Yves Viel taking a selfie with club members.
The Boreal Cycling Club, founded in 2023 as a not-for-profit, began when a group of volunteers started maintaining single-track mountain bike trails at the Hersey Lake Conservation Area in Timmins. Their goal was to build a community for cross-country cyclists, as the area lacked a dedicated cycling club.
The club now maintains a 10 to 14-kilometre network of trails and offers both group and social rides for cyclists of all skill levels. Membership costs $50 per year and includes accident insurance through Oasis Insurance. Social rides are casual, often meeting at local spots like Full Beard Brewing, while group trail rides are more focused on cycling.
Boreal Cycling hopes to expand its reach to areas like Iroquois Falls, Kirkland Lake, and Kapuskasing. While the club mostly rides the Hersey Trails, they also venture out to other locations. The club accepts members of all ages, as long as they can ride a bike, and plans to offer beginner mountain biking instruction soon.
Most riders use mountain bikes, but gravel bikes are also suitable. A full suspension bike is not required; a basic hardtail mountain bike is sufficient. The club had 34 members last year and currently has 17 registered members for this season. Reilly Heffernan, owner of O’Reilly Source for Sports, serves as the vice-president, while co-founder Yves Viel, a law clerk and bookkeeper, plays a key role in the club’s operations.
