Newsletter October 2018

Trail Talk

Wow, we have done a TON of STUFF over the last ten years. I hesitate to call it work because sometimes it’s too much fun! This issue of our newsletter is a walk (or bike ride) down memory lane as we look back at some of our activities and the many community groups and members we have partnered with over the years.

• Trail Fest event with Rotary Club of Norfolk Sunrise – 2010
• World Health Day / Open Streets in Port Dover with local businesses, Board of Trade, OPP, Roads Division – 2010
• Open Streets Simcoe with local businesses and Downtown Simcoe BIA – 2011
• Mind * Body * Spirit Wellness Fair
• Alzheimer Society of Haldimand Norfolk walk and bike event – 2012
• Norfolk General Hospital Health & Wellness Event – 2013
• Norfolk County’s Accessibility event – 2014
• Two Wheeled Tourist seminar with tourism divisions of Haldimand and Norfolk counties, Southwest Ontario Tourism Corporation – 2014
• Backus Mills Earth Day event – 2016
• APPLE Health Fair for Norfolk County employees – annually
• Trail walk partnership with St. Williams Conservation Reserve Community Council – 2018
• Squeaky Wheel Community Bike Fair with BachmannLaw, The Personal Injury Group, Ontario’s South Coast Bicycles and Tours Inc., Elevation Mountain Bike Camps and Coaching, Red Apple Rides, Church Out Serving, Lynn Valley Trail Association, Community Services Division, Haldimand-Norfolk Health Unit

See what I mean!? Let’s see what the next 10 years bring!

Submitted by: Michele Crowley, Haldimand-Norfolk Health Unit

Pathways for People volunteers, past and present, attended Norfolk Council on July 3rd to receive a certificate of recognition for ten years of promoting active transportation.

Mark Your Calendars!

Our next trail event is on Sunday, October 21st in Waterford. Meet us at the silos at the west end of Nichol St.

Walkers are invited afterwards to the Waterford Heritage & Agricultural Museum for refreshments and a tour of their latest exhibits! 2pm start. See you there!

MPP Toby Barrett

In response to our letter to MPP Toby Barrett, Pathways for People members Gordon Mason, Dave Cameron and Frank Woodcock were granted a meeting on September 5th.

The meeting provided an opportunity to outline the activities of Pathways for People and to discuss provincial initiatives with a local impact such as Share the Road, Ontario by Bike, the Great Lakes Waterfront Trail, and our Bicycle Friendly Community application. We also used this occasion to ask about the future of CycleON 2.0, a program of the previous government. MPP Barrett’s staff will be looking into this item.

Another important topic for discussion was the 2016 Active Transportation Strategy, a living document being implemented by Norfolk County’s Public Works Division through capital projects that include paved shoulders, bike route signage, sharrows, etc. as recommended. We pointed out that a number of road cycling routes cross provincial highways and requested that infrastructure to protect cyclists be incorporated into future construction. MPP Barrett suggested a letter to the Minister of Transportation so we are following up on that task.

On the topic of protecting cyclists, MPP Barrett mentioned an initiative from a few years back whereby reflective vests were supplied to migrant workers who often ride bikes for transportation. Pathways members agreed to revisit this venture. Attendees agreed this was an informative and productive meeting.

Submitted by Gord Mason, Chair P4P

Waterford Heritage Trail

P4P is 10 years old and as a founding member I’ve gone down memory lane to my first P4P newsletter submission. As you will read, the WHT has come a long way.

It has been another successful year for the Waterford Heritage Trail thanks to all our members and supporters. Vergeer Golf did an excellent job on the trail from the Waterford Ponds to the Brant Waterways Trail at Jenkins Road. We are very pleased with the volume of traffic and positive comments from those enjoying the trail.

We are now poised to transform the Waterford High Level Bridge. An engineering study, paid for by the Trans Canada Trail, shows that the bridge only needs minor repairs to make it safe for pedestrian and cycle traffic. Vallee engineers are preparing drawings for the next phase. Depending on costs and available funding, we could be looking over the Waterford Ponds this spring.

And in other good news, by spring, the Thompson Road Bridge could be upgraded to allow for cycle and pedestrian traffic.  Norfolk County is looking at surfacing and fencing the bridge which will safely link that section of the trail.

We have met the terms of our Ontario Trillium Foundation grant and are now seeking funding for our bridge projects. If you have any suggestions of donors we should approach, please advise us. Many thanks to Ontario Trillium Foundation, Norfolk Community Foundation, Waterford Lions and our members for making all this happen.

Submitted by Frank Woodcock

Turkey Point Mountain Bike Club

Congratulations P4P on 10 years of community service.  The Turkey Point Mountain Bike Club is proud to be an original member of P4P and very thankful for the role the organization has played in promoting Active Transportation in Norfolk County. Writing an article on 10 years of activity has forced me to review old and nostalgic articles and realize what a great ride it has been for TPMBC. This newsletter has become a great communicating platform for the club and our members enjoy reading about other trail activities in Norfolk.

The club had its first membership drive meeting on June 1st, 2011 and 52 local mountain bikers showed up and expressed interest in forming a club. Membership fees were set at $35 per year and plans were made to expand the existing 23kms of trails.

In 2012, we applied for and received a $30,000 Ontario Trillium Grant to build a website, purchase equipment, hire contractors for big jobs, erect bridges, and install proper signage and maps. The money helped but the projects were successful thanks to 1600 hours of volunteer labour. In 2014, after a two year ‘rest’, 25 volunteers provided 600 hours of labour to develop trails on the old Charlotteville dump property on Concession Road 2.

The club has grown from 52 original members to 527; half of which are local and half are from neighbouring cities. Roughly 8000 users ride, hike, jog or walk their dogs on the trails annually.

Here are a few more accomplishments to date:

• Network Expansion – TPMBC now has 80kms of single track trails and agreements with eight different land owners in the Turkey Point area, covering 2500 acres of land.
• LOST (Ladies On Single Track) – When our club started we had two female members. We now have 120 women who comprise roughly 25% of our membership. 77 of those riders belong to LOST and on most club ride nights, the female riders far outnumber the male riders.
• 10 Year Strategic Plan – In 2015 TPMBC developed a strategic plan complete with mission statement, vision statement and a trail code of conduct for users.
• Emergency Action Plan –Thanks to certified EMT members, we now have a plan in place in case we need to extract injured riders from the vast trail network.
• Corporate Sponsorship – The club has forged advertising partnerships with many bicycle shops and local businesses. The club is a partner of Norfolk Tourism.
• Challenges for future – The club needs to continue to improve trail infrastructure and maintain good relationships with current and prospective land owners. TPMBC’s biggest challenge is maintaining membership levels and encouraging new volunteers to step forward and help manage the existing network for the future.

Submitted by Rob Luke, TPMBC President

Lynn Valley Trail Association

The Lynn Valley Trail Association was once again a sponsor of the Junior Fair at the Norfolk County Fair and Horse Show this October. Three divisions specifically highlighting the Trail were created for youth ages 5 to 8, 9 to 12 and 13 to 17. Congratulations to all!

Division 1

Division 2

Division 3