OFSC Provides Fall Communications Recap For Snowmobilers

Posted on | by OFSC

All the OFSC News You Need To Know (To Date) To Be Ride Ready This Winter!

(Barrie, ON – November 12, 2020): Since August, the Ontario Federation of Snowmobile Clubs (OFSC) has shared a ton of information through our website, Facebook page and newsletters. Our communications focused on evolving developments affecting trail riding for this winter, in addition to news about the early permit sales program.

Now, with growing anticipation among new and returning snowmobilers to hit the snow, a brief recap and progress reminder about trail developments may be helpful to put everything that’s happening in context as we get closer to winter. We hope this update will also answer any questions those who may have missed our regular communications still might have.

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OFSC Launches Ride Smart 2021 For Safe & Healthy Snowmobiling

Posted on | by OFSC

Together We Can Help Keep Trails & Services Open This Winter

What’s Included:
• Doing Our Part
• 4 Steps For Stopping
• Riding Prepared
• Preventing The Spread

(Barrie, ON: November 5, 2020) – The Ontario Federation of Snowmobile Clubs (OFSC) is committed to delivering the best possible trail riding experiences for snowmobilers this winter. In accordance with the latest information from Public Health Ontario, the OFSC’s pandemic response plan is enabling our districts, clubs & volunteers to do everything possible to make the provincial trail system available to ride, while respecting and protecting the snowbelt communities, hospitality providers and residents that serve OFSC trails.

Doing Our Part To Keep Trails & Services Open – To make this work, we snowmobilers must also do part to prevent transmission of the virus on every ride. While we all know that the riding itself is relatively safe, the risk increases considerably whenever we stop along the way. So, everyone needs to practice socially responsible behaviours when interacting with each other or visiting trail accessible services and communities. Not doing so could result in closed services, limited access to communities and possibly even trail restrictions during the season.

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OFSC Ride Planning & Trail Navigation Tools for 2021 Season

Posted on | by OFSC

 

Multiple Wayfinding Choices for New, Returning and Current Riders

What’s Included:
• Interactive Trail Guide Goes Live Today
• Go Snowmobiling Apps Available December 1
• District Trail Guide Availability

(Barrie. ON; October 29, 2020) – As part of its Trails To Ride 2021 plan to deliver the best possible riding experience this winter, the Ontario Federation of Snowmobile Clubs (OFSC) is providing an update on ride planning and trail navigation tools. These include the Interactive Trail Guide, Go Snowmobiling App, TrakMaps for Garmin GPS, and district trail guides.

The OFSC expects its digital planning and navigation tools to be increasingly valuable to snowmobilers this winter, and to be especially helpful for the many new riders expected on the trails. These wayfinding platforms are updated regularly throughout the season to show current trail availability, a feature not possible with printed guides.

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OFSC Updates Snowmobilers On Flex Trails & Recent Pandemic Developments

Posted on | by OFSC

Flex Trails Provide Permit Buyers With Many Opportunities To Hit The Snow This Winter

What’s Included:
• Trails To Ride 2021 Plan Components
• Pandemic & OFSC Trails
• Flex Trails & How They Work
• Looking Ahead to Winter

(Barrie, ON: October 22, 2020) – In prior releases, the Ontario Federation of Snowmobile Clubs (OFSC) announced and updated its comprehensive Trails To Ride 2021 plan, focused on working through these challenging times to deliver the best possible trail riding experiences on as many trails as possible this winter with the cooperation of all snowmobilers.

Components of OFSC Plan: As previously reported, Trails To Ride 2021 includes several flexible, complimentary and integrated strategies for province-wide trail preparations, groomer fleet operations, and permit sales, plus pandemic response for the health and safety of volunteers, snowmobilers, landowners and snowbelt communities and enhanced communications with all stakeholders. The OFSC pandemic response includes Flex Trails (see below) to provide permit holders with as many alternative trail riding opportunities as possible if needed during these uncertain times.

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OFSC Update On Groomer Investment for 2021 Season

Posted on | by OFSC

Trail Consistency Is Top Priority For All Available Trails

By The Numbers:
• $3.8M grooming investment
• 10 New groomers and 12 new grooming drags
• 19 Refurbished groomers
• 4 Standby grooming units

(Barrie, ON: October 22, 2020) – The Ontario Federation of Snowmobile Clubs is pleased to provide a progress update on its grooming capability for the coming season, funded by a $3.8 million investment from permit revenues. In conjunction with its Trails To Ride 2021 plan, the OFSC’s comprehensive provincial fleet management strategy focuses on optimizing the effectiveness and efficiency of one of the world’s largest trail groomer fleets with 300 units.

New Groomers: With this investment, the OFSC has purchased 10 new groomers for use on the snow this winter. For example, 3 new groomers are assigned to different sections of the RAP Tour to keep up with high traffic demands. Three others are allocated to different sections of the TOP A Trail from North Bay to Cochrane. In addition, the OFSC has purchased 10 new drags.

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OFSC Health & Safety Plan Protects Volunteers, Landowners, Communities & Riders

Posted on | by OFSC

Careful Riding Behaviours Help Keep Trails Available to Ride All Winter

(Barrie, ON: October 8, 2020) – Under its Trails To Ride 2021 action plan, the Ontario Federation of Snowmobile Clubs (OFSC) has created new strategies to ensure the health and safety of everyone working on, riding on or depending on OFSC trails. These actions will also protect the snowbelt communities, hospitality providers and residents that serve OFSC trails. To accomplish this and in cooperation with snowbelt public health units, the OFSC has developed the most progressive pandemic response plan among Canadian trail user groups as a part of Trails To Ride 2021.

“Delivering the best possible trail riding experience this winter depends on everyone residing along our trails feeling safe to welcome visitors this winter.” said CEO Landon French. “The OFSC takes this responsibility very seriously and is asking snowmobilers to respect the health and safety of our host communities, landowners and trail accessible services.”

The OFSC health & safety initiative includes helping OFSC districts, clubs and volunteers to work smart and safe throughout this fall and winter. At the end of September, the OFSC provided member organizations with a comprehensive COVID-19 Best Practices resources developed in partnership with Workplace Safety North to ensure all trail work is proactively conducted following the latest protocols.

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