If you're into cycling in Grey County, there's a Cycling and Trails Master Plan meeting this week asking for your input.
“Trails are really important in Grey County, especially to our tourism and the plan. By design, it really does focus on the on road cycling,” says County Tourism Manager Bryan Plumstead.
Funding for the trails plan is coming from the province's Municipal Commuter Cycling Program.
With self-guided tours like Wineries, Cideries and Breweries By Bike, and the Great Lakes Waterfront Trail, cycling is a growing tourism activity in Grey.
He says County staff will ask which routes are priorities for people at a meeting Thursday (March 12) set to take place at 11 a.m. at the Grey County Administration building.
Plumstead says they'll be showing their trail network map and asking for people to comment on it, “We're going to ask people to basically vote…Given the whole network..where do you think are the most important routes to start working on?” says Plumstead.
There is also an online voting option.
The plan also looks at residential routes that connect people for everyday cycling, “Getting to the grocery store, getting to school. Getting to the community centre,” says Plumstead.
County Tourism staff will also look for feedback on programming, “The other, soft side of it is a kind of culture change, embracing active transportation, realizing that it's healthy, it's good for us,” says Plumstead who is looking to work with municipalities and health agencies to encourage cycling as an activity.
Some input they've already gotten includes a request from the Bruce Trail for clarification about where biking is allowed or not allowed. (The Bruce Trail is primarily a walking trail).
Plumstead says this year, the County is looking to add some paved shoulders on Grey Road 15 from Owen Sound towards Leith “That's a huge one. That's a really important link along the water.”
He also notes Blue Mountain is a very popular cycling area, especially on weekends, “Part of this plan is also to get signage up on roads that are heavily used.”
Plumstead says the plan isn't just about paved routes, noting cycling on gravel is increasingly popular.
He says they're also looking at Telling some of the stories of Grey County through its cycling routes, “It could be a local food tour through the farmland, or something that might link our waterfalls together.”
“It's just such a great way to slow down and smell the roses, you know, just really take your time,” says Plumstead.