1,950 Cyclists to Experience Ontario’s Waterfront Trail, Rideau Heritage Route and Thousand Islands

Quebec’s Grand Tour Desjardins Makes First Visit

Toronto, Ontario - August 2, 2011 – Ontario is the destination for 1,950 cyclists taking part in Vélo Québec’s Grand Tour Desjardins, from Saturday, August 6 to Friday, August 12, 2011.  For the first time, Ontario will play host to the Grand Tour Desjardins, which is an annual supported cycling tour that has shaped and celebrated Quebec’s cycling culture since its 1993 launch. The cyclists, from Quebec and other parts of the world, will use a 600-km route that combines Ontario’s Waterfront Trail and the Rideau Heritage Route and the Thousand Islands, visiting five communities along the way: Brockville, Perth, Napanee, Belleville, Kingston.

“Ontario is becoming a recognized cycling destination. The arrival of 1,950 cyclists in Vélo Québec’s Grand Tour Desjardins is a signal of the progress we are making. This is an important opportunity to welcome Quebec cyclists and show them that Ontario is a wonderful cycling destination, given that Quebec cyclists spend $166 million annually on touring.” notes Justin Lafontaine, Project Director of Transportation Options. 

"For well over a decade, Vélo Québec has been organizing bicycle trips in Ontario, but this year marks the first time we will bring our premiere cycling event, the Grand Tour Desjardins, to Ontario. Over 1,950 cyclists will have the opportunity to discover both a splendid region and the warmth of people from Ontario! This is a fantastic first!", says Joëlle Sévigny, Executive Director of Vélo Québec Voyages et Événements

The seven-day itinerary includes:

DAY 1 | Saturday, August 6 | 81 to 121 km | Brockville to Perth
DAY 2 | Sunday, August 7 | 111 to 150 km | Perth to Napanee
DAY 3 | Monday, August 8 | 98 to 121 km | Napanee to Belleville
DAY 4 | Tuesday, August 9 | 104 to 186 km | loop around Belleville
DAY 5 | Wednesday, August 10 | 118 to 152 km | Belleville to Kingston
DAY 6 | Thursday, August 11 | 32 to 89 km | loop around Kingston
DAY 7 | Friday, August 12 | 91 to 137 km | Kingston to Brockville

To give the visiting Quebec cyclists a sense of Ontario’s many cycling opportunities, the Ministry of Tourism has provided funding to Transportation Options and the Waterfront Regeneration Trust to set up a mobile Welcome Cyclists Information Pavilion. Staffed with bilingual ambassadors from the Rideau Heritage Route, the Pavilion will give visiting cyclists a sense of many cycling opportunities in Ontario. The Pavilion also offers information about local attractions in the five host towns for those times when cyclists want a change of pace.

Cycling tourism has been identified as a priority for the regional economy by eastern Ontario Regional Tourism Offices 9 and 11. In addition to cycling routes such as the Rideau Heritage Route and the 720 km Waterfront Trail, two important cycling-friendly services are earning Ontario an important place in cycling tourism—VIA Rail’s Bike Train, which offers “roll on, roll off” service to cyclists and the Welcome Cyclists program, a web-based resource listing cycling-friendly experiences and services throughout the Province.

The Grand Tour Desjardins is produced by Vélo Québec Événements and its travel agency, Vélo Québec Voyages, with the participation of Mouvement Desjardins and in partnership with Ontario Tourism, VIA Rail Canada and RONA. Vélo Québec is a non-profit organization that has played an important role on the Quebec cycling scene for more than 40 years.  It constantly encourages the use of bicycles - whether for recreation, tourism or as a clean, active mode of transportation - in order to improve the environment, health and wellbeing of citizens. Vélo Québec is the architect, under the aegis of the Ministère des Transports, of The Route verte- North America’s largest bikeway – criss-crossing more than 4,700 km of Quebec. 

Transportation Options is a non-profit organization dedicated to fostering sustainable tourism and transportation in Ontario. Since 1992, T.O. has worked collaboratively to research, develop and promote new initiatives that are integrated, environmentally sound, healthy, service oriented and focused on improving the experience of users.  Projects of Transportation Options include the award-winning Bike Train Initiative , Welcome Cyclists Network and Parkbus .

The Rideau Heritage Route Tourism Association (RHRTA) is a regional Destination Marketing Organization (DMO) comprised of the Rideau Canal, its adjoining towns and villages from Kingston to Ottawa and promotes the region's authentic experiences including spectacular flat water paddling and scenic cycling. The Rideau Heritage Route is a world class destination boasting UNESCO World Heritage Site & Biosphere designations along with a recent National Geographic 2nd place ranking for most sustainable destination. Online travel information at www.rideauheritageroute.ca.  

The Waterfront Regeneration Trust is a registered charity that co-ordinates a partnership of 50+ waterfront communities, conservation authorities, community groups and corporations dedicated to the completion, enhancement and promotion of the 720 km Waterfront Trail and Greenway. Since 2008, the Trust and its partners have held the Annual Great Waterfront Trail Adventure. The Adventure is an 8-day fully supported recreational bike tour from Niagara to Quebec on the Waterfront Trail. For more information about the Waterfront Trail and about the Waterfront Regeneration Trust, visit the website at: www.waterfronttrail.org, or call (416) 943-8080.

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Media contacts:

Marlaine Koehler (questions about the Waterfront Trail and Great Waterfront Trail Adventure)
Executive Director
Waterfront Regeneration Trust
Phone: 416-943-8080
Cell:416 520 4205
mk@wrtrust.com
www.waterfronttrail.org

Anne Marie Forcier (on site at each of the Velo Quebec overnight stops)
Executive Director
Rideau Heritage Route Tourism Association
Cell: 613-583-4783 (cell)
Tel: 613-389-4783
info@rideauheritageroute.ca

Véronique Lavoie
Press Agent | Vélo Québec
514 521-8356, ext. 358 | Cell. 514 942-0743
vlavoie@velo.qc.ca


Justin Lafontaine (questions about Welcome Cyclists Program, Bike Train)
Project Director
Transportation Options
Tel: 416-392-1556
E: jlafont@toronto.ca
www.welcomecyclists.ca

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