International Trails Day

A Morning of Guided Tours on Collingwood Trails - It's free – All you need is a Pair of Shoes!

Collingwood, ON – An International Trails Day is announced for Saturday, June 6th, 2009 scheduled from 10:00am to 1:00pm at The Station, 45 St. Paul Street Collingwood. International Trails Day is an annual Celebration of trails to promote trail development, the use of trails and the healthy lifestyle they encourage.

Sponsored by the Town of Collingwood Leisure Services Department and the Collingwood Trails Advisory Committee, the day of guided trail tours is designed to appeal to the entire family. There will be no rain date, so please dress accordingly. The guided routes, which vary in style, theme and level of difficulty, begin at The Station and will be led by trail enthusiasts, local public figures and other volunteers. Collingwood Trails Day starts at 10:00am on Saturday, June 6th. Remember to also pick up your free just released 7th edition Collingwood Trails Network Map.

One of the highlights of the International Trails Day is the 12-kilometer Train Trail Extension bike ride to the Town of Stayner and back again. Other routes include a wheelchair accessible tour of the Walk of History on the Collingwood Spit, easy paced strolls along town trails, and walks designed for young families.

The International Trails Day will be in partnership with the Blue Mountain Foundation for the Arts and will include their Annual Town and Country Studio Tour. This year marks their 21st Annual Artists’ Studio Tour and will include the Town of Collingwood and artists’ studios to the south and west; Craigleith, Thornbury/Clarksburg, Nottawa, Duntroon, and the Pretty River Valley. There will be 65 artists participating in approximately 25 studios, exhibiting fine art, pottery, textiles, glass, photography, jewelry, woodwork and more! For more information, be sure to check out their website at www.bmfa.on.ca.

Elephant Thoughts will be participating in the International Trails Day as well. They will have science stations for the kids to participate in various experiments. These stations will be located in the kick-off area at The Station as well as at Sunset Point Park. Elephants Thoughts is a registered Canadian charity that promotes high standards of education worldwide despite economic or geographic barriers.

In addition to the Blue Mountain Foundation for the Arts and Elephant Thoughts, the following partners will be setting up displays: The Environment Network, Osteoporosis Canada, Simcoe Muskoka District Health Unit, The Blue Mountain Bruce Trails Club, Little Ed’s Ski and Bike, and the Taoist Tai-Chi Society. Also participating will be Breaking Down Barriers, The Collingwood Museum, and the Collingwood Jazz and Blues Society. We are also pleased to include the Collingwood Site organizers of the CIBC Run for the Cure.

Now a major recreational amenity in our community, the Collingwood trails are user-friendly for people of all ages and abilities. Many citizens are getting into the habit of biking or walking to go shopping or to go to work, thus cutting down on local auto emissions and promoting healthy living. Walking is being promoted as an important moderate exercise for people of all ages and abilities and helps aid the battle with obesity and depression - two growing health problems in our community.

The Collingwood Trails Network programme of giving for the trails - The Donor Gift Programme - offers a tax receipt and acknowledgement to donors that can be used to mark an important date or anniversary. A generous anonymous donation of $300,000 spread over five years has allowed the Collingwood Trails Advisory Committee to create the Heather Pathway that when completed will unite the trails into one large trail system. The Collingwood Trails Network is growing into a world class trail destination and an important tourist attraction for the Town and local business.

The Collingwood Trails Network Committee has built a trail system of forested walk ways, in-town bike lanes and lake-side look outs making Collingwood a recreational Mecca for those who wish to ride or walk in the summer months, or cross country ski or snowshoe when the snow flies.