IMBA Canada Trail Care Crew 2011 Annual Report

w e r C e r a C l i a r T

2011 Annual Report International Mountain Bicycling Association (Canada)

Foreword IMBA CANADA TRAIL CARE CREW 2011 IMPACT REPORT

Twenty-eleven was another phenomenal season for IMBA Canada’s Trail Care Crew.

Over the course of the year, Chad and Deanne traveled from Cornerbrook, NL, to Fort Smith, NT, and on to Victoria, BC, in their Subaru Outback, stopping in dozens of communities along the way.

Foreword 2

Program Sponsors

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2010-2011 Crew

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We’re proud to announce that the Crew has trained more than 650 volunteers on sustainable trail design, building, and maintenance, and built over 3,200 meters of trail – both stats doubled over 2010.

2011 Schedule

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Program Overview

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Accomplishments 6

And not only is the Crew reaching more Canadians on the trail, Chad and Deanne were featured in the August/ September issue of Canadian Cycling Magazine, a prominent industry publication with a circulation of 55,000 per issue. Through social media and word of mouth, the Trail Care Crew program continues to grow in popularity.

Stats by Region

imbacanada.com Stats

Media Accolades

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Spotlight: Parks Canada

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Spotlight: Trans Canada Trail

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Next year we will continue to focus on improving program promotions and social media footprint – it is our goal to expand into the increasingly popular minidoc medium, tailored to facebook, twitter, and the IMBA Canada Blog.

I’d like to express my sincere gratitude to program partners Parks Canada and the Trans Canada Trail, who make this incredible program a reality, and also to Subaru, Trek, Thule, Camelbak, Kryptonite and Giro for their generous equipment donations.

Many thanks also to The North Face Canada, who matched individual donations to the IMBA Trail Building Fund, which was dedicated to bridge funding shortfalls and help keep the Crew on the road in 2011.

Thank you Sponsors!

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Kudos 15

Cover image: Trail Care Crew car in Forillon National Park, Gaspé, QC. Additional images by IMBA staff. Map by Alexander Strawson.

Images and copy available for re-use by permission only.

IMBA CANADA PO Box 23034 Kitchener, ON N2B 3V1 (519) 208.2820 | canada@imba.com www.imbacanada.com

A great big thank you to the groups who hosted visits the season, to all the passionate volunteers who attended Trail Care Crew events, and also to everyone who welcomed the Crew into their home.

Here’s to another great year in 2012!

Cheers, Rachael Raven IMBA Canada Trail Care Crew Coordinator rachael.raven@imba.com 2 Otterburne, MB

Wood Buffalo National Park, NT

Program Sponsors Special thanks to program partners Parks Canada and the Trans Canada Trail for their generous support of the Trail Care Crew program throughout 2010 and 2011.

Thanks also to equipment sponsors Subaru, Trek, Thule, Camelbak, Giro, and Kryptonite who make the day-to-day operations of the Crew possible (and more comfortable)!

2010 - 2011 Crew Bio Chad and Deanne Lazaruk, IMBA Canada’s first Trail Care Crew hail from beautiful Victoria, BC. The couple has been involved in all aspects of the mountain biking community, including race organization, officiating, coaching, and of course, trail building. Before hitting the road, Chad worked as a medical imaging technologist, while Deanne was a crew leader and trail builder in British Columbia. reflections “The day Chad and I packed up our Subaru Outback and hopped on the ferry, we were beaming with excitement and anticipation of what the season would bring. With the schedule packed with new places to see and explore, we were optimistic that 2011 would be another amazing season on the road. We were not disappointed!

In nine months on the road, we traveled from Victoria, BC, all the way to Corner Brook, NL, and up to Fort Smith, NT, and every where in between.

We were warmly welcomed in all communities and made friends every place we stopped. Each visit was an opportunity to learn new things and grow as trail builders, individuals, and as a couple. Throughout the past two years, we’ve been able to truly experience our great country through communities and their trails, and there is no one way to describe how grateful we are to have had the opportunity to be Canada’s first Trail Care Crew.

Special thanks to The North Face Canada and to all the individuals who donated to the 2011 Trail Building Fund, which was dedicated to keeping the Trail Care Crew on the road.

We want to extend our gratitude to everyone who opened their homes to us, let us do laundry, and cooked us home made meals.

