Winter Proud: Great Recreational Trails and Subzero Adventures Winter Cycling Congress - The Forks, Winnipeg February 14, 2014 Murielle Bugera, President,

Winter Proud: Great Recreational Trails and

Subzero AdventuresWinter Cycling Congress - The

Forks, WinnipegFebruary 14, 2014

Murielle Bugera, President, Crow Wing Trail Association

Chemin Saint-Paul

The Crow Wing Trail

Re-creation of an 1800’s ox cart trail as the section of

the Trans Canada Trail from Winnipeg to Emerson.

191 kms of Varied Scenery

• Red River Floodway• Fields of wheat and

canola• Heritage museum sites• Suspension bridge• Provincial park• First Nation• Pastures of native

grasses• River bottom forest

Year-Round Use• Trans Canada

Trail requirements:– at least 2

summer activities– at least 2 winter

activities – non-motorized

• Our focus has been on summer use. Until recently, when….

Actif Epica Came Along

And that changed the whole picture...

Photo Taken January 25th

This winter bike race, held for the third year in a row now, attracts racers from around the world, to gather in the frozen winter landscape of North America’s geographic centre.They bike - or run - 130 km of the Crow Wing Trail, in unforgiving temperatures, brutal winds and bare landscapes.They celebrate human resilience, community spirit and fun, and are embraced by Friendly Manitobans. And with The Forks hosting the finish line, it makes for a great rural – urban event!

Why the Crow Wing Trail?

Organizers chose the Crow Wing Trail for their route as it is well signed and our

Association provided a ready-made local team to work with. The historical aspect

and the fact that it is also the Trans Canada Trail are definite bonuses.

Good Fit For Us

Racers take the trail the way it is. It’s all part of the experience!

Winter Maintenance is a Challenge

This 3-km offshoot of the Crow Wing Trail is maintained by local volunteer since 1979.

Even in a Provincial Park As the St. Malo Provincial Park is not staffed year-round, locals created The Friends of St. Malo Park in 2008, to allow them to use the park during winter.

The Chicken or The EggUse = MaintenanceMaintenance = UseBuild it and they will come? If Actif Epica comes with no maintenance,imagine whatmaintenance could

do!

Maintenance = Use We do have proof that dependable

and consistent maintenance does increase trail use in summer.

“I am renewing my membership with the

Crow Wing Trail Association based on

the work that Trail Boss Wayne Arseny

accomplished. I will be cycling on this well

maintained trail in 2013. With this

renewed commitment to maintenance,

I am sure to come back more often,”

Winnipeg cyclist.

Leadership• Clear indication that

leaders encourage winter trail use.

• Dependable maintenance by paid staff or volunteers with honorarium.

• Appropriate winter maintenance equipment.

• Recognition of multi-use.• Recreation Directors

focusing on winter programming.

• Public warming shelters/washrooms.

Through Visitors’ Eyes

January 27th, 2014 – www.communitynewscommons.org In the shadow of the frosty stained glass windows and the cold grey gravestones of the St. Adolphe Roman Catholic historic site, members of this year’s Actif Epica get together for some spiritual karma building and equipment testing.The Saturday morning quiet in this sleepy prairie town is disrupted by the bustle of out-of-season cyclists and people on foot with colorful and strange looking equipment, laughing and carrying-on, right on the main drag. Locals take second looks to see who dare disturb their town in such a fashion.

Imagine….

The early settlers of Manitoba traveled right through this spot hundreds of years ago, to bring goods for trade in Minneapolis and in the towns along the route. The descendants of those rugged traders are still here today, and some are probably these very same people whispering in coffee shops about the foreigners they see outside their window.

But… What’s There To Do?Allow me to use recent personal experience…

• In December 2008, my son and his wife welcomed Australian friends (30 to 60 year olds)

• For 3 weeks, they gave them a Manitoba Winter Experience to remember!

• First step: Make sure they had the appropriate clothing!

Hot tubbing in -30°

Wow!Maybe our winters are not so bad after

all?