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New blue borders on ITG

6K views 60 replies 22 participants last post by  Ungoloth 
#1 ·
I assume these are health units ?
 
#7 ·
The ITG says 15,600 kms available to ride. That is true for no one. The vast majority of permit purchasers have limited k's or no where to ride .
I didn't think it was up to the ofsc to enforce ministry of health policy.
They're not enforcing anything. Yeesh. Forgive my tone here, but my seven year old makes arguments just like this, and I've been in isolation with the little devils for two weeks. Notice nobody from OFSC or any club has used words like "must" or "shall" in their communications. It's worded as a recommendation for a reason. The whole idea is to provide tools to the ridership so that they hopefully choose to comply with the requests of public health and stay close to home. Then MAYBE with any luck, if enough of us play by the rules, we won't get a complete shut down order from the provincial government. The blue lines are a tool. A helpful one.

It would have made my life a whole lot easier to just say: "You know what, we're not having a season, because uh, COVID. See you next year." But they didn't, because some riding is better than no riding. I get it, it sucks, but it's the best we can do in a tough situation. None of this is anyone's fault. Lots of other activities are shut down, the reason we are not is the proactive steps OFSC and clubs have taken to show that they're willing to do something to help.

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#8 ·
OFSC didn't do that, (close all trails and can the season) for a couple of reasons

1 They would have to off the $50 credit towards 21/22 season

2 They know, especially in those regions with Crown Land, nobody would pay any attention to it and ride anyway.

They put the Blue Lines on the OFSC map now so they can say to the Government, "look, we are doing what we can to stop travel between health regions" These aren't "proactive steps" they are get off the **** list with the Provincial Health Units.

No other reason than that.
 
#10 ·
Jb101 I wonder if you would feel the same if you bought passes and happen to live where there are no trails open?

The ofsc was not obligated to post this, they chose to. Whether it was the intention or not this will be used for enforcement.

It will provide a better case for the crown in court.

Premier says I am leaving snowmobile trails open for important winter recreation. All others (non elected ) are trying to stop you from using the trails you paid for .

Not one documented case of covid transmission from sledding.
 
#12 ·
Jb101 I wonder if you would feel the same if you bought passes and happen to live where there are no trails open?

The ofsc was not obligated to post this, they chose to. Whether it was the intention or not this will be used for enforcement.

It will provide a better case for the crown in court.

Premier says I am leaving snowmobile trails open for important winter recreation. All others (non elected ) are trying to stop you from using the trails you paid for .

Not one documented case of covid transmission from sledding.
Listen, the choice is clear. It's either 15,000km of fractured trail or Zero. Its "what have you done for ME lately". I'm not seeing much thought towards, "what's best for everyone given the circumstance"?

None of this is in my control either. I do live in an area with limited open trails, so I am grateful to have them. But honestly, I've got about 40 miles on my sled this year, all of them volunteer miles. I'd normally have a few thousand by now. I can only speak for District 12, but we're scrambling to get every trail open we can despite low snow.

I know the mindset of people with the local clubs and staff at the OFSC. I can honestly tell you that there is nothing but sheer will to provide a public service. It burns me when people assume the intentions of the people who work so hard for this. They're a small team, working flat out 80 hour weeks to try and salvage this. They're reacting daily to new curveballs. The health unit boundaries were a REQUEST from districts who were honestly being bombarded with calls from well-meaning people asking where the boundaries were.

It's obvious that we as a sport are "low-hanging fruit" when authorities are looking to shut something down. Do I think that the current restrictions are unwarranted? Yeah. Do I agree that government could have handled this better? Absolutely. I just hope that with numbers dropping, we've done our part enough to allow us to drop these silly restrictions, so that we can enjoy the rest of our season with some sort of normalcy.

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#14 ·
What makes no sense to me is the open trails 10 minutes from my house I shouldn't ride? But I can get in my truck drive 40 mins away still in my health unit and ride all day? I give them credit for trying but really ? I understand not leaving from London and going to Sudbury. But what's it matter if we ride in southern Ontario ?

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#15 ·
Enjoy your open trails in your designated region and don't complain.

I'm in the red zone of the north bay public health unit and I would love to have open trails and be constrained to my local area.

But because people travelling here early in the season peaved off the locals the health official closed our trails.

Now everyone who was travelling here is enjoying their own local southern trails while we sit at home and sulk, or risk an $880 trespassing fine.

It's so bloody Frustrating.
 
#16 ·
Enjoy your open trails in your designated region and don't complain.

I'm in the red zone of the north bay public health unit and I would love to have open trails and be constrained to my local area.

But because people travelling here early in the season peaved off the locals the health official closed our trails.

Now everyone who was travelling here is enjoying their own local southern trails while we sit at home and sulk, or risk an $880 trespassing fine.

