Waterfront Trail - Along the Canadian Shores of Lake Ontario

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Waterfront Trail and Greenway News

An Ezine Produced by the Waterfront Regeneration Trust

COIP*The waterfront municipalities of Lake Ontario and the St. Lawrence River, conservation authorities and community groups* MapArt* Dun-Map*Regional Niagara Bicycling Committee* The MMM Group* Heart and Strok Foundation* Mountain Equipment Co-op* Toronto Cyclists Union

September 2008

In this issue:

  • Thanks for and Excellent Partners Meeting
  • Showcase Your Waterfront Projects on the Waterfront Trail Website
  • Rain and Shine: the Waterfront Trail was the Highlight of GO-by-Bike to Ajax!
  • Opening of the Spadina Wave Deck
  • Waterfront Property in Grimsby Sold to Developer
  • David Crombie Supports Oshawa's Harbour Vision

Upcoming Conferences and Community Events

  • Balls Falls Thanksgiving Festival


THANKS FOR AN EXCELLENT PARTNERS MEETING
 
Thanks to everyone who came out to the 2008 Waterfront Trail Partners Meeting on September 25th. It was a beautiful sunny day and we couldn’t have asked for a more perfect spot than the Rotary Park Pavillion, with its location just feet from the trail and its huge floor to ceiling windows which offered stunning views of the lake (thanks to the Town of Ajax for providing the location). The meeting was very productive and all of your input and feedback was very helpful for us as we move forward with the planning of second annual Great Waterfront Trail Adventure. The Trust would like to extend a big thank you to our excellent speakers, Sharon Brodovsky, Tracey Desjardins and Lynette Mader for their insightful presentations.
 
For those that were unable to attend, we will be posting a conference wrap-up on our website before the end of the week which will provide an overview of the topics discussed. We will also be posting the results of the table discussions as well as the slides from the speaker presentations.
 
 
2009 Great Waterfront Trail Adventure
 
The Trust took the opportunity to unveil the theme of next year’s tour: coastal wetlands. We look forward to working closely with Ducks Unlimited to integrate this fascinating and important theme into next year’s itinerary.
 
 
Waterfront Investment Program – Phase II
 
While much of the meeting focused on the Great Waterfront Trail Adventure tour, an important topic on the agenda for the afternoon session was the Waterfront Investment Program – Phase II. With the completion of the highly successful COIP program this year, the Trust is busy compiling a new portfolio of projects to include in the next application for infrastructure funding.  We will be sending an email out next week with more details, including timelines and eligibility requirements. If you would like to receive more information and have not already spoken with us, please contact Marlaine Koehler at mk@wrtrust.com.
 
 
SHOWCASE YOUR WATERFRONT PROJECTS ON THE WATERFRONT TRAIL WEBSITE
 
The Trust is revamping the “Projects” page on our website to showcase the local initiatives being undertaken in waterfront communities along the Trail. We frequently receive emails from residents asking about projects in their communities or other communities along the waterfront and we see the “Projects” page becoming a handy and attractive resource for them. The page will promote your projects and help build excitement around the waterfront by giving people a broad view of all of the amazing projects currently underway. We will be sure to clearly indicate the organization(s) doing the work and provide contacts or links to your web pages (if applicable) where people can find out more.
 
If you have a recent, ongoing or future waterfront project that you would like featured on the website, please forward the information to David Arcus, Project Coordinator at da@wrtrust.com. Pictures and graphics are great if you have them.
 
 
RAIN AND SHINE: THE WATERFRONT TRAIL WAS THE HIGHLIGHT OF GO-BY-BIKE TO AJAX!
 
From: Donald Wiedman, Founder, GO-By-Bike
 
The Waterfront Trail was front and centre, and very much appreciated, during this summer’s “GO-by-Bike to Ajax” project by cycling and transit advocate Donald Wiedman, in partnership with GO Transit, City of Toronto, Town of Ajax, Waterfront Regeneration Trust, Trans Canada Trail, Durham Tourism and Toronto & Region Conservation Authority.
 
The active living, green transportation and local tourism pilot project invited cyclists across the GTA to get on the GO Train any Sunday between June 1 and August 17. Getting off at the Ajax GO Station, they were welcomed by a greeter and directed south then west along the Waterfront Trail between Ajax, Pickering and Scarborough. The ride ended conveniently at GO’s waterfront Rouge Hill train station.