Your willingness to accommodate us made our experience on the road so enjoyable. Cheers to a great season!” – Deanne Lazaruk 3

2011 Trail Care Crew Schedule Date

City

Event

Host

Host Org

Mar. 3 - 31

Chatham-Kent, ON

IMBA Trail Building School

Chatham-Kent Trails Council

TCT

Apr. 7 - 10

Hamilton, ON

IMBA Trail Building School

Hamilton Cycling Club

IMBA

Apr. 14 - 17

St. Catharines, ON

IMBA Trail Building School

ShortHills Cycling Club

IMBA

Apr. 21 - 24

Niagara, ON

Trailhead Ontario

Ontario Trails Council

TCT

May 5 - 8

Regina, SK

IMBA Trail Building School

South Sask. MTB Club

IMBA

May 11 - 14

Swift Current SK

IMBA Trail Building School

Grasslands National Park

Parks Canada

May 19 - 22

Hinton, AB

IMBA Trail Building School

Hinton Mountain Bike Association

IMBA

May 26 - 29

Prince George, BC

IMBA Trail Building School

Prince George Cycling Club

IMBA

June 2 - 5

Fort Smith, NWT

IMBA Trail Building School

Wood Buffalo National Park

Parks Canada

June 16 - 19

Winnipeg, MB

IMBA Trail Building School

Crow Wing Trail Association

TCT

June 23 - 26

Dryden, ON

IMBA Trail Building School

Ghost Riders Mountain Bike Club

IMBA

June 28 - 3

Thunder Bay, ON

IMBA Trail Building School

Black Sheep C.C. + TCT ON

IMBA + TCT

July 7 - 12

Midland, ON

IMBA Trail Building School

Georgian Bay Field Unit

Parks Canada

July 14 - 17

Milton, ON

Ontario Mountain Bike Fest.

Mountain Bike Ontario

IMBA

July 28 - 31

Mont-Tremblant, QC

IMBA Trail Building School

Club de Velo Mont-Tremblant

IMBA

Aug. 4 - 7

Memramcook, NB

IMBA Trail Building School

Fundy Biosphere Reserve

TCT

Aug. 11 - 14

Miramichi, NB

IMBA Trail Building School

Miramichi Mountain Bike Club

IMBA

Aug. 18 - 21

Corner Brook, NL

IMBA Trail Building School

West Coast Mountain Biking Ass.

IMBA

Aug. 25 - 28

GaspĂŠ, QC

IMBA Trail Building School

Forillon National Park

Parks Canada

Sept. 1 - 4

Victoriaville, QC

IMBA Trail Building School

Sarto-Gagne Sports/ CVMBF

IMBA

Sept. 15 - 18

North Bay, ON

IMBA Trail Building School

Discovery Routes Ontario

TCT

Sept. 22 - 25

Nipigon, ON

IMBA Trail Building School

Lake Superior Ntl. Marine C.A.

Parks + TCT

Sept. 29 - 2

Elkwater, AB

TBS + TKMBD Day

Cypress Hills Interprovincial Park

TCT

Oct. 6 - 9

Canmore, AB

IMBA Trail Building School

Canmore Nordic Centre Prov. Park

Parks Canada

Oct. 13 - 16

Calgary, AB

IMBA Trail Building School

Moose Mountain Bike Trail Society

IMBA

Oct. 27 - 30

New Denver, BC

IMBA Trail Building School

North Slocan Trails Society

IMBA

Nov. 3 - 6

Castlegar, BC

IMBA Trail Building School

Castlegar Friends of Parks & Trails

TCT

Nov. 10 - 13

Golden, BC

IMBA Trail Building School

Golden Cycling Club

IMBA

Nov. 17 - 20

North Vancouver, BC

IMBA Trail Building School

North Shore Mountain Bike Ass.

IMBA

Nov. 24 - 27

Campbell River, BC

IMBA Trail Building School

River City Cycle Club

IMBA

Dec. 1 - 4

Victoria, BC

IMBA Trail Building School

Fort Rodd Hill National Historic Site Parks Canada

4 Trail side, Dryden, ON

Prince George, BC

Program Overview The Trail Care Crew is a dynamic two-person team of professional trail builders, educators, and enablers. Supported

by Parks Canada and the Trans Canada Trail, the Crew travels across the country year-round, getting Canadians of all ages outdoors, and educating them about sustainable trails.

