President's message. Spring 2017

Transcription

1 Spring 2017 The 2016 Landowner Appreciation event was another lively success. Several dozen of our landowners and their families attended the November potluck dinner at the Rockway Community Centre. Well done volunteers! We are grateful for the generous cooperation of our landowners : well over one-third of the Niagara section trail runs over private land. Photo: Corrie Kellestine President's message CORRIE KELLESTINE PRESIDENT Our President s New Year s Day hike started 2017 off on a bright, sunny note. A large number of hikers participated in two different hikes and then shared a pot luck lunch. It was a great opportunity for our members to share time together and wish each other a happy and healthy new year. Winter, so far, has been mild, helping to encourage hikers to earn their winter badge. A reminder -- just 20 hikes, somewhere in Niagara, each of at least 1.5 hrs will count towards earning the badge. Personally, I completed one of my hikes walking with my granddaughter while she played Pokemon Go. Many of our members and other organizations are generous donors to our Club and the Bruce Trail Conservancy. We recently received a $10,000 donation from the St. Catharines Road Runners & Walkers -- we thank them for their generosity. We also offer our congratulations to Ruth Moffatt who raised $5,600 by participating in the Bruce Trail Hike-A-Ton during October. These donated funds contribute to the Bruce Trail Conservancy s commitment of establishing a conservation corridor containing a public footpath along the Niagara Escarpment. Another reminder: join us at our AGM on April 30th for an 1 The Grapevine SPRING 2017

2 Hikes MARGARET NORTHFIELD HIKE CO-ORDINATOR The dates for this year s event hikes are posted and the organizing has begun. For your convenience, you can register online with Eventbrite. No envelopes or stamps to lick, simply click the link found on our hike schedule or our website and complete the form. If you are unable to complete the transaction this way, you can simply contact the event coordinator. Their contact information is also found online and in this newsletter. Two of our five events will be held during springtime. Catch your first glimpse of daffodils as you hike along the Niagara Parkway on Saturday April 8 and Sunday April 9. Welcome our new event co-ordinator, Lauren Doig, when she presents you with your coveted Fort-to-Fort badge. End-to-End 2017 Trudy Senesi is committed to making your Annual End-to- End hiking extravaganza an event to remember. Sign-up for this three-day adventure (May 20-22) of hiking from Grimsby to Queenston, complete with fabulous scenery and glorious Niagara hospitality. The seasonal Pancake Hike (March 25) and Hawk Watch (April 14) are back on the spring schedule. DST changes everything We will be changing hike times with Daylight Savings Time (DST, March 12). To enjoy the early morning sun, hikes will start at 9am instead of 10am. The meeting times will remain at 9am until the time falls back in the Autumn. Most hikes will make this switch but there are a few that will be at other times due to event circumstances. Take note of hike times to make sure you don t miss one of your favorites! In keeping with our conservation mandate, we will be moving our regular Tuesday morning Short Hills hikes to start from Glenridge Quarry (St David s Rd, down the road from Brock University) for the months of March and April. These months are traditionally muddy in the park : hiking in Short Hills becomes more like slogging and results in increased rutting of the trail. To be clear, March and April, you will meet in Glenridge Quarry. The March 7th hikes are the last hikes before the DST changeover. On that Tuesday there will be a 9am brisk 1.5hr hike and a 10am moderate 1.5hr hike, both at Glenridge Quarry. Got it? We start the 9am Glenridge Quarry combined hikes March 14. There will be a leader going at a brisk pace and a leader going at a moderate pace. You choose. Are you trained? Once again we are working with Iroquoia Club to train hike leaders. Anne Armstrong (Iroquioa) and I are certified by Hike Ontario to train our own hike leaders. We will be holding a training session on Sunday June 25 at McMaster University. If you are interested in taking this one-day course, send me an <margaret.northfield@gmail.com> and I will follow-up with you once all the details are finalized. Leading is a rewarding way to give back to others and to the club. Show others that Treasurer MARINUS KOOLE TREASURER We are thankful for the continuing support of all of those renewing their memberships throughout the year, and we encourage all of our members to invite their friends to join our club. Every new membership helps to ensure we can preserve and conserve this wonderful trail in Ontario. We are also looking for special donations to the 2016 Conservation Corridor Campaign which will ensure more irreplaceable Escarpment land will thrive under the protection of the Bruce Trail's Conservation Corridor. Check out our the Bruce Trail s website or us with your special donation, or for more information on how to establish a memorial gift or other giving 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 2 The Grapevine SPRING 2017

3 Trails RICK WATERS TRAIL DEVELOPMENT & MAINTENANCE All About Blazes Trail Maintenance is a priority early in 2017 as the BTC will be auditing our trails in Niagara from Grimsby to Queenston. The Trail Audit is done by the BTC every 4-5 years. This is an important job and gives feedback to the club and the BTC about any deficiencies in the maintenance of the Trail. The auditors check for things like proper signage, and the condition of stairs, railings, bridges, boardwalks, and blazes. The blazes indicate whether you re on a Side Trail (blue) or the Main Trail (white) and when to turn or when to go straight. A blaze is a paint mark, either blue or white, and 5cm X 15cm (2 x 6 ) in size. A turn is indicated by two blazes with the top blaze offset left or right above the lower blaze indicating the direction of the turn. Pictured are examples of blazes on the trail: two good ones and one that should be repaired or removed. As a club we need to make sure we have proper trail markings. If you see blazes that should be repaired or any other deficiencies please let me <rickwaters44@gmail.com> know. The blazes, top to bottom: Main trail, straight, then turn left Side trail, turn right? Hmmmm... Photos : Rick Waters 3 The Grapevine SPRING 2017

