Contents:
Getting in touch: the NBTC Executive
- The President's Report -- AGM
- Norma Delogu Welcomes New Members
- The 13th Annual Merriton Hike
- from Kym Burt, Trail Maintenance Director
- Securing the Trail By 2015
The President's Report
The Bruce Trail Association held its 2000 Annual Meeting General Meeting September 15 to 17 at Cape Croker Community center on the Bruce Peninsula. Our Niagara Club executive was represented by my attendance as President together with BTA appointee Cecile Dillon, and Jim Rainforth. The following is the text of our club's report that I presented on behalf of Niagara for the year 2000.
REPORT TO THE 2000 BTA AGM
Our Niagara Club's Board of Directors had a very busy and productive year. A spirit of co-operation and dedication enabled our executive to work together effectively to maintain and improve the Bruce Trail in our section, and to increase public awareness of the significance of the Trail as a treasured component of the Niagara Escarpment.
Our Trail Director and Trail Captains did a remarkable amount of work to upgrade the main Trail, and revamp neglected side trails. (Our section has over 90k of side trails.) Bridges were upgraded with handrails, stiles were constructed, and clean up parties' reclaimed unsightly portions, and new signs for the Trail were designed and installed. Our club co-hosted a BTA Trail Workers Workshop again this with our neighbors, the Iroquoia Club. We had 21 Niagara members participate. Two of our members also completed the BTA Chainsaw Workshop.
Our Landowners Relations Committee continued to take a pro-active approach to maintaining good relations with the Landowners in our area. Our Niagara section or trail crosses the properties of 110 separate landowners. Continued co-operation with them is a high priority for us if we are to provide security for our hiking privileges. Trail reroutes were done to accommodate landowners ' requests. (Also, a substantial reroute was negotiated with landowners to enable us to eliminate a stretch of hazardous road walking and replace it with safer and more scenic trail through woods and field).
Our annual Landowners Appreciation Pot Luck Supper is one of the highlights of the year for our Club. It is held in November of each year, is well attended, and features old time fiddling entertainment as well as a presentation of interest to landowners and members. This year's supper was Nov. 18th.
Our Media Relations Committee advertised the activities of the Club to the general public on a regular basis:
- local newspapers printed a schedule of hikes weekly
- Local cable TV's free service each month invited people to participate in our hike program,
- Niagara Falls and St. Catharine's both publish a Leisure Guide twice a year. Our club activities were included with contact
- copies of an abbreviated hike schedule (one that omits the more strenuous hikes) are printed and were distributed to all local libraries, health clubs, tourism sites, and Parks and Rec Departments.
- During the year, we participated in 1or 2 public events each month. These included Industry Health Fairs Kiwanis Luncheons, and Heritage Events.
- Two major events provided significant public exposure:
— The Balls Falls Thanksgiving Craft Show is a four-day event that attracts about 25,000 people.
— The St Catharine's Tourism Expo held a three-day event in February this year for the first time. We had representation and a display at both events.
- To recognize Enbridge Gas for their donations of $20,000 to the BTA, a dedication ceremony was held at the St. Catharine's Club in March, and a bronze plaque was unveiled in their honor.
Our Trail Director and Hike Leaders directed over 400 scheduled hikes this past year. They ranged from leisurely strolls to rigorous trail hikes, and were attended by an average of 25-30 people. Our four annual invitational hikes were attended and successful. Our most recent was the 2000 version of the "Merritthon"—a 45 k hike on the Merritt Trail from Port Colborne on Lake Erie to Port Dalhousie on Lake Ontario. It was held on Saturday, Oct 14th. As an initiative to stimulate interest in the Bruce Trail among the young, we will be making a presentation to teaching candidates at Brock University 's College of Education this year. We will also lead them on a hike into the Niagara Gorge as part of their Instructional program. Hopefully, the exposure will interest them enough to carry over some enthusiasm for hiking on the Bruce, to their classrooms in September
Finally our GOALS for the coming year—
Continue to
- Support the BTA initiative to secure the trail
- Negotiation to secure a safer crossing of the QEW
- Increase our membership base which has not changed significantly for the past years
Bill Timmins , President
Niagara Bruce TrailNorma Delogu Welcomes New Members
Darcey Flarity & Family Heather Chalmers Randy Gregg & Family Jeff Den Bak & Family Marita Fairchild Joyce Harvey John Harvey Kim Powell Mara Scomparin Laurie Sobie Ken Twiner Brian Sones Judy Yovanovich A Howard P Shelestowsky Carla Aitken Sonia Chojnacki Ken Giesbrecht Elizabeth Harmlink Milton Harmlink Steve Ramm Verna Rose James Rose Ryan Tergeson Derek Zakaib Jacqueline Bourcier Rich Coons St. Herb Dubsky Jean Linders Jim Linders Mary Ludzik Charles Pedley Dianne Takacs Bernice Thiessen Peter Schuurman The 13th Annual Merrithon Hike — Oct.14
This hike was held recently in perfect weather. The Niagara participants were Grace Bevan, Trudy Sensi, Nick Chudyk and Fred Azzopardi. A successful hike is very dependent on dedicated volunteers. Many thanks to Mavis, John, Bob, Maria and Wendy for feeding the multitudes and manning the checkpoints. Up bright and early to drive the hikers Port to Port were Linda, Larry, Bud, and Dave. Bill and Wilma on bike patrol were a welcome sight. President Bill Timmins capped off a perfect day congratulating the hikers.
