September 30/04 4:07 am - IMBA News: IMBA in Ottawa, Take a Kid Mountain Biking Day at Hardwood Hills, New Free Ride Park in Opens in Ontario, IMBA Ontario Office now Open

Posted by Editoress on 09/30/04
 

IMBA in Ottawa

IMBA Urban Hot Spots Program Focuses on Ottawa

IMBA's efforts in Canada focus on Ottawa, Ontario September 28 - October 2, 2004 with an Urban Hot Spots campaign aimed to create more and better trail opportunities for Canada's Capital city.

Ottawa is home to more than a million people and has some excellent riding opportunities; however, the city is lacking a cohesive mountain bike trails community. Bringing together land managers, local trail users, the bike industry, bike retailers, and the International Mountain Bicycling Association is a major step towards building that community.

Preserving trail access near cities is one of the most difficult challenges facing IMBA and mountain bikers. As urban areas continue to expand and open space dwindles, it's becoming increasingly difficult for trail enthusiasts to find convenient places to enjoy the outdoors. The IMBA Urban Hot Spots program concentrates on addressing this problem in a handful of cities each year.

With the launch of the new Canadian IMBA office, IMBA's work in Canada is gaining momentum. This Urban Hot Spot campaign in the National Capital will set the stage for continued progress throughout Canada. In the last month, IMBA's Canadian office coordinators, Mark Schmidt and Lora Woolner, have worked throughout Canada, presenting at the World Mountain Bike Conference in Vancouver, BC, teaching Trailbuilding in East Gwillimbury, ON, building technical trail features at the Bruce Peninsula Mountain Bike Adventure Park, networking at the BTAC show, and this week, tackling urban issues in Ottawa.

IMBA invites bicyclists and the public to attend one or more of the following events during the Ottawa IMBA Urban Hot Spot campaign. The events are a great opportunity to learn about trailbuilding, trail access and other issues that impact outdoor recreation. It's also a chance to meet IMBA's Canadian staff and get involved with your local club. These events celebrate the spirit of mountain biking and focus on constructive trail management solutions that benefit all Ottawa outdoor enthusiasts.

Schedule Of Events

TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 28
7:00 - 9:00 p.m. Around the World with IMBA slideshow
Come mingle with fellow riders and trail users and learn about IMBA's work around the world. IMBA's Lora Woolner and Mark Schmidt will present a fun and exciting slideshow about riding and travel adventures in the U.S., Italy, Wales, Australia, and beyond.

Mountain Equipment Co-op
366 Richmond Road, Ottawa

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 30
7:00 - 10:00 p.m. IMBA Trailbuilding School (theory)
Learn how to build sustainable and fun singletrack. The school includes three hours of classroom instruction. Topics include designing a contour trail, controlling water flow, building effective trail structures, and routine trail maintenance.

All Saints Lutheran Church
1061 Pinecrest Road, Ottawa

SATURDAY, OCTOBER 2
9:00 a.m. - IMBA Trailbuilding School (practical)
The fieldwork will be hands-on trailbuilding, so come prepared. You'll probably be most comfortable in long pants and a long-sleeved shirt. Wear sturdy shoes and bring water, snacks, work gloves, sunscreen, and a hat. If you have any trailbuilding tools--pulaskis, McLeods, rakes, picks, hoes, shovels--please bring them, too.

LaRocca XC MTB School
www.creative-wheel.com


Take a Kid Mountain Biking Day October 2nd at Hardwood Hills

Kids ride FREE with an accompanying (paying) adult. Enter draw for prizes, explore trails with your family and enjoy the fall colours. For more information contact Hardwood Hills 705-487-3775. Purchase a $20 IMBA membership and receive a free pair of IMBA sox.

The International Mountain Bicycling Association Declares October 2 National Take a Kid Mountain Biking Day

In garages across the country, kids bicycles lean on their kickstands with cobwebs in the spokes. Competing with a comfy couch, a video game and the Internet, the bikes are ignored. With childhood obesity reaching an all-time high and childhood physical activity an all-time low, the International Mountain Bicycling Association (IMBA) invites adults and kids everywhere to get out their bikes and hit the trails on Saturday, October 2, for the first annual National Take a Kid Mountain Biking Day.

