We need you!

by sentierschelseatrails | Feb 21, 2013 | Members & Volunteers

Step up to support the railway winter trail!

We need you! Step up to support the railway winter trail

For the last 6 years, Chelsea residents have enjoyed 14 kilometers of groomed passage on a multiple purpose winter trail, following the Gatineau River, but it’s not a sure thing.  The Municipality contributes   tothe maintenance and tracking cost but we need contributions from people who love the trail if we want to keep it open, year after year.  To help secure the future of the winter trail project along the Chelsea railway right of way, Sentiers Chelsea Trails is launching the Chelsea Community Trail Fund  to raise money for trail maintenance.  All contributions will go directly to the cost of trail maintenance and operation.

The geography of Chelsea, a long and narrow municipality stretching over 20 km north to south, bordered by the Gatineau River and the Gatineau Hills, makes the Chelsea railway right of way an important north-south trail link joining the neighbourhoods of Chelsea Village, Tenaga, Gleneagle, Kirks Ferry, Larrimac, Burnett, Cascades and Farmpoint.  The trail offers some of the best views of the beautiful Gatineau River and creates the basis for a seasonal, north-south linear park for Chelsea residents.

The trail, during favourable snow conditions, is tracked to provide a surface for cross-country skiing (classic and skate), snowshoeing, walking, running and sledding. Motorized vehicles are prohibited.  The Chelsea Community Trail, is easily accessible and flat, allowing for residents of all ages and abilities to get out and engage in a variety of fun, safe and healthy winter activities.

How you can help:

Donate to this fund by following the link below

Write a letter of support to:  [email protected]

This project contributes to the Municipality’s vision of an environmentally conscious community, where all residents have the opportunity to participate in a healthy lifestyle.

Community partners contribute to the successful operation of the Community Winter trail.

 Consistent with our mandate of encouraging the development of an integrated network for active transportation across the municipality, volunteers of Sentiers Chelsea Trails have made significant contributions: installing seasonal signage, clearing brush and obstacles. The Chelsea Nordiq Ski Club, a founding partner continues to support the project. The Municipality of Chelsea provides a major portion of the funding for trail maintenance. We also have some financial support from the Centre local de développement des Collines de l’Outaouais (CLD) local corporate sponsorships. We recognize the contribution of Robert Lafleur of Lafleur de la Capitale, who has been contracted to maintain the trail and has also provided in-kind contribution to the operation since its inception. We also recognize the contribution of Chelsea Innovation, who has made their parking lot available to trail users in the Chelsea Village area.

*Sentiers Chelsea Trails is a non-profit organization registered with the Canada Revenue Agency with charitable registration number 808109607RR0001.  Contributors will receive a receipt for income tax purposes.

Every picture tells a story… we want yours!

by sentierschelseatrails | Jan 6, 2013 | Members & Volunteers

2nd Annual Sentiers Chelsea Trails (SCT)

Photo Contest

NEW SUBMISSION DEADLINE IS MIDNIGHT, APRIL 1ST!!

Celebrate the trails running through our backyards and neighbourhoods! Capture the beauty on Chelsea’s trails with your camera and share them with your community.

All submissions will be included in an online photo tapestry and the winning photos will be put on display in the Chelsea Library.

Getting Started

We have selected four themes for photo entries in addition to special awards for youth (under 15).

Send up to four (4) photos to [email protected]

Categories

Each entry must fall into one of the categories listed below (you may only submit one photo per category).  Be creative and have fun!

• Up Close & Personal – how close can you get to your subject?
• My Special Place – share with us your very special mystical hideaway on our trail system
• Playing with Light – show us your creativity at that special time of the day when the light is magical
• Trail Vistas – any cool shot that showcases a trail in Chelsea

Here’s how to enter

Each submission must include:

• Name, age (if under 15), category, and e-mail address
•  A caption for each photo
• General information on where and when it was taken, how you approached the scene, and what you were thinking
•  Deadline for submission by email is midnight, Monday, April 1st, 2013
• Send your photos via email to [email protected] and write “photo” in the subject line

Guidelines

• One photo per category
• Photos must be taken on trails located in Chelsea (not Gatineau Park)
• Color and b/w photos are accepted. You must own the legal rights to the photo submitted and maintain the rights to the photos.  Chelsea Trails reserves the right to publish/ post to our website.
• Photos must be 4MB (4,000 KB) or smaller and must be in JPEG or JPG format

Have your photos exhibited at the Chelsea Library and on the SCT web site!

***       Celebrity judges Harry Nowell and Wim Kok will select the winners.    ***

(www.harrynowell.com and www.wimfotocards.blogspot.ca)

Who Owns That Property?

by sentierschelseatrails | Nov 30, 2012 | Members & Volunteers

Ever wondered who owns a property which a trail passes across?  Do you know how to find out? Actually, the answers are quite easy to find using the MRC des Colline’s Matrices en Ligne, a web service which allows users to view property maps for the entire MRC des Collines, including the Municipality of Chelsea. Using this tool, users can view a map which shows property lines for any given area of the municipality, select individual properties, and view the Rôle d’évaluation fonciere which gives details about the property, including ownership information.

Check it out by clicking here.

SCT’s first trail building project is underway

by sentierschelseatrails | Oct 29, 2012 | Members & Volunteers

[slideshow]

Since early fall, the woods in the Cascades or northern sector of the Municipality have been buzzing with trail builders, hard at work on Chelsea Trails’ first trail building project. The trail corridor, approximately one km in length, stretches from the north end of chemin des Pommiers south to Route 105 just north of Pine Road on land  the municipality acquired when the Des Pommiers subdivision was approved.  The project is a partnership between the Municipality of Chelsea and Chelsea Trails; the Municipality has contributed land, tools and materials, and Chelsea Trails has provided project planning, trail design and volunteer labour.
As of October 20, four Saturday morning work bees have been held – over 30 individuals have volunteered approximately 150 hours of labour to help clear brush, move lumber and construct creek crossings. Doug Taylor, Chelsea Trails’ sector champion for the area, is heading up the build and he hopes the trail can be finished in time for the winter season, but that depends on the weather. He says future work will focus on completing the creek crossings, bench cutting and rock armouring.

Once this first trail is completed, our keen and highly motivated  trail building volunteers are looking forward to building connecting trails in future on adjacent municipal corridors

Volunteers are very welcome. If you are interested in helping on this project, please contact Doug Taylor at [email protected]