President's message. A group of Happy Hikers proudly display their badges for completing the Fort to Fort Hike in April. Happy trails, Debbie

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1 Summer 2018 A group of Happy Hikers proudly display their badges for completing the Fort to Fort Hike in April. President's message DEBBIE DEMIZIO PRESIDENT The Annual General Meeting was held April 29th and it was a great time to celebrate the successes of the Niagara Bruce Trail Club over the past year. As we look ahead, we prepare to operationalize the Bruce Trail Conservancy s ambitious new Strategic Plan to The five strategic priorities of the strategic plan can be implemented by each of us. 1. Accelerate Land Acquisition Landowners may consider donating or offering an easement to secure the trail. Hikers and trail captains who may identify opportunities to purchase 1 The Grapevine Summer 2018 properties, please alert Ruth Moffatt, Land Securement Secretariat Director, ruthdmoffatt@gmail.com 2. Expand Fundraising Consider becoming a monthly donor or giving the gift of the Bruce. See BTC s website for more info on how to donate: 3. Build Brand Awareness Proudly wear your Bruce Trail Tshirt or hat while hiking or doing trail maintenance. 4. Increase Impact of Membership Share photos and stories with friends, post photos, likes and comments on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter. 5. Enhance Stakeholder Relationships Give a warm greeting and thanks to landowners while on the trail. Participate in municipal planning groups to ensure conservation of the Niagara Escarpment and Bruce Trail. The strategic plan may seem ambitious, but, as with many herculean tasks, many hands make light work. Happy trails, Debbie

Trails RICK WATERS TRAIL MAINTENANCE AND DEVELOPMENT NEW TRAILS A crew of 7 Niagara Bruce Trail Club members spent the morning of April 27 blazing a new

This trail opens up a beautiful section of Short Hills Park to Bruce Trail hikers and it moves the trail off DeCew Road Above: Alicia and Wolfgang, part

org/trail_changes/282 A new section of Main Trail will be opening this Spring. It is East of Louth Conservation Area and is approximately.5km in length.

Gate Winery to the BTC Main Trail at Mountainview Conservation Area. Parking will be available at Angels Gate Winery to access the Trail.

2 Trails RICK WATERS TRAIL MAINTENANCE AND DEVELOPMENT NEW TRAILS A crew of 7 Niagara Bruce Trail Club members spent the morning of April 27 blazing a new trail through Short Hills Provincial Park. This trail opens up a beautiful section of Short Hills Park to Bruce Trail hikers and it moves the trail off DeCew Road Above: Alicia and Wolfgang, part of the crew blazing a new trail. Re-route in Shorthills Provincial Park A new section of Main Trail will be opening this Spring. It is East of Louth Conservation Area and is approximately.5km in length. This new trail will move us into the woods part way up the escarpment away from where we walk across a corn field, away from the mud, water and ATV traffic. Thanks to Theresa and Franklin de Waard for giving us permission to move the trail on to their property We will be opening a new Side Trail from Angels Gate Winery to the BTC Main Trail at Mountainview Conservation Area. Parking will be available at Angels Gate Winery to access the Trail. A re-route at Woodend Conservation area of.5km is happening this Spring, which will move the Main Trail off the road that goes to the Outdoor Education Center and back into the woods onto the Paul Naray Side Trail, which will now become the BTC Main Trail. Closure of the Jim Rainforth Side Trail 2 The Grapevine Summer 2018 Above: Vince, Margaret and Jack as part of the Blazing Team. Below: Wolfgang at work. Not shown Franck Healey and Rick Waters

