To support and promote the resources for defining and sustaining a unique Hastings County network of quality trails.

To stimulate economic growth by being a leading resource for trails related education, a catalyst for trail development, and to encourage the use of trails to improve quality of life while enjoying the natural beauty, culture and history of Hastings County.

Hastings Destination Trails Inc. (HDTI has evolved into the Regional Trail Committee (RTC) for Hastings County for non- motorized trail recreation and development. We believe by increasing the inventory and improving the quality of existing trails within Hastings County, it will have a direct positive impact on improving Hastings County as a tourism destination.  With more trail systems trail stakeholders could enhance and create opportunities and experiences for revenue generation such as seasonal festivals, yurts, skiing, kayaking, forest bathing, heritage walks, etc.

The development of trails and trails activities bring people from inside and outside the geographic area to visit Hastings County.  We hope that the trails will be a gateway to opening people’s eyes to not only the natural beauty of our County, but also local accommodation, restaurants, shopping and services available within the region. Increasing economic activity for these businesses should ultimately bring benefits to the entire community through additional employment, growth and revenue that stays within the County.

According to a study conducted by the Ontario Trails Council “Regional Trail Committees have been identified as a mechanism for assisting in the efficient and effective management of community based recreational trail issues.

There are many tasks to be done to achieve the vision, goals and objectives outlined in the HDTI Strategic Plan 2020. The path ahead is sure to have challenges, it is evident that there is overwhelming support for this strategy to succeed. HDTI is committed to facilitating the success of this strategy in partnerships with landowners and stakeholders. In addition to being a natural facilitator of regional trail issues, HDTI is well-suited to leverage partners and resources in areas such as tourism promotion and trail funding support.

Fast forward two years, the Trails Committee has evolved into Hastings Trails, an incorporated Not for Profit organization whose focus is to stimulate economic growth by being a leading resource for trails. We act as a catalyst for trail development; related education; to encourage the use of trails and improve quality of life all the while enjoying the natural beauty, culture and history of Hastings County.

In Spring 2019, we were contracted by the North Hastings Economic Development Committee to manage their second Ontario Trillium Foundation grant, this time to fund a capital trail infrastructure project, and in Summer 2019 we broke ground on the remediation of 18kms of trails with the Town of Bancroft and the Crowe Valley Conservation Authority.

Fall 2020 we have put the final touches on three trail systems in North Hastings, marking the completion of the refurbishment project, which includes an accessible trail, accessible amenities, enhanced trail signage, and extensive refurbishment to meet trail classifications. Safety and standardization features across these three trail systems ensures an enjoyable and safe resident and visitor experience.

Central East Sporting Coalition of Ontario through the help of key individuals brought stakeholders together with the intention of creating a Hastings County RTC, a working group was formed in 2016.

In the summer of 2016 representatives from Hastings Prince Edwards County Public Health (HPECP), Hastings County, Ontario Trails Council (OTC), and North Hastings Economic Development Committee (NHEDC) put together an Ontario Trillium Foundation (OTF) Seed Application for a North Hastings Trail Development Plan (TDP) and the North Hastings Non-motorized Trails Master Management Plan (TMMP).

In March 2017, nearly 50 trails stakeholders met in Bancroft for Trailhead Hastings to discuss trail management, and other significant trails best practices.

The best practices shared were designed to provide information on what we have and what we could achieve through both a TMMP, and RTC in Hastings County.

Shortly after, in March 2017, NHEDC supported and incubated a Trails Leadership Subcommittee (TLS).

In June 2017, NHEDC received an OTF Seed Grant in the amount $42,900.00 (total project $56,025.00) to create a TDP and TMMP. A Master Plan is the guiding document for development, user groups, and maintenance standards to ensure safety, user education and management are held to the highest standard.

The TMMP was completed in March 2018. It addressed the need for a comprehensive approach to recreation infrastructure, specifically trail planning and development throughout the region and provided a framework for future decision-making. It continues to serve as our long-term planning tool to guide the development of recreation infrastructure for new trails and open space linkages, and to assist in negotiations to acquire routes for recreational infrastructure and recreation/active transportation as opportunities arise.

In December 2018, the NHEDC’s TLS was dissolved and a Hastings Destination Trails Founders Committee was established. The process to incorporate as a not-for- profit organization, under the name Hastings Destination Trails Inc. was started.

In March 2019 HDTI became Incorporated and the contractor for the NHEDC OTF Capital Grant in the amount of $145,800.00 for the pilot remediation of 18 km of trails. This was the first time an OTF grant of this size was awarded to a Hastings County organization.