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* Ontario Ministry of Health Promotion* Regional Niagara Bicycling Committee* St. Lawrence Cement* Tilley Endurables

May 2007

In this issue:

• Trails Ahead Conference
• September 20th Proclaimed “Waterfront Trail and Greenway Day”
• Seaway Valley Trailhead Sign Unveiling
• Toronto-Niagara Bike Train Launch
• Hamilton Trails Masterplan Wins Regional Merit Award

Upcoming Conferences and Community Events:

• Bike Week
• Toronto Bay Initiative Upcoming Events
• Technical Tour on the Route Verte
• World Record Walk

TRAILS AHEAD CONFERENCE

September 19-20th, 2007
Palais Royale, Toronto Ontario

Register Today at http://www.canurb.com/events/register/register1.php?id=185

The Trust is pleased to provide the following update on the agenda for the Trails Ahead conference.

Presentations on Day 1 of the conference will explore 50 remarkable regeneration projects, noting the rich range of physical, ecological and social linkages that have transformed the waterfront experience for so many. They will also offer international perspectives on global trends in waterfront regeneration, with keynote presentations that will be thought-provoking and inspiring. The Trust is pleased to announce that the following speakers have been confirmed:

Fred Kent, President of Project for Public Spaces, New York

Mr. Kent and Project for Public Spaces have deeply influenced the way cities and towns approach public space. He will bring this expertise and an international perspective to our discussion about waterfronts.

Joe Berridge, Partner of Urban Strategies

Mr. Berridge’s presentation will refocus the discussion on Lake Ontario and St Lawrence River experience and what lies ahead, particularly what challenges will test our resolve/ability to stick to the vision.

Keynote speaker, T.J. Juskiewicz, RAGBRAI organizer

RAGBRAI is a 35-year old family cycling event held annually in Iowa. Participants cycle across the state of IOWA starting from the Missouri River and ending the trek by dipping their front tires in Mississippi River. During the 6-day event, participants take in community events hosted by the communities large and small on the 400+ mile (640 km) route. The event is so popular that it attracts 8,500 registered participants who have to win a place in the ride through a lottery.

Day 1 will also feature a series of interesting presentations by experts who have successfully organized, packaged and marketed multi-community or major events.

• Gil Penalosa, Executive Director of Walk and Bike for Life-Creating pedestrian/cycling opportunities
• Seaway Trail-themed, self-guided tours
• La Route Verte—La Grand Tour

Day Two of the Conference will give participants a unique opportunity to experience the Trail first-hand. We’ve organized a cycling tour on the Trail, which will showcase just how far we’ve come on the waterfront. The ride is fully supported, with various pick-up and drop-off points that allow you to ride as little, or as much as you like. Join us for a ride that will inspire, motivate, and impress.

The Waterfront Regeneration Trust is very pleased to be working with the Canadian Urban Institute on this project.

For more information call the Waterfront Regeneration Trust at 416-943-8080 or email Marlaine Koehler at mk@wrtrust.com.


SEPTEMBER 20TH PROCLAIMED “WATERFRONT TRAIL AND GREENWAY DAY”

Town of Ajax and the Town of Cobourg have recently proclaimed September 20th, the date of the Trails Ahead Conference, “Waterfront Trail and Greenway Day.” Some of our other partners such as City of Oshawa will be issuing proclamations as well at a time closer to the actual date.

The Trust recently sent out a request for this proclamation to its partners, which has been met with an enthusiastic response. Mayor Delanty of Cobourg has even issued a challenge to other mayors of waterfront communities, “to follow Cobourg’s lead in proclaiming Waterfront Trail and Greenway Day.”

The Trust would like to extend its thanks to the mayors of these communities for their continued support of the Waterfront Trail and Greenway. Keep those proclamations coming!


WATERFRONT TRAIL CLOSURES

Please be advised of the following temporary trail closures along the Waterfront Trail due to construction and restoration work:

1. CHERRY BEACH, TORONTO: the section of Waterfront Trail at Cherry Beach (South of Unwin Ave between Cherry Street and Regatta Road) is still closed. There will be no access to the beach parking lot east of Cherry St and limited access to the waterfront the Trail.

The closure is due to environmental restoration work being performed by Waterfront Toronto (formerly the TWRC) as part of an overall environmental management strategy for the Port Lands. Visitors to the Port Lands during this time can refer to the alternate trail routes described at www.waterfrontoronto.ca. The Trail is expected to be reopened soon, however an exact date is not yet available. For more information, please visit www.waterfrontoronto.ca.

2. WILMOT CREEK, CLARINGTON: The stretch of off-road Trail between Bennet Road and Cobbledick Rd in Clarington is under construction as is the stretch along Toronto St to Lakebreeze Dr. They are expected to be reopened in July 2007. To avoid this construction, Trail users can follow Bennet up to Hwy 2 and return south on Cobbledick (roughly 5 km).

3. DARLINGTON PROVINCIAL PARK, CLARINGTON: The section of Waterfront Trail through Darlington Provincial Park is temporarily closed due to construction at the Oshawa border. Please note that work has been delayed on this stretch. The Trail is currently expected to be complete and reopened within four weeks. However, please check the Clarington profile on our website for updates before heading out on this stretch of Trail: www.waterfronttrail.org/trail-p-clarington.html.

Please note that unfortunately there is no other route through the park. If you plan on riding this section in the near future, please contact us for alternate route information at 416-943-8080 or info@wrtrust.com.


