Lake Ontario Waterfront Trail News

An Ezine Produced by the Waterfront Regeneration Trust

August 2004

In this issue:

• Waterfront Trail Directional Signs Now Available
• The Thousand Island Parkway to be Signed as Waterfront Trail
• Waterfront Trail to be Extended into Toronto’s Mimico Community
• The Trust Shows Support for Response to Proposed Drinking Water Source Protection Act
• Burlington’s Waterfront Trail Profiled in Local Toronto Newspaper
• One Woman’s Journey in Memory of a Friend
• A Waterfront Trail Tale Via the Fast Ferry
• A Fond Farewell to our Summer Intern Maria Labuda
• Upcoming Events:
  • CharterAbility Hosts Second Annual Cruise for a Cause
  • Wetland Stewards Needed for the Spadina Quay Wetland

Attachments:
L/Source Water Protection.doc
Fast Ferry.doc

Waterfront Trail Directional Signs Now Available

The Trust recently replenished its inventory of 18x18 directional signs for the Trail. If you are interested in obtaining these signs please contact Marlaine Koehler at mkoehler@istar.ca or 416-520-4205.

The Thousand Island Parkway to be Signed as Waterfront Trail

The Waterfront Trust is pleased to announce the signing of the Thousand Island Parkway to the Waterfront Trail. Efforts are currently underway to install signage. This new section of Waterfront Trail will provide a connection between Gananoque and Brockville with superb lake views. The Trust extends its gratitude to the Eastern Lake Ontario-St. Lawrence River Waterfront Working Group and the St. Lawrence Parks Commission for their leadership and persistence in making this extension possible.

Waterfront Trail to be Extended into Toronto’s Mimico Community

Ontario Environment Minister Leona Dombrowsky recently announced the provincial government's approval of the Toronto and Region Conservation Authority's (TRCA) proposed plans to extend the Waterfront Trail in Toronto westward into the Mimico community. Subject to approval under the Canadian Environmental Assessment Act, this $6.5 million waterfront improvement project will be funded through the Toronto Waterfront Revitalization Corporation. According to the TRCA’s website the Trail extension will include lakefilling to accommodate a multi-use trail from Humber Bay Park West to Norris Crescent Parkette. In addition, the shoreline design will include enhancements to fish and wildlife habitat that will be incorporated into formalized shoreline protection. The City of Toronto has also proposed a number of public-use enhancements to provide additional recreational opportunities for the local community. This project marks incredible progress for the Waterfront Trail in Toronto as the extension of the trail will result in the addition of approximately 1.1 kilometres of off-road Trail, increasing public access to the waterfront.

For more information on the Mimico waterfront plans visit the TRCA’s website at: www.trca.on.ca/water_protection/default.asp?load=mimico_waterfront.

The Trust Shows Support for Response to Proposed Drinking Water Source Protection Act

In the June 2003 ezine we informed readers that the Government of Ontario had been presented with a report called 'Protecting Ontario's Drinking Water: Toward a Watershed Based Source Protection Planning Framework'. The report was prepared by an expert Advisory Panel in response to one of the most important recommendations made by Justice O'Connor in the Walkerton Report. We included a draft letter of support and encouraged anyone who supported the recommendations to send the letter of support to the appropriate officials.

Since then the McGuinty government has developed a draft of its new Drinking Water Source Protection Act. Twenty-two citizen and environmental groups headed by CELA (Canadian Environmental Law Association) have come together to prepare an analysis and list of recommendations on this new legislation. The Trust is one of the organizations partnering with CELA on their response. Vicki Barron has written a letter on behalf of the Trust in support of CELA’s recommendations. To read her letter, view the attachment “L/Source Protection.doc”.

For more information about source water protection visit CELA’s site at www.cela.ca or go to the WaterHole at www.WaterHole.ca – a grassroots water protection website.

Burlington’s Waterfront Trail Profiled in Local Toronto Newspaper

Last week’s edition of NOW magazine, a weekly Toronto entertainment newspaper featured a story on Burlington’s Waterfront Trail. Author Allan Stokell detailed his journey from Toronto on the GO Train with his bike to Burlington where he rode the Waterfront Trail directly into Confederation Park in Hamilton. Stokell appeared to have enjoyed his ride through Burlington, highlighting several of things you can see along the way such as the Royal Botanical Gardens and the Burlington Arts Centre. Source: Now, August 19 – 25th, 2004, No. 23, Vol.51.

To view the full story go to: http://www.nowtoronto.com/issues/2004-08-19/goods_travel.php

One Woman’s Journey in Memory of a Friend

On August 21st Cheryl Martin of Victor, New York embarked on a journey to walk around Lake Ontario on the Waterfront Trail from Stoney Creek to Belleville to raise awareness for diabetes. The walk will be in memory of her friend Janice Wilson who passed away this past February. Cheryl plans to cover about 20kms per day and complete the walk in about 10 days. We wish her luck on her journey.

For more information about the walk contact John Wilson at theoldman@mountaincable.net

A Waterfront Trail Tale Via the Fast Ferry

We recently received an email from Kip and Barb DeSerres of Hallowell, Maine reporting that they had just used the Fast Ferry to access the Waterfront Trail and had really enjoyed their trip. We figured our readers would be interested in reading about their journey too so we asked them to provide us with a summary of their experiences. To read more about the DeSerres’s trip view the attachment “Fast Ferry.doc”.

A Fond Farewell to our Summer Intern Maria Labuda

The Trust says goodbye to Maria who is returning to McMaster University to start her fourth year in the History/Geography program. Maria’s hard work made her a valuable asset to the office this summer, assisting us with the organization of the Trail webmaps and community profiles, signage program and reviewing material for our online resource centre. We wish Maria good luck as she prepares to write the LSATs in October.

Upcoming Events:

CharterAbility Hosts Second Annual Cruise for a Cause

Join CharterAbility on Thursday September 9th as they set sail for a dinner cruise along Oakville’s waterfront aboard the Wayward Princess. Proceeds will support Ontario’s first fully accessible charter boat service for people of all ages with disabilities or mobility impairments. Boarding begins at 5:30pm and returns at 10:00pm.

For more information and/or to book your ticket contact Stephen Cull at 905-844-7208 or www.charterability.com

Wetland Stewards Need for the Spadina Quay Wetland

The Toronto Bay Initiative is currently looking for people interested in volunteering to take care of the Spadina Quay Wetland. Stewards meet every Saturday from 10am to noon to do maintenance and weeding work. Just bring a pair of gardening gloves and show up at the wetland any Saturday from now until September 25th.

For more information contact Fereshteh Hashemi at info@torontobay.net

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

Purchase your copy of the Lake Ontario Waterfront Trail Mapbook at Mountain Equipment Co-op (400 King Street West) and Sporting Life Stores in Toronto (1-877-772-2262 to find a store location near you).

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.