Saskatchewan Talks Trail – Inaugural Symposium Draws Community Group Leaders

The inaugural Saskatchewan Trails Symposium, designed to assist participants to develop a provincial trails strategy, was held in Regina on September 19th and 20th. The two-day event attracted high-profile guests from within and outside of the province. Regina Mayor Pat Fiacco and the Honourable Bill Hutchinson, Minister of Municipal Affairs addressed the delegates; noted trail writer Michael Haynes gave the keynote speech; Sask Tourism Regional Directors Connie Ashworth and Colleen Bilokreli gave a presentation on marketing community trails.

Jo-Ann Carignan-Vallée, TCT Development Officer for Saskatchewan, said that “The Symposium offered an opportunity to network with different government departments, NGOs and fellow trail builders. These connections are invaluable and would have taken much longer to make without the Symposium.”

Deborah Apps, President & CEO of the Trans Canada Trail

Many of the trail groups were re-energized by the event’s opening remarks from Trans Canada Trail President and CEO Deborah Apps, who promised more involvement from TCT at the ground level. Carignan-Vallée summed up the two-day strategy session: “All in all it was a great beginning and Saskatchewan Trails Association should be very proud for putting trails on the agenda of decision makers both locally and provincially.”