1. Lake Ontario/St. Lawrence River Waterfront Trail
Part of the Carolinian Coastline Stewardship Trail Network
Lake Erie Cycling Touring Route connecting to the
Lake Ontario/St. Lawrence River Waterfront Trail
1400 km Windsor to Quebec
Lake Erie
7 seven counties/regions
54 Cities, towns and villages and Ports
14 Provincial/National Parks and National Wildlife areas
Lake Ontario
41 Communities

2. Waterfront Regeneration Trust
Sudbury
S.S.Marie
Windsor
April 2011
Waterfront Regeneration Trust

3. Waterfront Regeneration Trust
In 2008 we launched the GWTA as a way to reconnect people to this project, celebrate the work that has been done and embrace the challenges that remain ahead.
The tour is based on three organizing principles:
-use the WT no road closures, so you’ll see you can do this on an organzied tour or by yourself
-NOT A RACE, travel at your own pace and take time to relax.
-Promote existing businesses and services along the way.
Waterfront Regeneration Trust

4. Great Waterfront Trail Adventure
Catalyst for trail improvements and development
53% rate the Trail as "very good" for cycling; 19% "excellent"; 22% "good"
54% feel very safe; 46% feel somewhat safe
75% feel safe riding on a cycling lane
97% feel safer cycling on secondary roads if there is a paved shoulder
Promotes active lifestyles
50% have never been on a multi-day tour
86% will use the Waterfront Trail more often
54% will consider commuting
Engages the public in waterfront and sustainability issues
81% strongly agree that the Waterfront Trail is important to Lake Ontario's regeneration; 14% agree
Develops local tourism
95% agree that the Waterfront Trail offers wonderful holiday opportunities
68% will return to visit communities in the next year
Creates great word of mouth
April 2011
Waterfront Regeneration Trust

5. Tourism Potential-- what Quebec says
About Lake Ontario
100% state exploring the Waterfront Trail is a good reason to visit Ontario
20% knew about the Waterfront Trail
23% knew that the Waterfront Trail connected to la Route verte
Velo Quebec’s Grand Tour coming to Ontario for the first time in 2011—2,000 cyclists
About Lake Erie
At the Montreal Bike Show 2011—97% were interested in touring Lake Erie
… that between the 6 of us, the "Team Quebec" members as we like to call ourselves, there are to date some 20 to 25 people we talk to that are almost certain to go on the next GWTA. So what you guys are doing for the Waterfront Trail; getting people to know about it, use it, bringing tourism over, the development of it, it's working !!!
-The idea of the Waterfront Trail came out of public hearings held by the Royal Commission on the future of the Toronto waterfront
-hundreds of people expressed the view that wanted to see existing parks connected and new ones created and that these should be connected by a trail.
-no sooner would we open the Trail when neighbouring communities would ask to join the project.
-Overwhelming community support prompted political will. An agency was established to create the Trail and subsequent governments have provided capital investment--matched locally to create the trail. -

6. Tourism Potential--USA
$46.9 billion is spent on meals, transportation, lodging, gifts and entertainment during bike trips and tours.
Source: League of American Bicyclists Darren Flusche
Policy Analyst, June 2009
Waterfront Trail recognized as one of Canada’s best cycling touring routes in recent edition of Adventure Cyclists (55,000 members)
We are beside two of the largest cycling markets. We need to market to these groups what we do have.

7. Lake Erie Cycling Route
Signed route in place by
Fort Erie to Windsor
Use existing infrastructure—mostly on-road
Approximately 620 km
Complements and will be part of Carolinian Canada’s work to establish a regional network of trails designed to protect, restore and promote the Carolinian forest.
Met with waterfront municipalities
Create a partnership of communities
Preparing maps of the route to be posted on web
September 10th public cycling tour on Windsor riverfront
September 11-17, 2011 Pilot cycling tour of the route
International cycling tourism experts invited
Launch a GWTA-style cycling tour in 2012
Partners:
Ontario Cycling Tourism Partnership Alliance
Carolinian Canada Coalition
Share the Road (Bike Friendly Communities)
Funded by the Ministry of Tourism
NEED MORE ROUTES AND SO WE ARE WORKING WITH PARTNERS TO GET SOMETHING IN PLACE FOR LAKE ERIE BY 2012.
April 2011
Waterfront Regeneration Trust