Showing posts with label Outdoors. Show all posts

Wednesday, October 28, 2015

Ontario Trails News - head into fall, look around Toronto from the Toronto Star, Ontario Trail News Archive

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MELISSA RENWICK / TORONTO STAR Order this photo

The changing fall colours surround the Don Valley Parkway and can be seen against the downtown skyline from the Leaside Bridge on Millwood Rd.

By: Shawn Micallef Living Columnist, Published on Fri Oct 09 2015

Fall is the best time for a hike because the air is fresh, the lower temperature means there is no sweating and jaunty outfits can be worn rather than sportswear. The leaves are changing too. People go wild for fall leaves and embark on “leaf-peeping” expeditions, travelling far to see the changing colours. However, in the GTA you don’t have to go far, and this weekend the colours will be popping all over the city. Here are five suggestions for Thanksgiving weekend walks where the autumnal spirit is alive, just be sure to bring your own decorative gourds.

Toronto Island

COLIN MCCONNELL/ TORONTO STAR

Even though Centreville Amusement Park is closed for the season, you can visit Charlotte the Landrace pig at Far Enough Farm on Centre Island.

When the summer picnic and beach crowds have gone, the Toronto Islands are still worth a trip as there’s a sense of having the island to yourself at times. Take the ferry first to Wards Island and walk through the cottages near the dock, then meander west towards the Centre Island ferry dock for a few hours, by the boardwalk and over to Algonquin Island. Though Centreville Amusement Park is closed for the season, Far Enough Farm (centreisland.ca/far-enough-farm ) adjacent to it is free to enter and open every day from 10 to 5 p.m. You can visit Charlotte, their Landrace pig, and the other animals, all of whom are giving thanks they’re not on your table this weekend.

ANDREW FRANCIS WALLACE/ TORONTO STAR FILE PHOTO

Rouge Park is a truly wild and rural hike and it's accessible by TTC.

Rouge Park

MELISSA RENWICK/ TORONTO STAR

The changing fall colours surround the Don Valley Parkway and can be seen against the downtown skyline from the Leaside Bridge on Millwood Rd.

Rouge Park may be the wildest and most-rural hike you can take inside the Toronto city limits, and it’s accessible by TTC. This is the corner of the city where farm and city landscapes meet and the Rouge has some of the most dramatic ravine cliffs in the area. Begin at the Rouge Park Conservation Centre across Morningside Road from the Toronto Zoo. Here, the historic Pearse House (rvcc.ca/Pearse_House.html ), home to a family that ran an old sawmill on the river, adds to the rural feel of the park. Follow the trails that loop down to Twyn Rivers Dr. and return up the other side of river.

MELISSA RENWICK/ TORONTO STAR

If you visit the Humber Arboretum, be sure to climb the hill by the Centre for Urban Ecology building for the panoramic view across the Humber Valley.

Leaside Bridge

SHAWN MICALLEF FOR THE TORONTO STAR

The viewing platform at Mono Cliffs Provincial Park affords views of the beautiful rolling Ontario forest and farmland spreading out to the east.

The Leaside Bridge carrying Millwood Rd. across the Don Valley is the less-famous upriver sibling of the Prince Edward Viaduct, but it’s nearly equally impressive. Opened in 1927, the bridge commands spectacular views of the Don Valley Parkway as it makes gentle curves along the river and the buildings of Thorncliffe Park. Nature and city complement each other here wonderfully as the dozen or so stark, white apartment towers poke up through the tree canopy.

Humber Arboretum

Found behind Humber College’s North Campus, the Arboretum(humberarboretum.on.ca/) is a series of botanical gardens and natural areas near the end of the west branch of the Humber River multi-use trail. Established by horticultural students at Humber in 1977, its 100 hectares has six kilometres of trails and contains 1,700 species of plants and animals. Be sure to climb the hill by the Centre for Urban Ecology building for the panoramic view across the forested Humber Valley.

