Close to nature. Close to home. Fall 2011 THE QUARTERLY OF THE TORONTO BRUCE TRAIL CLUB Vol. XLVIII No. 3 History on the Trail: The War of 1812 for Walkers by Wayne Crockett Park near Fort York to trace the course of the American raid. We walked along the Th e Bruce Trail and other trails in lakeshore trail stopping along the way to Ontario provide access to many sites relating describe the fi ghting which occurred along to all aspects of the history of this province. the route on April 27, 1813. Th e staff at Th is includes the numerous ruined Fort York was very helpful and encouraged homesteads that dot the trails, the remains us to return next year when they will put of the stations along the radial railways and on a display of military drill. Despite poor the remains of 19th and early 20th century weather forecasts and a little drizzle on both industrial and power sites. Th e mills and days we had a good turnout of our members factories of the 19th century represented and history buff s. the best technology of the day with what In May many of the same people Ontario had in greatest abundance, water participated in a bus hike that carried us power. Other locations like the Hermitage, to Fort Erie and on to the Memorial at De Cew House and Eaton Hall are evidence Lundy’s Lane. We explored the series of of the past glory of prominent families. Or bloody battles fought along the southern look at the remains of the locks and channels part of the Niagara River in the summer of of the early versions of the Welland Canal, 1814 from the Battle of Chippewa through a monument to the vision and ambition of Lundy’s Lane and back to Fort Erie. Along William Hamilton Merritt. the way we walked the scenic Niagara River For the next few years I will be leading a up to the Falls. Th e heavy fog during the number of hikes relating to the War of 1812. day didn’t detract from the enjoyment of the Th is is the only war fought in Ontario and experience and it provided many interesting played a large role in the development of and diff erent photographic opportunities as the province. Arising from disputes between we travelled a familiar route. the United States and Great Britain on the June was marked by hikes that western frontier and the high seas, it was commemorated two battles fought along largely settled within the bounds of what the edge of the Niagara Escarpment in the was Upper Canada, now Ontario. Th ese summer of 1813. On June 11th we walked walks are aimed at people with a general part of the route followed by General Brock’s Monument, Queenston, Ontario. interest in the history of the province and Vincent as he led his British and Canadian Photo by Wayne Crockett who enjoy a walk of between 12 and 15 troops against the American invaders. Along kms. Generally, but not in all cases, the the way I described the events leading up to Laura Secord. Th e role of British regulars, walks are over easy ground. I operate these the Battle of Stoney Creek near Hamilton Canadian militia and native warriors from trips as ‘walks and talks’, we walk for a time where the previously victorious Americans the Six Nations Reserve was recounted as was and when we come to a particular memorial were turned back after a hard fought night that of the Heroine of Upper Canada, Laura or good look out I do a brief description of time battle. Th e hike was enlivened by our Secord. I also described how the war the events or people involved in the struggle. walk through the Red Hill Valley and the aff ected individuals on this walk, as we By the end of June we completed four scenic Devil’s Punch Bowl. read from the letters of William Hamilton of the hikes relating to the war. We began Th e second walk, June 25th, was in Merritt, a young militia offi cer, and his on the weekend of April 24-25 with a walk the St. Catharines area and dealt with the American fi ancée, Catherine Pendegrast. from High Park to Victoria Memorial Battle of Beaver Dams and the Legend of . continued on page 32 Footnotes Toronto Bruce Trail Club is published quarterly by the Board of Directors Table of Contents Toronto Bruce Trail Club Box 44, Station D, Toronto, ON President: M6P 3J5 Peter Leeney, 905-822-1877 P1. History on the Trail [email protected] [email protected] www.torontobrucetrailclub.org P2. President’s Pen ISSN 0380-9354 Vice-President: A member of the Bruce Trail Conservancy Malcolm Sanderson, 905-294-5866 P3. Hiking Director’s Notes [email protected] Many thanks to all the volunteers who P6. Blue Side Trail Challenge helped in the production of this issue. Past President: