CANORA - The Trakkers Snowmobile Club of Canora hosted a Family Fun Ride on Feb. 20, Family Day, with approximately 30 sleds participating. Hot dogs were provided for the hungry riders courtesy of Gateway Co-op.
The event highlights the Club’s work throughout each winter, according to Tracey Bletsky, Trakkers Secretary.
“We wanted to promote the use of our main warmup shelter along our Sask Snow Association- approved trails as a family-friendly environment,” she said. “We were pleased to host this successful family fun ride at our closest warm up shelter which has a fireplace for heat and cooking, lights, washroom facility and a good stockpile of wood.”
Trakkers is funded mainly by the Saskatchewan Snowmobile Association.
“For every snowmobile registered in Saskatchewan through SGI, we get a percentage of that revenue to upkeep our trail system,” said Bletsky. “We have rigid rules and responsibilities, and are reviewed and evaluated regularly by SSA as to ensure we have an enjoyable, safely signed and allowable trail.”
Trakkers is responsible for maintaining 90 km of snowmobile trail.
“The trail connects Yorkton Sno-Riders Club to the north including Kamsack Sno-Drifters, Norquay Prairie & Pine Snow Riders, and Preeceville Rough Rider Snowmobile Club trail systems as part of the larger Saskatchewan Snowmobile Association trail system.”
The Trakkers trail starts at the north end of Good Spirit Lake, providing an opportunity for residents and visitors at the lake to travel to Canora by snowmobile.
“As those communities around the lake grow, we are seeing more snowmobile related traffic into Canora to get fuel, food and a pit stop on their way to the northern trails,” observed Bletsky.
“We take on the responsibility of contacting all the landowners and municipalities of whose land our trail travels over and gain permission to cross. We take on the responsibility of signing trail, marking hazards and updating the online travel maps as approved by SSA. Our members have logged hundreds of volunteer hours each year to keep this system going.”
Trakkers maintains a groomer, a snow drag, a snowmobile, two sleighs, a cross-country ski track set, two warmup shelters, storage and all temporary seasonal signage, as well as maintaining the insurance on equipment and buildings.
“We provide power to our main warmup shelter closest to Canora, which is not a standard requirement by SSA but a nice addition to our trail system,” added Bletsky.
“Our club provides community services that sometimes go unnoticed by the general public. We have a standing offer with the Fire department/EMS/RCMP that in the event they need the assistance of a snowmobile and sleigh for the purposes of search and rescue, they have full permission to use the club equipment. Our club members have assisted in searches and are available to help as we are familiar with the area and equipment needed for such situations. We also volunteer to set the cross-country ski trails around the golf course and do so as often as we can.”
Last December, Trakkers hosted a Snowmobile Safety Course, which attracted adults and students from age 12 and up.
“It is a requirement for anyone born after 1989 to complete this course in order to operate a snowmobile off of privately owned land. This course can also be done online at the website,” encouraged Bletsky.
Trakkers is always open to accepting new members, and looking for interested individuals who would be willing to help out with setting up and taking down the trail signs each year.
“We work as a group and have a good time along the way. New members can contact us on our Facebook page or talk to any current member,” concluded Bletsky.
