Ontario Access Coalition

OAC Annual General Meeting: June 24, 2013

Bonnie — Wed, 08 May 2013 21:17:44 +0000

The OAC invites all members to partake in our 2013 annual general meeting. It’s a great opportunity to ask questions and offer your input on the direction of the OAC. The meeting will be held at Joe Rockhead’s Climbing Gym, in Toronto, on Monday, June 24th, at 7 :30PM.

To be eligible to vote at the AGM, you must be a member of the Ontario Access Coalition. To allow for the processing of new members, please ensure applications are submitted prior to June 15th, 2013. Please visit our membership page at http://www.ontarioaccesscoalition.com/join/ for further details.

Three members need to be elected to the Board of Directors for a two-year term. New ideas, leadership and energy are important to maintaining the health of organizations. Although members can be nominated at the AGM, if nominations are submitted by June 4th, 2013, profiles of the nominees will be distributed to membership in advance and will facilitate the voting process. Interested members are encouraged to contact the OAC in advance.

Further details will be provided to members 14 days prior to the AGM. If you do not receive notification by email, please send us a note (info@ontarioaccesscoalition.com).

Earth Day Cleanup – May 4th at Rattlesnake

tony.berlier — Thu, 18 Apr 2013 14:06:11 +0000

This year, climbers will once again showcase our collective strength in helping cleanup one of Ontario’s most popular climbing and conservation areas – Rattlesnake Point. We’re working with Conservation Halton to identify target areas in need of attention. They are delighted to have reliable stewards coming back year after year to help take care of the area they love.

Registration opens at 9:00 AM on Saturday, May 4th at the Upper Pavilion. A free BBQ picnic will be offered to those who participate, followed by raffling of prizes and climbing activities in the afternoon.

Successful Event at McMaster U!

Bonnie — Thu, 11 Apr 2013 19:36:27 +0000

The OAC was represented at a recent event at McMaster University featuring Red Bull Athlete Will Gadd. The event, sponsored by Red Bull, saw world-renowned climber and adventure athlete Will Gadd present an overview of his lifetime of ‘rad’ accomplishments and adrenaline-infused feats. Will shared insight into his various philosophies regarding risk, goal-setting and living an active, motivated life. OAC Outreach Ambassador Patrick Lam presented to a crowd of approximately 80 keen listeners prior to Will’s slideshow and talk, and outlined the OAC’s history, successes and the many opportunities for the climbing public to get involved. OAC Public Outreach Coordinator Josh Smith answered questions following the talk and signed up new members, including Will himself! With his $50 donation and a grin, Will affirmed the importance of sustainable, cooperative access work; he is proud to be a member of the OAC and we are proud to add him to our member list. Special thanks to Will Gadd, Marla Henderson (Red Bull Canada), and Max Robertson (McMaster Climbing Club) for allowing the OAC to present at this energizing event!

OAC Discussion Series #1

adam.reeve — Tue, 26 Feb 2013 17:57:09 +0000

On March 2nd at 7pm, the Ontario Access Coalition (OAC) is organizing an event, hosted by the True North climbing gym, to improve relationships between climbers and land managers.

OAC executives and volunteers will be attending this event and climbing in the gym, starting from 3pm. Speakers will also present information on access group successes across North America.

We hope to see many of you there!

(Free admission applies to the event itself, not to the climbing beforehand).

http://www.facebook.com/events/415742441853164/

Climber’s Survey

adam.reeve — Tue, 12 Feb 2013 04:00:21 +0000

Yes, we know it’s 2013 already but we would love to hear about your climbing experiences from last year. CLICK HERE to take the 2012 OAC Survey

By completing the survey you are helping climbing access in the province. The information you provide is used in aggregate to assist the OAC in representing climbers when asking Land Managers to consider how to balance preservation and recreation. Survey data collected on this survey will be kept strictly confidential and the entire survey should take you about five minutes to complete. Your participation is greatly appreciated. Climb safe and tread lightly.

Get your 2013 Ontario Crags calendar today!

