CALEB NICKERSON
CAMPBELL’S BAY
April 25, 2018
On April 25, Les Ami(e)s du Cycloparc PPJ held a working meeting at the Carrefour jeunesse-emploi office in Campbell’s Bay, bringing out about a dozen people.
Remo Pasteris, the president of the Green PPJ Verte, opened the meeting and explained the difference between the two organizations. The Green PPJ Verte is a group that was set up to protect the cycling path from motorized vehicles as well as helping to identify areas requiring maintenance. Les Ami(e)s du Cycloparc PPJ was an organization started by Tiziana Fortin-Rompelberg last year in order to promote the route and cycling in general with various events.
Pasteris explained that over the last summer, Rompelberg put in a Herculean effort in order to put on the events she did, and if the events are to continue in the future, she will require more help. The working session was a chance to look ahead to the summer and plan strategy.
Co-founder of the Green PPJ Verte, Lynne Lavery, introduced the first guest of the evening, MRC Pontiac Tourism Marketing Officer Jérémi Vaillancourt.
“You’re the first one from the MRC that’s attended a meeting,” she said.

Vaillancourt explained that in addition to working to promote the region, he himself is an avid cyclist.
“I want to work hard to promote the PPJ,” he said, explaining some of the groundwork he had already done.
He said that his focus is on bringing in people from outside the Pontiac, which is why he attended a bike show in Gatineau along with Tourism Outaouais. He handed out samples of the new, pocket-sized cycling maps that would be distributed to various tourist information locations throughout the region. He pointed out the maps also detail some of the routes on the Ontario side of the river, in order to encourage cross-border trips.
The next visitor was Muriel Davies from the Pontiac Women’s Wellness Network, an organization that promotes women’s health in the region. Davies explained how in the summer she had trekked the entire length of the PPJ on foot with some family members. She presented Rompelberg with a check for $250 from the Network.
Next came Rompelberg, who explained that at the previous meeting of the Ami(e)s, held in November, they had decided to reduce the number of events to three and look farther afield for attendees.
“What we learned is that we need to get people from outside the Pontiac,” she said.
After discussing possible dates, it was decided that the first ride of the summer would take place on the last weekend in July. The event would be a three-day journey along the entirety of the route, from Wyman to Allumettes Island, with stops in Shawville and Fort Coulonge to either camp along the path or stay in accommodations. Rompelberg explained that people who don’t feel up for the whole journey could join in on the various segments.
Later, the idea for a certificate of completion for those who manage to make it the entire way was floated.
The second event would be the return of one of last summer’s popular rides, the Moonlight Tour, from Wyman to Shawville on August 26.
Rompelberg explained that for the final trip, they would be looking to partner with the Terry Fox Run in Shawville, with the possibility of cyclists taking an alternative route along the PPJ.
“We hope to get together and help with that,” she said.
The final task of the meeting was dividing up the various tasks to be completed over the coming months, from setting up for events, to writing grant applications.
“This has been a very successful meeting, I’m very pleased,” said Pasteris.
The next meeting was tentatively scheduled for May 23.