|
|
The Eastern Ontario Snowmobile Club (EOSC) was established in 1983 when five individual clubs joined to form an association. The clubs were: « Club des Aventuriers de Clarence Creek », « Les Bugs d`Alfaivre d`Alfred-Lefaivre », « L`étoile du Nord de Bourget », « Le Club Castor d`Embrun », and « Le Club de Plantagenet-Nord ». Initiated by the Prescott-Russell Tourist Association during February 1983, ten snowmobile clubs from the area were approached to study the possibility of amalgamation. After numerous meetings over several months of discussions, the five remaining clubs that wanted to join put a constitution together and started its operation in time for the 1983/84 winter season. The founding executive included: President Roger Gour, Vice President Marcel Beauchamp, Secretary/Treasurer Normand Surprenant and Directors Raymond Gour, Thomas Brazeau, Maurice Lalonde, Luc Charette, Roger Piché, Michel Legault and Jean-Guy Charette. The original agreement had a provision allowing each club the possibility of withdrawing after two years of operation. All five clubs stayed with the association when they saw the benefits of having connecting trails and the cost savings resulting from operating only two groomers instead of five. Furthermore the members liked the single trail map and the single pass that was valid in a larger area. The club started its operation with two Bombardier groomers; one was a model SV301D that belonged to the « Les Bugs d`Alfaivre d`Alfred-Lefaivre » and the other one was a model SV252D that belonged to « Club des Aventuriers de Clarence Creek ». After two years of operation, the club sold the other three smaller models SV-200 that belonged to the other three former clubs. Before the amalgamation, the snowmobile clubs were relying on Municipalities and Social Clubs such as The Lions and Knights of Columbus to balance their budget. Due to cost savings and good management, the new association was able to operate solely with the membership fees within the first couple of years. Initially, there was a family plan available at a cost of $45 and the individual membership was $30. The EOSC operated as a private club until it joined the Ontario Federation of Snowmobile Clubs for the 1993/94 winter season. The EOSC is considered one of the largest snowmobile clubs in the Ontario Federation with a trail system that covers the entire Prescott-Russell County and surrounding areas including the Larose Forest. Over the years, the hard work by its dedicated volunteers has contributed to make snowmobiling in Eastern Ontario a safe and enjoyable sport for it’s residents as well as the many tourists who come to visit over the course of the winter season. |
