Project: Oak Ridges Trail Association (ORTA)
Role: Web Design & Digital Strategist Focus: Non-Profit Management, Interactive Mapping, Event Registration, Membership Growth
Project Overview The Oak Ridges Trail Association manages over 300km of public hiking trails across the ecologically vital Oak Ridges Moraine. They needed a digital platform that could serve a diverse community of hikers, environmental stewards, and volunteers. The goal was to modernize the user experience, making it easier for new hikers to “Find a Trail” while streamlining the administrative work for the volunteers who maintain the network.
Key Deliverables & Features
- Interactive Trail Mapping & Navigation: To replace static, hard-to-read maps, we implemented a modern digital mapping strategy.
- “Find a Hike” Tools: A user-friendly interface allows hikers to discover trailheads, parking, and route difficulty before they leave home.
- Digital Map Integration: We highlighted the availability of free digital maps via the Ondago app (funded by the Greenbelt Foundation), ensuring users have offline GPS access on the trail.
- Membership & Volunteer Hub: As a volunteer-run organization, member engagement is critical.
- Streamlined Join/Renew Paths: We simplified the membership process with a clear “Become a Member” funnel, integrating secure payment gateways to boost recurring revenue.
- Volunteer Resources: A dedicated portal provides trail captains and hike leaders with essential documents, forms, and maintenance reporting tools, keeping the operational side of the trail running smoothly.
- Event & Hike Management System: ORTA hosts hundreds of organized hikes and major events annually.
- Dynamic Hike Calendar: An automated “Hike Schedule” and “Upcoming Events” section allows users to register for guided hikes, view cancellations in real-time, and join waitlists.
- Major Event Promotion: Dedicated landing pages for flagship events like the “Oak Ridges Moraine Adventure Relay” handle the complex logistics of team registration and race day information.
- E-Commerce for Trail Gear:
- Online Store: A fully functional shop allows members to purchase trail guides, badges (like the “End-to-End” achievement badge), and branded merchandise, creating an additional revenue stream for trail maintenance.
The Outcome The new ORTA website has become the essential companion for exploring the Moraine. It successfully balances the practical needs of hikers (maps, alerts) with the community-building goals of the association, resulting in increased membership sign-ups and higher participation in organized events.
