New L & A Trail targets mountain bike niche market

Craig Bakay | Oct 03, 2019

The rain Saturday morning meant that there probably weren’t as many people at the official opening of Lennox & Addington’s new Forest Trails, but it wasn’t really about the opening, it was about the future, said Warden Eric Smith.

“I know that we don’t like like the rain,” he said. “But I’m a farmer.

“This is just the first six kilometers and there’s more to come and we hope to make this a destination for bicycle riders.

“And we hope to hold many more events in the future.”

County economic development officer Rob Plumley concurred and noted that they’ve developed several partnerships for the trail including Bon Echo Provincial Park that welcomes 200,000+ visitors each year, many of whom bring their bicycles.

“The Flinton Rec club are big supporters, as is the North Addington Education Centre,” he said. “And Mike Sewell of the L & A Economic Development Committee has been key for us.”

Plumley said they officially broke ground in May for the trail, which is primarily non-motorized (there is a small section for ATVers to make connections with other trails).

“This is the first County-driven off-road system which now joins our 600 kilometers of on-road system,” he said. “We’re targeting a niche market of mountain bikers.”

The trails are located in the County Forest, which is entirely within Addington Highlands Township, said Reeve Henry Hogg.

“We have a company that tells us when the grass needs cutting,” Hogg said.
County Council member Marg Isbester, who is the Mayor of Greater Napanee, said she was pleased to see this development in the north.
“As a county, we should be trying to push as much as we can to the north,” she said. “This trail is comfortable growth.”