Summer 2019 THE QUARTERLY OF THE TORONTO BRUCE TRAIL CLUB Vol. LVI No. 2 www.torontobrucetrailclub.org | [email protected] Toronto End to End September 14 & 15, 2019 by Jacquie Van Dyke Are you up for a challenge, hikers? How about this one: complete the entire 50 km Toronto Section of the trail in one day! Yes, planning has begun for this year’s End to End, or E2E as it is affectionately known. Your options are to hike the Section in 2 days (28 km on Sat, 22 km on Sun), or, if you really want to test your mettle, you can do it all in one on Saturday. This one-day option is only offered on alternate years, so you won’t want to miss this opportunity. If you’ve never done an E2E, here’s how it works. Everyone gathers at the designated parking lot in the morning, from where a bus takes you to the day’s starting point. Then you hike, self-guided and at your own pace. You’ll find checkpoints with snacks and assistance every 10 – 11 km, and you’ll get an official end-to-end badge when you complete. The fee for the two day event is $40 and $30 for the one day, 50 km event. This fee covers bus costs, badges, and refreshments. TBTC will donate profits, if any, to the Bruce Trail Conservancy to help secure land for the trail’s optimum route. You should note that this is an event for experienced hikers as the terrain is varied and quite challenging. Hikes go rain or shine. Also, no dogs are permitted on this event. Registration does not actually open until June 1, but as space is limited you should register as close to June 1 as possible. If interested, contact Jacquie Van Dyke (End to End co-ordinator) at [email protected] on or after June 1 and an email will be sent with registration information. Ruins from the mill in Limehouse Volunteers needed for E2E Our End to End is a success because we have volunteers who assist in many ways. What do our volunteers do? Here are some of the tasks they help with: being a bus captain, checking hikers in early in the morning, managing checkpoints, purchasing water & snacks, making signs and placing them in strategic places on the trail, helping with parking at Limehouse Community parking, finding lost hikers, and registration. If you are interested in volunteering, either on September 14 and/or 15 or, with jobs that need to be completed ahead of time, please send an email to Jacquie Van Dyke (End to End co-ordinator) at [email protected] at any time. www.torontobrucetrailclub.org Table of Contents Footnotes Toronto Bruce Trail Club is published quarterly by the Board of Directors Toronto End to End P1 (as of April 13th, 2019) Toronto Bruce Trail Club Hiking Director’s Notes P3 P.O. Box 597 2938 Dundas Street West President; AGM Highlights P4 Toronto, Ontario M6P 4E7 Volunteer Co-ordinator: Graham Allen Biodiversity Day P6 [email protected] [email protected] www.torontobrucetrailclub.org Biodiversity Team News P7 Vice-President: ISSN 0380-9354 vacant Trail Temporarily Closed P7 A member of the Bruce Trail Conservancy Past President: General Information P8 Many thanks to all the volunteers who John Grandy helped in the production of this issue. BTC Director; Trail Director: Hike Program (Jun to Sep) P9 Marlis Butcher Send address changes to: Trail Users’ Code P21 [email protected] The Bruce Trail Conservancy Secretary: PO Box 857, Hamilton, ON L8N 3N9 Looking Ahead P23 Robert Gillespie www.brucetrail.org [email protected] Independent Outings P23 1-800-665-4453 Ext 0 Treasurer: Treading Into the Future P24 For missing copies of Footnotes vacant call 1-800-665-4453 Ext 0 Land Management Committee Chair; Monday to Friday 8:30 am - 4:30 pm BTC Land Securement Secretariat Rep. David Tyson Opinions expressed in Footnotes are not 416-966-1379 necessarily the views of the TBTC unless [email protected] stated as such. Advertising does not imply endorsement by the TBTC. Membership Director: Log in to the Members section of Alina Lin the Club website using your BTC Footnotes Resource Support [email protected] membership number and your Footnotes Editor: Orest Nahacziwec Communications Director; own password. Footnotes Editor Proofreaders: Marilyn MacKellar Orest Nahacziwec Kathryn Emirzian [email protected] Publication Deadlines Hiking Director Advertising David Royle ISSUE: ADVERTISING/EDITORIAL & Mail Coordinator: Jude Keast [email protected] Fall 2019: June 14, 2019 Webmaster: Stephen Kamnitzer Land Stewardship Director: Winter 2019: Oct. 9, 2019 E-Notes Editors: Wayne Crockett Peter Leeney (acting) Spring 2020: Jan. 16, 2020 Magdalena Vanderkooy 905-822-1877 Summer 2020: April 10, 2020 [email protected] Archivist: vacant Directors at Large: Send advertisements to: Sarah-Louise Quig City of Toronto Liaison: Nick Teramura Natalia Svechnikova Halton Hills Chapter: [email protected] Janet Le Lievre Janet McColeman vacancies - volunteers needed: The Toronto Bruce Trail Club is one of nine clubs Social Director making up the Bruce Trail Conservancy, which Fundraising is dedicated to the conservation of the Niagara Archivist Escarpment. You are invited to visit the Toronto Club’s website at www.torontobrucetrailclub.org 2 Summer 2019 www.torontobrucetrailclub.org Hiking Director’s Notes IN PRAISE OF HIKE LEADERS When hikers choose to see the world with our hike leaders they know they are in good hands. Our hike leaders are extensively trained to recognize the right ingredients that go into making a memorable hiking experience. Our hike leaders continue to craft outstanding hiking experiences. We continue to offer hikes on almost everyone of the 900 kilometres of the Bruce Trail, on many of its Side Trails as well as numerous other trails in our Province. We hike woodlands, meadows, cliff edges, cross streams, tramp the many ravines of Toronto and cross the harbour to walk and relax on the Toronto Islands. Our leaders organize hiking trips that attend the theatre, tour vineyards, visit Provincial Parks and other areas of interest. We afford hikers the time to take pictures of identified flowers and trees, we talk about geology and learn about local history. BECOME A HIKE LEADER Our hike leaders will lead hikes in the rain, in the snow and we even hike at night. Our team works hard to create hiking experiences that ensure an enjoyable and safe experience. They are selected for their skills and enthusiasm. Being a hike leader affords you to the opportunity to share your love of the outdoors. You will also be benefitting our Club by joining a very special team of people. If you are interested in becoming a hike leader I encourage you to contact Peter Leeney, the Chair of our Hike Leader Training Committee at [email protected]. I cannot praise our hike leaders enough for working so hard to enable us to enjoy wonderful hiking experiences. You are in safe hands when you hike with the Toronto Bruce Trail Club. Tell us how we are doing! I welcome feedback on any aspect of the Hiking Program. The Toronto Bruce Trail Club continues to make progress on increasing the impact of Bruce Trail Membership. Your voice matters in improving our Hiking Program. Please send your comments to Hiking Director, David Royle at [email protected] Thank you for working with us to help achieve our mission: Preserving a ribbon of wilderness, for everyone, forever. David Royle Hiking Director Email: [email protected] Hiking Director David Royle leading a snowshoe hike at Val David, Quebec. e-mail: [email protected] Summer 2019 3 www.torontobrucetrailclub.org AGM Highlights by Marlis Butcher Our 2019 Annual General Meeting on April 13th was preceded by 3 bus hikes: Wayne Crockett led a hike along the East Humber River in the Boyd Conservation Area, Marie Josee Roy led a photography hike Peter Leeney, in the Kortright Centre for Conservation, and Duro Vukman led a Sophie Chuchra, comfortable walk on the Kortright grounds. Some of the 96 people Helen Keast, who came by bus opted to sit back and just soak up the sun on that Jude Keast, staff the Registration table. perfect, warm spring day. The hikers joined other TBTC members, a total of 153 people, at the Kortright Centre for a lovely lunch that included a variety of hearty salads, breads, cold meats, and a delicious lentil soup. Our meal was finished with a selection of deserts, coffee, and teas. 153 people enjoyed a lovely lunch. Then it was on to business in the auditorium of the Kortright Centre: The Toronto Bruce Trail Club’s annual general meeting (AGM). John Grandy, outgoing President of the TBTC gave special thanks, to much applause, to Malcolm Sanderson who has volunteered in almost every capacity in the Club for many decades. Malcolm is moving out of town to be closer to family and therefore will not be able to work with the Club next year. John also thanked outgoing Treasurer Karim Mishriki, Land Stewardship Director Kevin Warburton, and Landowner Relations Director Paul Vanhanen. The Club members Full house at the business voted in and welcomed new three new Board members: Sarah-Louise meeting. Quig, Natalia Svechnikova, and Janet McColeman. Formal minutes of the meeting will be provided on the TBTC’s website. The TBTC’s Nina Carlisle Award (long-time volunteer service to the Club) was awarded to Barbara Euler, and the Todd Bardes Award (volunteer contribution over the last one or two years) to Thomas Swales. Trail Captain service awards were given out to several long- time volunteers, and Trail Maintenance of the Year Awards were presented to Lois Bastell, Jacques and Karen Martin, Matt D’Oliveira, and Peter Pritchard.