Building on the 15 year success of the Subaru/IMBA Trail Care Crew in the U.S., the IMBA Canada Trail Care Crew program first hit the road in summer 2010. With an average of 30 official visits per season, the Crew’s time is split between partners: IMBA, Parks Canada and the Trans Canada Trail.

Independent land managers are also invited to apply for visits, which are solicited each fall.

Typical visits run from Thursday afternoon to Sunday afternoon and include an IMBA Trail Building School, a trail project assessment, and a group ride or hike. Additional events, such as social evenings, Club Care Workshop, or political meetings are also encouraged.

Since the program’s inception last year, the Crew has engaged more than 2,200 participants, trained more than 1000 volunteers, and given 58 presentations on trail building and club development.

In 2011, the Crew kicked off the season in April in Southern Ontario, traveling West through the prairies and Alberta, then up to Wood Buffalo National Park, in Fort Smith, NT. After more than a week spent in the north, the Crew returned to Ontario for the Mountain Bike Ontario Festival in July. For the remainder of the Summer, Chad and Deanne traveled through Québec and Atlantic Canada, then looped back though Northern Ontario in September. The season wrapped up with visits in southern Alberta, ending in coastal BC. In total, the Trail Care Crew participated in 83 events, including 31 IMBA Trail Building Schools, the Professional Trail Builders Association (PTBA) annual conference, the Ontario Trails Council annual symposium, and numerous other meetings, movie nights, and club socials.

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IMBA-affiliated club Parks Canada site Trans Canada Trail group

Accomplishments

Provinces + territories visited Kilometers traveled Days on road Groups engaged Trails visited / assessed IMBA Trail Building Schools Political meetings Total events Field days Meters of trail designed Meters of trail built/maintained Volunteers trained Volunteer person hours Total event participants Total brand impressions at events

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9 51,792 293 220 240 30 18 83 125 13,725 3,205 655 2,846 1,140 21,051

Since the Trail Care Crew hit the road in June 2010...

Total event participants: 2,248 Total brand impressions at events: 129,061 Total volunteers trained: 1,014 Total volunteer person hours: 5,080

Visit Statistics by Region

PROVINCE PARTICIPANTS

VOLUNTEER HOURS TRAILS VISITED

GROUPS ENGAGED

British Columbia 228 498 44 Alberta 76 297 31 Saskatchewan 62 621 18 Manitoba 17 33 1 Ontario 553 854 72 QuĂŠbec 113 340 46 New Brunswick 36 78 22 Newfoundland 25 80 1 Northwest Territories 30 45 5

46 17 9 11 83 23 15 11 5

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imbacanada.com stats In spring 2011, imbacanada.com got an overhaul and new, distinctly Canadian look. With an integrated blog, events calendar, news, resources, and store, the website is a one-stopshop for all things IMBA in Canada.

Since launch, the website has had an average of 3,500 visits and more than 14,000 page views each month. Visitors view an average of 4 pages per visit, and stay on the site approximately 3:43 minutes.

The Trail Care Crew program is a prominent feature on the website, including feature blogs, upcoming events, and a rotating promo on the front page.

The blog, Trail Care Crew program pages, and events are some of the most popular draws on the website, claiming more than 16% of all site “entry” traffic. All stats provided by Google Analytics.

Most information on the Crew, including program info, Crew bio, seasonal schedule, and tips on promoting your visit, can be found in the “Programs” section. The site also hosts the Crew’s weekly blog entries, program surveys, photo slide shows, and online visit request applications. Partner and supporter logos are included on all pages in the TCC section (www.imbacanada.com/tcc).

All public Trail Building Schools and other events are featured on the calendar, which also appear in the “Near You” section. We encourage all hosts to utilize our free online event registration. These web pages are promoted on our facebook fan page, and also in monthly eNews mailings.

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In addition to the website, our email systems also got a revamped look. We are able to track our emails to see how many recipients open them, forward to friends, or click links.

This allows us to notify members and contacts of upcoming events, encourage them to RSVP online, thank them for attending Trail Care Crew visits, and get feedback.

