The Future of Skiing in a Warming World

Join Olympians Sara Renner, Patrick Biggs & other experts for a discussion on today’s challenges and the future of snow sports.

February 5 at The Canada Aviation and Space Museum [NOTE NEW LOCATION]  – free admission

Register here to attend

More details here

Gatineau Valley Historical Society 50th

Tonight the GVHS is celebrating 50 years of existence with a party at Camp Fortune. I was invited to give a short presentation on the history of Camp Fortune but found myself with a scheduling conflict so prepared this short video which the GVHS is planning to screen.

Once again I apologize for my lack of frequent postings at GuideGatineau and point you to some of the other work I’m doing. This should be of particular interest to Ottawa residents because it relates to what your city council is doing (or not doing).

At this time some city councillors are trying to suppress information on how the city is missing it’s targets for greenhouse gas reduction, and worse want no part in planning how to do better in future.

If you live in Ottawa please tell the mayor and your city councillor to include two things in the next round of buget planning: (a) an over-arching climate change action plan; and (b) five short term initiatives identified by city staff as having the largest greenhouse gas emission reduction impacts.

Saving Mort’s Cairn

I got word that Mort’s Cairn is suffering damage as young people enjoying Camp Fortune’s aerial park have been also using the cairn as a climbing structure.

You’ll remember that this monument was dedicated in 1950 to Charles Mortureux, the president of the Ottawa Ski Club for much of the first half of last century, and the man who founded Camp Fortune and turned the Gatineau Hills into a ski mecca for cross-country and downhill enthusiasts alike. Mort’s influence was not unsubstantial in the very formation of Gatineau Park.

My last intervention on this issue was a year ago when I’d been told that the NCC had sought a quote for refurbishment of the monument but evidently that work has yet to proceed. We need to urge the NCC to undertake the restoration.

I have asked that tonight’s GVHS 50th anniversary celebration include a plea to the 100+ attendees to contact the NCC to encourage them to protect this bit of history and I hope you’ll drop the NCC a line as well.

Parkways to Open to Cars May 4

NCC update tells us that Gatineau Park parkways open to traffic at noon on Friday May 4th.

Get your cycling in while you can.

Loop and Looped

Jo-Ann posted how the north loop parkway was fully cyclable by Sunday, only six days after her last photo of skiing that same section.

For a couple of years now I have meticulously documented the increasing length of available cycling parkway but this year things happened so fast, and I’ve been so involved in other things, that I missed the entire sequence. This post is a chance to catch up on a few other things I missed as well as note those “other things.” Continue reading

Ski Season Over

NCC press release:

End of Cross-Country Ski Season in Gatineau Park

Canada’s Capital Region — The 2011-12 cross-country ski season on the trails at Gatineau Park officially ends today, Friday, March 23. Continue reading

New Cité-des-Jeunes Pathway

NCC and Ville de Gatineau are starting work on a new bike path (actually “recreational pathway”) along a short distance of the east side of Gatineau Park. Here’s the announcement.

NCC Looking for New Board Members

The NCC has posted openings for new members of their Board of Directors.

P15 Closed

On Saturday the NCC posted that the Cross Loop Road was closed due to flooding, and thus so was P15. I don’t see them having changed the notice so I don’t know if this is still the case.

Yours to Protect?

Report in the Citizen that a “recognized” federal heritage building in Gatineau park is now at a critical juncture. The question, to renovate and try to find a use for it, or to knock it down and re-naturalize the grounds. Continue reading