Russell noted.
“That just did not sit well with those who had given so much of their time,” he added.
Russell said Rainy River’s declining membership is not the only one in the area, with both Emo and Fort Frances having seen their numbers dwindle, as well.
At a meeting of all three clubs back on Oct. 20, Emo said it had five volunteers to work on trails while Fort Frances only had four. At one time Fort Frances boasted 700 members.
Russell said Rainy River has enough volunteers to keep the trails maintained but finds the paperwork involved for the club is mind-boggling.
By amalgamating, they all would see the paperwork cut by two-thirds as they only would have to do it for one club—not all three.
In order to amalgamate, the Snowdusters will have to hold a general meeting.
The Snowdusters has sent letters to its membership with notice that the meeting has been called for Nov. 8 at 7 p.m. at the CN Hotel in Rainy River.
While only the 13 paid members from last year can vote on the issue, Russell said the club would like to have input from past members and anyone who might be interested in joining in the future.
If 50 percent or more of the members approve the move to amalgamate, a motion will be brought forward at a meeting Nov. 24 in Emo to cement the start of the process.
Audrey Robb, operations director for the Northwestern Ontario Snowmobile Trails Association (Dist. 17), said in a letter to members, “Should the club
decide to amalgamate, the snowmobile trails would remain open.”
If the local club chooses to reject amalgamation, Russell is not certain what would happen.
“We would have to have a look at it and decide if we want to continue to struggle with it for another year or so,” he said.
He added if they pull the pin on the club, all their trails have to be dismantled. That would involve removing all signage, bridges, gates, etc.
“That would be a huge undertaking,” Russell stressed.
The Snowdusters have about 300 km of trails they look after at present, and Russell said he, himself, would not like to see the trails die here.
“Ten years down the road, there may be lots of guys here wanting to sled,” he noted. “But if the trails are gone, their options will be limited.”
Russell thinks the idea of amalgamating will keep the trails alive well into the future, noting Fort Frances and Mine Centre already have done so, as have Emo and Nestor Falls.
And whether Rainy River opts to join them or not, Emo and Fort Frances already have indicated they will join together.
(Fort Frances Times)
Fort Frances Times
Local News from Across the Rainy River District
