Kawartha Trans Canada Trail

Running between the Region of Durham and Peterborough County, the Kawartha Trans Canada Trail is a type of multi-use trail funded by the Trans-Canada Trail Foundation and the Pan-Am Legacy Fund. A 44-kilometer section reaches the Durham Region border and passes through the City of Kawartha Lakes, linking farmland, parks, and local communities. The trails offers great opportunities for outdoor activities and is the favorite place of nature lovers.

History and Construction Works

The scenic trail has a long history dating back to 1858 but was only recently completed (2014). The section was built in just five years and during this period, some 200 volunteers participated in the project with skills, labor, and ideas. Recent construction works will make the Trans Canada Trail the longest in the world, with over 400 recreational sections. The network spans 18,000 km and links communities all over the country. In 2009, a little over 73 percent of the trail was completed, with a total of 83 projects underway across Canada. TCT’s national director Tim Hoskin explains that it was more difficult to secure financing and land permissions than to actually build the trail. Local handymen helped with the details and finishing touches, handled repairs, and monitored the construction crews.

The construction of the trail offers benefits to local communities that were about to slowly vanish from Canada’s map. The hamlet of Reaboro, for example, now only has a post office and a handful of old houses while in the past, there was a church, school, cheese factory, sawmill, and even a train station. The trail offers a great opportunity to meet friends, fellow villagers, and visitors. This is also a great opportunity to revive the economy in local communities. Visitors shopping in villages along the trail can help do this. The focus is mainly on accommodation, the retail business, and restaurants and cafes. The good news is that in the view of experts, visitors are expected to contribute more than $150 million to help revive local communities. Plus, 8 schools are located along the Kawartha section, and this is a wonderful opportunity for students to learn and enjoy diverse activities.

There are some challenges to meet, one being financial considerations. More money is needed to maintain the section and promote the trail so that more and more people learn about it and use it for sports and recreation. It is important to promote the Kawartha section as a safe and easily accessible trail for visitors of all ages, including families with children. Different activities and events are organized to promote the Kawartha section, including digital photography workshops which are free to seniors. Online promotion through links and logos also allows the trail officials to reach a wider audience. As a result of this, more and more cyclists use the trail already.

Uses

The trail can be used for different purposes, including skiing, snowshoeing, horseback riding, walking, cycling, running, walking, and hiking. The rail is perfect for snowshoeing and cross-country skiing in winter. Dirt bikes, ATVs, and other motorized vehicles are not allowed. Snowmobiles are permitted, however. Pets on a leash are allowed but pet owners must clean after them. Visitors enjoy a diverse landscape, from local communities and farmlands to wooded areas and wetlands.
The Kawartha Lake municipality also features a serene landscape with lush greenery, sumac, dogwood, maple, and spruce, sprinkled with orioles, cardinals, and bluebirds.

Parking Locations and Special Events

There is plenty of parking space at different locations, including the Omemee Beach, Logie Park, Memorial Park, Fleming College, and Eldon Road. Roadway parking is also available on Ackison Road, Lily Park Road, Orange Corners Road, and other locations. There is an option to rent a bicycle as well. What is more, the trail can be used for special events such as bikeathons, walkathons, and marathons. Permits are responsibility of the event organizer.

History

Kawartha was created with the merger of Credit Union Limited and Unity Savings in 2012. Today, the financial institution is a member of Credit Unions of Ontario.

Business Products and Services

Customers benefit from a range of specialized services and products such as planning and advice, investment solutions, lines of credit, term loans, and business banking. In addition to Visa business cards, the union also offers agricultural and commercial loans and mortgages to buy equipment, expand and renovate facilities and buildings, and purchase buildings and land. Agricultural mortgages and term loans are offered to business customers to meet their unique requirements. A mortgage loan can be used to buy a zoned property, restructure capital, or acquire quota. Businesses can use the money for construction and renovation of farm buildings and facilities or the purchase of tools and equipment. Term loans are offered to finance different projects, refinance, buy livestock, equipment, and machinery, etc. Businesses benefit from flexible repayment schedules and affordable interest rates. The union also features investment products such as group registered retirement savings plans and term deposits. Customers who opt for a term deposit can choose from three options to receive interest – at maturity, monthly, or annually. Finally, the union also offers banking services such as business accounts, foreign exchange services, night deposits, and automated fund transfers. The range of foreign exchange services includes immediate US dollar exchange and drafts and cash in US dollars.

Personal Banking and Service

The Kawartha Credit Union also features a wide selection of personal and online banking services, including lines of credit, loans and mortgages, affinity shares, and checking and savings accounts. The list of investment solutions offered to individual customers includes TFSA, RRIFs, RESPs, and RRSPs. Customers are also offered mutual funds and term deposits. When it comes to borrowing solutions, customers are free to choose from different types of mortgages such as fixed rate, open variable rate, cash back, and CreditMaster mortgages. If you choose the cash back option, you are offered 4 percent back to use toward personal expenses, renovations, and anything else. With the fixed rate mortgage, there is a choice of different amortization periods and rates which gives you a degree of flexibility. The open variable rate mortgage is also an option for customers who prefer a set payment. Whether more of the payment is used to pay interest or the principal depends on interest rate fluctuations. Checking and savings accounts are also available as well as high interest savings accounts. Individual customers also benefit from the fact that there are different ways to bank, from member and debit cards and telephone banking to mobile and online banking.

The list of additional services is quite long and includes overdraft protection, night deposit bag, certified checks, and automatic overdraft. Customers are also offered the option to rent a safety deposit box as well as services such as international and domestic wire transfers, interim and formal statements, written account information, credit reports, and a lot more. Those who need a credit card are offered a wide range of products, including US dollar, classic, gold, platinum, and cashback MasterCard. The cashback variety allows holders to collect double points on gas purchases. The classic card features a low annual fee and a competitive interest rate, along with standard MasterCard benefits such as emergency cash advances and stolen and lost reporting.

Kawartha Trans Canada Trail