3 Media Relations MARGARET NORTHFIELD HIKING 101 Hiking 101 is a popular series of three workshops which combines brief talks about the ins and outs of hiking. Members and non-members alike are invited to participate in these free workshops to learn how to get started with the joys of hiking. Equipment, food, and safety issues are just a few of the topics covered. Participants also participate in a minute hike. The spring session is full but there will be another planned for the fall. Watch our website for future dates. FESTIVALS NBTC has several opportunities throughout the year to showcase our club. Pelham Summerfest and Balls Falls Fall Festival are two of the venues where we have a table to promote the wonderful benefits of membership. Volunteering at these events only takes a few hours. Put a smile on your face and talk about your favorite topic conservancy and hiking. (Pelham Summerfest, Thursday, July 19 to Sunday, July 22, Balls Falls Fall Festival, Friday, October 5, to Monday, October 9, 2018) Volunteers can also help set-up media events. If you would like to be included in my volunteer list for any Media Relations events, contact Margaret Northfield at margaret.northfield@gmail.com, or by phone at Volunteering Opportunities with the NBTC Members of a dynamic club like the Niagara Bruce Trail experience many health and social benefits from hiking. Just being in the woods on a misty spring day or walking across one of our sturdy bridges over a fastflowing stream can bring delight to the most stressed individual. What better way to give back to the organization than to volunteer and one way is by volunteering as a hike leader. As a hike leader, you can show new and seasoned members the joys of hiking. The next Certified Hike Leader (CHL) course will be held on June 10 th. This Hike Ontario certification provides all you need to step to the front of the line and take charge. As a BTC member, you are eligible to take this full day course for free. (The regular charge of $60 is covered by the BTC.) You will be expected to lead a few hikes in the quarter following your training. Signup online: niagara-on-the-lake-tickets Here is another way you can get involved as a BTC volunteer: become a Citizen Scientist for the BTC Citizen Science is a powerful way to collect much needed data while participating in an activity you already love, hiking! And if you like taking photos and want to learn more about the flora around you, the Bruce Trail Conservancy is looking for volunteer Citizen Scientists. You can help BTC better understand the diversity and distribution of flora along the Bruce Trail. Whether you are a trained botanist or just interested in learning more about flora, the BTC can use your help to catalogue the flora along the Trail, looking for patterns, species movement, invasive species, rare species and native species. For more info on how to register and start collecting data, see: r/citizen-science. Or contact Meghan Fielding at mfielding@brucetrail.org. Summer Hikes ALICIA AITCHISON In response to requests, we have included some leisurely paced hikes throughout the schedule. For more information on these and all hikes, please check out our Summer 2018 Hike Schedule at the Calendar Section of our website: endar/ Also, occasionally, we need to change or even cancel a hike. Don t be disappointed - Get the latest news! We encourage you to check our website for the schedule changes, trail re-routes, and upcoming events. In addition to our Niagara area hikes, we also have several hikes to consider outside of Niagara and even one outside of Canada: USA Niagara Gorge Trail System June 2. Led by Ruth Moffatt Bridge to Bridge (Guelph Hiking Trails Club) June 9. Led by Ruth Moffatt To Spencer & Back, Hamilton July 11. Led by Lauren Doig Beaver Valley Club End-to-End June 11, 12, 25 & 26. Led by Richard Reble Syndenham End-to-End July 9, 10, 23, 24, 30, 31, Aug 13, 14 & 27. Led by Richard Reble Peninsula End-to-End Hike 1 Aug 28. Led by Richard Reble EVENT HIKES: For more information on event hikes or to register please go to: nt-hikes/ Annual Laura Secord Hike, Saturday. June 16, Registration is $25 Event Coordinator: Janet Davey, needstogolf@gmail.com. Steeltown Stomp: 2000 stairs + 20km (Joint Niagara and Iroquoia Bruce Trail Event) Saturday September 29, 9a.m. Event Coordinator: Wendy Howick, wendy@wlarmanca.com 3 The Grapevine Summer 2018

NBTC AGM, April 29, 2018 The accomplishments of the Niagara

to R: Mary Zvonar, Diane Marlatt, Kathy Thoms, Norma Riddle.

Speaker Beth Gilhespy (left), CEO of the Bruce Trail

Niagara Bruce Trail Club s AGM, April 29 th at Rockway

Beth presented the BTC s strategic plan to 2025.

