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Waterfront Trail and Greenway News
An Ezine Produced by the Waterfront Regeneration Trust
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COIP*The waterfront municipalities of Lake Ontario and the St. Lawrence River, conservation authorities and community groups* MapArt* Dun-Map*Regional Niagara Bicycling Committee* The MMM Group* Heart and Strok Foundation* Mountain Equipment Co-op* Toronto Cyclists Union* St Lawrence Cement
April 2009
In this issue:
- City of Toronto to Close Remaining Trail Gap in Scarborough
- GWTA Registered Services Program – Trust contacts over 115 accommodations along the Waterfront Trail
- Bikes+transit.com launches “TwitterFlickrFest”
Upcoming Conferences and Community Events:
- Workshops – “How to Plan a Successful Trail Event”
- Roseneath Spring Festival
CITY OF TORONTO TO CLOSE REMAINING GAP IN SCARBOROUGH
This summer one of the major gaps in the Waterfront Trail in Toronto will
finally be closed. For years, the number one complaint received by the
Trust from the public was the frustrating Scarborough gap. With no route
in place, the Trail was cut in two, coming to an abrupt halt at the Beach
in Toronto and only resuming 26 km east in Pickering. In July 2008, the
City of Toronto working with the Trust, created a street-based route and
installed Waterfront Trail signage from Bellamy to the Rouge Park. In
doing so, the 26 km Scarborough gap was reduced by over 50%.
This summer, the City has agreed to sign the remaining section from the
Beach to Bellamy Rd (approx 11km). The work will include the creation
of a new off-road stretch of Trail behind the St Augustine Seminary. This
new trail, named the “Bluffer’s Trail” will move the
trail off-road, eliminating an 860 m stretch on busy Kingston Rd. The
trail will not be completely paved until fall, but a dirt surface will
be installed beforehand, making the trail useable for the Great Waterfront
Trail Adventure.
GWTA REGISTERED SERVICES PROGRAM – TRUST CONTACTS OVER 115
ACCOMMODATIONS ALONG THE WATERFRONT TRAIL
The Registered Services Program is an important feature of the Great Waterfront
Trail Adventure. While many of the riders on the tour will make use of
the camping accommodations included in the registration fee, others prefer
to stay in local hotels and B&B’s. Through the RSP, we are able
to point these riders towards bike-friendly accommodations that can provide
overnight storage for bikes, discounts for tour participants, and in some
cases transport to/from overnight locations.
This year we personally contacted 40 accommodations in the GWTA overnight
towns to let them know about the GWTA tour and the Registered Services
Program. We received a great response and so far 8 accommodations have
signed on to be part of the tour.
In 2008, we contacted all of the accommodations along the Waterfront Trail
(115 total - including those in towns that weren’t overnights for
the tour) to let them know about the Waterfront Trail and the Great Waterfront
Trail Adventure. Cycling tourism is growing market in this province, but
its growth will depend heavily on the availability of resources such as
cycling-friendly accommodations. We are encouraged so far by the positive
response of many of the accommodations we contacted towards the idea of
providing cycling-friendly facilities and catering to cycle tourists.
BIKES+TRANSIT.COM LAUNCHES “TWITTERFLICKRFEST”
From: Bikes+Transit.com
From June 13 to July 13, adventurous GTA cyclists are encouraged to participate
and help make bicycle and transit travel around the Golden Horseshoe a
more popular past time and permanent green mode of transportation.
Tweet on the ride and send photos from your cell phone, or tweet and email
pictures after you get home. Show everyone how easy, wonderful, and inexpensive
it is to use transit to reach municipal bikeways, the Waterfront Trail,
Trans Canada Trail and our beautiful lakefront and green spaces from Whitby
to Burlington, Grimsby to Guelph, and back. Except during rush hour!
Judging the tweets and photos after the month-long “twitterflickrfest”
will be Toronto Mayor David Miller, past Giller Prize nominees and acclaimed
Canadian authors Nino Ricci and Paul Quarrington, Donald Wiedman and local
cycling advocate and webmaster “Biking Toronto Joe” Travers
of BikingToronto.com.
For more information, please visit: http://www.bikesandtransit.com/
Thanks to Donald Wiedman for providing us with this announcement.
UPCOMING CONFERENCES AND COMMUNITY EVENTS:
WORKSHOPS - “HOW TO PLAN A SUCCESSFUL TRAIL EVENT”
Monday, May 11, 2009 1:30 pm to 4:30 pm Peterborough
Thursday, May 14, 2009 6:30 pm to 9:30 pm Barrie
Tuesday, May 19, 2009 1:30 pm to 4:30 pm Perth
The Celebration of Trails invites you to attend a “How to Plan a
Successful Trail Event” workshop. In partnership with the Ontario
Trails Council, the Celebration of Trails is pleased to offer this workshop
which is designed to provide the following:Tips on “How to Create
a Successful Trail Event”
Resources for planning and promoting trail events
Ideas on types of events that could be planned and offered on trails
Networking opportunities with trail event organizers and community stakeholders
Information about the celebration of Trails and other trail initiatives
and how your event can benefit
There is no cost for the workshop but you must register by May 4th to
attend. See attached pdf for more info and registration form.
ROSENEATH SPRING FESTIVAL
When: May 23rd, 2009 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Where: Roseneath Fair Grounds. (Highway 45 - # 9109), home of
the famous Carousel, in the village of Roseneath (Northumberland County,
Ontario).
Events for the whole family include a pancake breakfast, music and entertainment, environmental and conservation displays, antique farm equipment display and the Northumberland Wood Carvers exhibit. Admission is $2:00 and a door prize will be awarded.
For further information contact Faith Osmond at dfosmond@xplornet.com
or 905-352-2606.
Cheers!
Marlaine Koehler, Executive Director;
Vicki Barron, Director of Administration and Special Projects;
Ian Lobb, Tour Director, Great Waterfront Trail Adventure
Tour; and
and David Arcus, Project Coordinator, Editor Waterfront Trail and Greenway
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 Ontario Trillium Foundation
- The Heart and Stroke Foundation
- The Ontario Ministry of Health Promotion
- MapArt
- Dunmap
- Niagara Freewheelers Bicycle Touring Club
- Regional Niagara Bicycling Committee
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