Do More on the Shore Ezine

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

May 2007

IN THIS ISSUE:

• Featured Route - Cramahe
• 7 Wonders of Canada
• Featured Attraction – Jordan Museum
• Trail update
• Upcoming Events
• Trail Closings
• Web-Cam
• Mapbooks now available
• Correction to Port Hope Route

FEATURED ROUTE – Cramahe

The apple trees begin to blossom in May, so why not schedule a ride along Ontario’s Apple Route and the Waterfront Trail? Prince Edward County offers stunning scenery on quiet roads, Presqu’ile Provincial Park offers places to camp, fish, swim, and play on the beach, and Colborne offers history-vintage architecture and vibrant murals.

Begin your ride at the Colborne Town Hall – King Street and Division Street.

• Follow the Waterfront Trail signs heading east on King St. (Hwy 2)
• Turn right on Union Rd (8.5 km)
• Turn left on Lakeshore Rd (10)
• Turn left on on Presqu’ile Pkwy (13)
• Turn right on Harbour St. (13.75)
• Turn right on Prince Edward St. (16)
• Stay on the Apple Route (leaving the Waterfront Trail) and turn left on City 64 Rd. (21.5)
• City 64 Rd turns in to Gardenville Rd.
• Turn left on Smoke Point Rd (29.5)
• Turn left on Loyalist Pkwy/Hwy 33 (30.5)
• Turn left on Murray Canal Rd. – back on the Waterfront Trail. (35)
• Turn right on City 64 Rd. (40.25)
• Stay on Prince Edward St. (43.5)
• Go left on Harbour St. (46)
• Stay on Harbour St. until Presqu’ile Provincial Park – turn left and enter the park on Lakehurst St. (49)
• Stay on the Cycling Trail, left on Lighthouse Lane, continue on to Bayshore Rd., left on Lakehurst St. (60.5)
• Left on Lake St. which turns into Lakeshore Rd. (63.)
• Right on Union Rd. (66.5)
• Left on King St./Hwy 2 (68)
• End at Town Hall (76.5 km)
  

To see a map of the route log on to: http://www.gmap-pedometer.com/?r=908734.

For ideas on how the make the trip longer or shorter, other activities in the area, accommodation or other interesting information log on to:
- http://www.waterfronttrail.org/trail-p-cramahe_colborne.html
- http://www.hedney.com/waterfront5.htm


SEVEN WONDERS OF CANADA

The CBC National and Sounds Like Canada are looking for the Seven Wonders of Canada, and we would need your help for Thickson Woods to make the list. Kate Harries got the ball rolling with the following submission:

“My nomination is Thickson's Woods, a natural and human wonder (on the Waterfront Trail). The ancient towering white pines of Thickson's Woods in Whitby predate European settlement. Condos were slated for the site in 1983 but locals and naturalists combined to save the woods, raising more than $100,000 (and another half million since then to buy an adjacent property). If you look for Whitby on Google Earth, the woods are a green island in a sea of paved and tarmacked land. They look that way to weary migrating birds searching for a resting spot after navigating Lake Ontario - this 16 acres is an exceptional natural oasis in the GTA, a vital refuge for birds and butterflies.

Now it's a nature reserve, citizen-owned and operated. It would have disappeared had these people not stepped up to the plate to save it - no level of government was involved. A shining example of the commitment of Canadians to preserving natural wonders in the face of very powerful economic forces.”
If you would like to vote for Thickson Woods, or another favourite place along the Waterfront Trail please submit it by May 7th to: http://www.cbc.ca/soundslikecanada/features.html?77


FEATURED ATTRACTION – Jordan Museum

Located a few kilometers north of Lake Ontario and the Jordan Harbour, in the picturesque town of Jordan, lies the Jordan Museum. Costumed interpreters lead tours through an 1830’s Mennonite home, a school from the early 1900s, and their current exhibit “To Set a Fine Table”. Their grounds offer an inviting place for a picnic, a walk or ride on the Waterfront Trail, or a visit to the neighbouring Cave Springs Winery.