4 Media DEBBIE DEMIZIO MEDIA RELATIONS Opportunities with the NBTC If you have ever wondered how you can give back to the NBTC there are a few upcoming volunteer opportunities. BOARD POSITIONS VICE PRESIDENT The Vice President shall exercise the powers and duties of the President in her absence. The Vice President shall normally be the President-Elect. MEDIA RELATIONS CO-ORDINATOR The Media Relations Co-Ordinator shall be responsible for the liaison with the news media; and for the direction of special media events as directed by the Board; this person shall act as a spokesperson on behalf of the Club in dealing with the media; and for such duties as may be assigned to him/her by the Board. For more information about these positions, please contact Debbie Demizio ddemizio@bell.net If you are interested or would like to nominate a member for either of these positions, please read the instructions given on Page 7 of the newsletter. CHECKPOINT VOLUNTEERS Even if you are not available on the date of the event (or are participating), we may accept your donation of baked goods. Please contact the event coordinator directly if you can help. Fort to Fort April 8th, 9th Lauren Doig ldoig_4@bell.net End to End May 20th, 21st, 22nd Trudy Senesi trudykp@becon.org Laura Secord June 17th Debbie Demizio ddemizio@bell.net CAR JOCKEYS FOR LAURA SECORD SATURDAY, JUNE 17TH, FROM ~11:00AM-3:00 PM We will need 2-3 drivers to volunteer to take hikers from DeCew House to their cars, parked at Niagara Region Offices. If you can help, please contact Debbie Demizio, ddemizio@bell.net SPECIAL EVENT PIG ROAST, JULY 8TH We will need some volunteers to assist with this special event, celebrating Canada s 150th anniversary. Please Save-the-Date and watch for The Niagara Bruce Trail Club will be hosting several special event hikes and is seeking volunteers to assist at the checkpoints. Checkpoint volunteers are responsible for providing water and snacks, maintaining a checklist of arrival times and encouragement to the hike participants. NBTC Annual General Meeting All members welcome! Sunday, April 30, 2017 Rockway Community Centre 2021 Pelham Rd (Reg'l Rd 69) Lincoln, ON L2R 6P7 1pm Loop hike to Swayze Falls 2.5hrs. Medium-Moderate 2pm Rockway Area Loop hike 1.5 hrs. Leisurely-Moderate 4pm Meeting, learn about the activities of the club. Vote for and welcome the new board 5pm BBQ (Minimal Charge) Circle the date on your calendar! 4 The Grapevine SPRING 2017

5 Indy hike : Frontenac Challenge October 16th - October 22, 2017 : The Frontenac Challenge at Frontenac Provincial Park This is a 6-day overnight trip where we will hike 11 loop trails that range in length from 1.5km to 21km plus the distance to get to the trails. Pace/terrain will be Medium pace 3-4km/hr and Moderate terrain, some hills and some poor footing. There will be certificates and badges for hikers that complete the challenge. Details at Shared accommodation may be booked at First come, first serve or you may book other accommodation of your choosing. Please contact Rob Canvin for reservation (613) or relax@snugharbour.on.ca. Please contact leader: Ruth Moffatt (905) ruthdmoffatt@gmail.com to confirm participation. Time flies for winter badge hikes! Winter, will soon come to and end : March 20, And with the end of winter, so ends the opportunity to earn the handsome NBTC winter badge. The badge can be earned only during the winter season, December 21, 2016 to March 20, Simply keep a log of your hikes during this time, then turn it over along with $5 - to Debbie Demizio or Corrie Kellestine for the badge. (Mail requests must supply a self-addressed stamped envelope.) The rules: a) Log at least 20 hikes b) Hikes must be a minimum of 1.5 hrs c) Hikes may be completed during a club hike or on your own, but they must be conducted in the Niagara Peninsula to qualify. 5 The Grapevine SPRING 2017