SEAWAY VALLEY TRAILHEAD SIGN UNVEILING EVENT

Cornwall and Seaway Valley Tourism recently hosted an event celebrating the unveiling of several new Waterfront Trail trailhead signs in the Seaway Valley area between Iroquois and the Quebec Border. 16 new trailhead signs have been purchased by Cornwall and Seaway Valley Tourism, with funding from the Trust, CIBC, Industry Canada, Ontario Power generation and various local and municipal partners. Roughly half of the 16 new trailhead signs for this stretch of Trail have been installed, with the rest to go up shortly.

The event was attended by Cornwall Mayor Bob Kilger, Linda Halliday representing Ontario Power Generation, Mike Lalonde from Cornwall and Seaway Valley Tourism, Dennis Fyfe Warden of United Counties of Stormont, Dundas and Glengarry and local MP Guy Lauzon.


TORONTO-NIAGARA BIKE TRAIN LAUNCH EVENT

Mark your calendars: the much-anticipated official launch of the Toronto-Niagara Bike Train is taking place Tuesday, June 5th from 9-11am at Union Station in Toronto. The Bike Train is an exciting new initiative that will introduce bike racks onboard VIA Rail Canada service between Toronto and the Niagara Region.

Celebrate the launch of this innovative new transportation and tourism initiative and help make the Bike Train a success! Visit www.biketrain.ca for launch event information and updates.

Also, be sure to check out the Trust’s suggested Bike Train Itinerary to help get the most out of your trip to the Niagara Region: http://www.waterfronttrail.org/wnBikeTrainItin.html.


HAMILTON TRAILS MASTERPLAN WINS REGIONAL MERIT AWARD

The Trust would like to congratulate the City of Hamilton and G.O’Connor Consultants Inc. on winning the Regional Merit award for the Hamilton Recreational Trails Master Plan, from the Canadian Society of Landscape Architects. “The Master Plan provides a sound blueprint for trail development in Hamilton”, says Rob Norman of the City. “One of the top criteria in setting priorities is the creation of connections to the waterfront.”

The City of Hamilton has invested heavily in creating a 6 metre wide multi-use recreational trail that stretches along the Lake Ontario waterfront and harbour into neighbouring Burlington. Currently, much of the east Hamilton community (close to 100,000 people) do not have safe pedestrian access to this spectacular asset, due to the barrier created by the Queen Elizabeth Way, a major transportation corridor that parallels the waterfront through Hamilton. The City of Hamilton is currently undertaking the design of a signature pedestrian bridge structure to provide access for East Hamiltonians to cycle, walk and inline skate across the QEW to the Waterfront Trail.

Congratulations to the City of Hamilton on their well-deserved award!


UPCOMING CONFERENCES AND COMMUNITY EVENTS:

TORONTO BIKE WEEK 2007

Monday, May 28 to Sunday June 10

There’s plenty to do at this year’s Toronto Bike Week, which features over 100 cycling events including 40 free mechanical workshops or cycling related seminars. With lots of great rides and organized tours, bike week is also a great opportunity to get out and explore the city. Take an organized tour of the Highland Creek Valley or mountain bike through the Don Valley. Other events include street picnics, bike polo, free pancake breakfast, fresh air fair, and more.

For complete calendar of events, visit https://wx.toronto.ca/inter/plan/bikeweekreg.nsf/Calendar?OpenView.


TORONTO BAY INITIATIVE CALENDAR OF EVENTS

The Toronto Bay Initiative has released its calendar of events for spring and summer 2007. Upcoming events in June include a boat tour of the Bay, Toronto Island Canoe Tour, Humber River Canoe Tour and a Spadina Quay Wetland Celebration.

For more details and to sign up for events, visit http://www.torontobay.net/events.html.


TECHNICAL TOUR ON THE ROUTE VERTE

Thanks to Velo Quebec for providing us with the following announcement:

August 27 to 31, 2007: French-language technical tour
September 10 to 14, 2007: English-language technical tour

Vélo Québec is proud to present its Technical Tour on the Route verte to explore the various faces of the Route verte and learn about some of the technical aspects of its development. This tour is designed for route planners or managers, or anyone interested in learning more about how the Route verte was developed. The 5-day touring workshop offers an opportunity to explore urban greenways in Montreal and Quebec City as well as the fields and forests of the Montérégie, Eastern Townships, Centre-du-Québec and Chaudière-Appalaches regions. The bicycle outings range from 25 to 50 kilometers per day, to allow for breaks and technical discussions as well as picture-taking and site-seeing opportunities.
For more information, please visit http://www.routeverte.com/rv/ang/facts.lasso?page=sejourtechnique.


WORLD RECORD WALK

The Trust is very excited to share news about the Ontario WORLD RECORD WALK 2007. The WRW is aiming to break the existing Guinness World Record for the largest number of people walking one kilometer simultaneously (current record held by Western Australia with 100,915 Participants – September 2006). What better place to walk than on the Waterfront Trail! The Trust encourages each of our partners to consider planning a walking event as part of this project. Whether large or small, register your group’s or organization’s walk at www.worldrecordwalk.ca.

Anyone can be part of this exciting event: Schools, Clubs, Community Groups, Workplaces, Municipal Governments and Individuals. So please pass on this challenge to join the walkolution to your local clubs and schools.

Wednesday, October 3 is also International Walk to School Day (IWALK). We encourage schools to register for the World Record Walk and make it part of the IWALK celebrations. For activity ideas and resources designed specifically for schools please visit (www.saferoutestoschool.ca).

The World Record Walk is being organized by Green Communities Canada (www.greencommunitiescanada.org) with support from the Ontario Ministry of Health Promotion (www.mhp.gov.on.ca).

Cheers!

Marlaine Koehler, Executive Director;
Vicki Barron, Director of Administration and Special Projects;
Petrina Tulissi, Manager of Promotions and Events;
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.