THUNDER BAY, ONTARIO ~~~~~~~  June 15, 2021  (LSN)  The Thunder Bay Community Economic Development Commission and Tourism Thunder Bay are pleased to support a local mountain biking organization, the Blacksheep Mountain Bike Club with implementation of the Trowbridge Forest Master Plan. The Blacksheep Mountain Bike Club will receive $250,000 over the next two years to complete the construction of the 1.5 million dollar project. 

#LSN_TBay  #LSN_Econ 

<p><span style="font-size:130%;"><em><strong>THUNDER BAY, ONTARIO ~~~~~~~&nbsp; June 15, 2021&nbsp; (LSN)&nbsp;</strong></em>&nbsp;The Thunder Bay Community Economic Development Commission and Tourism Thunder Bay are pleased to support a local mountain biking organization, the Blacksheep Mountain Bike Club with implementation of the Trowbridge Forest Master Plan. The Blacksheep Mountain Bike Club will receive $250,000 over the next two years to complete the construction of the 1.5 million dollar project.&nbsp;</span></p>

<p> </p>

<p><span style="font-size:130%;">The trail construction work got underway in late May and will consist of an expansion of the existing single track trails by up to 15km, the addition of a bike skills park and improvements to the park infrastructure in the Shuniah Mines area within the Trowbridge Forest. The funding was approved by the CEDC Board of Directors through the Municipal Accommodation Tax (MAT) Fund and is contingent on other funding partners also supporting the project.</span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:130%;">&ldquo;The generous contribution from the CEDC through their MAT fund will go a long way in allowing Blacksheep Mountain Bike Club, in partnership with the City of Thunder Bay Parks and Open Space, to develop the Trowbridge Forest Recreation Trail Master plan,&rdquo; says Mark Maranzan, Vice President, Trail Development Chair, Blacksheep Mountain Bike Club. &ldquo;This will give us a world-class trail system to market as a tourism destination.&nbsp;The tourism potential cannot be overstated, as similar systems in other jurisdictions through Canada and the United States receive 20,000 plus visitors per year who spend money in local shops, restaurants and hotels.&rdquo;</span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:130%;">Completion of the Trowbridge Falls Master Plan over the next two years will put Thunder Bay on the map with an excellent mountain biking venue and is expected to tangibly improve tourism to the area.</span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:130%;">&ldquo;Thunder Bay has already seen an increase in mountain biking tourism due to the local club and their efforts to build awareness about the sport,&rdquo; said Tourism Manager Paul Pepe</span></p>

<p> </p>

<p><span style="font-size:130%;">According to statistics provided by Trailforks.com, Thunder Bay has experienced tremendous rider growth over the past few years. Rider &quot;check-ins&quot; are up from 1,800 in 2014 to over 25,000 in 2020 with 49% of riders being from out of town. E

NORTHERN, ONTARIO  ~~~~~~  June 14, 2021  (LSN)    Many of us fish the Great Lakes and tributaries and enjoy the other benefits like drinking water, beaches, and additional recreation that stems from them. 

#Travel_Ontario

NORTHERN, ONTARIO ~~~~~~~~   June 14, 2021  (LSM)  Greg Rickford stated on Facebook  I’m pleased to share that the Manitoba/Ontario provincial border restrictions will be lifted Wednesday, June 16.

Thank you the Ontario Provincial Police for their efforts and to everyone for adhering to rules - it made a big difference in helping lowering COVID numbers. We look forward to welcoming back families and friends to our region with current Step One guidelines and public health and safety measures in place.

#Travel_Ontario

COOK COUNTY, MINNESOTA   ~~~~~~~~  June 11, 2021   (LSN)  Summer's arrival in the North deserves to be celebrated! In this year of transition, we are planning to celebrate with gusto and safety. We will host the 2021 Wooden Boat Show both on campus, in person June 18-20 AND online June 3-25. Stay tuned: we will continue to shape our planning around the best safety practices available for our visitors, students, and staff. Community, craft, sparkling waters, northern adventures, and summer's light are at the heart of our efforts. 

#LSN_Outdoors  #LSN_MNNews 

THUNDER BAY, ONTARIO  ~~~~~~~   June 11, 2021  (LSN)  The Tourism Investment Committee of the Thunder Bay Community Economic Development Commission (CEDC) has approved $10,000 in financial support for the 2021 Northern Ontario Disc Golf Championships from the CEDC Municipal Accommodation Tax (MAT) Fund contingent on the hosting of the event as planned. The $10,000 from the CEDC MAT Event Fund will generate an estimated return on investment in the City of Thunder Bay of $12.96 for each dollar invested from the MAT.

#LSN_Sports 

COOK COUNTY, MINNESOTA   ~~~~~~~~  June 11, 2021   (LSN)   Throughout the Great Lakes region, the northwoods signature tree species such as paper birch, quaking aspen, balsam fir and white spruce are slowly giving way to invasive grasses and shrubs.

#LSN_Outdoors  #LSN_MNNews   #LSN_CookCounty

MADISON, WISCONSIN ~~~~~~ June 9, 2021 (LSN) Celebrate summer and Wisconsin's pollinators in the upcoming issue of Wisconsin Natural Resources magazine available now.

The Summer issue explores how the sound of a single bee, identified by a field ecologist, led to an exciting discovery late last summer in Milwaukee County: a nest of the rare rusty patched bumblebee.

#LSN_Outdoors #LSN_WiscNews

HOVLAND, MINNESOTA  ~~~~~~~   June 3, 2021  (LSN)  his Summer the Hovland Art Festival will be celebrating it's 15th years. July 3 & 4th. 

Every year since conception each festival’s wonderful live music lineup has been provided for by local musicians.  With the summer festival being held indoors and out the first festival’s music was performed outdoors in the open subject to any and all wild elements.  After that a big tent was rented to shelter these performances.  This past summer the festival folks were thrilled to use for the first time the new pavilion that was recently built out back of the town hall.

KENORA, ONTARIO   ~~~~~~  May 29, 2021  (LSN)  Greg Rickford said on Facebook I want to thank residents of the Kenora-Rainy River districts, and those from outside our region in Manitoba and beyond, for your continued efforts to stay safe and reduce cases and risk at your home and across our region; as we work through this pandemic.

#Travel_Ontario 

COOK COUNTY, MINNESOTA  ~~~~~~  May 27, 2021  (LSN)  U.S. Customs and Border Protection, Office of Field Operations reminds travelers planning trips across the Detroit, Port Huron and Sault Ste. Marie border crossings that the border remains open only to essential travel and cross border trade activity during the Memorial Day weekend. This advisory includes pleasure boaters out on waterways attempting to cross the border on Michigan’s waterways. In addition, small boating reporting locations continue to remain closed until further notice.

#LSN_PublicSafety #LSN_HomelandSecurity