Cycle tourism shifting into high gear in Renfrew County

An active transportation group rode 100-kilometres through Renfrew County to promote cycle tourism through the region.

The Ottawa Valley Cycling and Active Transportation Alliance (OVCATA) travelled along the Algonquin Trial from Petawawa to Arnprior Saturday, stopping in different municipalities along the route.

As an example during the trip, the group of a dozen cyclists pulled off the Algonquin Trail in Cobden for a lunch break at a local cafe.

"Cyclists will come off the trail, they'll come down here for a coffee and a donut. But it's more than that," says OVCATA co-chair Ron Moss.

"They bike along the trail and they see how nice the community is and they want to stop, see what's here."

"The business opportunities are immense," says Whitewater Region mayor Michael Moore.

"A lot of our roads now, especially county roads and including the township of Whitewater Region, are putting active transportation lines in so that we're attracting more people," he adds.

Irene Anthony is the owner of The Little Coffee Shop in Cobden, and says trail users are a big part of her business.

"It certainly helps because they're here three-four times a week," Anthony tells CTV News.

"They walk from Renfrew, Eganville, so they're starting to come because they know the trails are open and the cyclists are advertising it all over the county."

The Algonquin Trail runs 218-kilometres through Renfrew County, connecting 11 different municipalities. It is open in all four seasons and can be accessed on foot, by bicycle, ATV, snowmobile, and even by horseback.

With 25 to 30 kilometres separating communities along the trail, Moss says the potential to grow business along the route is a real possibility that is not being taken advantage of.

"Make it a tourist attraction where people drive to the site, stay overnight, and spend some money," say Moss.

"Use the trail and there's all kinds of different loop trails that come off of there."