MESSAGE FROM THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
2020 was a unique year on so many levels . Like many other organizations , due to COVID we closed our office to the public , we primarily worked from home , held virtual meetings , incurred delays in work permits and trail projects , and even had troubles sourcing materials that would normally be quite available . We also saw huge numbers of people heading to trailheads and exploring the province like never seen before . Over-crowding , over-usage , parking issues , and increased garbage are a few things that we were not prepared for .
But this also led to a renewed sense of desire and demand for the outdoors . There were conversations about discovering new trails , trying new outdoor activities , and increased attention on Leave No Trace principles & trail etiquette .
Considering the many issues that presented themselves as a result of COVID , we were still able to continue our work , complete a few projects , and even managed to take part in three ribbon cutting events . In the past year , as part of our trail project involvement , we saw the completion of the second ( of two ) red bridges , located at Cabin Lake in the Whiteshell Provincial Park ; the completion of a custom pre-fab Algonquin bridge located at Joubert Creek , along the Crow Wing Trail ; a lot of design work and construction completed on the Blue Hwy Hub and mountain bike skills area ; a brand new trailhead installed along the TCT in Lee River ; and , we were fortunate to have a few volunteers carry out a complete signage audit on the 36 + km Centennial Trail . A few other initiatives that began in 2020 were the development of a Provincial Trails Strategy , a Trails Manitoba 3-year Strategic Plan , and a new Trails Manitoba website .
Trails MB has two trail counters that we try to employ on a continual basis . For the majority of last year , both counters were installed in the Whiteshell Provincial Park – one was installed by the new Cabin Lake red bridge , while the other was installed on the Centennial / Blue Hwy , Caddy Lake trail entrance . This data is vital for ongoing research on trail use and assists with the building of an economic business case for trail development and maintenance across the province .
On our Social Media front , while Facebook continues to tailor to a smaller following , our Instagram continues to be our flagship social media medium and continues to have a large following . At last count , we had over 29.5k followers . Jaime Manness has been running our Instagram account for the past number of years ; she had taken this on as a volunteer position and has been doing a tremendous job . We are very fortunate to have her on our team . Thank you Jaime !
Finally , I would like to extend a big thank you to our Trails Manitoba Team , and to applaud the countless volunteers of our extended Trails Community . To all our member Trail Associations and the many volunteers within your organizations and across the province – you folks are the heartbeat of this great community , and we would be truly lost without you !
Last year , at the AGM , I mentioned that the future of trails is bright ; well , after experiencing 2020 , and seeing the true impact that trails have on Manitobans , I think we can clearly say that the future of trails is absolutely shining . Thank you !
Tim Coffin Executive Director , Trails Manitoba
Annual Report-2020 Year in Review 6