The Orillia Snowmobile Club is hoping to receive provincial funding this year for improvements to a section of the ‘B’ Trail near Ramara Township Conc. 13.
"It’s badly needed," club president John Britten said. "This area is so swampy and wet. It doesn’t freeze well and that means it is difficult for us to get this section of the trail ready at the beginning of the season."
Ontario has announced a cash infusion of $3 million in tourism development cash to support snowmobiling tourism for the 2011/12 season. Grants will be administered through the Ontario Federation of Snowmobile Clubs (OFSC).
More than 34,000 kilometres of snowmobile trails are operated across the province by 228 community-based clubs.
Locally, Orillia club members maintain more than 288 kilometres. Representatives will meet with clubs from across the local district on Tuesday to review priorities and proceed with funding requests.
Proposals must be submitted to the OFSC by Aug. 24.
"We all have wish lists and areas that need work," Britten said. "However, locally we don’t have the money to do much of the work on the lists. For any projects larger than $10,000, we need to get grant money."
Eight clubs located from Collingwood to Orillia and south to Barrie will present their priorities at the district meeting. Britten is hopeful that the $25,000 project at the top of Orillia’s wish list will be submitted for funding. If approved, money will be used to fill the swampy area
with gravel in order to improve the trail surface and enable longer use.
"I think three or four from the district will go forward and hopefully we will be successful," he said.
All approved projects must be completed by March 31, 2012.
"What that really means for us is that the work has to be done by December, though, because we can’t do anything once we have snow," Britten said
