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The Kenmore blog has lots of joy (on benches, on trees, on skis many km) from Ken’s stormy outing, including an evocative image of snow screaming across Skyline.

Skied those near-antenna trails myself after the snow had stopped, the wind still howling. Yes Ken, signs of snowmobiles had been obliterated. Continue reading →

Another Winter Trails Roundtable meeting was held on Tuesday. I unfortunately was unable to attend but I’ve closely scrutinized Harold Blount‘s minutes from the meeting so here are the highlights.

The biggest reason that these roundtables were started was related to grooming of ski trails. Those attending recently who’d been most concerned about this issue Continue reading →

This week sustainability plans developed jointly by the NCC and the cities of Gatineau and Ottawa were accepted by Ottawa City Council. Because the mood at City Hall seems to belittle the plans’ importance, heavyweight supporters waited more than four hours to speak in support.

Among them Nobel Peace Prize Laureate Dr. John Stone, who made a point of saying that activities that we love, like skiing in Gatineau Park and skating on the canal are under threat.

For more info and what you can do, including Dr. Stone’s remarks click here.

Update – Not too interesting to Gatineau Parkers. Here’s what the agenda says “Realignment of Leitrim Road at Canadian Forces Station (CFS) Leitrim by National Defence.”

The NCC have invited us to a Board of Directors meeting via webconference on Feb 22. It’s only scheduled to last 15 minutes so one wonders what it’s about. Continue reading →

(1) I see a piece on Outdoor Ottawa reporting that Transport Quebec intends to remove the camp set up to protest the extension of Highway 5.

(2) Nicole posted a review of her ski out of P10.

(3) Friends of Gatineau Park posted a report on their annual strategy meeting.

It’s reported by the blog Action Pontiac that efforts by the NCC to augment the naturally protected status of Gatineau Park by encouraging surrounding municipalities to add their own protection to certain lands is meeting with resistance.

According to the report the Municipal Council for Pontiac unanimously rejected the idea saying “these corridors will discourage development of the municipality”, and is against anything that “will be a brake on development.”

The Momma of Max has posted again; this time on the pleasantness of skiing out of the parking lot at the Mackenzie King Estate. The tortoise reference is to her self described slow pace which allowed her to rack up the kms enough to feel ready to tackle the upcoming loppet.

Here’s a little video from the Weather Network with the NCC’s own Louis-René Sénéchal

There is no public consultation session scheduled for the Gatineau Park Heritage Conservation Plan. For this plan all consultation is strictly online. Please do give the NCC your input either there or by email. Continue reading →

On Saturday I attended the Green Transportation Plan consultation workshop. Although I had anticipated a lower turnout than for the Recreation Management Plan consultation I was wrong; there were about 50 people in the room. There was a major difference though. Continue reading →