OFSC “Starving North of Superior Snowmobile Clubs Out of Business” Says NOSSA President
The volunteers of the North of Superior Snowmobiling Association and its’ member Clubs have faced many obstacles during the 2011/2012 season. Poor economic conditions and mass unemployment have meant less cash in the hands of District 16 snowmobilers. As a result District 16 failed to sell the required number of trail permits to renew, not only the Associations membership in the Ontario Federation of Snowmobile Clubs, but also the Clubs of Terrace Bay, White River, and Nakina cannot remain as Clubs in good standing with the OFSC. Manitouwadge and Nipigon Clubs suffered from lack of volunteers, and were forced to shut down trail operations in the past couple of years. This has resulted in the OFSC insisting that all assets derived from the sale of trail permits, in part or in whole, be returned to them, including groomers and fuel tanks. All assets partially funded with other government grants, are considered purchased with “crown funds”, and must be returned.
Operating dollars or “District payments”, have been given to all Districts that make up the Ontario Federation, with the lone exception of District 16/ NOSSA. With the exception of limited administrative dollars, the North of Superior Snowmobile Association has not received operational funding for the past 2 ½ years, in effect, starving us out of business! In an effort to continue to provide groomed trails for our riders, we reduced the trail system last season from +2200 kms to around 800 kms. Of course, reduced trails = reduced permit sales, and this was not suffice to guarantee the Districts survival. There are however, some Clubs that remain in operation in this once great District. The Thunder Bay Adventure Trails, has been reassigned to a neighboring District.Marathonand Geraldton Snow Clubs as members of the OFSC, will be selling trail permits, and will groom local trails only, as long as their permit dollars allow them to. They also must sell 50 permits each to remain members in the OFSC for future years. The Longlac Snow Club, although “in good standing”, with the OFSC, will not be allowed to purchase permits for sale, and must get them from another Club. They will be allowed to groom their local trails, as long as their dollars permit. What connected the three communities of Longlac, Nakina, and Geraldton, more commonly known as “The Greenstone Loop”, will cease to exist as a groomed trail. Not only will the assets be recovered, we have been informed that all signage along main roads will be removed by paid members of other Clubs/Districts, signs that were installed by the hard working volunteers of District 16. There also remains bridges that must be removed, although as of this date we are aware only of one that is in the works.
We, the Board of Directors, of the North of Superior Snowmobiling Association, District 16 of the Ontario Federation of Snowmobile Clubs, have done all we could to convince the OFSC, that we do deserve at least a chance. This has fallen on deaf ears, and although it was the snowmobilers of District 16 that did not purchase the trail permits to support their Clubs, for whatever reason, in the end, we also feel that the Ontario Federation is equally responsible by their lack of support! A huge thank you to all the volunteers who have given their time and support to this once great District, we should all be proud.
Dorene Boulanger, President
North of SuperiorSnowmobiling Association
