On Thursday evening, the citizen group Les Amis du Cycloparc PPJ held their 2020 AGM via video conference, with 10 people in attendance. The group was formed to advocate for . . .

and promote the PPJ trail, which stretches through the Pontiac from Bristol to Allumettes Island.

Chairperson Lynne Lavery led the meeting, opening by announcing that she would be stepping back from her role at the helm of the organization.

“The one thing that I do want to put out at the beginning of the meeting so everyone can be thinking about this, is I feel that I have to step down this year from my frontline role that I have taken on for the past three or four years,” she said. “I have an awful lot going on in my life personally and I just feel that I don’t have the energy for activities … I certainly will continue to be a member, supporter … do everything I can.”

After briefly going over the groups finances, Lavery gave a breakdown of the group’s activities the previous year. They attended several MRC meetings and spoke directly with MRC officials to discuss promotion and maintenance of the PPJ.

Lavery praised the MRC workers opening up the trail early in 2020 due to COVID and for their prompt response to graffiti that was spray painted along the trail and on some signage in July.

“They responded really quickly, they came and repainted the picnic table, they took the sign down, and this spring they’ve actually taken black paint to cover over the messages in a couple of locations,” she said. “There are still a couple of messages showing up near the high school that I’ll inform the MRC about, but I was appreciative that they responded so quickly.”

After the activity report was over, the group discussed the PPJ committee, which was formed by the MRC to look at making certain parts of the PPJ available to motorized vehicles, which the group strongly opposes.

Lavery agreed with a comment made by attendee and local tourism operator Jim Coffey, that they would make the PPJ an election issue, and refocus the role of the PPJ committe.

“I agree with Jim, that certainly I have heard [MRC Pontiac Warden] Jane Toller say that the PPJ is not safe for multi use,” she said. “She has been quoted as saying that several times, that I have heard personally, so that’s good news, because Jane was very pro-getting the ATVs on the trail. However, the committee still does exist, so what actions could be taken to finally get that committee disbanded and maybe form another committee that is strictly focused on where they can go to expand the ATV trails that has nothing to do with the PPJ? … Until that committee is disbanded, it kind of feels like something’s hanging over our heads. It should be an election issue, we need to ask the mayors specifically if they’re going to disband that and continue that question as the election comes forward.”

To close out the meeting, Lavery reiterated that she would be stepping down from her role as chairperson, but would be willing to stay on as treasurer. No one attending the meeting offered to fill the role.

The group has several group rides planned for the summer in various locations, which they will be advertising when the details are worked out.

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