Off-highway Trails Receive Another Funding Boost

NOTE: A list of the organizations receiving funding for off-highway trail development follows this news release.

Off-highway vehicle operators in Nova Scotia will soon have more safe places to ride thanks to 35 projects, that are receiving financial support from the Off-highway Infrastructure Fund.

Health Promotion and Protection Minister Barry Barnet and Natural Resources Minister David Morse announced today, June 11, expenditures of $743,200 from the fund to develop, expand and improve trails across the province that allow snowmobile and other off-highway vehicle use.

"In a little over a year, more than $1,540,000 has been distributed from the Off-highway Infrastructure Fund," Laurie Cranton, chair of Nova Scotia's Off-highway Vehicle Ministerial Advisory Committee.

Each year when off-highway vehicle owners register their vehicles, they contribute $40 to the infrastructure fund. In order to receive infrastructure fund support, applicants must also contribute at least 50 per cent of a project's cost.

"The infrastructure fund is financed by OHV users for OHV users, but all projects are cost-shared," said Mr. Cranton. "That means that trail development groups, OHV and snowmobile clubs and other concerned citizens' groups have contributed an impressive $3 million to develop accessible trails in Nova Scotia in just over a year."

To be eligible for infrastructure fund support, projects must meet certain conditions, like avoiding vulnerable areas and contributing to environmental protection, making the most of existing infrastructure, and encouraging shared use where appropriate.

The ministerial advisory committee -- which includes representatives from a cross-section of groups, including off-highway vehicle riders, landowners, the environmental community, safety and training, industry, and enforcement -- developed and oversees the process that organizations must use to qualify. The committee refers recommended projects to the two ministers who have final approval over the infrastructure fund allocations.

For information on trail development financing and applications for future OHV Infrastructure Fund trail development see the website at www.gov.ns.ca/natr/ohv/fund.asp .

Following is a list of trail development projects which will receive support from the trails program of the Off-highway Vehicle Infrastructure Fund:

• Off-Highway Vehicle Closed Course Co-operation Ltd., Brookfield: $5,000 to extend an existing closed course by four kilometres

• North Shore ATV Club: $12,000 to install a culvert and two sets of gates on the boundary of the Gully Lake Wilderness Area in Kemptown, Colchester Co.

• Yarmouth County Trail Development Association: $50,000 to develop an 87-kilometre multi-use trail in Yarmouth County

• Bear River to Sissiboo Trails Association: $50,000 for a multi-use trail on abandoned, Crown-owned rail corridor

• Fundy Trail Snowmobile and Recreation Club: $1,600 to remove a rock ledge in the Folly Lake area

• Lake Charlotte All-Terrain Vehicle Association: $7,300 for construction and improvement of trails connecting the clubhouse to the existing trail on the western side of Lake Charlotte

• St. Margaret's Bay Area Rails to Trails Association: $10,000 for ongoing maintenance and repairs

• Pictou County Snowriders: $50,000 to repair existing railbed

• Sheet Harbour Snowmobile and ATV Club: $8,800 to build a trail to meet provincial safety and environmental requirements and regulations

• Sunrise Trails ATV Club: $35,000 to further develop 20 kilometres of existing multi-use trail in the Pugwash area

• Woodland Multi-use Trail Association: $50,000 to develop a multi-use trail system on two sections of rail bed near Sable River, Shelburne Co.

• Kings County Trails Society: $50,000 to convert 22.8 kilometres of abandoned rail line in Kings County

• Crowdis Mountain Snowmobile Club: $12,500 for Silver Dart Trail project

• Crowdis Mountain Snowmobile Club: $10,000 for new trail to Baddeck Valley Community Hall

• Isle Madame ATV Riders Association: $19,700 for two separate projects improving infrastructure on the existing trail system

• Central Nova ATV Club: $10,000 for construction of a multi-use recreational trail from Springfield to Nixtaux Dam

• South Shore Annapolis Valley Recreational Trail Association: $34,000 to build a recreational trail from Nictaux Dam to Highway 1, Middleton

• Guysborough County Trails Association: $25,000 to upgrade 10-year old trail infrastructure

• Chignecto Glooscap Snowmobile Association: $4,000 to rebuild two kilometres of trail to new Fossil Centre in Joggins

• Chignecto Glooscap Snowmobile Association: $12,000 for bush cutting of existing multi-use trails in Joggins, River Hebert and Parrsboro areas

• Town of Berwick: $14,500 to continue to develop the 2.2-kilometre demonstration trail that passes through the town

• Chignecto and Area ATV Club: $4,500 for redecking, grading, brush cutting and other work

• Cumberland Snowmobile Club: $23,000 for brush cutting on 168 kilometres of trails from Economy to Springhill

• Cumberland Snowmobile Club: $5,100 for culvert work between Springhill and Collingwood Corner

• Marine Riders ATV Club: $7,500 resurfacing, bridge safety rails, ditching

• Judique Flyer Trail Association: $20,000 for top coating from Baxter's Cove to Shore Road

• Ceilidh Coastal Trail Association: $50,000 to reroute about 600 metres of trail from the shoreline near Troy Station

• Margaree Highlanders Snowmobile Club: $42,000 toward joint application development of a four-season, multi-use recreational trail joining Belle Cote and Keppoch Highlands

• Margaree ATV Club: $42,000 toward joint application development of a four-season, multi-use recreational trail joining Belle Cote and Keppoch Highlands

• Inverness County Trails Federation: $50,000 to repair trail beds from Shore Road to Dunmore Road and from Kenlock to Inverness

• Marconi Trail Blazers ATV Club: $5,900 for trail assessments and strategic plan development in Cape Breton Regional Municipality area

• Northside ATV Club: $5,900 for study of current and existing trail routes to develop multi-use trail assessment and strategic plan

• Isle Royale ATV Club: $5,900 for trail assessments and strategic plan development

• Antigonish SnoDogs: $10,000 to complete mechanical brush clearing, install culverts on Browns and Eigg Mountains and Weavers Mountain and to remove blind turn on 700 trail in Glen Bard on Keppoch Mountain.