4 NBTC AGM, April 29, 2018 The accomplishments of the Niagara Club represent the efforts of a committed group of volunteers, of which I am proud to represent. Debbie Demizio, President, NBTC Above: Kitchen Brigade: From L to R: Mary Zvonar, Diane Marlatt, Kathy Thoms, Norma Riddle. Below: Tending the Bar: Debbie Earle and Gord Lyons Keynote Speaker Beth Gilhespy (left), CEO of the Bruce Trail Conservancy, and Debbie Demizio, NBTC Club President, at Niagara Bruce Trail Club s AGM, April 29 th at Rockway Community Centre. Beth presented the BTC s strategic plan to Photo: Kathleen Orth Paul Rogers, winner of $103 in the 50/50 draw at the annual meeting. Photos: J. Gibson Debbie Demizio, NBTC Club President, presenting a cheque for $22,000 to Beth Gilhespy, CEO of the Bruce Trail Conservancy. They are able who think they are able. Virgil 4 The Grapevine Summer 2018

L to R: Trudy Senesi, Rowan Shirkie, Merle Richards Photo: J. Davey Thank you, again... Steam Whistle. Cheers!

Steam Whistle Brewery has supported NBTC s events for the past 3 years. Our thanks. HAPPINESS IS.

Gael and Cindy are from the Peterborough/Lindsay area. In their own words: We so enjoyed meeting you and want to say again how much we appreciated you being our Bruce Trail Angel.

5 L to R: Trudy Senesi, Rowan Shirkie, Merle Richards Photo: J. Davey Thank you, again... Steam Whistle. Cheers! Miles, Steam Whistle beer delivery man, seen here with Steam Whistle s contribution to our Annual General Meeting, held April 29 th at Rockway Community Centre. Steam Whistle Brewery has supported NBTC s events for the past 3 years. Our thanks. HAPPINESS IS... A TRAIL ANGEL Happy Hikers Gael and Cindy sent a request to the NBTC Trail Angel Bank and were able to connect with Ineke Brinkman for 2 days of hiking in Niagara. Gael and Cindy are from the Peterborough/Lindsay area. In their own words: We so enjoyed meeting you and want to say again how much we appreciated you being our Bruce Trail Angel. Your shuttle made our logistics so much simpler. Thanks to Retiring Board Members NBTC announces the retirement of 3 board members; Merle Richards has been a longstanding member and has served on the board as President and Past President and most recently, Membership and Volunteer Coordinator. Trudy Senesi is retiring from the position of Director at Large. She has been a longstanding member of the board and has served as President, Past President, and BTC Appointee. Trudy has been recognized by the BTC with an honorary lifetime membership for her volunteer contribution to the Conservancy. Trudy has been a valued mentor to club presidents and past presidents and has promised that she s only a phone call away. Rowan Shirkie has been on the board for the past 2 years as Newsletter Editor. He has given the newsletter a fresh new look and contributed a lot of substance to the newsletter, with stories about ticks and history as examples. Rowan has also been the wrangler of things to do with the internet. He has worked to secure the continuity of the club s online domains. Rowan will be travelling and will continue to volunteer when he s home MOOD WALKS: Niagara Region Mental Health has once again requested that NBTC offer mood walks to help promote physical activity in nature as a way to improve both physical and mental health. The hikes will be held on Tuesdays from May 15 through the end of June, starting at 2:30 pm. They will be minutes each at a moderate-easy pace. The hikes will rotate between DeCew House and Glenridge Quarry. 5 The Grapevine Summer 2018