Update David Tyson, 416-966-1379 Send address changes to: [email protected] P8. General Information Th e Bruce Trail Conservancy PO Box 857, Hamilton, ON L8N 3N9 Landowner Relations: P9. Fall Activities 2011 www.brucetrail.org 1-800-665-4453 Maureen Smith, 905-873-9757 HIKING SCHEDULE [email protected] For missing copies of Footnotes P31. Independent outings call 1-800-665-4453, Treasurer & Bookkeeper: Monday to Friday 8:30 am - 4:30 pm Ian Dickson, 905-864-6115 P32. Classifi eds [email protected] Opinions expressed in Footnotes are not necessarily the views of the TBTC unless Land Stewardship: stated as such. Advertising does not Vladimir Bosnar, 905-273-7569 imply endorsement by the TBTC. [email protected] Footnotes Resource Support Club Representative to the BTC Board: (not members of the Board) Todd Bardes , 416-278-1099 Publication Deadlines [email protected] Editor: Kathryn Emirzian ISSUE: ADVERTISING/EDITORIAL Proofreaders: Victor Ramautar Hiking Director: Marilyn MacKellar Ted Iseman, 416-219-1663 Winter 2011-12: Sept. 15/Sept. 24 Advertising Coordinator: Julie Fisher [email protected] Spring 2012: Dec. 15/Dec. 20 Activities Editor: Sarah Hopton Summer 2012: Mar 15/Mar 24 Webmaster: Stephen Kamnitzer Membership: Fall 2012: June 18/June 24 Asst. Webmaster: Vacant John Grandy, 416-704-9138 E-Notes Editor: Grant Leigh [email protected] Send advertisements to: Archivist: Wayne Crockett Advertising Coordinator Julie Fisher Publicist: Grant Leigh Publications: julie.fi [email protected] Central Mailbox: Barbara Quinn Ken Peters, 416-921-5391 Information Line: Judy Leeney, [email protected] Nina Carlisle Log in to the Members section Bus Coordinator: Walt Dunham Trail Maintenance: of the Club website using your Events Coordinator: Vacant David Paape, 416-445-9028 City of Toronto Liaison: John Hough [email protected] BTC membership number Accountant/Reviewer: Vacant and your own password Halton Hills Chapter: Volunteer Coordinator: MargaretTeasdale, Maureen Smith Victoria Arshad, 416-781-7339 BTC Land Securement Committee [email protected] Representative: David Tyson Secretary, Public Relations & Education: Pina Di Leo, [email protected] The Toronto Bruce Trail Club is one of nine clubs making up the Bruce Trail Conservancy, Members at Large: which is dedicated to the conservation of the Niagara David Royle, Ian Clunie, Stan Gasner Escarpment. You are invited to visit the Toronto Club’s Postions open for nomination: website at www.torontobrucetrailclub.org Social Director, Fundraising Coordinator 2 Fall 2011 Club Info Line: 416-763-9061 www.torontobrucetrailclub.org President’s Pen: Toronto Bruce Trail Club Annual General Meeting - April 16, 2011 by Peter Leeney On April 16 the Toronto Club held its re-creating the fi rst hike. Th e AGM in member of the Hike Ontario Board of 49th Annual General Meeting at Kortright 2012 will be held at the Toronto Botanical Directors, and the Executive Director of Centre for Conservation in Kleinburg. Gardens. Th at is the current name for what the Institute of Leadership for Women in We enjoyed our visit in 2010 so much, we many of us know as “Edwards Gardens” Ontario. Victoria is our new Volunteer decided to return again in 2011. As usual which was the site of the inaugural meeting Coordinator. the organizing committee, Stan Gasner, of the Toronto Club in 1962. In fact, the fi ve Ian Dickson is our new Treasurer and Wayne Crockett, and Ian Clunie did a fi ne years from 1962 to 1967 were important Bookkeeper. He is a CGA with experience job. Th e AGM is an opportunity for the years for the founding of the Bruce Trail in the investment industry complemented Club directors to report and to listen to Conservancy. A number of Bruce Trail with a solid foundation in public accounting. what members have to say. But it is also our Clubs were started in this period, and of At the AGM we usually announce one major social opportunity of the year. course, the Trail itself was offi cially opened the winner of the 2011 Nina Carlisle Attendance this year was about 90 in 1967 in Tobermory. Plans are underway Volunteer Award. Th is Award is given to a people. Down a bit from the previous year, at both the Conservancy level and the Club longstanding volunteer (at least fi ve years) but even for hikers, the weather was more level to commemorate this fi ve-year period who is actively involved in the activities of conducive to staying home with a good with a succession of events leading up to the the Toronto Bruce Trail Club. Th is year the book. About 35 people took advantage of banner year 2017.