Despite the GTA’s wettest summer on record, including only two consecutive sunny Sundays throughout the project, some 120 riders came out by train and enjoyed what Donald (then and still) touts as the most spectacular 15 kilometre bike ride anywhere!

The GO-by-Bike.ca website also had over 5000 visits and 3000 unique visitors. Over 160 cycling enthusiasts also got the message by joining The GO-by-Bike Club on Facebook. And, in order to spend more time exploring downtown Toronto, a handful of Great Waterfront Adventure Tour folks “took it easy” and took the GO Train on Day 4 from Union Station to lunch in Ajax.

The project now complete, discussions with GO Transit will begin soon for possible GO-by-Bike 2009 scenarios. Donald Wiedman is also evolving the GO-by-Bike pilot website to the new, wider serving www.BikesandTransit.com.
 
 
OPENING OF SPADINA WAVE DECK IN TORONTO
 
From: Waterfront Toronto
 
The Spadina WaveDeck, the first of a series of unique public gateways along the central waterfront in Toronto, officially opened on September 12. The new wavedeck will be a gateway to the waterfront and provide public space at a site which was previously a pinch point on the waterfront. This project is the first step towards the implementation of the West 8 + DTAH award winning international design for the central waterfront, which spans 3km’s from Bathurst Street to Parliament Street.
 
Construction activities over the last ten months have included dockwall repairs, in-water fisheries habitat construction, the installation of the new wavedeck and landscape improvements. Later this fall, construction is expected to begin on additional wavedecks at Rees and Simcoe streets.
 
For more information please visit www.waterfrontoronto.ca and click on “Projects” then “Parks and Public Realm.”
 
Thanks to Waterfront Toronto for proving us with this announcement.
 
 
WATERFRONT PROPERTY IN GRIMSBY SOLD TO DEVELOPER
 
The Friends of Grimsby brought this issue to our attention. Place Polonaise, a 17-acre waterfront property and one of the last remaining parcels of land where the town could take parkland, was sold recently to a local developer. While the plans for the property have not yet been disclosed, Mayor Bentley of Grimsby has said that he will seek to negotiate with the developer to secure a Waterfront Trail on the property. To find out more, please follow the link below, which connects to an article in NiagaraThisWeek:
 
http://www.niagarathisweek.com/news/article/205938
 
 
DAVID CROMBIE SUPPORTS OSHAWA’S HARBOUR VISION
 
On September 12, 2007, David Crombie, Founding Chair of the Board for the Waterfront Regeneration Trust, was appointed by the federal government to meet with community stakeholders and prepare a report on the future of Oshawa's harbour. The City presented a harbour vision to Mr. Crombie and urged him to support a modern, progressive direction for Oshawa's harbour.
 
Mr. Crombie submitted his report to the federal government in February 2008, which has just been released publicly. The report and its recommendations confirm and support the City's vision.
 
The City of Oshawa is continuing a grassroots community campaign to impress upon the federal government the significance of funding and implementing David Crombie's recommendations.  To find out more, please call 905-436-5686 or e-mail ourharbour@oshawa.ca.
 
 
UPCOMING CONFERENCES AND COMMUNITY EVENTS:
 
BALLS FALLS THANKSGIVING FESTIVAL
 
Dates: October 10-13, 2008
Time: 10 a.m.-5 p.m. daily
Location: Balls Falls Conservation Area
 
Join the Niagara Peninsula Conservation Authority for the 34th Annual Ball's Falls Thanksgiving Festival. There will be over 140 juried artisans featured, a gourmet food tent, live entertainment, children's entertainment and activities, heritage demonstrations and an assortment of food and beverages. There will be courtesy shuttle buses to and from the parking lot and a courtesy parcel check. Admission is $6 per person, children under 14 are FREE when accompanied by an adult and on Friday, Oct. 10th seniors pay only $3.00. Purchase a weekend pass of $12 and enjoy access all weekend long! FREE PARKING


Cheers!

Marlaine Koehler, Executive Director;
Vicki Barron, Director of Administration and Special Projects;
Petrina Tulissi, Manager of Promotions and Events;
Ian Lobb, Tour Director, Great Waterfront Trail Adventure Tour; and
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!:

 

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