LINDSAY, ONTARIO – November 24, 2016
Kawartha Trans Canada Trail Association AGM
On November 23rd, the Kawartha Trans Canada Trail Association (KTCTA) hosted their Annual General Meeting at Fleming College. Volunteers were honoured for their support – they have contributed countless hours towards maintaining and enhancing the Kawartha Trans Canada Trail (KTCT) for the enjoyment of residents and visitors to the area.
“Volunteers built this trail and they keep on giving their time to maintain it. The KTCT is not supported by municipal funding so we rely on financial donations from individuals, businesses and organizations to help volunteers to carry out their work. Every financial contribution is applied to trail operations. Without regular financial support, trail maintenance and enhancements are jeopardized.” Al MacPherson, President
Donations have declined since the trail was completed and the KTCTA volunteer Board of Directors enlisted the services of Jacks Communications to develop a fundraising strategy.
“Our ‘Love Your Trail’ campaign is intended to attract sponsors and individual donors who agree to commit a donation to the association for five consecutive years. Sponsoring the KTCT provides us with some assurance of operational continuity, while providing sponsors with access to trail enthusiasts. You might be surprised to learn that KTCT users are not just Kawartha Lakes residents, they come from surrounding areas and the GTA as well.” John Hagarty, ‘Love Your Trail’ Campaign Chair
In fact, the Trail Studies Unit at Trent University completed a trail user survey for the KTCT which found that the largest group (44%) of trail users were visitors from Peterborough County.
Current ‘Love Your Trail’ sponsors include: Heather Richardson (Staples & Swain Professional Corporation), Brad Bird (Mincom Plus Realty Inc.), Linden Mackey (Mackey Funeral Home Inc.), Aaron Young (Bell World Lindsay), and the Optimist Club of Lindsay.
ABOUT KAWARTHA TRANS CANADA TRAIL ASSOCIATION
The Kawartha Trans Canada Trail Association (KTCTA) was established in 2007, as a not for profit charitable organization. For more than a decade, the volunteer-run KTCTA developed the 54 kilometre abandoned rail corridor that travelled east (Peterborough) to west (Uxbridge) in the City of Kawartha Lakes into a quality, safe and vital link within the Trans Canada Trail nationally.
ABOUT TRANS CANADA TRAIL (NATIONAL)
It began as a bold dream in 1992; the idea of creating a trail from coast to coast to coast that would be a gift from Canadians to Canadians. This vision, the Trans Canada Trail – The Great Trail – continues to capture the imagination and support of people across the country. The world’s longest recreational trail winds its way across Canada’s magnificent greenways, waterways and roadways. Once fully connected, 24,000 kilometres will link over 15,000 communities.