6 AGM Board Report Debbie Demizio gave a brief overview of the club s activities and accomplishments for the past year and acknowledged the contributions of a committed team of volunteers. Pig Roast Held in July, in celebration of Canada s 150th anniversary and the 50th anniversary of the Bruce Trail Conservancy. 135 people attended and over $4,500 was raised for the Bruce Trail Conservancy. Hiking Program NBTC continues to offer a wide variety of hikes, scheduled 5 days per week with multiple hikes on Saturdays. In January, Alicia Aitchison joined the board as Hike Coordinator. The club has 9 new hike leaders, certified with Hike Ontario. In 2017, NBTC hosted 5 event hikes Fort to Fort, Niagara End to End, Laura Secord, Steeltown Stomp (in collaboration with the Iroquoia Club) and Merritthon. Website The website has a crisp new look, thanks to Margaret Northfield. New features are a blog section, calendar, and links to online registration. Membership Membership continued to increase, and as of April 2, 2018, NBTC had 828 members. Trail Maintenance and Development The main and side trails in the Niagara section were audited by BTC staff and volunteers, and there were no major issues. The replacement of the stairs at Balls Falls was the major infrastructure project this year. Two members became certified chain sawyers. Land Stewardship This team of volunteers looks after the 20 properties owned or managed by the BTC. They have been marking property boundaries with survey stakes, clearly marked The Bruce Trail Conservancy Property Boundary. Landowner Relations Part of the job of Landowner Relations is to keep an open dialogue with landowners and neighbours. While we hope that everyone likes hikers and that everyone who uses the trail appreciates and respects the private properties which the trail crosses, we recognize that this is not always the case. No Parking signs were erected on Cherry Ave. A plan to reroute a lengthy piece of the trail off road did not work out, consequently, the $2,800 grant which had been awarded by TD Friends of the Environment for infrastructure on this potential new trail was returned. A very successful Landowners Appreciation event was held in November, with 57 invited guests in attendance. Land Securement This year 35 metres of trail in the Niagara section has been secured, leaving 42% of the optimum route still unsecured NBTC Board of Directors PRESIDENT Debbie Demizio PAST PRESIDENT Corrie Kellestine VICE-PRESIDENT Bill Ford CLUB SECRETARY Janet Davey CLUB TREASURER Marinus Koole PUBLIC RELATIONS AND PUBLICITY DIRECTOR Margaret Northfield LAND STEWARDSHIP DIRECTOR Vince Zvonar TRAIL MAINTENANCE DIRECTOR Rick Waters LAND SECUREMENT SECRETARIAT DIRECTOR Ruth Moffatt LANDOWNER RELATIONS/LSS ALTERNATE Koosje Stassen BTC BOARD REPRESENTATIVE Corrie Kellestine MEMBERSHIP/VOLUNTEER COORDINATOR George Prins HIKE COORDINATOR Alicia Aitchison NEWSLETTER EDITOR Kathleen Orth ARCHIVIST Jean Stephenson-Lucente SOCIAL CONVENER Diane Marlatt DIRECTOR AT LARGE Vacant 6 The Grapevine Summer 2018

Fort to Fort Lauren Doig Fort to Fort Saturday, April 7 & Sunday, April 8, 2018 One can never be sure what the weather will be like for the NBTC s Annual Fort to Fort, traditionally held in early

