Lake Superior Tourism Cycling Feasibility Study Underway – Sault Ste. Marie to Thunder Bay
Since 2016, Destination Northern Ontario (DNO) has taken an expanding regional approach in developing the cycling product in Northern Ontario. DNO recently partnered with Waterfront Regeneration Trust (WRT), the provincially recognized cycling trail developing organization, to develop the 380 km Lake Huron North Channel Cycling Route. This cycling route goes from Sault Ste. Marie through the communities along the North Channel to Sudbury. The route is 90% on back country roads with 10% on the highway with specially designed paved shoulders. The route is signed and mapped on-line as it winds through over 30 communities and three First Nations. It is connected the Great Lakes Waterfront Trail cycling system that stretches over 3,600km from Sault Ste. Marie to the Quebec border. It is a popular mapped and signed route connecting over 150 communities and First Nations along the Canadian shores of the Great Lakes and St. Lawrence River.
Destination Northern Ontario is now partnering with Waterfront Regeneration Trust and Trans Canada Trail and is working with Superior Country, Algoma Country and the Thunder Bay Community Economic Development Commission to conduct a feasibility and marketing study as the first step to expand the Great Lakes Waterfront Trail and Trans Canada Trail to communities along Lake Superior.
The expansion, if complete, will realize a major milestone for waterfront communities inspired by people – the completion of a continuous, signed route along the Canadian Shores of the Great Lakes and St. Lawrence River. Establishing this connection will bring cycle tourism benefits to the communities along Lake Superior while contributing to the quality of life and local economies.
The study is now underway and has just completed four virtual town-halls in communities between Sault Ste. Marie and Thunder Bay. The communities and stakeholders are very excited and supportive of the project as it progresses. It anyone is interested in the project, has questions or would like to be involved, please feel free to contact Mike Wozny at DNO at m.wozny@destinationnorthernontario.ca or Marlaine Koehler WRT at mk@wrtrust.com.
