It stretches 1,600 km from Quebec to Grand Bend, wrapping itself around the Great Lakes, but unless you're a die hard cyclist, you may not have heard of the Great Lakes Waterfront Trail.
Saturday, Ontario's Minister of Tourism, Culture and Sport, Eleanor McMahon will join 150 cyclists as they try out the latest edition to the trail, Pelee Island.
"The current Minister of Tourism is a renowned cycling advocate before she turned her head to politics," says Executive Director of the Waterfront Regeneration Trust Marlaine Kohler. "As an international cycling tourist, she knows quite personally the power of cycle tourism to help economies."
Pelee Island is only island formally added to the trail. Kohler says the group toured the island two years ago and fell in love with it.
"Mayor Rick Masse played a very big role in contacting the Waterfront Regeneration Trust, saying, 'Hey, you know we've got a beautiful cycling experience here. We think it needs to be part of the Great Lakes Waterfront Trail,' and we couldn't have agreed more."
The cyclists are taking part in a 400 km, five-day tour which has attracted enthusiasts from as far away as Australia. Kohler says the tour is sold out.
"We poll our riders. Many of them are visiting these communities for the first time on this ride, but now they're on the map, and many of them plan return trips to them," she says.
The group makes stops along with the way to meet with the mayors and councillors of the towns they pass through. On Monday, they'll be in Kingsville to meet with Mayor Nelson Santos.
"This trail is only possible because we have the support of all orders of government and in particular the municipal governments along the way," says Kohler.
Beyond Grand Bend, the trail ends, but Kohler says a trail to Espanola on the shores of Georgian Bay is proposed and a route between Sudbury and Sault Ste. Marie is already under development.