By Frank Delogu
Opinions of Appreciation — — Merritthon — —
Although I've done the trail from Queenston to Tobermory, this is the first time that I participated in an organized event. It sure will not be the last, Most of the finishers I talked to were already making plans to do the Fort to Fort in the Spring. The blisters we earned did nothing to diminish the enthusiasm created by such a positive event.
Thank you Frank, and your entire team for making Saturday such an enjoyable day. Regards — D. Y.
Well, talk about Olympians! There were three gals Barbara, Deborah , Cathy and a fellow. They were so fast that they left me behind. They deserve a gold medal. It was great to see their enthusiasm. A big salute to Frank who always organizes a great hike, and the volunteers who man the checkpoints. Maria and Wendy, what a special treat, hot coffee. Congratulations to all who participated. Fred Azzopardi
from Kym Burt, Trail Maintenance Director
As a new season approaches, I would like to take time to recognize all the hard working devoted Trail Captains:
Section Trail Captain
1 Queenston Reg. Rd. 100 — Vince Highcock 2 Reg. Rd. 100 Fireman's park — Peter Stephanie 3 Fireman's P. — Mewburn R., Dave D'Orsa 4a Mewburn Rd. to Mountain Rd. — Gord &Shirley Orr 4b Mountain toWarner Rd. — Peter Stephanie 5 Warner Rd. to Beechwood — Bill & Jan Sward 6 Beechwood Rd.CN Iron Bridge — VACANT 7 CN Iron Bridge Glendale Ave. — Kym Burt 8 Glendale A. Bridge Bradley St. — Dave Gonzalez 9 Bradley St. Sanitarium Hill — Frank Delogu 10 San Hill to Decew Rd — Bud Walsh& Adolfo Fernandez 11 Decew Rd to Morningstar Mill — Bob Beck & Shah Kahn 12 Morningstar Mill to Effingham Rd. — Magaret Kalogeropoulos, Hilda Maier, Dick Parker 13 Effingham Rd to Rockway — Ruth Wedderspoon 14 Rockway to Robbins Ave — Eberhard Boelling 15 Robbins Ave to STAFF Ave. — Larry Barton & Peter Behrns 16 Staff Ave to 19th St. — Michael Featherstone 17 19th St to Balls Falls — Louis Walter 18 Balls Falls to Cherry Ave. — Tys Murre 19 Cherry Ave to Quarry Rd — Jim Rainforth 20 Quarry Rd to Mountain Rd. — Liz Reaker 21 Mountain Rd to Mountainview Rd — Ron Massey 22 Mountainview Rd to 30 Rd — Rueben Johansen, Norm & JoAnn Opperman 23 30 Rd. to Park Rd — Grace Bevan & Linda Walker 24 Park Rd to Russ Rd — Kathryn & John Lye 25 Russ Rd to Gibson St — Richard Boehnke
Side Trails
General Brock Side Trail — Roy Maguire Upper Canada Heritage Trail — Roy Maguire Paul Naray Silurian Trail — Bill & Jan Sward St. Catharine's Side Trail — Dave Dewey Merritt Trail — John McIntyre & Mavis Gilbert Twelve-Mile Creek Trail — Walter Smithies Louth Side Trail — Larry Barton & Peter Behrns Rockway Side Trail — Jim McMillan Jordan Side Trail — Kevin Wosley As you may have noticed the Hog Back Side Trail, Decew Rd to the Hog Back Rd in Short Hills Provincial Park has been closed for rejuvenation. Thank you so much to all the Trail Captains & Trail Workers who make this possible for hikers to enjoy. Without you this would not be possible.
Vacancy: Beechwood Rd to CN Iron Bridge. If you would like to become a trail Captain in this area please call me at (905)-688-9365.
Securing the Trail By 2015
A main focus of the BTA Annual General Meeting included the detailed presentation of the Strategic Plan — securing the optimum route by 2015. Secure means to either to purchase outright, or to protect the land and the trail, with some form of permanent, legally binding agreement, such as a easement.
A fund raising of $40m. (Estimated value of unsecured land is needed). It is anticipated to be raised as follows:
However it is clear this is a major task and all clubs, and their members must be involved to achieve this goal.
- $20m from the government
- $15m from corporate
- $5m from private fundraising
By Jim Rainforth Past President
Return to the Niagara Bruce Trail Club Main Page
HTML mark-up by John Lye November 17, 2000