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Emails sent: 111,411 Average open rate: 25%

Information about the partnership, and the Trail Care Crew program is also included on the Parks Canada website (www. pc.gc.ca), and on the Trans Canada Trail website (www. tctrail.ca)

Media Accolades traditional Canadian Cycling Magazine CBC Radio Canada Le Pharillon La Nouvelle Union Point de vue Mont-Tremblant North Bay Nugget TB Newswatch Flamborough Review Dryden Observer Slave River Journal Golden Star Nipigon Gazette Hinton Parklander

We’ve worked hard to generate press for each IMBA Canada Trail Care Crew visit.

Through our press kit and personal correspondence, we coach each visit host on how to write a press release and engage local and online media. The Trail Care Crew also appears on the websites and facebook pages of groups that host events, and also in user-driven social media, such as mini-docs on YouTube and Vimeo.

To track media coverage, we monitor the internet via Google alerts, and collect news clippings and links from hosts. Not included are the numerous club/organization websites and message boards which promote Crew visits in and around their communities.

online Pinkbike.com L’Avantage NSMB.e.Magazine Canadian Cyclist Get Out There NSMBA.com Trail Burn Cyclingmagazine.com mtbiking.ca Ontario News North

4-page feature in Aug/Sept issue of Canadian Cycling Magazine

Tales from the Outback Launched in summer 2011, IMBA Canada Trail News is our in-house print newsletter to members, partners, and corporate supporters. It replaces subscriptions to the US-created IMBA Trail News, providing Canadian and international news, profiles, features, and events.

The Trail Care Crew is featured in each issue, sharing stories and photos from the road.

Each issue is promoted on our facebook page (facebook.com/ imbacanada), and also available for download online. Find past issues at www.imbacanada.com/ictn

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Spotlight: Parks Canada Twenty-eleven was another great season for the Trail Care Crew, traveling to many of Canada’s most beautiful and awe-inspiring landmarks, located in Parks Canada sites.

Over the course of the season, Chad and Deanne visited eight Parks sites (seven official visits), and presented six IMBA Trail Building School workshops.

Visits included five National Parks, one National Marine Conservation Area, and one National Historic Site.

This year saw much more volunteer and community involvement at Parks Canada-hosted events, with over 118 participants taking part in Trail Building Schools, contributing 709 volunteer hours.

Certainly a highlight of the year

was the trip to Wood Buffalo National Park, NT. “We were thrilled to learn that we would be heading to Fort Smith, NT, to work with the staff at Wood Buffalo National Park,” wrote Chad and Deanne in the blog entry, Crossing the 60th Parallel.

“It’s home to many endangered species with the only nesting site in the world for migratory whooping cranes and the world’s largest free-roaming herd of wood buffalo...Geographically, you can experience everything from boreal forests, karst lands and salt plains in a single day. It is the largest park in Canada and the second largest national park in the world covering an area the size of Switzerland.”

Another success was the opportunity to work alongside Park Superintendent in Forillon

National Park, Gaspé, QC. “[The visit was] very useful, [with] relevant advice.

It has created a momentum to move forward in the development of our trails,” Camille Malouin, Visitor Experience Product Development Officer, Forillon National Park.

As always, IMBA Canada and the Crew looks forward to growing the relationship with Parks Canada, and exploring the incredible sites that Parks Canada preserves.

2011 Official Parks Canada visits • Grasslands National Park • Wood Buffalo National Park • Georgian Bay Islands National Park • Bruce Peninsula National Park • Forillon National Park • Lake Superior N.M.C.A. •

Fort Rodd Hill National Historic Site

Lake Superior N.M.C.A.

Georgian Bay Islands National Park

Wood Buffalo National Park

Fort Rodd Hill N.H.S.

Swift Current, SK (Grasslands N.P.)

Forillon National Park

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Castlegar, BC

This season saw great success working with Trans Canada Trail (TCT) local, provincial, and territorial groups. The Crew conducted eight official visits with TCT-affiliate organizations in Ontario, Manitoba, New Brunswick, Alberta, and British Columbia, and also attended The Ontario Trail Council’s annual conference, Trailhead Ontario, on behalf of the TCT. Partner of the Trail Care Crew program, the Trans Canada Traill is a non-profit charity with the goal of creating a trail network connecting more than 1,000 Canadian communities from coast to coast to coast. The IMBA Canada Trail Care Crew is helping local TCT

groups achieve this mission by providing hands-on instruction in trail design, construction, and maintenance, as well as strategies in trail management, and capacity building.

