New address: PO Box 144 Kinburn Ont, K0A 2H0. This will make our mail pickup a little easier going forward.
West Carleton trails are now closed. Thanks to our Landowners, Volunteers and Permit Buyers.
Wow. What a fantastic season it has been!
Snowmobilers are being warned to stay off of West Carleton Snowmobile Club (WCSTA) OFSC Prescribed snowmobile trails effective immediately as the snowmobile season has come to an end. These trails are now reported as “Unavailable” (Red) on the OFSC Interactive Trail Guide, and WCSTA have stopped regular grooming operations and signs and stakes are being removed and gates and fences closed. Snowmobilers are also advised that rapidly deteriorating snow and ice conditions due to spring thaw make snowmobiling extremely hazardous on closed trails. In our area, roads and road crossings are now generally bare and the ice on all waterways is melted, melting or unstable.
The public is also reminded that an OFSC snowmobile trail on private land reported as “Unavailable” means that access to that trail is also prohibited for any other users or persons for all other seasons, without the specific prior permission of the landowner. On behalf of our club and volunteers, we want to thank all of the landowners who have generously allowed the use of their property for an OFSC snowmobile trail this winter. We also appreciate the support of the many snowmobilers who bought trail permits to help pay their share of the cost of trail operations for the past season.
A very special thanks is also extended to all of the club volunteers who donated their services to assist local clubs in providing a successful season of snowmobiling. Although the winter is over, snowmobiling has become a year round business, so many volunteers will start immediately to plan and prepare for next winter.
Planning for Next Year
WCSTA is actively looking to fill a number of roles within the West Carleton club. We are looking for people to work with the Board of Directors to assist with the delivery of our required programs and to develop Club initiatives. We are increasing our efforts to identify and coordinate our volunteers, one of our most valuable resources.
If you would like to volunteer to keep your Club strong, and our trails first rate please fill in the Volunteer Contact form on our Volunteering web page. We will put together groups of people to help repair and maintain trails this spring and summer, as well as prepare for the 2020-2021 season. In order to remain strong, your Club needs more involvement from its members. In return, we are also focusing on member engagement in a fun way and hope to have a number of activities and get togethers next season for everyone.
So, if you can help us, and this will help you, please let us know.
The Board of Directors thanks you for a fun and accident free season. See you on the trails next winter. Remember to buy your permit in WCSTA.
On Sunday two new volunteers Ryan Grassie and Jake Sinclair worked with me and Steve Munro and helped open the new trail from W20 into Carp. Steve Munro worked with land owners to put the trail in place and brought out his backhoe to clear the trail and put in a pipe.
Thank you all.
This trail has been built to keep snowmobiles off the ACTIVE RAIL LINE into Carp. We have posted the railway as a NO SNOWMOBILE ROUTE. If snowmobilers use the railway we may loose all our railway crossings west of Highway 417. This in effect would shut down many of our trails and access out of West Carleton.
Please STAY OFF THE RAILWAY.
If you have time for a beer you have time to take the trail. There are a number of restaurants and businesses near to the snowmobile parking area that is being provided by Ridge Rock Brewing an the Karson Group.
Enjoy your trip to Carp when we get snow.
Upper Canada Snowmobile Region – March 19, 2019
At this time of the year the 20 Local Community Snowmobile Clubs of UCSR and all of our permit buyers wish to give our Thank You to our Landowners.
Over 90% of UCSR snowmobile trails are on private property and snowmobile trails exist because someone has said “yes”. We have landowners that are Dairy , Cereal Crop farming to Maple Syrup producers , Christmas Tree plantations and private wood lot owners. We even have some landowners that provide warm up shelters.
Since Ontario landowners have a valued history of sharing access to their land with responsible recreationists, private land ownership is a very good thing for Ontario snowmobilers. When snowmobile club members seek permission to establish a snowmobile trail, they’re generally dealing with landowners who are their neighbors, employers, relatives. This means that Ontario snowmobilers have a great responsibility to the landowners. These folks are trusting all of us to treat their property with respect, so what can the ordinary snowmobiler do to help clubs keep trails in place?
• Stay on the trail
• Leave the Stakes Intact
• Leave Gates and Fences Alone
• Use Only For Snowmobiles
• Use Only in the Winter
• Respect the Landowner
RESPECT THEIR LAND !
Mark Jan 19, 2019 off your calendars for our Annual Landowner Appreciation event to be held at our newest supporter and event trail destination, The Marshes Golf Club in Kanata.
This $40 value is free to our landowners who help make our sport possible. It includes a Roast Beef dinner with dessert and coffee, cash bar and a DJ provided by Quality Entertainment until 1AM… Door prizes and draws…
We encourage you all to Sled or Drive in on Jan 19 in support of our landowners.
Dinner party Tickets $40 to Land Owner Supporters
DJ Entertainment Tickets: $10 from 8:30 PM-1AM.
RSVP Before Jan 9
Email: Dan@Alvinausher.com
Text or call: 613 867-4437
Landowners, if we haven’t contacted you yet please let us know…
See you all there.
Saturday October 14 is a big night for WCSTA. We are combining 2 events – a dinner in appreciation of all the wonderful landowners who make our trails possible, followed by the season kick-off “Bash ‘n Brapp”, featuring Ottawa Valley’s own Rainwater Whiskey, rising stars on the music scene!
Land owner dinner
The evening starts at 5:00 pm with a roast beef dinner, catered by Valley Roots – complimentary to WCSTA land owners. Sledders are encouraged to join us, meet your land owners, and show them your appreciation. There will be a cash bar and complimentary non-alcoholic beverages.