Today's youth are less active than ever before, and according to the U.S. Surgeon General, the percentage that is overweight has nearly tripled in the past two decades. Forecasts predict that the current generation of children in the United States could actually have a shorter life expectancy than their parents as the epidemic of childhood obesity continues. "Mountain biking is an activity that can help reverse the trend toward childhood obesity," says Hill Abell, president of IMBA. "Mountain biking is a great physical activity and the perfect way for adults and children to enjoy the outdoors and get some exercise together."

IMBA, with the help of U.S. Congressman Richard Burr of North Carolina, has introduced a resolution to the U.S. Congress declaring the first Saturday in October as National Take a Kid Mountain Biking Day. The resolution was established in memory of Jack Doub, an avid teenage mountain biker who had a passion for the sport of mountain biking.

Mountain biking builds self-confidence and offers kids and adults an adrenaline-packed adventure while giving them an effective, low-impact workout. "We are looking forward to being a part of National Take a Kid Mountain Biking Day. It's a great way to spend a day focusing on positive, fun outdoor experiences for children, while teaching valuable lessons about living a healthy lifestyle, personal responsibility and environmental awareness," notes Andrew Goodwillie, an IMBA member and director of Trips for Kids Denver who will be organizing a ride in the Denver area.

Adults and children who are interested in participating on Saturday, October 2, are encouraged to visit http://www.imba.com/resources/kids/events.html for additional information about National Take a Kid Mountain Biking Day and up-to-date event locations. Additionally, individuals can register their participation online and share their stories for a chance to win three Schwinn kids mountain bikes to be donated to a local charity or youth group of their choice.


Family Freeriding in Ontario

Ontario takes a leap with new Mountain Bike Adventure Park

Bruce County, Ontario is embracing freeriding by building their own version of the North Shore on the rugged Bruce Peninsula. The Bruce County Mountain Bike Adventure Park, located at the Albemarle Tract, will be the first of its kind in Eastern Canada, featuring trail opportunities for all levels of riders. When complete, the park will feature 20km of trail and more than 40 technical trail features.

Rocky, forest corridors provide the core loop, with optional spurs of ultra-technical singletrack and man-made features to the side. The idea is that families and groups of varying skill can ride together and each person will find the experience he or she is looking for.

In July, 2004, Mark Schmidt and Lora Woolner, veteran Subaru/IMBA Trail Care Crew leaders and coordinators of IMBA's new Canadian office, had the opportunity to work with Bruce County's trail staff to create three of the main features in the practice area near the parking lot. Mark and Lora's work was organized under IMBA's Trail Solutions consulting program.

Grand opening of the park opened in September, 2004. For more information, stay tuned to the Bruce County website: http://www.naturalretreat.com/mountainbiking.htm

To read more about building your own technical trail features, visit http://www.imba.com/resources/trail_building/wood_guidelines.html

For all of IMBA's freeriding resources, visit http://www.imba.com/resources/freeriding/index.htm


IMBA Opens Canadian Office

Mountain biking thrives where riders have developed four things: convenient access to appealing trails, trailbuilding expertise, a positive image and political influence. To help Canadian riders in these crucial areas, the International Mountain Bicycling Association (IMBA) is opening an office this summer near Toronto.

Located in the town of Collingwood, the office is staffed by Ontario natives Mark Schmidt and Lora Woolner. Both are three-year veterans of the award-winning Subaru/IMBA Trail Care Crew and are widely respected for their trailbuilding and advocacy knowledge.

Founded in California in 1988, IMBA has focused on U.S. issues, but has also provided steady Canadian support. The Subaru/IMBA Trail Care Crew, IMBA's flagship field program, has paid regular visits to Canada for the last eight years - working in Quebec, Ontario, Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Alberta and British Columbia. IMBA has helped preserve access and develop first-rate trail opportunities near cities such as Toronto, Ottawa and Vancouver.

IMBA-supported Mountain Bike Patrols are working effectively with Canadian land managers, particularly in Ontario. IMBA Trailbuilding Schools, which present cutting-edge trail construction and maintenance instruction, have been conducted in several provinces.

Schmidt and Woolner will enhance IMBA's presence in Canada by...

• continuing to offer trail management assistance to Canadian land managers and cycling clubs;
• improving communication among Canadian mountain bike groups;
• leading the effort to develop political influence for mountain bikers at provincial and national levels;
• providing professional trail design, construction and consulting services under the auspices of the fee-based IMBA Trail Solutions program.

