HI-LAND VIEWS Winter 2016-2017 Editors: Larry Haskell and Tony Hopkins Bruce Trail Day 2016 Bruce Trail Day 2016: all Sunshine and Greenery Nevertheless, the day was, in the end, splendidly Well, not quite fully green, but on Bruce trail Day this bright and warm, the hot dogs were juicy, the pumpkin year – Oct 2nd – the fall colouring, thanks to almost cake with real butter icing was still delicious. endless warm weather, except for the cloudy Also, we were still able to introduce about 100 park- threatening morning on the day, was not far advanced, goers to the trail, and to escort some groups and and perhaps this contributed to a lighter-than-usual individuals through the park, gently recruiting turnout for the Dufferin festivities at Mono Cliffs members all the way. And we sold some t-shirts. Park. page 2 Trail Tech Boyne Valley Outdoor School to be Reactivated On Bruce Trail day, children bang away at a boardwalk with hammers and nails. Some of us can’t remember They sold some of the land to us, but could not find a using anything but a battery-powered screwdriver on a buyer for the rest. Consequently, the Toronto District bridge. School Board has decided to put the old Boyne River Outdoor Education Centre back on the list of active Some old bridges were planks between banks. Dufferin schools. has 25 - 35 - 40 foot bridges with stringers the size of telephone poles. According to the Board’s Capital Budget Plan, “this site offers an unmatched natural learning environment and We once cut grass with a line trimmer or a gas exceptional range for culturally enriched programming lawnmower. Now we have a monster two-wheeled opportunities that will comprehensively address the weed whacker called, with good reason, a Bearcat. objectives of the Board’s Aboriginal Education Strategy Once, a newsletter might have one black and white to increase knowledge and appreciation of Aboriginal experiences, values and cultures among all TDSB photograph. Electronic newsletters have all the pictures students and staff.” in colour. Blazing once needed paint, brush and template. Now No timetable or date for reactivation of the facility has we use aluminum with baked-on enamel, a hammer and yet been made available. nails. Tony Hopkins Dufferin Hi-Land display at Bruce Trail Annual General Meeting Hike Director’s Report The new “Side-to-Side” Series of hikes will include all of the side trails in the Dufferin Hi-Land section. In this newsletter check out the first 3 hikes, which are scheduled for April 9, 23 and 30. These will cover the side trails in and around Mono Cliffs Park with Splitrock Narrows as an added feature. Mono Cliffs Park offers many significant geological and biological resources including cliffs, outliers, caves, kettle lakes and more. On the first hike, you will walk along Jacob's Ladder, a natural cleft in the rock where rare ferns cling to the cool dark rock. On the second hike, you will picnic at McCarston’s Lake, a kettle lake left behind by retreating glaciers. On the third hike, you will climb to a lookout where on a clear day you can see the CN Tower beyond the beauty of the mixed forests below. Splitrock Narrows, north of Mono Cliffs Park is an added feature of this hike. You will see rocky outliers, steep cliffs, long views, a glacial spillway, and an impressive crevice system along the Niagara Escarpment brow. These hikes will appeal to new hikers looking for challenges, families, teens, school groups, amateur geologists, camera buffs…and you! For more info, see out website dufferinbrucetrailclub.org or contact Karen Franchitti [email protected] 705-890-2954 or Margery Cruise [email protected] 519-217- 5414. Returning in 2017 is our Winter Badge series. This series includes 4 hikes, 2 day time and 2 under the full moon. Hopefully we will be on snowshoes enjoying the beauty of the woods and hills of Dufferin County, basking in the bright light of a full moon and tackling the mighty snow drift that forms at the lip of Black Bank hill. Also returning are the popular Dundas Valley Waterfall hike and Quadzilla, Dufferin’s spring boot camp for the most hardy hikers. Check out the hike schedule in this newsletter for all this, our ever-popular Tuesday hikes and much, much more. Les Babbage, Hike Director page 4 Publicity Report From the President The club showed the flag – and the new banner designed Another year is almost gone. What a year! by Jim Preyde – along with table displays at the Orangeville Fall fair over the labour Day weekend, and In September our club hosted the Bruce Trail at the Island Lake Run in the Island Lake Conservation Conservancy Annual General Meeting in Mono Area. The display table was, of course, set up in the Centre. Mono Cliffs parking lot for Bruce