In 1967, Midland snowmobile dealer John Power made a home for clubs across the province by creating the Ontario Federation of Snowmobile Clubs.
That’s why it’s fitting that in 2023, area residents and businesses have banded together to construct a new snowmobile station on the ‘C’ provincial trail on Newton Street outside Victoria Harbour, with the aim to unveil the John Power Centre formally at a November ceremony in dedication to the pioneer.
According to Patrick Murray, president of the Georgian Bay Snowriders, the GBSR purchased the property of 2060 Newton St., roughly 25 years ago from CP Rail – a large stretch of former rail land that extends from Highway 12 near Rumney Road in the east through to Gratrix Road in the west. In that parcel, the club found the ideal spot for a snowmobile facility on Newton Street, just south of Granny White Sideroad.
“In the summertime, the building will be able to hold six tractors – six of our groomers for storage. And then it’ll be used specifically by Georgian Bay and Orillia to run their grooming operations out of, and then maintenance in the wintertime,” said Murray. “The district of 10 clubs that we have will use that as sort of our headquarters for the training of our volunteers and employees."
Snowmobiles were invented by Joseph-Armand Bombardier, who in 1937 was granted a patent for the first-ever vehicle that could travel on snow. He developed his prototype in his garage in Valcourt, Que. Shortly thereafter, clubs began springing up everywhere due to their popularity.
John Power was a Bombardier-brand snowmobile dealer in North Simcoe, and in 1967 he gathered all the heads of the various clubs to the Sportsman Inn in Victoria Harbour, creating the Ontario Federation of Snowmobile Clubs.
An avid outdoorsman who was never seen without his smoking pipe, John Power went on to become an award-winning writer for the Toronto Star and outdoors publications. Meanwhile, his shop ‘John Power and Son’ in downtown Midland near King Street and Elizabeth Avenue catered to outdoor activity throughout the year.
“He was never much about himself; he wasn’t a chest-pounder or anything like that,” said Mike Power, the ‘son’ in the store title. “He liked to promote the outdoors and conservation when he could.
Mike Power shared that he wasn’t aware of the full impact of his father’s accomplishments until after the passing of John Power in 2008, when chapter heads from across Ontario sent notes of condolences. In speaking with Murray, Power said he’d begun rooting through old photos and discovered his father’s involvement in establishing the federation.
As to the construction of the maintenance facility being made in honour of his father, Power was appreciative of the gesture.
“It’ll be a nice legacy,” he said. “It's certainly a nice recognition of the years he spent supporting the outdoors; he couldn’t ask for anything more from that perspective.”
At over 30,000 kilometres throughout Ontario, snowmobiles have access to one of the world’s longest networks of recreational trails. These are marked and maintained by members of the OFSC’s 200 community-based clubs across 17 districts, in an industry that generates $3.3 billion annually in economic activity across the province.
Within north Simcoe County alone, there are more than 150 kilometres of snowmobile trails.
Construction on the John Power Centre began over the winter when Murray made calls to local businesses looking for volunteers to help build the facility from start to finish.
“What’s extremely cool about this project is all the sub-trades that are doing that job labour-free,” Murray said with excitement. “So the snowmobile club is on the hook for the material, and we’ve been able to organize volunteers to be able to do the whole build.”
Christopher Morden, president of R. Morden Engineering & Contracting Ltd., was on-site at the Newton Street grounds.
“Pat Murray has gone above and beyond for volunteers and donations. It’s a huge step for the club,” said Morden.
“I have two older brothers that are in the business with me; we all have children, we’re a big snowmobile family. So when Pat approached us, it was a no-brainer to want to be a part of it. We’re a third-generation business, so to be a part of this means a lot to our family.”
Morden explained that Penetang Excavating had cleared trees for the project over the winter, in preparation for Morden’s company to grade the land this spring.
“Everybody’s doing their part; everybody’s taking the step and helping out where they can,” Morden added.
At some point during June, Murray said: “The construction and standing all the walls will be done over a two-weekend period and it’ll be a barn-raising party.”
Regarding volunteers, Murray emphasized the importance of what one person’s drive and ambition could accomplish, and how it could benefit others long after they’re gone.
“That’s why we really want to promote John Power,” Murray explained. “Building a snowmobile club, a clubhouse, is really not big news. But giving recognition to a guy that’s created so much in Ontario, not only in the snowmobile club but in all his writings and promotion of the outdoors – he’s done so much for this province.
“I think the only thing that drove him was how you feel at the end of the day and how you feel in your heart for doing that kind of stuff. We’re hoping that by showing recognition to volunteers, and especially this volunteer, that even the littlest thing you do in your community to volunteer helps.”
A grand opening for the John Power Centre, at 2060 Newton St., is tentatively scheduled for November.