Mono Cliffs Provincial Park

For an out-of-town holiday weekend excursion, take the hour-or-so drive to Mono Cliffs Provincial Park (ontarioparks.com/park/monocliffs ) north of Orangeville for a Niagara Escarpment hike. A series of eight trails pass through park’s varied landscape, some connecting with the Bruce Trail, and one looping down near the cute Village of Mono Centre where a mid-hike Thanksgiving tipple can be had at the local pub. A viewing platform extending out at the top of the cliffs affords a deep appreciation of the escarpment’s height, with views of the beautiful rolling Ontario forest and farmland spreading out to the east.

Shawn Micallef writes every Friday about where and how we live in the GTA. Wander the streets with him on Twitter @shawnmicallef.

Lot's of events around Ontario and on Ontario Trails

Tuesday, October 20, 2015

Ontario Trails News - creation of Rideau Lakes ATV Club good news for trails, Ontario Trails News Archive

Follow the news on Ontario ATV Trails

Creation of Rideau Lakes ATV Club links region for outdoor enthusiasts

Making tracks

Stacey Roy/METROLAND

Nicki and Rick Gilfillen are the president and vice-president of the newly formed Rideau Lakes ATV Club. They are currently in the planning stages of developing a trail system through the township. They will be meeting with local councils shortly to request access to local roads to link their trail system.

Smiths Falls Record News

By Stacey Roy

UPDATE: The Rideau Lakes ATV Club has recently confirmed with the Record News that they will be speaking with Elizabethtown-Kitley Township on the potential use of one road on Monday, Oct. 26, 2015. The township meeting starts at 7 p.m. inside Council chambers ( 6544 New Dublin Road). All council meetings are open to the public.

In the future, when Nicki Gilfillen, president of the Rideau Lakes ATV Club (RLATVC) says she’s going for a day trip to Rockland she may not be taking a car.
The Aug. 31 incorporation of the RLATVC as a registered not-for-profit organization effectively connected six individual clubs from Gananoque to Rockland, Ontario by a series of ATV trails. This ability is, in part, a fulfillment of the Ontario Federation of ATV Club’s (OFATV) goal to be able to ride across the province. The OFATV did approach the community in 2010 to see if there was interest in opening such a club.
“It’s a long time coming,” added Gilfillen. “They really needed us to get a club so you can ride from Gananoque to the Ottawa Valley. We can start at home and end at home.”
In the past, the Gilfillens have had to trailer their ATV to an approved trail before they could ride, but their hope is the new club with the help of community support will change that. The new RLATVC borders three existing clubs within District One, and has only just begun its work. Currently, Gilfillen is pulling together local landowners who are willing to allow them to use the back of their property for ATV use. The aim is to connect all existing ATV trails to each other through Rideau Lakes trails. This local system could one day include access into the communities of Delta and Portland.
To date, the club is working on their spring trail system and is compiling a list of roads needed for use. They will present to the Township of Elizabethtown-Kitley on Oct. 14 with hopes of receiving approval to use three township roads for ATV use.
Once the club has their mapping in place and their roads needs confirmed, they plan to return to Rideau Lakes Township Council to ask for approval under its existing 2007 bylaw that allows limited access to off-road vehicles at the council’s discretion. A date for this delegation has yet to be made.
“We’re working on that,” said Rick Gilfillen, vice-president.
The couple has been speaking with Rideau Lakes Mayor Ron Holman to provide and share information in preparation for their return to council. Nicki made her first delegation Aug. 10 when she was asked to return with mapping and road needs information.
Holman welcomes the introduction of the new club, saying their emergence is exactly what council of the day had envisioned eight years ago.
“This is really a fulfillment of what we had originally hoped for,” the mayor said.
This week, Rideau Lakes Coun. Bob Lavoie of North Crosby ward put forward a motion that will permit the use of off-road vehicles on highways within the municipality with the following exceptions: their use is prohibited from dusk to dawn and are not allowed within the core areas of villages, hamlets, residential subdivisions and other sensitive or unsafe areas as determined by council. The motion was tabled for first and second reading this week. It will not come back for discussion for another month to allow the public to provide feedback.
“It’s a big step,” Holman said.
The club would ideally like to connect its trails via agreements with landowners rather than use roads, but understand this will take time. Rick wants landowners to know ATV users are very respectful individuals who will stay to the fence line and not harm their usable yard.
“We don’t want the best part of the property, we want the stuff they’re not using,” he said.