RSVP for dinner – email landowners@wcstai.com, or call 613.263.7907 (please include number of tickets requested on RSVP)
Bash ‘n Brapp
Then, at 9:00pm, part two of the evening starts. “Bash ‘n Brapp” is going to be our most ambitious event yet, featuring entertainment by Rainwater Whiskey. Rainwater Whiskey is a hard hitting country band from the Ottawa Valley and have opened for Bill Durst, Brea Lawrenson, Jordan McIntosh, Rory Gardiner, the Roadhammers, Kira Isabella, Aaron Pritchett, The River Town Saints and Brett Kissel, as well as headlining the Metcalfe Fair!
This is going to be a can’t-miss party with over the top entertainment! There will be a cash bar, raffle, door prize and 50/50 draw.
As an additional thank you, tickets for our land owners are available for a deeply discounted price of $10!
It’s important that you RSVP right away though so plans for dinner can be finalized. If you are a landowner, or know a landowner who has not been contacted yet, please spread the word or contact us at landowners@wcstai.com.
Prices
Land owner dinner
Land owners plus guest – free
Sledders – $25pp (per person)
Dinner plus Bash ‘n Brapp
Land owners and their guest – $10pp
Sledders – $40pp
Bash ‘n Brapp only (for sledders)
Early bird special – $15 (limited quantity)
Order online – $20pp
At the door – $30pp
Ordering tickets
Advance Bash ‘n Brapp tickets may be ordered online through Eventbrite (small service charge applies)
or by email money transfer (pick up ticket night of event). Please contact bashnbrapp@gmail.com to arrange transfer
Photo by Martin Lortz for Ontario Tourism
Every year when snow is on the ground and our throttle thumbs are itching, our club is often asked why some trails remain unavailable for riding each year longer than others. While weather, running water and terrain play a big part in it, opening trails and keeping them open is a process with many moving parts. To help explain, please have a look a the attached article, by Craig Nicholson and Graham Snyder, and courtesy of OFSC Go Snowmobiling Magazine, Vol. 8 #2.
GSM Vol8#2 OFSC – Crossing Farmers’ Fields
To all WCSTA Landowners and Snowmobilers;
You are cordially invited to join us for a Landowners Appreciation Dinner on Saturday April 2, 2016 at 6:00pm in the Kinburn Community Centre. All West Carleton and Mississippi Mills Landowners who graciously allow us to use their land for our local trails are welcome. Without your generosity the West Carleton Snowmobile Club would not have trails.
RSVP to landowners@wcstai.com, or by phone (613) 852-7271
Food: Spaghetti dinner including dessert, served up by Sammy’s Pizzeria Restaurant of Dunrobin. All non alcholic drinks are included. Cash bar is available.
Please let us know if you have any food allergies.
This dinner is sponsered by the local WC Snowmobile Club and Eli El-Chantiry, Councillor for West Carleton-March.
All WC Snowmobilers are invited to come and enjoy dinner with our landowners. We will be charging snowmobilers a small fee for dinner to help offset the costs. Please come out and help show our gratitude!
Thank you to the Landowners of Mississippi Mills and West Carleton!
As advised by the OFSC, the West Carleton Snowmobile Trails Association has no intentions of pursuing easements.
Should any folks have concerns or questions, below is the link to the OFSC Website Statement regarding the current Land Use Agreements and Bill 100.
On a related note, as Bill 100 has now progressed to the consultation process, the OFSC is on record of supporting any revisions to the Bill which would address landowners concerns.
We continue to promote our message that the OFSC and our member organizations respect the rights of landowners and we do not have any intention of utilizing easements. The OFSC prefers to use the traditional time tested land use agreement process which has, and continues to serve landowners and clubs well.
Please refer to this link of more information on Bill 100 pertaining to Snowmobile Clubs.
http://www.ofsc.on.ca/content/landowner-concerns-respect-access-snowmobile-trails
Thanks
Trails are now closed. Thanks to our landowners and permit buyers
Snowmobilers are being warned to stay off of area OFSC Prescribed snowmobile trails effective immediately as the snowmobile season has come to an end. These trails are now reported as “Unavailable” (Red) on the OFSC Interactive Trail Guide at www.ofsc.on.ca, because area clubs have stopped regular grooming operations, and signs and stakes are being removed and gates and fences closed. Snowmobilers are also advised that rapidly deteriorating snow and ice conditions due to spring thaw make snowmobiling extremely hazardous anywhere. Roads and road crossings are now generally bare and the ice on all waterways is melted, melting or unstable, and now the only safe and sensible course of action for snowmobilers is to put away their sleds until next winter. The risks of trying that ‘one last ride’ are simply too high now that spring thaw has commenced.
The public is also reminded that an OFSC snowmobile trail on private land reported as “Unavailable” means that access to that trail is also prohibited for any other users or persons for all other seasons, without the specific prior permission of the landowner. On behalf of our clubs and volunteers, we want to thank all of the landowners who have generously allowed the use of their property for an OFSC snowmobile trail this winter. We also appreciate the support of the many snowmobilers who bought trail permits to help pay their share of the cost of trail operations for the past season.
A very special thanks is also extended to all of the club volunteers who donated their services to assist local clubs in providing a successful season of snowmobiling. Although the winter is over, snowmobiling has become a year round business, so many volunteers will start immediately to plan and prepare for next winter.
We are actively looking to fill a number of roles within the West Carleton club, as well as looking for individuals, groups or families to ‘adopt’ sections of trail and help with signing and maintenance of them. If you are interested in helping out, please let us know.