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Last Update: 22-10-10
The Paudash Trail Blazers Snowmobile Club was
established by a group of local snowmobile enthusiasts
around the Paudash/Eel's Lake area in 1976 and was
incorporated under a "Letters Patent" in 1978. These
early pioneers had a vision of what snowmobiling could
become and set about to establish a network of trails.
Landowners, who were neighbors, friends and
snowmobilers, were approached and permission was granted
to build trails on their private property, a concept
which three decades later is still the primary basis for
snowmobiling. Some of these same landowners are still
with us today.
The Paudash trail system at that time was very small and
consisted of only a few short trails from where the
clubhouse is located today, north through Harcourt Park
ending at Benoir Lake, and down through Silent Lake Park
to Cardiff.
Grooming equipment of the era consisted of the
proverbial "bedspring" type groomer, pulled behind
conventional snowmobiles owned by volunteer club
members. The trails were about 1 meter wide and with a
double pass, were almost doubled in width, particularly
where trees allowed. Imagine the snowmobiles of today on
these trails!!
The club progressed to the point where they were able to
afford the purchase of a used Alpine, which at the time,
was the machine of choice for pulling grooming drags.
With the larger piece of equipment, bigger drags could
now be pulled and these same volunteers set to work
designing and building larger drags out of scraps of
angle iron.
In 1983, Paudash applied for a Wintario Grant of $5000
and with their own matching $5000 purchased 2 new
Alpines. As the 80's progressed so did snowmobiling
popularity, to the point where larger and more efficient
grooming equipment was required.
In 1986 the first piece of heavy duty grooming equipment
was purchased, a used 1983 BR100 and a roller/packer
drag. Paudash Trail Blazers was now committed to trail
grooming and before the end of the 80's added 3 new
BR100's and a used SV252 to their fleet.
As the popularity of snowmobiling continued to escalate,
there was more and more traffic on the trails and the
current grooming drags were not doing an adequate job. A
lot of experimentation of grooming equipment was going
on and the multi-blade-planer type grooming drags were
developed and marketed. These grooming drags laid down a
more consistently smooth trail which stood up better to
increasing traffic. Grooming tractors purchased by
Paudash in the late 80's were equipped with these new
drags and eventually the club had their remaining
equipment retrofitted.
In the early 80's, Clyde & Isabel Saunders, avid
snowmobilers and Paudash members (Honourary Life Members
of the Ontario Federation of Snowmobile Clubs) donated
the materials required to build a clubhouse. It
should be a place, Clyde & Isabel reckoned, where
snowmobilers on the Paudash trail system could rest,
chat with other snowmobilers and get warm. Paudash
leased a parcel of land from the Ministry of Natural
Resources and the Saunders' dream became a reality. Over
the years there have been thousands of snowmobilers who
have enjoyed the generosity of Clyde & Isabel at "Saunder
Inn" as the clubhouse is affectionately known. Paudash
eventually purchased this property from MNR and in
addition to the clubhouse, constructed repair and
storage facilities. The Club is continually
upgrading their grooming equipment. The most recent
acquisitions being a pair of New Holland - Ford Surtrack
grooming tractors and Mogul Master drags.
Always progressive, Paudash Trail Blazers computerized
their membership and landowner databases, introduced a
toll free 1-800 number, and improved membership
communication through annual newsletters. By the
late 1990s the Club entered the digital age with Email
and an online Website. In 2006, the Club was
awarded the Ted Day Communications Award by the OFSC for
excellence in the contributions of the Newsletter and
Website. he Club continues to stand as one of the
largest independent snowmobile clubs in Canada and leads
by example through efforts including Driver Training ,
Trail Patrol, and innumerable other programs.
In February 2008, the Club officially marked it's 30th
Anniversary with a series of events throughout the year
including the launch of a new logo, anniversary "swag"
and club clothing. The celebration culminated at
the Club Cookout in February 2008 with an enormous party
including a special Demo Ride sponsored by Yamaha Motor
Canada which generously covered all food costs and a
donation to the Club. The turnout and support by the
membership base was among the largest it has been in
many years, proving that as long as there continues to
be enthusiasts and volunteers with hearts as big as our
early founders', the Paudash Trail Blazers Snowmobile
Club has a bright future indeed!
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