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There are 'copious amounts' of trails in the area

Fall's a picturesque time to check out the trails and enjoy the changing colours
2022-10-06-GilliesLakeBOLDMH
The Gillies Lake trail is maintained year-round.

The fall colours are out and now’s as good a time as ever to enjoy Mattagami Region Conservation Authority's (MRCA) trails, some of which may offer the pristine feeling of being alone in nature, even if they’re not far from urban life.

The conservation authority maintains eight trail systems, all open to the public for no cost.

The Gillies Lake Promenade trail may the most visible and well-used. The 2.5-kilometre trail circles the lake and attracts upwards of 15,000 users per month. It can connect users to other trails that are picturesque rural, but essentially in the city, like Scout Rock, Golden Springs and Lion’s Walk. 

Another trail, the Bart Thompson, is like a tour along the outskirts of Timmins’ eastern neighbouring communities, as it circles around Porcupine and South Porcupine. Another nearby trail, the Rotary Trail, is a little more out in the bush, as it connects Schumacher and South Porcupine. As is the Tamarack Trail system, in Hersey Lake Conservation Area, just northeast of urban Timmins. And back in the city, there’s one more, in the west end; the Bridge to Bridge Trail. It runs along the banks of the Mattagami River between Algonquin Boulevard and Lafleur Drive. 

All together, it equals about 55 kilometres worth of trails, all maintained by the conservation authority, which knows that providing pleasant and easy recreational activities is important for the quality of life. 

“You’re by water. You’re by trees,” said David Vallier, MRCA general manager. “They allow people access to nature.

“You see now with urban planning in southern Ontario there’s more development pressure and they’re trying to build trails and parks into urban planning. We have that in copious amounts in Northern Ontario.”

Vallier said that one of the trail system’s key selling features is that the trails give the experience of being well out in nature yet are still conveniently located close to residents’ homes. 

The Gillies Lake trail is perhaps the most accessible, as it’s lit up year-round, so it can be enjoyed at night. As it’s on land owned by the authority, it’s also groomed during the winter.

Most of the trails provide places to see fish, loons, deer and maybe even lynx. The odd bear sighting isn’t uncommon, Vallier adds, especially in the spring.

Vallier said many people assume the municipality maintains the trails, but that’s not the case. In fact, some parts of trails are on private land, yet are maintained by the conservation area, as part of long-standing agreements. 

Because the MRCA is a small organization, with a huge responsibility, it relies on the public to use the trails responsibly and see them as beautiful assets, worth preserving. 

Fortunately, the Wintergreen Fund for Conservation can help with this. This organization is the conservation authority’s charitable arm. It hosts small fundraising events year-round and also has an open call for donations online

Vallier adds that the organization also raises awareness for the trails and conservation programs in general, by holding events at schools, attending trade shows and by just having information tables at the local farmers’ market. 

Vallier says he’s proud of how the trails are accessible to everyone, regardless of their income or age. He’s heard stories from trail users about how the exercise and stimulation they received while using them, helped them heal following health scares. These stories motivate him to want to maintain the trails and “bring them to the next level.”

He hopes to explore adding new links to the trails or building new trails altogether. But to do that, he'll need to bring in new partner organization that appreciate the trails and see the value they bring to the Timmins community. 

“If it’s only us doing it, it will be impossible,” he said. “We’ll have to maintain what we have now.”