Waterfront Trail and Greenway News

An Ezine Produced by the Waterfront Regeneration Trust

CIBC* COIP*The waterfront municipalities of Lake Ontario and the St. Lawrence River, conservation authorities and community groups*The Eastern Lake Ontario – St. Lawrence River Waterfront Working Group* MapArt* Dunmap*Ontario Ministry of Health Promotion* Regional Niagara Bicycling Committee* St. Lawrence Cement* Tilley Endurables

November 2007

In this Issue:

• Great Waterfront Trail Adventure Trail Tour
• National Bike Tour Directors Association Conference
• Construction begins on Central Waterfront in Toronto
• Trust board member receives TRCA Honour Roll Award
• Trail improvements in Whitby
• Bike racks on all Hamilton buses
• Halton Hikes a success

Upcoming conferences and Community Events:

• Rouge Park’s Fifth Annual Winter Bird Count

GREAT WATERFRONT TRAIL ADVENTURE TRAIL TOUR
July 4 to July 11, 2008

From the feedback at September’s conference and partner’s meeting, it's clear that the Trust and its partners feel that the time has come for a Trail-wide event to promote the Trail and the communities along it.

In September, TJ Juskiewicz’s presentation described the incredible impact the Registrar’s Annual Great Bike Ride Across Iowa (RAGBRAI) has had on the small communities in that State. The 35 year-old family event is an inspiration and a model that the Waterfront Partners can use as we consider our annual event.

We are pleased to announce that the first ever Great Waterfront Trail Adventure Trail Tour will be taking place next summer from July 4th to 11th! Preparations are underway for this exciting event.

The route will cover the entire Trail from end-to-end, with daily distances of around 100 km. People will be welcome to ride all 8 days or just one. The ride will be supported, which means people will be able to ride as much or as little as they wish. We'll make sure everyone gets to the day's endpoint.

To help with the organization of the event, we are very pleased to announce that Ian Lobb, formerly of Steve Bauer Tours, has joined the Trust as our Tour Director. Ian brings with him a wealth of experience in organizing cycling tours both in Canada and abroad. Together Ian and Petrina, our Promotions Manager and an avid cyclist, will coordinate the GWTA Trail Tour. Petrina, whom many of you know already, did an excellent job organizing our September cycling tour.

We’ve sketched out the following draft itinerary and look forward to meeting with our partners in the coming weeks to figure out the best way to use the Tour to showcase the Trail the communities along it.

Day Start/End Points and Distances

1 Fri. Jul 4 Niagara-on-the-Lake to Confederation Park, Hamilton 74 km
2 Sat. Jul 5 Hamilton to Fort York, Toronto 64 km
3 Sun. Jul 6 Toronto to Darlington Park, Clarington 82 km
4 Mon. Jul 7 Clarington to Presqu’ile Park, Brighton 109 km
5 Tues. Jul 8 Brighton to Lake Ontario Park, Kingston 124 km
6 Wed. Jul 9 Kingston to Grenville Campground, Johnstown 111 km
7 Thurs. Jul 10 Johnstown to Cornwall 84 km
8 Fri. Jul 11 Cornwall to Quebec Border 35 km

NATIONAL BIKE TOUR DIRECTORS ASSOCIATION CONFERENCE
November 8-11, 2007 Lanesboro, Minnesota

Approximately 100 participants representing cycling organizations from Mexico to Canada attended this year’s NBTDA conference. T.J. Juskiewicz of the Registrar’s Annual Great Bike Ride Across Iowa (RAGBRAI) and the keynote speaker at Beyond Regeneration: The Trail Ahead Conference and Partners Meeting recommended the Trust attend to learn from leaders just what is involved in running a successful cycling tour.

Presenters and participants shared their experience and knowledge generously. It was one of the best conferences that I’ve attended. Discussions included:

• Intense review of logistical and technical aspects of organizing and running a cycling tour;
• Thorough discussion on liability issues and how to manage your risk;
• Insights in the US Bicycling market and how this information should shape strategies to broaden interest in cycling and attract the Gen X and Y audience.
• One touring group’s story of how it attracts African-American members.

