The North Bay Nordic Ski Club has been around for about 45 years. During that time the trails located off North Shore Road near the shores of Trout Lake,the club has only had three groomers. However, the latest one is brand new thanks to the Ontario Trillium Foundation.
Vic Fedeli, Nipissing MPP, gave their new groomer a test drive Friday afternoon. The Club's new machine was paid for through an Ontario Trillium Foundation grant. The club was awarded $150,000 by the Trillium Foundation back in December 2022 to allow them to purchase a new groomer.
"They made an excellent application, it is all application driven," explained Fedeli about the grant process.
"There is a Trillium Review Board that we put together locally, appointments that we make, these are the people that look at these applications and found that this particular application really helped fulfill a requirement for all of the volunteer work that they do and all of the amenities that are provided within the community. This is really just an important piece."
Andrew Rees, president of the North Bay Nordic Ski Club, believes the new groomer is a great addition for the non-for-profit organization.
"Three machines ago we are back in the 1980s, just the type of technology, reliability of it to prepare ski trails," explained Rees.
"The last one was still 20 years old so there has still been quite a change. The biggest difference we see is just the interface and controls for being more digital so the groomers can see things and operate the machines and be more aware of that its doing so the training is less and having newer technology there is less maintenance, more efficient and better emission controls on the diesel and easier for the groomers to operate."
Rees says while snowmobile trails have closed, their cross country ski trails remain open for now.
"The North Bay Nordic Ski Club has grown and owes its success to the innumerable hours spent by the hundreds of volunteers that have come together over the years. Without these people the club would be nothing like it is today – arguably one of the best member owned cross country ski areas in Canada," the North Bay Nordic Ski Club stated on its website.
