Snowmobile association kicked out of Ontario club
The North of Superior Snowmobile Association's area is not sustainable any more
A snowmobile association which helped local clubs apply for funding, maintain trails and fill out paperwork has been kicked out of the Ontario Federation of Snowmobile Clubs due to low permit sales and local club closures.
The low permit sales, defined as less than fifty permits worth of revenue, means the North of Superior Snowmobile Association is not sustainable for the OFSC. The provincial group has begun to reclaim some of their grooming equipment.
"It’s a slap in the face to all the volunteers that have gone out there at -40 degrees; people that have gotten up at four o’clock in the morning to go out in these groomers to groom these trails," said Dorene Boulanger, president of the North of Superior Snowmobile Association.
"My heart goes out to all of the volunteers in this whole district."
Local clubs groom trails around their own areas and would often meet up with trails in other areas. The removal of the equipment and club closures mean fewer groomed trails.
Boulanger estimated that thousands of kilometers of trails will remain un-groomed this winter.
The association was formed in 2000 and had clubs in Thunder Bay, Nipigon, Manitouwadge, Hornepayne, Geraldton, Longlac, Marathon, Screiber/Terrace Bay, Nakina and White River.
The only ones that are still operating include Marathon, Geraldton and Longlac which, according to Boulanger, will have a much rougher ride this winter.