For more information log on to:
- http://www.waterfronttrail.org/trail-p-lincoln.html or
- http://www.lincoln.ca/siteengine/activepage.asp?PageID=69&bhcp=1


HAMILTON QEW PEDESTRIAN BRIDGE

The city of Hamilton plans to build a pedestrian bridge across the QEW, between Burlington Street and Centennial Parkway, to give east-end residents safe access to the waterfront and the Waterfront Trail. The debate between the councilors is whether the bridge should be a simple steel span, or a fancier design to help counter the images of Hamilton’s industrial skyline.

Costing twice as much, the committee members voted 6-2 to spend $500 000 for a detailed design of the fancier bridge (an artists view of the proposed bridge is shown above). Vicki Barron of the Waterfront Regeneration Trust supports the more interesting design saying, “it will be an icon. No matter how it is done, it will be an icon, a signature project, a legacy project.”


UPCOMING EVENTS

May 6: Paddle the Don

This will be the 14th year that this annual event takes place. The hundreds of paddling participants and spectators are also welcome at the take-out site for a post-paddle party and Harbour Tour. A free cruise around the eastern Inner harbour aboard the Island Princess is also offered, but registration is required. For more information on competing or watching, log on to www.paddlethedon.ca.

May 26 – 27: Apple Blossom Tyme Festival

This family-oriented event includes a pancake breakfast, entertainment, street fair, tractor and car shows, art and antique shoes, midway, spelling bee, soap box derby, the big apple pie eating contest and much, much more. Log on to www.appleblossomtyme.com for more information, or call 905-344-7845


TEMPORARY TRAIL CLOSINGS

• CHERRY BEACH - Toronto

Environmental restoration work will be taking place in April and May in and around Cherry Beach. Portions of the Martin Goodman Trail, as well as the entire east parking lot at Cherry Beach will be closed, as seen in the picture below.

Trenches are going to be dug to install a pumping system to remove contaminants floating on the groundwater. The contaminants will be screened, filtered, and treated with the material shipped to a licensed treatment facility on a regular basis.

There will be no access to the beach parking lot east of Cherry Street and there will be limited access to the waterfront and a portion of the Martin Goodman Trail (south of Unwin Avenue between Cherry Street and Regatta Road). Visitors to the Port Lands during this time can refer to the alternate trail routes outlined at www.towaterfront.ca. For more information, please contact Toronto Waterfront Revitalization Corporation at 416-214-1344 or info@towaterfront.ca.

• DARLINGTON PROVINCIAL PARK – Clarington

The Waterfront Trail through Darlington Provincial Park in currently closed as the region of Durham is constructing a new water line near the Oshawa border. The road through the park will be restored with a granular surface and should be open by May 15th. If you plan on riding this section before May 15th, please contact us for alternate route information at 416-943-8080 or info@wrtrust.com.


WEB-CAM

Parrott's Bay is the Cataraqui Region Conservation Authority's newest conservation area. Situated between Amherstview and Bath, it has 75.6 hectares of woods and wetlands with beautiful waterfront views. To see a virtual tour, log on to:
http://www.virtualkingston.ca/attractions/parrottsbay/parrottsbay.php

MAP BOOKS AVAILABLE

The Waterfront Regeneration Trust unveiled a new set of web maps and community profiles on www.waterfronttrail.org. Covering the eastern extension of the Waterfront Trail from Brockville to the Quebec border along the St. Lawrence Seaway, the 7 new maps cover 147km of the trail in full colour and high detail. Like all of our maps, they can be downloaded in the PDF format directly from our website, or you can order your own map book that includes all 780 km of the waterfront trail from Niagara to Quebec, as well as sights to see along the way and suggested itineraries. To purchase a map book log on to www.dunmap.com/people-order-wt-mapbook.html.

ALTERNATE ROUTE

In last months Shorezine the featured route took you from Port Hope to Cobourg and recommended riding up Darcy Street. Brook Road North is apparently a much nicer road for riding, thank you Brian.

If you have any questions or would like to contribute to this Ezine, please contact Petrina at:

pt@wrtrust.com
Tel: 416-943-8080
Fax: 416-943-8068
372 Richmond Street West, Suite 308
Toronto, Ontario
M5V 1X6

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.