7 Fort to Fort Lauren Doig Fort to Fort Saturday, April 7 & Sunday, April 8, 2018 One can never be sure what the weather will be like for the NBTC s Annual Fort to Fort, traditionally held in early April. One year, hikers were wearing shorts and Tshirts. This year, although there was little or no snow on the ground, it still felt rather wintry. However, that did not cool the spirits of the 121 hikers who signed up to complete the first major hike of the season. This was probably the biggest turnout yet for the event. We needed 3 buses to transport the energetic hikers on Day One of the event. There was a real mixed bag of hikers represented, from the seasoned speed demons out to make record time to the novice hikers out to enjoy the day and friendships. The first hiker, Margaret O Dell, set a very fast pace and finished up at 11:43. That was walking, not running. And she took lots of pictures along the way! The last hikers, a group of 5 young friends, appeared at 3:15, tired but all smiles. They had had as great a day as Margaret did. The crowd was smaller for Sunday s hike from Old Fort Erie back to Kingsbridge Park, partly because 20 hikers had signed up only for Saturday and not both days. The weather was definitely cooler; in fact, it started to snow quite hard for awhile. That did not stop Margaret O Dell from doing a personal best and finishing at 11:34. In fact, many hikers completed Sunday s portion more quickly. Maybe the colder weather spurred them on. The group of young friends finished an hour earlier, at 2:15. It was a 7 The Grapevine Summer 2018 special weekend for them as they had never accomplished something like that before. It was special, as well for Amy Proulx, who was celebrating an important birthday and made a cake to bring to the finish line for hikers to enjoy. When hikers arrived at the end each day, they commented on how important the checkpoints were, not only for the food, but for the encouragement and incentive they gave them. It takes a lot of preparation to be a checkpoint volunteer. A huge thank you goes to: Bernice Thiessen, Mel Klassen and Trudy Senesi, Jean Lucente and Gary Cherniak, Susan Meinzinger, Mary Ann Fischer, Amanda Fraser and Lou Gaudier, Lily Konkle and Jacques Boilard, Norma Riddle and Corrie Kellestine, and Grace Bagnulo and Karen Strong. We couldn t have done it without you! No doubt, the use of Eventbrite has helped contribute to the success of the F2F. Also, using social media and having a Media Relations representative on the board to promote the hike has also been a bonus. Hikers were impressed that they had the chance to win a Salomon backpack, generously donated by Salomon Arcteryx Factory Outlet Store. Heidi Roth was the lucky winner of that beauty. Congratulations to all participants and finishers. In all, 67 badges were awarded on Sunday. Margaret O Dell achieved a personal best on Day Two of the Hike. Thank you NBTC and such an awesome team of volunteers for the challenge, the support, the goodies and a great day! Congratulations to all! - Margaret O Dell. Heidi Roth, winner of a Salomon backpack, generously donated by Salomon Arcteryx Factory Outlet Store Two Fort 2 Fort Hikers proudly display their badges.

RETURN UNDELIVERABLE ITEMS TO: Niagara Bruce Trail Club 5085 Alyssa Dr BEAMSVILLE ON L0R 1B2 LABEL GOES

CA CHARITY OF THE MONTH We are pleased to announce that Station 1 Coffeehouse in Grimsby selected the

If you re in Grimsby, you can help support the BTC by frequenting Station 1 at 28 Main St East.

Contact btcgrapevine@gmail.com for editorial guidelines and for rates to advertise. NIAGARABRUCETRAILCLUB.

8 RETURN UNDELIVERABLE ITEMS TO: Niagara Bruce Trail Club 5085 Alyssa Dr BEAMSVILLE ON L0R 1B2 LABEL GOES HERE BROWN RABBIT CABINS PHONE: 1 (709) BROWNRABBITCABINS@GMAIL.COM CHARITY OF THE MONTH We are pleased to announce that Station 1 Coffeehouse in Grimsby selected the Bruce Trail Conservancy as their Charity-ofthe-Month for the month of May If you re in Grimsby, you can help support the BTC by frequenting Station 1 at 28 Main St East. The Grapevine is the newsletter of the Bruce Trail Conservancy Niagara Club, published four times a year. Contact btcgrapevine@gmail.com for editorial guidelines and for rates to advertise. NIAGARABRUCETRAILCLUB.ORG niagarabrucetrailclub@gmail.com Facebook :: Niagara Bruce Trail Club Instagram Twitter 8 The Grapevine Summer 2018

Happy trails, Debbie. Snowflakes are one of nature s most fragile things, but just look what they can do when they stick together Vesta M.

Happy trails, Debbie. Snowflakes are one of nature s most fragile things, but just look what they can do when they stick together Vesta M. WINTER 2018-2019 Landowners Appreciation Potluck Dinner, Friday, November 2 at the Rockway Community Centre Photo: Margaret Northfield President's Message DEBBIE DEMIZIO I am so excited that winter hiking