In addition to learning so much, we’ve gained a new set of friends willing to serve as expert resources. Fortified with their encouragement and the new knowledge, I’m more confident than ever the together the Trust and the waterfront partners can organize an incredible event that will showcase our Trail and our communities


CONSTRUCTION BEGINS ON CENTRAL WATERFRONT IN TORONTO

An official celebration was held today to celebrate the start of construction on Phase I of the Central Waterfront project in downtown Toronto. This exciting project will transform Toronto’s central waterfront through the creation of continuous public access, gateways at the heads of slips and an 18-metre boardwalk at the water’s edge, and the transformation of Queen’s Quay into an iconic boulevard. The design also involves the completion of the Martin Goodman Trail through the area, which will effectively close a major gap in Toronto’s Waterfront Trail. Work commenced today on the first head of slip, located at the foot of Spadina Ave.
The project is being undertaken by Waterfront Toronto based on the winning design from the Central Waterfront Innovative Design Competition. For more information about the Central Waterfront project, please visit www.waterfrontoronto.ca.


TRUST BOARD MEMBER RECEIVES TRCA HONOUR ROLL AWARD

The Trust is pleased to announce that board member Pauline Browes has been awarded the 2007 Honour Roll Award by the Toronto and Region Conservation Authority (TRCA). The award recognizes her environmental conservation work in the area, and in particular, the Rouge Valley watershed.

The Honour Roll Award certificate, presented by Toronto Councilor Glenn DeBaeremaeker, states:

For her significant contribution to the work of Toronto and Region Conservation through her personal dedication to the protection of the Rouge River valley for over two decades, for her tireless efforts and determination which initiated the creation of the Rouge Park, the largest natural environment park in an urban area in North America, and for being a committed environmentalist and powerful advocate for the preservation of greenspace in keeping with TRCA’s vision of the Living City.

In accepting the award, Pauline Browes, a former Scarborough Member of Parliament and Federal Cabinet Minister, stated, “ It was my honour to work with many volunteers who assisted in making it possible for me to spearhead and obtain the federal contribution of $10 million for the establishment, preservation and protection of the Rouge Valley watershed as a Park. With the environmental commitment and action of the Mulroney government, the vision of the Rouge Park became a reality.”

Congratulations Pauline on this well-deserved award!


TRAIL IMPROVEMENTS IN WHITBY

The ride between Ajax and Whitby just got smoother for Waterfront Trail users. Trail users in Durham will be happy to know that the Town of Whitby has leveled off the steep entrance to the Waterfront Trail at the foot of Lakeridge Rd, improving the safety and comfort of this connection. Waterfront Trail signage has also been installed at this location.

For maps of the Whitby waterfront, please visit http://www.waterfronttrail.org/trail-s-3.html.


BIKE RACKS ON ALL HAMILTON BUSES

Congratulations to Hamilton on the successful installation of bike racks on all of the city’s buses. These racks make commuting much more convenient for cyclists and help to promote cycling as a sustainable transportation option.

The racks are located on the front bumper of the vehicle and each can hold a maximum of two bikes. For more information or for a free brochure, call HSR at (905) 527-4441.


HALTON HIKES A SUCCESS

Congratulations to Conservation Halton and everyone involved in the creation of Halton Hikes. The book has sold more than 1,000 copies in its first three weeks, demonstrating the great interest in Halton’s Trails and natural areas, and in recreational hiking in general. The book is a portable travel guide, loaded with maps, descriptions of routes, distances and interesting facts about the Trails such as “The Most Famous Person to Use this Trail” (did you know Al Pacino, John Waters and Princess Diana have all visited trails or parks in Halton?). It’s a great resource for anyone interested in getting out and exploring the region. Included are five trips along the Waterfront Trail:

• Hamilton
• Burlington
• Bronte
• Oakville
• Mississauga

For more information or to purchase a copy, visit www.haltonhikes.ca.


UPCOMING CONFERENCES AND COMMUNITY EVENTS

Rouge Park’s Fifth Annual Winter Bird Count

When: Sunday, January 13th, 2008
Where: The Rouge Park count encompasses a large section of the Rouge River watershed including portions of Markham and eastern Toronto.

Rouge Park is looking for volunteers to help out with its Fifth Annual Winter Bird count. 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!

Marlaine Koehler, Executive Director;
Vicki Barron, Director of Administration and Special Projects;
Petrina Tulissi, Manager of Promotions and Events;
Ian Lobb, Tour Director, Great Waterfront Trail Adventure Tour; and
and David Arcus, Project Coordinator, 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: info@wrtrust.com

Visit http://www.waterfronttrail.org to download 77 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.