OFSC steps up to help keep trail open

What could have been a terrible blow to the upcoming snowmobile season in Parry Sound, Ont. looks to have been averted.

The Ontario Federation of Snowmobile Clubs (OFSC) has announced that it will contribute more than $300,000 towards repairs of six decaying bridges in the area.

On July 10 the Park-To-Park Trail Association closed a section of the Seguin Trail to all pedestrian and vehicular traffic because bridges along that section of the trail were no longer seen as safe to cross. A total of six bridges, which span approximately 20 km (12.4 miles) of the 70 km (43.5 miles) system, were identified as a safety concern due to deterioration and structural instability.

The Park-To-Park Trail Association told Snowmobile.com that it hopes to have all six bridges repaired before the start of snowmobile season.

Money from snowmobile and ATV tourism is vital to Parry Sound and the surrounding area, bringing in millions of dollars every year. Without the use of those bridges and that section of the Seguin Trail, many snowmobilers would likely have stayed away.

The Park-To-Park Trail Association was formed to create an east-west link connecting Killbear Provincial Park to Algonquin Provincial Park. Ten separate municipalities are linked across the length of the trail.