It's so bloody Frustrating.
I understand your frustration. We travel to north bay every year for a week of sledding. Most years it's the only sledding we get since our local trails are rarely open. We barely have enough snow , the local club has opened a small loop. There is no base and by the weekend it will be mud. Travel north a little bit maybe 1/2 hour and hit green trails. Pretty hard to sit here and watch winter pass by especially since are trails stay open maybe 2 weeks if where lucky. Hopefully they come to there senses in your region and let you guys ride! We've cancelled are trip this year to north bay long before they closed the trails.

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#17 ·
Went out today and rode one health zone away from my own.
Conditions were good and trails were busy for a weekday. Spoke to a few of our finest a couple times, and they were only looking for permits and papers.
Getting both types of "cans" off the trails is of bigger concern to them, than your address.
Don't look for trouble, and it probably won't look for you.

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#18 ·
Guys and gals, there is really a simple answer to all of this. Regions, health units, however u want to break it up. Until the government comes out and says " you will be fined and or charged if you leave your region". These recommendation made by whom ever are not laws. Last time I check that's not good enough to hold up in court.
Think about it for a minute. I can travel an hour and a half, which puts me out of my "region" to go to work, that's ok. But can't ride. Plz. So until like I said above the govt makes it law. Nothing anyone can do about it.
So....... what to do....

LOAD TRAILER, RIDE, GO HOME. ITS PRETTY SIMPLE.
NEVER MIND THE SCARE TACTICS. THATS ALL THEY ARE. DO YOUR PART. STAY SAFE. (Masks etc)
I'm not even gonna read anymore on this topic here. Until ofsc sends me an email saying LAWS, ( not recommendations) have changed. I will keep riding however far the tank in the truck will take me.

Mic drop.
 
#19 ·
Tell that to the public health unit executives who CAN and WILL close trails if they see the travelling public as a risk. They hold all the cards whether we like it or not. Dr Chrico in NB made that decision with no data or evidence whatsoever.

While it may not be illegal to travel out of your district, I wouldn't advertise you're doing it or encouraging others to do it lest your district face the same brutal fate as ours.
 
#20 ·
Not trying to get in a pp match with you JVP, but your region trails are closed because an "Employee of your Health Unit" decided it was so.

He didn't close Hotels, Motels, Air B&B's , VBRO's or Ice Hut Rentals (where people travel to and tend to group)

He closed Trails.

That's on the OFSC Management, OFSC Members and Individual Citizens across Ontario that this happened.

He is an Employee, and because he is, he is replaceable. Write and call your Municipal Government, Region, and your MPP to voice your displeasure .

I already have.

They do not have the Data that supports their decision and they know it.

This is the same as closing Ski Hills across the Province. Again, the Province didn't close accommodations where people gather. They closed the hills.

It is a knee jerk reaction to COVID and deflection for the Feds and the Province's lack of testing, vaccines and a general plan that should have been in place since Thanksgiving in 2020.

Transparency demands we see it.
 
#21 ·
Letters and calls into MPP Norm Miller. No response.
OFSC leaders and each affected club president have written the Premier. Requests by all of the above to meet with Dr Chirico to discuss have gone unanswered.

any health unit can unilaterally decide to do this under stAte of emergency.

We can play the blame game but the reality and facts are out of our control.
 
#22 · (Edited by Moderator)
What makes no sense to me is the open trails 10 minutes from my house I shouldn't ride? But I can get in my truck drive 40 mins away still in my health unit and ride all day? I give them credit for trying but really ? I understand not leaving from London and going to Sudbury. But what's it matter if we ride in southern Ontario ?

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Where did you get this idea that you can't ride ten minutes from home?

I try to stay up on the Provincial regulations and I don't see that anywhere. As far as I can tell the rules are "ride anywhere that you can be there and back in less than 24 hours", otherwise you're there and quarantined for 14 days. Wherever you are, don't associate with people who aren't part of your regular bubble. When you are near people, wear your mask and stay 3M apart ....

I don't know of any other Provincial regulations.

EDIT :: I se plenty of "suggestions" to ride in your home health unit region and not trailer to others. I see nothing in the Provincial Emergency order.
 
#24 ·
The health region borders are placed there to say, "hey look government we are responsible and doing our job, now open trails and keep open".

They are doing their best to keep trails open. This is a political game they must play. Ofsc must give the proper messaging to us to ensure trails remain open.

Watch what happens to these tickets in court. No matter what you think, there is no blanket "constitution over" do as I order going on. The courts will quickly remedy these breaches and the tickets will be in the garbage.

Travelling outside of the borders is "NOT RECOMMENDED".

Do you see "PROHIBITED" ? No, so go enjoy yourself already.

One is law the other is not. Stay away from the nimbys in the towns gathering/parking areas and get into the bush, have fun.

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#26 ·
Here is last night's Q&A with Dr Chirico, the medical officer for North Bay Parry Sound who ordered the closure of the OFSC trails in his district health unit.

He addresses those questions from member communities right at the beginning.

 
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