|
Media Releases for winter of 2003
Back to current releases
 13 December, 2003
FROM:
S.A.V.E.
(Snowmobile, All Terrain Vehicle & Vessel Enforcement Team)
East Region
ICE FISHING HAS STARTED
BUT IS THE ICE SAFE !
The O.P.P. S.A.V.E. Team would like to remind everyone that even though there is ice on area lakes and rivers and it may look good, BEWARE !
NO ICE IS WITHOUT SOME RISK!
* Ice Fishing, walking, and cross country skiing, all require at least 4" of New Clear Hard Ice.(for one person)
* One snowmobile or all-terrain vehicle, both require, at least 5" of New Clear Hard Ice.(for one person)
* One vehicle, car or small pick-up, all require, at least 8" to 12" of New Clear Hard Ice.
* One vehicle, medium truck, requires, at least 12" to 15" of New Clear Hard Ice.
Always, check the ice in several places before traveling onto it. Wear a FLOATATION SUIT, and carry, ICE PICKS. If you go onto the ice be prepared to get yourself out.
Contact:
Randal Haddrall
Senior Constable
East Region S.A.V.E. Team
Media Relations Officer
1-888-236-0897
November 14, 2003
(Morrisburg, ON)- Snowmobiling in Stormont, Dundas and Glengarry should be a lot safer in the coming years thanks to yesterday's appointment of 8 new special constables of the Snowmobile Trail Officers Patrol Program (S.T.O.P.). The importance of the event, which was held at the McIntosh Inn in Morrisburg was emphasized with the presence of several senior OPP representatives. A highland piper provided a formal air to the ceremony.
The S.T.O.P. program was instituted in 1993 in the Sudbury area as a result of a then recent rash of grave snowmobile accidents. In collaboration with the Perth detachment of the OPP, District 1 saw its first 3 Officers appointed in Lanark County in February 2003.
S.T.O.P. officers are given the same powers and authority as a police officer under the Motorized Snow Vehicle Act. While they can issue tickets for infractions and check a rider's license, registration, insurance and equipment, their role is very diplomatic in nature. S.T.O.P. officers are avid snowmobile enthusiasts who have a keen interest in the safety of all sledders.
Their dedication is demonstrated by the fact that they each underwent up to 70 hours of professional training and spent at least as much trail time over the past two years in order to qualify as S.T.O.P. officers.
For more details on the S.T.O.P. program in SD&G, please contact the program coordinator, Kirk McMillan at (613) 543-2925 or www.stopofficer.com.
Partners in Safety
SD&G's 1100 km of snowmobile trails will soon be safer with the induction of 8 new S.T.O.P. Officers. Pictured at left are, l-r: Senior OPP Constable Harvey Blokland, Yves Levac (Glengarry), Douglas McNaughton (Glengarry), coordinator Kirk McMillan (Dundas), Bruce MacNaughton (Glengarry), Peter Burri (Stormont), Christina Rombough (Stormont), Jeff Knier (Dundas) and Sid Blokland (Dundas)
OCT 1, 2003
The game may be purchased by contacting
September 27,2003
OFSC TRAIL WARDEN OF THE YEAR
 The Ontario Federation of Snowmobile Clubs and OFSC District One is pleased to announce that Stan Hadden with the Osgoode Carleton Snowmobile Trail Club was awarded the Ron Jones Memorial Award for Trail Warden of the year for the province of Ontario.
As an avid snowmobiler and a trail warden with the OFSC since the early 1990's, Stan Hadden became head trail warden for the Osgoode Carleton Snowmobile Trail Club (OCSTC) in 1997. In his position, Stan took it upon himself to ensure that trail wardens working for the OCSTC maintained a high profile and professional image. He insisted that a professional appearance along with the proper training, would earn the wardens the respect needed and required to perform their duties. Stan later went on to be certified as a warden instructor in the late 1990s and still holds the position of head trail warden for the club. As a warden instructor, Stan teaches all prospective wardens that their number one function is to be public relations officers for the OFSC. As such, he promotes and demonstrates a courteous trailside manner, a working knowledge of the Motorized Snowmobile Vehicle Act and Trespass to Property Act.
