Path of the Paddle - Ontario Trails Council
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Transcript Path of the Paddle - Ontario Trails Council
EXPERIENTIAL
WATER ROUTE
Developing a Unique Ontario
Cultural Tourism Product in the
Heart of the Continent
“PATH OF THE PADDLE”
TRANS CANADA TRAIL
(TCT) National & Ontario
board sanctioned initiative
connecting northern
Ontario land-based trails to
Manitoba recreational trails
900+km proposed
canoe/kayak route in the
Heart of the Continent
Aptly named after Canadian
canoeing icon Bill Mason
PROJECT BACKGROUND
2003 - Water route concept
proposed
2007 - TCT National
approved canoeing/kayaking
preferred use
2008 - Planning exercise with
MNR & Ontario Parks
2008 – MOU signed: MNR,
MHP & TCTO
PROJECT BACKGROUND
2009 - Hap Wilson
recruited to assist with
project development
2010 - RTO13 funding
approved to conduct
first season of route
planning & groundtruthing
2011 - 5 water trail
concept plans completed
WATER TRAIL HISTORY
Water routes were the first
trail in Canada referred to
as “Onigum”
Ojibwa & Cree descendant
used this water route for
almost 10,000 years
Used for early trade &
barter between Nations and
for seasonal hunting and
fishing forays
WATER TRAIL HISTORY
Archaeological surveys along
the selected route include
over 200 pictograph sites,
dolmen stones and
waymarkers, tooling site &
pottery shards
The Pigeon River link was
used by the North West
Company as a point of
rendezvous and inland trade
PATH OF THE PADDLE
The creation of an all-
Canadian, representative
“canoe route trail” in terms
of National Heritage values
Recognizes a rich & exciting
part of our history and
acknowledges People of the
First Nations & Canada’s
historic use of the canoe
WATER TRAIL SEGMENTS
Anishnabe Trail – 107 kms:
Falcon River through Shoal
Lake FN #40 to Kenora
Rushing River-Eagle Dogtooth
– 256 kms: Kenora through 2
Provincial Parks to Dryden
Maukinak Trail – 212 kms:
Dryden through Turtle River
Provincial Park to Atikokan
(White Otter Castle)
WATER TRAIL SEGMENTS
Quetico Trail – 208 kms:
Atikokan through Quetico
Provincial Park to Granite
River
Omimi Trail – 129 kms:
Granite River through La
Verendrye & Pigeon River
Provincial Parks to Neebing
FIELD RESEARCH OBJECTIVES
Determine the Best-Fit
routes, divided into
management units
Cultural, natural resource &
historical trail initiatives
gathered
Site planning & preparation
Digitally mapped & ground-
truthed as a risk
management tool
FIELD RESEARCH OBJECTIVES
Risk assessment of the water
route: skill level required on
trail & portages
Identification of route
development projects
locations: access points, camp
sites, portages, wayfinding &
trail head signage
Estimate cost to develop
each trail segment
FIELD RESEARCH OBJECTIVES
Initial identification of
partners to form sub-clubs
for trail stewardship &
portage maintenance
Materials gathered for draft
guidebook which will serve
as TCTO’s risk management
plan
DEVELOPMENT STATUS
2011 - Season One field
research: 3 of 5 trail
segments completed
2012 – Path of the Paddle
Project Manager recruited
2012 – Funding to be
secured for Season Two field
research $40,000 and
completion of draft
guidebook & art and digital
mapping $47,400
DEVELOPMENT STATUS
2012 – Independent trail
segment funding for
infrastructure build to be
secured (ie: Quetico Park)
2013 – Path of the Paddle
not-for-profit club formed
2013 – Additional trail
segment infrastructure builds
2013 – Printing of guidebook
as risk management plan
DEVELOPMENT STATUS
2013 – Completion of
wayfinding & trail head
signage program
2013 – build and create the
support structure, businesses
that support trail users
2014 – Initiate water trail
marketing and promotional
campaigns with partners
PROJECT BENEFITS
Community diversification
Job creation
Volunteer driven
First Nation inclusion
Business opportunities
Themed development
Education
Events & festivals
Health promotion
PROJECT OPPORTUNITIES
Develop a world-class
marketable experiential
tourism destination
Natural links to RTO13,
OTMPC and Northern
Growth Plan objectives
Unique marketing integration
including: “passport”
achievement program and
mobile application
PROJECT SUMMARY
Review & renew MoU
signed: MNR, MHP &
TCTO to include MNDM
Provincial designation &
route recognition
Funding $87,400 to
complete risk management
plan
Path of the Paddle Steering Committee Members:
CAM CLARK – Past Chair and Board Member of TCTO
KIRSTEN SPENCE – TCTO Northern Trails Coordinator
VICKI KURZ – Path of the Paddle Project Manager
THANK YOU