The Canadian office will strive to increase IMBA's individual membership in Canada and develop new partnerships with Canadian companies, both inside the bicycle industry and beyond.

IMBA executive director Tim Blumenthal said, "Mark and Lora bring great experience and enthusiasm to IMBA's expanding efforts in Canada. They developed their passion for mountain biking in Ontario, then enhanced their knowledge and expertise during far-ranging travels as Subaru/IMBA Trail Care Crew leaders. Now they're returning home and Canadian mountain bikers, coast to coast, will benefit."

For more details contact:
IMBA Canadian Office
PO Box 404
Collingwood, ON L9Y 3Z7 Canada
canada@imba.com, direct 705-441-6901

IMBA Ouvre un Bureau au Canada

Pour permettre au vélo de montagne de s‚épanouir, les cyclistes doivent pouvoir compter sur quatre ingrédients essentiels: l‚accès aisé à des sentiers attrayants, de l‚expertise en aménagement de sentiers, la faveur du public et aussi celle des politiciens. Pour appuyer les cyclistes canadiens dans ces sphères primordiales, l‚Association internationale de vélo de montagne (IMBA) ouvre un premier bureau au Canada cet été, à proximité de Toronto.

Situé dans la ville de Collingwood, le bureau sera géré par deux employés natifs de l‚Ontario, Mark Schmidt et Lora Woolner. Tous deux pionniers comptant trois ans au sein de l‚équipe de gestion du sentier Subaru sont reconnus à grande échelle comme de forts défenseurs du vélo de montagne et aussi pour leur imposant bagage de connaissances en aménagement et en gestion de sentiers.

Fondée en Californie en 1988, l‚IMBA s‚est essentiellement articulée autour des Etats-Unis tout en s‚investissant à l‚appui du Canada. En outre l‚Équipe de gestion de sentiers Subaru/IMBA, dans le cadre du programme à distance le plus prisé de l‚Association, a multiplié ses visites au Canada depuis huit ans, se rendant tour à tour au Québec, en Ontario, au Manitoba, en Saskatchewan, en Alberta et en Colombie-Britannique. Ainsi, l‚IMBA a su contribuer à préserver l‚accès et à aménager des sentiers de premier ordre près de divers grands centres urbains dont Toronto, Ottawa et Vancouver.

Les patrouilles de vélo de montagne soutenues par l‚IMBA collaborent étroitement avec les propriétaires terriens canadiens, en Ontario tout particulièrement. Les ateliers de formation dispensés par l‚IMBA offrent des cours d‚avant-garde en matière d‚aménagement et de gestion de sentiers. Ces ateliers ont été donnés dans bon nombre de provinces.

Mark et Lora auront pour tâche d‚augmenter la présence de l‚IMBA au Canada en

• maintenant leur un support aux propriétaires terriens et aux groupes cyclistes canadiens;
• favorisant la communication entre les différents regroupements de vélo de montagne au Canada;
• dirigeant l‚effort visant à développer l‚intérêt politique pour le vélo de montagne dans les provinces et au niveau du gouvernement fédéral;
• offrant des services professionnels dans le cadre du programme de solutions de sentiers IMBA à l‚appui de la conception, de l‚aménagement et des services d‚experts-conseils en contrepartie d‚honoraires.

Le bureau canadien de l‚IMBA aura également pour mission d‚augmenter son nombre de membres individuels au Canada et de créer de nouveaux liens de partenariat avec des sociétés issues de l‚industrie du cyclisme et d‚autres domaines du secteur privé.

Aux dires du directeur exécutif de l‚IMBA, Tim Blumenthal, « Mark et Lora apportent leur lot d‚enthousiasme et de vaste expérience aux efforts d‚expansion de l‚IMBA au Canada. Ils ont d‚abord vu naître leur passion pour le vélo de montagne en Ontario pour ensuite acquérir leurs connaissances et expertise au cours de leurs nombreux déplacements sur de grandes distances au sein de l‚Équipe de gestion de sentiers Subaru/IMBA. Ils se retrouvent donc de retour à la maison pour le plus grand profit de tous les adeptes du vélo de montagne d‚un bout à l‚autre du pays ».

IMBA - Bureau Canadien
B.P. 404
Collingwood, ON L9Y 3Z7 Canada
canada@imba.com, téléphone 705-441-6901