About Kawartha Nordic

Kawartha Nordic Ski Club (KNSC, Kawartha Nordic or simply KN) is a nordic ski area and club located in North Kawartha township, Peterborough County, Ontario. It was founded in 1976 by a group of avid cross country skiers in Peterborough, Ontario. Today, it offers 46 kilometres of both classic and skate trails, as well as 9 km of snowshoe trails through scenic, Canadian Shield wilderness. Kawartha Nordic owns 350 acres of land just north of Haultain and holds a land use permit for our remaining trails on crown land. Kawartha Nordic is a not-for-profit organization, governed by a volunteer board of directors, and operated by several seasonal staff and numerous volunteers.

Vision

A thriving, inclusive community, inspiring a love of cross-country skiing and being active outdoors

Mission

Kawartha Nordic is a community whose mission is to provide high-quality trails, facilities and programming to support and develop cross-country skiers of all ages and abilities, as they experience the joy of winter in the Kawarthas.

History

Founded in 1976 by a group of avid cross-country skiers from Peterborough, Ontario, KN was originally focussed on the annual Kawartha Ski Tour event. The Kawartha Ski Tour was an annual loppet event that attracted skiers from across Ontario. The loppet ran from Apsley to Buckhorn, a distance of 40 kilometres. In 1989, an 18-acre property was purchased by the club to secure access to the ski trails that were developed around the ski tour and to allow the building of the Cossar Cabin as a day chalet. The tour was cancelled in the early 1990s due in part to inconsistent snow conditions.

Youth programs have been an important part of the club since 1988 when the first Jackrabbit program was started at the Maitland farm. In 2002, we had a children’s learn-to-ski program at the Cossar Cabin which then re-launched in January 2004 as a formal Jackrabbits program at the new WOODfine Chalet. Youth programs have grown tremendously since then to offer fun, instructional programs for children 4-12 years old. Starting in 2008, the racing team (Athlete Development Program) for youth 12-18 years old now competes across the province.

With support from the Ontario Trillium Foundation, KN opened skating trails for the 2002-2003 season and membership has grown steadily since. The club was rapidly outgrowing its facilities and so in 2004, supported by a significant fundraising campaign and volunteer effort, the Nordic Legacy campaign was initiated to purchase 350 acres of land and build a new chalet. The Cossar Cabin and surrounding 18 acres of land were sold in 2005 to help fund the property purchase and new chalet. Construction of the new chalet continued through the winter of 2005-2006 and by December 2006, the club opened the WOODfine square log chalet on the new Nordic legacy property, immediately south of the old property. Also that year, 10 kilometres of snowshoe trails were opened. The next major expansion (again with funding from the Trillium Foundation) came in 2008 with the purchase of a Pisten Bulley groomer which greatly improved the quality of grooming and overall skiing experience. For the 2010-2011 ski season, hydro was installed at the club and a ski shop was opened in temporary trailers in the parking lot, offering rentals, lessons, and day passes. A third Trillium grant was received in 2011 for the purchase of a newer Pisten Bulley groomer.

In 2014, a fourth Trillium grant was received to expand youth programs and facilities. Lighting for night skiing was installed on 2.5 km of trails surrounding the Woodfine Chalet. A well and septic were installed for washrooms, to be located in a separate washroom building adjacent to the main chalet. Four staff positions were hired for the 2014-2015 season for a day lodge attendant, groomer, head coach and youth program coordinator. Funding was also received through the Healthy Kids Community Challenge to purchase skis for school-based programs. Returning to our roots, the club has hosted the ‘Kawartha Enduro’ ski race for several years and significantly hosted the Ontario Youth Championships in 2016 and 2017.

Today, KN offers 46 kilometres of both classic and skate trails, as well as 9 km of snowshoe trails through scenic, Canadian Shield wilderness. KN is a not-for-profit organization, governed by a volunteer board of directors, and operated by numerous volunteers and several seasonal staff.

Bylaws, Strategic Plan and Policies

Bylaws: - Bylaws (revised 20 Nov 2023)
Strategic Plan: - Strategic Plan 2020-2025; - Strategic Plan 2020-2025 Placemat; - Action Plan 2020-2021
Policies: - Membership and Day Use Fees Policy 2011-01; - Conflict of Interest Policy 2015-01; - Personnel Policy 2015-02; - Information Security Policy 2016-01; - COVID-19 Vaccination and Testing Policy 2021-01; - Privacy Policy 2023-01
Safe Sport Policy Suite: - Safe Sport Policy 2023-02; - Athlete Protection Policy 2023-03; - Code of Conduct and Ethics 2023-04; - Discipline and Complaints Policy 2023-05; - Event Discipline Procedures 2023-06; - Screening Policy 2023-07; - Social Media Policy 2023-08

Getting Involved

Kawartha Nordic is a non-profit ski club with a few dedicated staff, but largely maintained and operated by volunteers. This means that we would love to have you help with the club's activities. These are just some of the ways you can contribute to the Kawartha Nordic community: