26th Anniversary Newsletter & Membership Renewal Campaign
Hope everyone enjoyed the holidays – now we just need snow!
The trademark of the WCNSC – Quality Trail Grooming
Once again, there will be regular grooming of the trail surfaces to ensure that conditions are always as optimal as possible. You can count on re-grooming after significant accumulations of snow, usually 5 cm, and quite often grooming is completed on a Friday evening in preparation for heavier skier traffic on weekends.
With the many windy storms the past year, the trails needed significant clean-up…..if you are out to the park (before or during ski season) feel free to clear ground debris or overhanging branches.
New this year you will find “You Are Here” Maps that are now located at various trail junctions.
MEMBERSHIP RENEWAL – still the best way to support this volunteer effort!
Your membership keeps our club going and growing. Last year we saw a steady number of members, at 126 members, slightly down from 143 the previous year. Thank you to our longstanding members who support us each year and we encourage newcomers. The best way to support the club is to renew your membership and please tell your family and friends about the club, or bring them out to see for themselves.
As in prior years, there are two options for registering, but the preferred method is online as it reduces the time of processing registrations by hand.
Web Based Registration Process
As in prior years, there are two options for registering, but the preferred method is online as it reduces the time of processing registrations by hand.
Web Based Registration Process
Registering online is simple, just click on the Membership page of our website www.wcnordic.com and use the link “Online registration with e-payment options” which takes you to the website of our registration partner Zone4 and directly to the registration form.
The process is reasonably straight forward – however, if you need assistance, don’t hesitate to call Barrie Ashworth at 613-832-1685.
Registration Fees
Through the hard work of several volunteers, the WCNSC has been able to provide a quality ski experience at a very affordable price. As a not-for-profit club, all membership fees (after the mandatory portion that is deducted to support the national and provincial organizations) go directly back into the club for operations and maintenance/repairs of equipment.
For the upcoming season, there is no change to membership fees which remain as follows:
| ONLINE REGISTRATION | PAPER FORM REGISTRATION | |
|---|---|---|
| Adult | $40 | $50 |
| Youth | $20 | $25 |
| Family | $105 | $120 |
Note: The on-line registration adds fees of $1 per transaction, $1 per person and a 3% credit card fee.
Please sign in every time you ski!!!
Despite the fact that Fitzroy Provincial Park remains officially closed over the winter, ski club members, guests and day use skiers are permitted access to the park through the signed agreement with Ontario Parks. When a person or family supports the ski club by purchasing a membership, they can print, from the registration website, a vehicle pass that should remain on their vehicle dash when in the park. Also, vehicles displaying an annual Ontario Parks Pass are permitted access to the park. ALL SKIERS are required to sign in the register, located at the far end of the parking lot, for every visit. Please record the date, skier name(s) and vehicle license number. Day use skiers are asked to support the efforts of the WCNSC by contributing a donation in the box beside the sign-in register. Eight dollars per skier per visit is suggested.
Please take the time to sign in every time you ski – even if you are already a registered member. These statistics are important for the long term survival of the club. Accurate visitor information statistics are required by Ontario Parks and the City of Ottawa. This data is linked to funding submissions that we complete for the City.
Don’t try to second guess trail conditions by looking out your window!
The snow conditions you see from the kitchen or living room window are seldom the same as the conditions on the Perimeter Trail! The Park is quite a sheltered little enclave and it has its own microclimate. Snow accumulations and conditions vary greatly across this region and it is nearly impossible to predict the quality of the ski experience on these trails. Aggressive grooming creates a refrigeration effect that will protect trails through mild spells and extend the ski season. In addition, grooming following a thaw/freeze cycle is timed to produce optimal conditions from a frozen granular surface.
If uncertain, check the website before you head out (wcnordic.com). The conditions are posted after every grooming or significant weather event. Please recognize that you may see an older date on this “Current Conditions” part of the site – this simply implies that the conditions have not changed since the site was last updated. Ski conditions will usually remain the same unless a significant change in the weather has occurred. An updated posting of the conditions will follow right after grooming has been completed or it is determined that a change in conditions is worth noting.
Also, as a friendly reminder, the park is public and shared by skiers and non-skiers alike. If you encounter any issues on the trails with other users, the best practice is to report any incident to the club executive through the website email link or by contacting Bryan directly.
Just a reminder that there is an Emergency Preparedness Plan which you will find on the back of every trail map. There will also be a copy posted at the sign in station. Let’s hope we don’t need it, but better safe than sorry.
Clubhouse and Special Events
We are very lucky to have use of a building within Fitzroy Provincial Park. The facility is equipped with a kitchen, washroom, fresh water and an area for ski waxing and tuning. Executive members will have a key and will try to have the facility open when skiing. If members want to use the facility at times that it may not be open, please call Bryan @ 613-878-0627. We encourage our club families or individuals to plan an event that takes advantage of this facility. A ski outing followed by a potluck snack or meal is a great way to entertain!
Posted events on the website continue to be the only times the clubhouse is guaranteed to be open. It is worth noting that many of the vault privies within the park are open and can be used in an emergency. Don’t forget to carry a little TP in your fanny pack!
Waxing clinics, orientation for new members, and introductory lessons are available upon request. Call Bryan @ 613-878-0627.
Also note there are 2 cabin rentals on the newer 5km loop of the trails if you would like to spend more than just the day – see the Resources page of our website for more information.
This year, if there is sufficient interest, the club is considering organizing a mid-season social event, a ski, followed by refreshments in the clubhouse. If you would be interested, please contact Tammy Meagher at 613-277-4062 or meagher.tammy@gmail.com.
Kudos to all our volunteers
Many thanks continue to be directed toward the people that give up hundreds of collective hours to ensure the club runs smoothly. Special thanks to Bryan Dumouchel the club founder, President, and Treasurer, Randy Belore the equipment manager, Barrie Ashworth, Registrar and Laurie Ashworth the club’s Secretary. Additional thanks to Chris Savage, who looks after the website, Brian Wilson who assisted with grooming and Tammy Meagher who handles club communications. And finally, thank-you to the volunteers who assisted with the trail clean-up this past October – with a number of summer and fall storms, there were many trees and branches down. Thank-you all!!
Your Feedback is welcome!
Over the years we have received very positive feedback from club members. Let us know how we can improve your outing or how the experience surpassed your expectations. Please continue to give us your comments and spread the word about one of “the best kept winter secrets” in West Carleton. We’d love to hear from you – just click “Contact Us” on our website. Also, please remember that this is a volunteer club, so if you feel you have the time and skills to help – we would love to hear from you. Hope you have a snowy and enjoyable 2019-2020 ski season!
Bryan Dumouchel
WCNSC President
brypeg79@ gmail.com
613-832-0627
Newsletter written by Tammy Meagher