Events hosted by TCT-affiliate groups were very well attended, with 161 participants attending Saturday Trail Building Schools, contributing more than 750 volunteer hours in trail work to communities across Canada. During visits, the Trail Care Crew built and designed aprox. 3,340 meters of trail.

Highlights from the season included the weekend retreat at Northern Edge Algonquin lodge with Discovery Routes

and the Forgotten Trails Association in South River, ON, and also the season opener in Chatham-Kent, ON. “The enthusiasm and knowledge of the Crew inspired trail users from across the spectrum to get excited about the potential for trail development in Chatham-Kent,” said Rick Gray, member of the Chatham-Kent Trails Council.

Next year, we’re looking forward to providing training in key areas across Canada, to assist in the connection of the world’s longest trail by 2017!

2011 Trans canada trail visits • Chatham-Kent, ON •

Niagara, ON

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Otterburne, MB

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Thunder Bay, ON

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Memramcook, NB

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South River, ON

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Nipigon, ON

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Elkwater, AB

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Castlegar, BC

South River, ON

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Thank you to our sponsors!

Hearty thanks to our generous equipment sponsors Subaru, Trek, Thule, Camelbak, Giro, and Kryptonite who make the day-to-day operations of the Crew possible!

Thank YOU: Subaru!

“We were met with lots of bad weather on the road in 2011 and were thankful to be driving a Subaru. Through epic prairie snow storms, East coast hurricanes, snowy mountain passes and over unmaintained gravel roads our Subaru Outback delivered us to our destination safely every time. Whenever we’ve taken it in for regular maintenance and checkups the fantastic folks at Subaru across the country have welcomed us with smiles and tended to our (and the car’s) needs.

No matter what part of the country we're in, fellow Subaru owners will give us a wave and smile or thumbs up. The Outback has been more than a car for us — it’s been a home on four wheels.”

– Chad and Deanne Lazaruk

THANK YOU: TREK! “At each visit we are sure about one thing; we will visit trails. While hiking allows us to do a thorough assessment of the trail, getting on a bike and riding it is how we test for flow. Without the generous support of Trek Bikes we wouldn’t get the chance to experience trails in the communities that we visit, and we wouldn’t be able to provide the opportunity for volunteer builders to try out the new trails that they build. The smiles and excitement from those who test rode our bikes was contagious. We are truly grateful for the opportunity to ride Trek's bikes and share them with riders across the country.”

– Chad and Deanne Lazaruk

Cabot Trail, NS

14 Hinton, AB

Wood Buffalo National Park, NT

Kudos for the Crew “The knowledge, expertise and experience of IMBA convinced the ‘no way we’re having trails’ [group] to allow a reroute in ShortHills Provincial Park, and has been a very positive influence for cooperation in the future” – Marv, St. Catharines, ON “Nothing compares to seeing the ‘before’ and ‘after’ building a trail!”

– Carolyn, Corner Brook, NL

"People in our club really get it now. They understand the basic concepts of sustainability and they have a better appreciation of the importance of good trail design. Thanks to Chad and Deanne for getting us all on the 'path to enlightenment'!"

– Donna, Regina, SK [Attending an IMBA Trail Building School] changed me from someone who only had a passing interest in trail work into someone with a passion for fixing our local trail network."

– Luke, Saint John, NB “A heartfelt thank you to both IMBA and the ‘Crew’. Do you have trail building ‘201’ to go with the ‘101’ course!?”

– Beth, South River, ON “Our trails are now being worked on and expanded a lot more than before the visit - I’d say that’s a success.”

– Rob, Dryden, ON “One problem. Now I find myself evaluating EVERY trail that I am on!”

– Greg, Elkwater, AB

“[The visit was] a positive experience. The TCC were professional and prepared. They expressed confidence and demonstrated a comprehensive knowledge of the material they presented. We are keen to have another visit...”

– Jeff, Bruce Peninsula National Park

WE SURVEYED PARTICIPANTS ON THEIR EXPERIENCE WITH THE CREW: • 90% of respondents report their overall experience was “excellent” (The remaining 10% said “good”).

• 86% say the visit helped them to address local trail issues • 100% of participants would recommend the workshop to a friend!

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