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Buckwallow Cycling Centre closes permanently

Community outpouring of appreciation follows announcement

Photo by: Buckwallow Cycling Centre

Ontario’s mountain bike community is reeling from the loss of another riding area, following the announcement that Buckwallow Cycling Centre will not open in 2021.

The latest news comes just weeks after Blue Mountain Resort revealed it would not be continuing with its lift accessed mountain biking program. What will happen to Blue’s pedal accessed trails remains undecided.

Buckwallow Cycling Centre closure

Buckwallow Cycling Centre is a private trail network near Gravenhurst, in Onatrio’s Muskoka region. For 20 years, Mike McLaughlin has built and maintained the mountain bike trail network. McLaughlin operated the centre, and was usually on hand, greeting guests as they arrived.

It is known for offering options for riders of all skill levels, from beginners to advanced riders looking for a challenge particular to riding on the Canadian Shield, as well as its characteristic “hoof” based difficulty raitings.

In 2020, Buckwallow remained closed, like several other areas, due to COVID-19 related issues. On Thursday, a brief statement was posted on the Buckwallow Cycling Centre page notifying riders the closure would extend into 2021, with McLaughlin retiring:

“Under circumstances particular to me and the Buckwallow, I’ve made a painful and certainly unsatisfying decision for me and others, to retire, and Buckwallow will remain closed. I’ve written a lot of versions of this message, and none of them can adequately express my gratitude towards everyone who has supported me.
Thank you so very much”

A big “Thank you” from the community

The announcement, shared by Mark Turney on the Buckwallow Facebook page, quickly drew hundreds of comments – many sharing memories and thank you’s for McLaughlin’s years of hard work maintaining the network and wishing him well in his retirement.

“It was one of the most charming venues, everyone’s devastated by the news,” says Sean Ruppel, whose Super Fly Racing hosted events for close to 20 years at Buckwallow. The venue stood out as a favourite for its community, and McLaughlin’s deep personal investment in the trails.

“Buckwallow feels like going home,” added Ruppel. “Mike is so welcoming and kind. There’s not a lot of venues that people would miss like this, but people love going back there.”

Riders care for Buckwallow for more than the laid back atmosphere and warm welcome. McLaughlin is a skilled and passionate trail builder.

“Mike had a great feel for building trails, even though he didn’t ride all that much himself,” added Ruppel. “I’ve built trails all over, and his remain some of my favourite to ride.