Stan's motto for warden recruits is "Quality not Quantity"
SEPTEMBER 25 , 2003
 This year, the Rural Expo International Plowing Match was held in Carleton Place, Ontario from September 17th to the 21st. The great weather buoyed the spirits of the 86,000 attendants, possibly a record, as they visited the innumerable attractions that filled the 900 acre grounds.
Organized snowmobiling was well represented by a team of dedicated volunteers from OFSC District One clubs which manned the booth and its wonderful display in the Lanark County tent at the main entrance. The volunteers' knowledge was much appreciated as they answered questions from landowners and from the public on trail usage and the sport in general. Clubs were rewarded with many thanks and positive comments in regards to the hard work done by their volunteers to develop and maintain the trails.
The IPM is the single largest event in Ontario that provides exposure to the sport of organized snowmobiling, and judging from the pickup-truck load of literature that was distributed, there is no reason to doubt it.
Many thanks are extended to the people of Lanark County for their generosity in providing the booth space in their tent, and to the club volunteers who donated their time as Ambassadors of Ontario Snowmobiling for five terrific days.
JUNE 14, 2003
The CCSO Snowmobile Excellence Awards
 The Canadian Council of Snowmobile Organizations (CCSO) is pleased to present the CCSO Snowmobile Excellence Awards program to recognize exceptional contribution to the recreational activity of snowmobiling.
The CCSO Snowmobile Excellence Awards will honour individuals, snowmobile clubs, associations and businesses in Canada that, in the recent past, have made a significant contribution towards showcasing the popularity and the overall appeal of the sport, have made a remarkable effort to promote solidarity and responsibility within the snowmobile community or who have offered exceptional quality of service to snowmobilers.
We are pleased to announce that the Seaway Valley Snowmobile Association from District 1 of the OFSC was awarded the Snowmobile Club Of The Year for Canada; we congratulate the volunteers of the Seaway Valley Snowmobile Club and all snowmobile clubs in Canada.
MAY 8, 2003
(Morrisburg, ON)- Mr. John Boals, Manager of the OFSC District 1 Snowmobile Association is pleased to announce that, in cooperation with the Human Resources Development Canada-Job Creation Program, of the development of a Snowmobile Trail Groomer Operator's Safety Guideline Manual. For this project, Mr. Russ Gagne of North Lancaster has accepted the new position of Snow Groomer Safety Coordinator.
Along with experience and expertise in the closely-related field of farm equipment, Mr. Gagne brings an impressive list of skills and credentials in the areas of customer service, technical support, business development and communications. He is a graduate from Bishop's University and holds an Honors Degree in Business Administration with a Major in Marketing, said Mr. Boals.
When asked for details about the work itself, he specified that, Russ will be developing the content for this first-ever, safety-oriented groomer operator publication and will be building a working relationship with the groomer manufacturers and the clubs' groomer operators. We plan to present the information to the operators during local seminars prior to the next snowmobile season.
We wish to thank our partners at HRDC and the Economic Development Commission of South Dundas for the opportunity to raise safety awareness among our numerous operators. Mr. Boals emphasized that without their support, this project would have been very difficult to accomplish.
FEBRUARY 1, 2003
 "BURNS GETS BURNED AFTER STOP OFFICER CHASE".
Morrisburg: In a spectacular snowmobile chase right out of the movies, the local STOP officers, Kirk McMillan and Christine Rombough chased down rogue President of the O.F.S.C., Dennis Burns, after he failed to display a permit on his 1968 SKI-DOO.
At speeds approaching 20 kph this daredevil driver eluded the officers with stunning maneuvers and trick riding, the likes of which they had never seen. After he was finally cornered in the parking lot of the McIntosh Inn with the help of about 85 avid snowmobilers, the remorseful Burns admitted his guilt with a flimsy excuse that there was no windshield on which to place his permit.
 Burns was able to recover from this embarrassing incident later in the day by handing over a $15,000 T.S.S. cheque to District One.
With the help of the Sled Smart Education Team Dennis was converted to a SAFE RIDER.
|
