Quad and snowmobile enthusiasts can count on the Parc régional des Grandes-Rivières du lac Saint-Jean with the new four-wheel drive bridge on the Péribonka river.
• Also read: Snowmobile Notebook: Respect for the environment and wildlife
• Also read: Snowmobile Notebook: Back to normal at last
• Also read: Snowmobile Notebook: a new platform for Ski-Doo
The announcement was officially made in mid-November in the presence of park managers and several partners involved in carrying out the work. Construction was announced last February. It is an important step in the integration of the Sommets du Fjord du Saguenay regional tourist circuits in the Monts-Valin sector and Passerelle du 49e north of Lac Saint-Jean.
The new 140 meter long footbridge provides access to an area of more than 400 kilometers of hiking trails in the heart of the boreal forest. Community stakeholders who have taken this new step are proud to say, “This proves once again that Saguenay–Lac-Saint-Jean is a must-see destination in North America for the practice of ATV and snowmobile tourism. . »
For the community, this gate should be a great asset for the entire regional economy. The economic benefits associated with the use of ATVs and snowmobiles in Saguenay-Lac-Saint-Jean are estimated at US$183 million per year. Many towns and communities take advantage of this economic stroke of luck.
THE DREAM BECOMES REALITY
For a long time, many snowmobilers got no further than Alma in the Lac Saint-Jean region. Some pushed a little further to Dolbeau-Mistassini.
Visionaries wanted to go further, knowing full well that there was a vast area further north that had much to offer snowmobilers and quad bikers. I was present at a meeting when the project came up, along with Fédération des Clubs de Motoneigistes du Québec time manager Gaston Fortin and the region’s snowmobile ambassador, as I liked to call him Omer Harvey.
“The pedestrian bridge over the Péribonka River is the eighth of its kind that the regional park has built since 2016. A real sustainable development project, which for us is the ultimate culmination of several years of effort,” explains Marie Bérubé, President of the Regional Park of the Grandes-Rivières des Lac Saint-Jean. A common route in the public forest that ATV riders and snowmobilers take on footbridges that prevent users from crossing the ice and respect the fish habitat. We are talking about tens of kilometers of forest trails that have been recycled for recreational purposes. In addition, there is area marketing that specifically benefits several rural communities. We are very proud of the work done. »
I remember meeting people from MRC de Maria-Chapdelaine wondering how they could attract ATV riders and snowmobilers to their part of the country that has so much to offer. Nature, landscapes, forests, rivers, everything is exceptional in this corner of Quebec. You have to see it to believe it.
GREAT PARTNERSHIP
The first phase of the Passerelle du 49e development project for quads and snowmobile trails required an investment of US$8 million. The 236 kilometers of the entire project are located in the public forest north of Lac Saint-Jean. The new pedestrian bridge on the Péribonka River completes the overall project.
The organization was able to draw on the support of many partners. Canada Economic Development for the Regions has provided $1.2 million, while MRC Maria-Chapdelaine, MRC du Fjord-du-Saguenay, Société du plan nord from the Northern Initiatives Fund and the Ministère des Transport each provided $500,000 in invested in the project.
The Department of Communities and Housing and Desjardins each contributed $200,000. Finally, the Fédération des Clubs de Motoneigistes du Québec and the Fédération Québécoise des Clubs Quad invested $30,000 each.
We wanted to highlight the major rivers that flow into Lac Saint-Jean. The entire organization can call itself a mission accomplished.