Bonnie — Tue, 18 Dec 2012 18:26:42 +0000

Just a reminder to get out and buy your 2013 Ontario Crags calendar! It makes a great gift, or pick one up for yourself to be reminded on a daily basis of the beautiful rock and ice we have in this province! You can also use it to schedule your climbing trips, Earth Day clean-ups, Reel Rock tour and other fun OAC events! All proceeds go to the OAC, to continue the work for climbing access in Ontario!

Calendars for sale at the Mountain Equipment Coop in Toronto and Barrie.

OAC at Reel Rock 2012

adam.reeve — Thu, 06 Dec 2012 17:17:04 +0000

On Saturday, November 24th, True North Climbing gym hosted the 2012
Reel Rock film tour. Volunteers from the OAC were on hand at this great
event to help raise awareness of climbing access in Ontario. Thanks goes
to the many existing and new OAC members who took the time to visit our
table. Additional thanks to our very supporting Corporate member, True
North Climbing for including the OAC as part of the Toronto Reel Rock
Tour.

If you haven’t yet taken the time to become an OAC member please take a
moment to sign-up (see the Membership tab) and add your name to the long
list of climbers in support of sustainable climbing in Ontario.

Mount Nemo Access Update

tony.berlier — Thu, 29 Nov 2012 17:22:05 +0000

Conservation Halton (CH) manages climbing policy for Rattlesnake point, Mt. Nemo, Kelso, among others. These crags are home to hundreds of routes that have been enjoyed by climbers for decades. The OAC has just received the following email from Conservation Halton regarding the installation and recent removal of fixed hardware at Mount Nemo:

“Hi guys,

This was just brought to my attention. I thought I would forward to you as there are two points here that are bothersome. One is that bolts are removed by someone and the second is the call to replace the anchors without consultation with Conservation Halton. I would really like to try and get a handle on this so that bolts are not replaced until we see Nigel’s report and discuss the recommendations that he might have.

I am hoping that the OAC may take this matter over and bring some calming affect to this situation. Would you mind seeing what can be done from your end.

Ron Kindt

Conservation Halton”

The OAC would like to request that the individuals involved in this matter respect the wishes of the Land Manager who is, and has been for many years, a leading supporter of climbing at some of the province’s most popular cliffs. The OAC is meeting with CH in January and we are hopeful that a mutually agreed upon plan can be approved for the Spring.

A Big Thanks!

Bonnie — Sun, 25 Nov 2012 16:13:28 +0000

The OAC would like to extend its gratitude to Steve Swenson, who donated the honorarium he recently received from the ACC to support the OAC. Steve was in Toronto recently for the Toronto Section of the Alpine Club of Canada’s AGM. As inspiring as his Saser Kangri II climb was (for which Mark Richey, Freddie Wilkinson and he won the coveted 2012 Piolet D’Or), the real highlight of the evening was hearing Steve advocate for the value of beloved partners that you put before yourself and trust with your life – both in life and in climbing. Well done!

Mount Nemo Update

tony.berlier — Mon, 19 Nov 2012 18:10:28 +0000

A number of members of the climbing community have contacted the OAC regarding concern over the removal of fixed protection at Mount Nemo.

Through 2011 and 2012, the OAC has worked with Conservation Halton (CH) in conducting an environmental assessment to determine a climbing anchor strategy at Mount Nemo. The strategy aims to eliminate cliff-top impact, manage mid-face impact caused by climbing, and maximize climber safety.

An ecologist from CH documented the condition of the entire cliff line managed by CH, with the help of an OAC representative. The report from this assessment, which is currently pending, will guide the development of the strategy by CH and OAC.

The OAC continues to collaborate with CH in the official process to develop a detailed anchor strategy for Mount Nemo. Once the strategy is approved, we anticipate inviting volunteer work teams to implement the strategy, and hope to enter into potential funding agreements for the cost of hardware. Modification of the cliff-top, mid-cliff or cliff-bottom environments jeopardizes the process.

The OAC remains committed to maximizing climbing opportunities while collaborating with CH to help them effectively manage their properties. CH is a leader in incorporating climbing management into the operational models that they manage.