Peterborough Trailbuilders Association to maintain Harold Town cycling trails
The Harold Town Conservation Area has officially opened its trails for the 2018 season and they should be cleaner than ever.
After entering a new agreement with Otonabee Conservation, the Peterborough Trailbuilders Association will be taking on the role of maintaining trails located throughout the conservation area, which is located east of the city at 2611 Old Norwood Rd. in Otonabee-South Monaghan Township.
Marked by a ribbon-cutting, members of the PTA and Otonabee Conservation gathered at the conservation area on Wednesday morning to celebrate the reopening of the trails under the new agreement.
“Otonabee Conservation applauds the members of the Peterborough Trails Association for their initiative, commitment, and enthusiasm in their mission to maintain and develop trails for the benefit of area residents and visitors to the region,” said Dan Marinigh, chief administrative officer of Otonabee Conservation.
“The trails at the Harold Town Conservation Area are enjoyed by hundreds of cyclists, walkers, and hikers every year and it is encouraging that a local group of trail enthusiasts have stepped forward to take on such a significant stewardship role.”
Harold Town Conservation Area was donated by the estate of Harold Town in 1994.
“It’s been farmed, it’s been skied, it’s been used as a range and now it’s used for biking,” Marinigh said.
Gordon Wilson, president of the PTA, said founding members have been playing a lead role in the development of this type of trail experience for many years.
“The mountain bike community has been acting in some capacity as a steward for the property for probably over 10 years now,” he said.“We’re exceptionally grateful for the support we’ve received from our trail user community and our local business partners who have been key to making this agreement possible.”
Wilson also encourages all trail users to recognize how valuable these spaces are to the community and to show support for the initiative.
NOTE: The website for the association is www.ptbotrailbuilders.com.