Paudash Trail Blazers is with Municipality of Highlands East.

22 hours ago

Three Club Committee members had the opportunity to meet with Mayor Dave Burton and Councillor Cam McKenzie at the Paudash Trail Blazers Clubhouse this week. This was our second meeting in recent months, and more importantly, the start of a more regular and collaborative working relationship.

The discussion was productive and grounded in the realities of running a volunteer-driven, not-for-profit club. We walked through:
• Highlights and challenges from the 2025/2026 season
• Projects completed and those already approved for 2026/2027
• A forward-looking list of priorities, many of which require funding, additional resources, or new landowner agreements

A key focus remains our effort to reduce road running by rerouting trails away from plowed municipal roads, thereby improving safety, preserving equipment, and delivering a better riding experience. We are also focused on trail modifications to enable earlier openings and later-season closings.

Club President Jon Cumming spoke to the importance of the relationship:
“It’s great to have a partner like Highlands East that understands the importance of organized sports like snowmobiling. As a not-for-profit organization that is part of a province-wide federation of clubs, there is never enough funding or resources to maintain our trail network.”
This partnership is already making a difference.

Highlands East has been a strong supporter in recent years, including playing a pivotal role in the 606 railbed bridge replacement near Farr Road, restoring critical access to Wilberforce and strengthening our trail system for riders across the region.

Mayor Burton reinforced the broader impact:
“Snowmobiling brings a much-needed economic boost to our communities, supporting local businesses, accommodations, and restaurants.”

That alignment matters because what we build together isn’t just a trail system, it’s a winter economy, a community asset, and an experience that keeps people coming back.

Appreciation where it’s due. Momentum where it counts.

We are proud to partner with Highlands East. We’re working to keep the trails (and the collaboration) running strong! ... See MoreSee Less

Paudash Trail Blazers

2 days ago

Annual Club Volunteer Recognition

As everyone knows, we held our annual volunteer recognition event a bit over a week ago and it was very well attended. Thanks to everyone that came out and to those that set it up.

While everyone's efforts are appreciated, there are a few people that the club would like to call out especially for their contributions to the season that just ended.

Charlie Atkinson is our most recent addition to the club Committee and he has jumped in with both feet. Charlie initiated and took on the planning and execution of our clubhouse renovation this past summer and fall. For those that have seen it, you will know that the fresh paint, new furniture and other amenities in the clubhouse have made a world of difference. Charlie also created a new sponsorship program for the club, creating a new level of engagement with local businesses which has resulted in additional funding for the club as well as new visibility for local businesses and other groups. Charlie also spearheaded a planning process for the club to help the club focus on some key initiatives that we have talked about in the past but never had a proper framework to execute on. You will see some new events and communication regarding these in the coming months. Amongst all of this work, Charlie is a regular on teams going out to brush trails, often with new recruits he has brought in with him.

Another person that the club would like to call out is Phil Lalonde. Phil has been our Trails Coordinator for a number of years now and the work he does for the club is truly essential. Phil leads the team that looks after trail projects, from the identification of the work required, to seeking quotes from contractors and funding from organizations like the OFSC, acquiring the required permits and then the supervision of the work itself. Phil also does a lot of trail brushing as well as signage, lake staking and most of the servicing on the club's non-grooming equipment. Phil has also developed lasting relationships with landowners and volunteers which results in our ability to keep and improve trails over time.

Finally, we would like to acknowledge another volunteer who has done so much for our club this year. Darrin Sharp is our newly minted Grooming Coordinator, a very difficult job to take on. Darrin did a lot of work before the season even started to ensure that groomers were as ready as they could be when the snow fell. Darrin also worked to develop the schedule for grooming and worked with the groomer operators to ensure that they knew when and where they were to go when they groomed. During the season, Darrin was called upon numerous times to deal with groomers that broke down out on the trails, frequently having to leave his home to rescue a stranded groomer operator and then to make arrangements the following day to get a groomer out of the bush and then repaired when we got it back to base. While this was Darrin's first season in the role, he did a great job juggling priorities and getting repairs organized as quickly as was possible.

Thanks to these three awesome volunteers. ... See MoreSee Less