Trail day. It was a resounding success, thanks to the We are going to purchase some brochure holders to dedicated club volunteers who put forth a huge leave – filled and re-stocked with club brochures – with effort to plan, organize, and do the work. local businesses. Your efforts showcased many unique, positive, and Sales of logo-bearing items are going well. Both gold creative people in our community. and green T-shirts are almost all gone. Both have been profitable ventures for the club. Sales of Buffs (cloth Hats off to all those enthusiastic and committed tubes adaptable as headgear, sweatband, neck warmer), members of the Dufferin Hi-Land Club have already more than covered the cost of manufacture; there are fewer than four dozen left. Blue t-shirts are As we enjoyed our fabulous fall colours, we all selling, but have not yet recovered their cost. As sales reflected on what a tranquil and peaceful part of the continue, they will, like the green and the gold, be world we call home. We are truly fortunate. money-makers for the club. To all Club members and fellow hikers – have a As part of the sponsorship agreements supporting the happy holiday season. club AGM, the next two issues of the newsletter will carry advertisements from several of our sponsors. Carl Alexander, President Margery Cruse, Publicity Director 2016 Bruce Trail Annual Meeting The last BTC AGM held in Dufferin, in 2007, was the Conservancy to more closely resemble a noteworthy for the decision of the Bruce Trail commercial corporation. Association –after some controversy and debate – to In line with those changes, the Conservancy now change the name of the organization to the Bruce seeks to have some board directors with service and Trail Conservancy. experience profiles closer to those found among This 2016 AGM held at Mono Centre, although much members of corporation boards. less controversial, did contain evidence of BTC Also, even though in-house fundraising for land evolution. In general, membership is up, the number purchases have been quite successful, the of active volunteers is up, the Conservancy has bright Conservancy, in order to attract major private new offices in Dundas, property acquisition continues donations in a sustained way, will engage a apace. professional fundraising company to place BTC In particular, the AGM approved by-law changes, in fundraising on a par with large institutional donation part as a consequence of new legislation, re-orienting programs. The Saturday bar at the A.G.M. Les Babbage serving Ralf Wroblewski page 7 Caledon Hills members, winners of the Lloyd Smith hiking stick, 2016 President Warren Bell addressing the AGM George Willis trophy winner (youngest hiker) page 8 Final Report on the 2016 A. G. M. by Carol Foley The 2016 AGM of the BTC hosted by Dufferin Hi- (thanks to Bryan Foley), a store that was successful Lands Bruce Trail Club was an overwhelming in selling shirts, buffs and albums (thanks to success! Feedback from the BTC executive and Margery Cruise). other attendees has been very positive. Our final balance sheet shows a profit of $7,377.87! The Bar was well stocked, but leftovers were not an issue as all were returned to vendor or a donation The financial success was due to the tireless efforts was made to the club to take them off our hands. of the committee members who worked to limit The wine was returned to the BTC. Thank you to expenses (beautiful natural flower table bouquets, James, Jim and Peter for keeping us in good spirits. food donations etc.), obtain sponsors, and share talents, and of course, to the hugely successful Sunday hikes were fun and diverse. Everyone silent auction expertly organized by Donna Powell! arrived back in approximate time for the (bringing in $4294.). presentations, and we even had a ‘Youngest Member Award’. In fact, it may have been the The Friday night event with live entertainment by youngest recipient of the ‘Youngest Member our own Carl Tafel was brilliant. The live artist Award’ on record! Thanks to Les Babbage for was a huge success The display of appetizers organizing an interesting choice of hikes. presented by Barbara Songzoni, Glenys Williams, Ruth Little and crew was commented on by Peter Blackmere and Georgina Shelton kept us on everyone for the diversity of treats and attractive track with budget and finances. All in all, we had a presentation. fantastic team of enthusiastic and hard working volunteers that presented an enjoyable and The set up of the room from one arrangement to profitable AGM. another and then another seemed to happen effortlessly, due to the calculated planning by Brian Cornfield and his crew. The business meeting ran smoothly, with audio equipment and set up working as required.