In response to the July 26th letter “Whitewater Trails Association” we find ourselves questioning the very need for yet another ‘trail association’ in Whitewater Township given that, for the last 7 years, a highly successful and well established Not-For-Profit, the Beachburg Off Road Cycling Association (BORCA) has dedicated countless volunteer hours in creating cycling trails and advocacy towards cyclists, for both on and off road cycling and other self-propelled, non-motorized activities, such as hiking, snowshoeing and cross country skiing.
Much like the Whitewater Trail Association hopes to do, BORCA has already committed its time and funds towards the creation of a Township-wide trail system, for locals to enjoy and for visitors to experience and spend their dollars locally, with our goal being to spread trails across the entire Township. We’ve managed to bring over 250 cyclists and their families to Beachburg in a single day, for the annual Spring Chicken Race, held every May. We now see a regular flow of cyclists visiting the area to ride and eat/drink at local establishments. Our events see riders coming from all over Ontario, New Brunswick and even New York State.
Our success stories include: the Beachburg Pump Track, the clean-up of the local County Forests and their ongoing maintenance, the creation of the Little Lakes Enhancement Project and its ongoing success. We offer weekly group rides that see up to 50 riders coming from as far as Kanata and Deep River. We have partnered with the Township, the County of Renfrew and 10 other land owners and many local businesses, forming strong and lasting relationships that we cherish and are proud of. We insure every meter of trail that we build, paying for this insurance policy from fund raising initiatives.
The July 26th letter also states that the paving of road shoulders is of concern and on the agenda. For the last 5 years, BORCA council members have played active roles on several of Renfrew County’s Trail, Environmental and Active Transportation committees, including the Greater Petawawa Area Trails Association. We are a busy group of individuals that keep the best interests of trails users in mind, in all that we do.
BORCA was created by volunteers and not by private business. We are unbiased in our decision making, as our agenda reflects the needs of the people who live in the communities of Whitewater Township.
Is it with great hope that BORCA shall remain the authority on trail development in Whitewater Township, as we have great pool of knowledge in what we do, ranging from internationally certified trail instructors to tourism development consultants and of course, members who are passionate about cycling.
In brief, we’ve created a means for locals to stay healthy and enjoy the natural riches found in their very own backyards and we will continue to push forth, designing a trail network that will draw people from all over.
Visit: www.borca.ca Cameron Dube (BORCA)