Tourism potential
The Gilfillens have recently launched a club website (www.rlatvc.org) and have a presence on Facebook where they have so far accumulated about 10 members. The Gilfillens welcome all new members to their club, saying their goal is to create a safe, family-friendly environment that will encourage residents to get out into nature while welcoming tourists to the area. Membership is $150 a year. All members must carry a license and insurance to receive a pass.
The Gilfillens got involved in ATVing about 10 years ago out of a desire to get back to nature and spend quality time with their then young children. Last weekend was their most recent family excursion when they took part in the annual harvest rally by the Nation Valley ATV Club. Rick said the family saw many wild animals in their natural habitat, as well as historic bridges and farmers working in their fields.
“It’s not too often you get to be in the back of someone’s property and see them work,” he said.
The terrain of the township makes the region a natural draw for ATV enthusiasts of all levels.
“It’s prime ATV land,” Rick added. “You get a difference of farm land to bush.”
The couple aim to have beginner trails up and going by next spring with elite and winter trails to be developed in the coming years. With each new addition, the Gilfillens feel the ATV club will draw more and more enthusiasts to the area who will be looking for a good place to eat and fill their gas tanks.
“It’s putting money back in our own community,” Nicki said.
The couple hopes to some day host local rallies where they would welcome OFATV members to the community for a day-long ride through the trails. A distant objective is to enhance this offering to include overnight events where camping would be added.
The Gilfillens are currently working with Smith’s Equipment Centre to create a local rally that would begin and end at their Highway 15 site. Not only will the event highlight the supportive local business, but the Gilfillens hope it will increase public awareness of their club.
“Our trail head is going to start in their backyard,” Rick said.
The local business has also agreed to sell the club’s trail day passes. Proceeds from this inaugural event will be going to a local charity that has yet to be determined.
The RLATVC wants to be an active member of the community. On Sept. 19 they volunteered to help out with the inaugural Rise Above the Mud Run at the Siloki Centre, which was a fundraiser for the Smiths Falls Community Hospital Foundation.
For more information and updates on the new club, please go to their website noted above.

Saturday, June 28, 2014

Friends of Trails - a way you can support the community work of the Ontario Trails Council

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Know somebody that works hard on trails? If so nominate them to be an Ontario Trails "Trail Hero!" We'd be happy to review your recommendations and acknowledge in a small way their contribution to trails in your community.

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Every day trails are news! Every day we blog about trails. In communities all over Ontario trails are big news, for cyclists, runners, canoe or horses, every day we capture in one spot all the trail news - local, provincial or national! Join today!

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The Ontario Trails Council is a nonprofit charitable organziation, established in 1988, that promotes the development, preservation, management and use of recreational trails. With over 130 organizational members and 25 individual supporters the OTC continues to grow! Support trails in Ontario - join the OTC

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Our website contains information on over 2,600 trails, and a description for nearly 2,000. Learn about the places where you can bike, cross country ski, climb or any of another 15 activities. We are linked to over 130 organizations and a variety of provincial groups that can help you learn an activity or become better at one you already love!

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We post trail or outdoor events on trail specific facebook pages, the main OTC facebook page, and the event section of the OTC website. You can send us your event and we'll post it to these extensive networks. Each week we reach over 20,000 people, so if you want your event known, a bit better, send us the information.

Add/Edit Trails

An important part of the Refreshed OTC Web site will be a dynamic page dedicated to each trail. It is important that you give us as much information as possible - this will be the only source for creating your dedicated page on the OTC Web site. If we don't get the information from you, it won't make it onto the site. If you have any questions about the form, please contact Patrick at 613-484-1140. Thank you for taking the time to add or edit your trail on the Ontario Trails Council Web site.

Be a Friend of Trails

We invite all trail users to support the work of the Ontario Trails Council. As a registered charity we do our community work based on the support of member organziations, individuals and some government grants. We do the work, in the end for the individual families and folks that use the trails every day. Please consider supporting us as your thanks for your trails. Thank you.