Lake Ontario Waterfront Trail News

An Ezine Produced by the Waterfront Regeneration Trust

CIBC* COIP*The Lake Ontario waterfront municipalities, conservation authorities and community groups*The Eastern Lake Ontario – St. Lawrence River Waterfront Working Group MapArt* Niagara Freewheelers Bicycle Touring Club* Regional Niagara Bicycling Committee St. Lawrence Cement* Tilley Endurables

November 2006

In this issue:

• Trust Mourns Loss of Friend and Partner, Bruce Duncan
• Improvements to the Waterfront Trail in Toronto
• Parrott’s Bay Land Acquisition
• Nikki Rendle Moves on From Trust

Upcoming Conferences and Community Events:

• Rouge Park’s Fourth Annual Winter Bird Count
  
  

TRUST MOURNS THE LOSS OF FRIEND AND PARTNER, BRUCE DUNCAN

Earlier this month, we were very saddened to hear of the death of Bruce Duncan, general manager of the Hamilton Conservation Authority. Bruce was a partner and close friend of the Trust’s and will be greatly missed.

A tribute to Bruce can be found on the HCA website at www.conservationhamilton.ca/corporate/news/3215_468.asp. Our thoughts are with Bruce’s family and friends.

IMPROVEMENTS TO THE WATERFRONT TRAIL IN TORONTO

The Toronto Waterfront Revitalization Corporation (TWRC) has recently provided an update on two improvement projects currently being undertaken along the Waterfront Trail in Toronto:

• Work is currently underway on improvements to the Martin Goodman Trail between Marilyn Bell Park and Ontario Place. The project involves the widening of the trail to 4.5 metres, improvements to the Bailey Bridge, which connects Exhibition Place to the Waterfront, and the planting of 60 new trees along the Trail. The Trail is expected to be paved and open to the public by the end of November. This work complements recent improvements to the Martin Goodman Trail through Marilyn Bell Park, which were completed by the TWRC earlier this year.
  
• Improvements to the Waterfront Trail along Leslie Street south of Lakeshore are now complete. These improvements are part of the Leslie Corridor Greening project, which involves the creation of a green corridor connecting the neighbourhoods north of Lakeshore to the Port Lands.

For more information about these and other projects being undertaken by the TWRC, visit www.towaterfront.ca.

PARROTT’S BAY LAND ACQUISITION

The Cataraqui Region Conservation Authority (CRCA) in conjunction with Loyalist Township recently completed, over 2 decades, an assembly of lands (115ha) fronting Parrott’s Bay on the north shore of Lake Ontario west of Kingston, between Amherstview and Millhaven. The Parrott’s Bay Conservation Area includes a provincially significant coastal wetland and 5 km of scenic walking trails, which provide great opportunities for wildlife viewing and nature appreciation. Waterfront Trail users can connect to the Parrott’s Bay walking trails from Hwy 33 in Loyalist (see Waterfront Trail map # 5-9 at www.waterfronttrail.org/trail-s-5.html). Congratulations to the CRCA and Loyalist Township for ensuring the preservation of this important natural greenspace!

For more information about Parrott’s Bay Conservation Area, visit www.cataraquiregion.on.ca/lands/pbay.htm. Thanks to Steve Knechtel from the CRCA for providing us with this update.

NIKKI RENDLE MOVES ON FROM TRUST

Earlier this month Nikki Rendle, project manager, left the Trust to pursue a career with the Ontario Government at the Ministry of Public Infrastructure and Renewal. Many of you may have met or spoken with Nikki over her four years at the Trust, where she managed a number of projects including the $32 million Lake Ontario Waterfront Investment Program. She was a great asset to the organization, both for her outstanding work and her warm personality, and we know she has a bright future ahead of her. Thanks, Nikki for all of your hard work and friendship over these past years!

UPCOMING CONFERENCES AND COMMUNITY EVENTS:

ROUGE PARK’S FOURTH ANNUAL WINTER BIRD COUNT

Rouge Park is looking for volunteers to help out with its Fourth Annual Winter Bird count, taking place on Jan 7th 2007. This event is open to anyone, from experienced birders to interested nature lovers. The results of the bird count are combined with national databases designed to promote understanding and appreciation for conservation, wild birds and their habitats. If you can’t make it to the park, volunteers are also needed to count and report birds in their backyards. Take part in an annual tradition that goes on all across North America.

For more info or to register contact Vicki MacDonald at (905) 713-7729 or email birdcount@rougepark.com. Visit www.rougepark.com for more info.

Cheers!
Vicki Barron, Executive Director;
Marlaine Koehler, Program Director;
and Nikki Rendle, Editor Lake Ontario Waterfront Trail News

The Waterfront Regeneration Trust
372 Richmond Street West, Suite 308
Toronto, Ontario
M5V 1X6
Tel: 416-943-8080
Fax: 416-943-8068
Email: nr@wrtrust.com
www.waterfronttrail.org

Visit www.waterfronttrail.org to download 90 online colour maps of the Waterfront Trail, from Niagara-on-the-Lake to Brockville!

Thank You to our Supporters!:

• CIBC
• The Lake Ontario waterfront municipalities, conservation authorities and community groups
• The Eastern Lake Ontario­St.Lawrence Waterfront Working Group
• MapArt
• Niagara Freewheelers Bicycle Touring Club
• Regional Niagara Bicycling Committee
• St. Lawrence Cement
• Tilley Endurables
• The Trust would also like to thank the Canada-Ontario Infrastructure Program (COIP) for its generous support of the 51 projects that comprise the Lake Ontario Waterfront Investment Program.