6 More good news... WHY DO PRESIDENT CORRIE KELLESTINE (holds cheque, above right) AND DIRECTOR AT LARGE TRUDY SENESI (left) HAVE SUCH BRIGHT SMILES? Because they have just accepted a $10,000 cheque on behalf of the Bruce Trail Conservancy (BTC) from the St. Catharines Roadrunners & Walkers (SCRRW). For the last several years, the SCRRW (welovetorun.com) has generously donated to the BTC funds raised from their annual 'Niagara Ultra Races' that run along the Niagara River Parkway. WHAT DOES SHE DO WITH ALL THOSE MILK BAGS? Have you ever wondered what Annette Isber does with all those milk bags she collects from hikers? They are cut and crocheted into mats, which are provided to lower-income countries as durable and washable mattresses or for use in hospitals. The mats are a project of Niagara Warehouse of Hope (warehouseofhope.com). It takes about 400 milk bags to make an adult-sized mat. Annette brought a finished mat to a hike recently to demonstrate and encourage hikers to gather milk bags for the project. Thanks, Annette! Photo : D. Demizio AS IF ANYONE NEEDED A REASON TO VISIT GRIMSBY, now you have another! For the month of March, the Niagara Bruce Trail Club (NBTC) is their Charity of the Month. This means a of portion Station 1 sales will go to the preservation of our trail. How great is that? So if it's tea, coffee, breakfast, lunch, or dinner, check out Station 1 Coffee House (stationonecoffeehouse.ca), 28 Main St East, Grimsby (in the old firehall). Say thanks to Laurie & Chris & tell them the Niagara Bruce Trail sent you. GIFT MEMBERSHIPS ARE A GREAT WAY TO INTRODUCE A FRIEND OR FAMILY MEMBER TO THE BRUCE TRAIL and the wonders of the THE BRUCE TRAIL HIKE-A-THON 2016 BROKE ALL RECORDS. The Hike-a-thon, originally launched by the Toronto Bruce Trail Club in 2013, is a month-long fundraiser event in October that supports the Bruce Trail Conservancy (BTC). The 2016 Hike-a-thon generated $30,803, a record amount. Our own NBTC Ruth Moffatt was the individual who raised the most money AND hiked the most kilometres ever in the month : Ruth raised $5,600 and hiked 325km! Ruth (above, left) received an original print from Canadian artist Charles Pachter in recognition of her achievement. 6 The Grapevine SPRING 2017 Niagara Escarpment. A 1-year membership with the Bruce Trail Conservancy is $50, and you receive a charitable donation tax receipt for the full amount of the gift membership. Your gifted person receives a welcome package; a personalized card letting them know of your gift; all the benefits of BTC membership; and any products you purchase in the same order as the gift membership. It can all be be done online at : brucetrail.org/pages/membership/gift-membership

7 Nominations to NBTC Board of Directors All members are eligible to be considered for the position of director. Nominations for directors may be made by any member (in addition to the slate recommended by the Nominating Committee). Such nominations shall be in writing, accompanied by the nominee's confirmation of willingness to serve, and received by the Nominating Committee at least five days before the Annual General Meeting which will be held, Sunday, April 30, 2017 at Rockway Community Centre, 2021 Pelham Rd (Reg'l Rd 69), Lincoln, ON L2R 6P7 Please send nominations to: Barbara Henderson, Concession 6 Road, RR 1, Wellandport, ON L0R 2J0 or barb.a.henderson@gmail.com Barbara Henderson, Past President, and Chair, Nominating Committee BTC Marks the 50th Anniversary with Baton To mark the 30th anniversary of the Bruce Trail Conservancy, a commemorative baton was passed along the entire length of the trail by members and guests. The baton is now proudly displayed on the wall of the BTC Head Office in Dundas. This year, for the 50th anniversary of the Conservancy, BTC plans a similar baton passing event. A new baton will be created to travel the entire length of the current trail, and carried into a 50th anniversary celebration in Tobermory on June 10th. A young person will carry the baton at the finish to signal that the trail enters a new generation. Each of the nine BTC clubs is asked to move the baton along their section. Niagara has the honour of the first carry, and arrangements are underway to make a high profile passage through our section. Our carry begins with the presentation of the baton to the club at the April 1st BTC Board Meeting. We will pass the baton to the Iroquoia Club April 8th. Stay close to your and watch the NBTC Facebook page for news and information on the baton. This is a unique opportunity for us to reach out in Niagara and raise the profile of the club, and through the 50th anniversary celebrations, further the Conservancy mission. It was one of those March days when the sun shines hot and the wind blows cold: when it is summer in the light, and winter in the shade. - Charles Dickens BOOK REVIEW : The Hidden Life of Trees, by Peter Wohlleben. Greystone Books/David Suzuki Institute (2016). Hikers and nature-lovers alike should read this book. It will provide you with a completely new understanding and appreciation of trees and their 'secret life.' Peter Wohlleben writes, Contemporary society tends to look at trees as 'organic robots' designed to produce oxygen and wood. But they are so much more. Wohlleben discovers trees can count; recall past events; learn new things; and even warn other trees of danger by sending electric signals through an interconnected root system dubbed the Wood Wide Web. Trees are truly amazing and a little bit magical, too. Reviewed by Ruth Moffatt 7 The Grapevine SPRING 2017

8 RETURN UNDELIVERABLE ITEMS TO: Niagara Bruce Trail Club 5085 Alyssa Dr BEAMSVILLE ON L0R 1B2 LABEL GOES HERE April 22 is Earth Day Earth Day is an annual event celebrated worldwide on April 22 to demonstrate support for environmental protection. The NBTC has two lovely hikes scheduled for the Earth Day Saturday, one in Fonthill and the other on the Merritt Trail in St Catharines-Thorold. Why not show your appreciation for the environment with a little clean-up? Take a small bag with you and pack out some litter.