Safe Trails Network

• Questionnaire/Survey (pdf)
• Future meeting dates (n/a)
• The Project

Situated in a dynamic outdoor playground, the City of Owen Sound is proud to be home to some of the area’s most elaborate trail systems.  Trail users can enjoy the sunsets from trail routes along the shores of the bay or the quiet strolls along the harbour walkway.  The world famous Bruce Trail runs through the city taking in some breathtaking scenery.  The jewel of Owen Sound; Harrison Park offers trail goers a diverse selection of both hard surfaced and natural earthen trails extending into the vast Grey Sauble Conservation land leading to the ever popular Inglis Falls.  The Tom Thomson rail trail provides outdoor enthusiasts with a well maintained portion along the City’s east shore and a proposed extension to the community of Meaford.  Visitors can also find a “rail trail” route on the west side of the city extending from the harbour into the scenic Municipality of Georgian Bluffs.  For those that like to explore, Owen Sound has four gorgeous waterfalls hidden within the city, all accessible by trail and waiting for the adventure seeker.  The City of Owen Sound provides trail enthusiasts with a magnitude of trail options for all levels of users; from walking to cycling; hiking to running, Owen Sound has it all. 

The City of Owen Sound is happy to announce a new program for 2011 structured on the promotion and implementation of a city wide trails project.  The Owen Sound Safe Trails Network for All project was launched this past winter and will run into 2012.  The basis of this new program is to provide city trail users with enhanced options to lead healthy, active lifestyles.  City trails will undergo a large scale signage program, up to date mapping and trail route inventory, trail maintenance and the formation of new routes linking existing trails throughout the City of Owen Sound.  This new trails initiative is in partnership with the Owen Sound Family Y, the Grey-Bruce Health Unit and the Bruce-Grey Catholic District School Board.  This project will no doubt help the City of Owen Sound attain a vision of being a premier trails destination in Ontario.

The Project

During the fall of 2010, the City of Owen Sound, along with its partners (the Bruce-Grey Catholic School Board, the Owen Sound Family Y, and the Grey Bruce Health Unit) applied and received funding through the Healthy Communities Fund from the Ministry of Health Promotion.  This funding has been designated to aid in a city wide Trails Project over the next two years.  This project will provide all members of the public with well signed, mapped, safe trail routes throughout the City of Owen Sound.  The benefits for this trail project will enhance alternative transportation options within the city, encourage healthy active lifestyles for users.

This Trails Project (OSSTN) will be comprised of 3 main phases, each being equally important in scope.  First; current trail systems will be inventoried in order to fully understand what the City of Owen Sound currently offers in regards to multi-use trails.  This will include GPS Mapping and the construction of trail system base maps for future promotional use.  The second phase of the project will deal with trails planning, creating a Master Trails Plan to use as a guideline for trail improvement, new construction, new signage, and an in-depth look at user groups and capital works.  The third phase of the project will encompass the promotion and implementation of high priority recommendations illustrated in the newly created Trails Master Plan.  These works could include, but not limited to; new trail construction, trail repair and maintenance, construction of trail head signage, and seasonal youth works.  The promotion of the OSSTN project will deal with the construction of public trail maps, website upgrades, and brochures.

Public Focus group meetings will be held over the duration of the project to keep residents informed and allow the public to provide input for future trail works.  An on-line survey/questionnaire has been created to allow members of the public to provide structured input that will be reviewed by the Trails Coordinator on a regular basis throughout the planning process.

For more info contact:

Josh Choronzey
Trails Project Coordinator
jchoronzey@owensound.ca 519-376-4440 ext 1255