Purpose: Bring together the key stakeholders responsible for all of Niagara’s publicly-accessible trails and routes. Then, consolidate and digitize this considerable Trails foundation, to create new themed experiences that will encourage eco-aware visitors and residents to safely explore Niagara’s abundant geoheritage and active lifestyle assets, to the benefit of all stakeholders. 

Current Status: There are many individual trail networks, such as Bruce Trail, Wine Trail, Greenbelt, Greater Niagara Circle Route, and so many others. Some, like the Bruce Trail, have excellent downloadable apps, but if you want to combine a portion of the Bruce Trail with, for instance, an Indigenous walking trail in Niagara-on-the-Lake, and simultaneously see the B&Bs, wineries and restaurants nearby, it’s just not easy. 

Summit Mandate: To develop the mechanisms and organization needed to make it easy for residents and visitors to access a single, comprehensive trails network repository, using any device, to find themed trails, interconnections, points-of-interest, special events, sustainable businesses and services nearby. These must be downloadable to all popular apps such as Strava, MapMyRun, RideWithGPS, Runkeeper, etc. The Trails Summit will explore how to achieve these objectives, with both short-term and longer term targets in mind. 

Targets achievable in the near term: 

1. Assemble a volunteer working group to deliver the mandate (above). 

2 Publish two major Trails within this framework, to demonstrate viability and a working model for future Trails. 

3. Define the process for adding new Trails, and to update existing Trails within the Trails Network library. 

4. Engage with one or more Niagara DMOs to build a model for establishing new attractive itineraries for eco-aware Tourists, using our Trails Network Library. 

5. Measure the traction from this DMO marketing. Assess the potential costs associated with this project, and how to fund it, short- and long-term.