the grand by pedal and paddle...adrian o driscoll and his son joe accompanied the schneiders on the...
TRANSCRIPT
THE GRAND STRATEGY NEWSLETTER VOLUME 5, NUMBER 5 - MAY/JUNE 2000
Grand RiverConservation
Authority
The Grand:A Canadian
Heritage River
l See page 2
THE GRAND BY PEDAL AND PADDLE
FeatureThe Grand by Pedal and
Paddle 1
MilestonesForest Plan Workshop 3
What�s Happening?A Canadian Dream 3
Grand Relay Routes 4
Sustainable Community
Symposium 4
Doon Crossroads 4
Now AvailableVertical Reacher 5
Haldimand-Norfolk
Cycling Map 5
Look Who�s TakingActionSilt to Silver 5
Beer Store Earth Day 6
Trees for Guelph 6
Guelph Community
Boating Club 6
Sunoco Earth Day 6
William Wilson 7
Brantford Northwest
Pedestrian Bridge 7
Did You Know? 7
Calendar 8
by Dan Schneider, Grand River Conservation Authority
Cover photoAdrian O�Driscoll and his
son Joe accompanied the
Schneiders on the canoe
trip described in this
month�s feature article.
�I want to bike!� said my seven-year olddaughter. �I want to canoe!� said my nine-yearold daughter. So we did both.
Biking was the first adventure. And weatherwas our first challenge. After a March repletewith resplendent, balmy, summer-like days, Iconfidently set the biking date for the firstweekend in April. On the eve of our adventure,it snowed.
Undeterred, Sophie and I chose a section ofthe Cambridge to Paris Rail Trail as our route.Early spring sun had melted the snow, and weset off along the trail at Glen Morris in highspirits. At least, I thought, we would have thetrail to ourselves this frigid morning.
Within ten minutes, we were passed by over500 cyclists, all taking part in a cross-countryrace starting at Adventures on the Grand. Butwe didn�t mind the assault, and my daughterSophie began to enjoy the spectacle of grim,bespattered racers grunting past. �Why do theyhave numbers on their bikes, Daddy?� �Why
are they so dirty, Daddy?�Soon enough, we were left in peace. We
rolled through tranquil woodlands - through isadvisedly chosen, because you feel immersed innature on rail trails. We pedalled through wavesof spring smells, the sweet smell of balsampoplar buds, the damp organic smell of wetspring leaves, the fresh watery smell of theGrand River. We rolled through the sounds ofspring, the plaintive whistling of chickadees, thecheerful chatter of a song sparrow, the chucklingof rapids on the Grand.
Considering the snow had just melted, thetrail was remarkably dry, posing no problems formy narrow, street-type wheels. The raised bed ofthe former Lake Erie and Northern Railroadprovided some great views down towards theriver.
Teeth chattering, we (well, OK, it was just mewho was cold, Sophie was fine in her snowsuitand boots) admired the beautiful vista at theMurray overlook.
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2 SHARE THE RESOURCES - SHARE THE RESPONSIBILITY
PEDAL AND PADDLEfrom page one
Turkey vultures soared low in thestrong wind, eyeing us hopefully, Ithought, to see if we might perishbefore we made Paris. Farther along, Ispied wild leeks poking through thewoodland leaves. We stopped for aquick snack. We both enjoyed thestrong onion flavour before I realizedthat we were meeting folk in Paris andwe were unequipped, breathmint-wise.
Back on our trusty metal steeds, weresumed our trek towards Paris. Alongwith a few other recreational bikers, weoccasionally passed hikers and joggers,all enjoying the rail trail in earlyspring. All too soon we rolled intoParis. This peaceful, sleepy town,perched between the Grand and NithRivers, seemed like a seething me-tropolis compared to the rail trail.
Sophie felt seven-year old pride inour bike trek, and I felt the glow of ajust-completed family adventure innature. Next time, we�ll try othersections, or the whole trail fromCambridge to Brantford. At just over30 kilometres long, it�s a good dayexcursion. I�m looking forward totackling the even longer, Elora Cata-ract Trailway or the Brantford toHamilton Rail Trail.
A week later, I found myself driftingdownstream from Cambridge towardsGlen Morris. The Grand was chuggingalong at a good pace, but with ourcurrent drought conditions, muchslower than during normal April flows.
Our canoe�s crew (consisting of mynine-year old daughter, Kiera, and mytwelve-year old niece, Mara) reallyenjoyed the lesson in river canoeing.Reading the water became a funchallenge for them, and they soonbecame experts at spotting the surfaceturbulence created by rocks that lurkedjust underwater. �Rock straight ahead,�they would chorus, �go starboard!� As Iexpected, we did scrape at times, butwith a canoe as blemished as an old
hockey player�s face, I wasn�t going toworry about a few more scratches.Occasional small rapids were exhilarat-ing, and required no special white-watercanoeing skills (although I wouldn�twant to drift through them sideways).Cambridge to Glen Morris is a kid-friendly section that avoids a morechallenging rapids section just down-stream.
Along the way, we were constantlyentertained by the river�s abundantwildlife. Canada Geese honked andsplashed out of our way, while othershunched quietly on nests along the shore.Mallards were everywhere, and weoccasionally scared up some moreunusual ducks, including four beautifulblack-and-white bufflehead males thatwhirred away like little wind-up helicop-ters. I was surprised to discover a hugemute swan standing guard on theriverbank; beside him, his mate nestledcomfortably on a clutch of eggs. Once,we drifted past a Great Blue Heron,hunched Quasimodo fashion on a hugeblack willow.
Between the many wildlife highlights,
we enjoyed drifting past beautifulscenery. From Cambridge to Paris, theGrand passes through Carolinianforest, a rare type of southern Ontariowoodland that thrives in the Grand�ssheltered valley. Often, we steered closeto shore, looking in among the trees tospot early spring wildflowers. At theforest-river edge, Kiera spotted amuskrat, mouth full of grass for itsnest, before it slipped into the waterand dived.
Hardly after we set off from Cam-bridge, it seemed, our take-out point atGlen Morris was in sight. But even thisshort, two-hour, river cruise gave us anew look at the Grand valley. Moreused to canoeing our northern lakes, Ifelt great having experienced a river inour own back yard. My crew of twohardened voyageurs also agreed it wasan awesome day. We�ll do it again.
If you go:The book, Canoeing the Grand, is animportant resource, with good mapsand information about different sec-tions of the river. It is available fromthe GRCA (see address on page 8) or
There are many ways to enjoy the Grand River. These students are taking part in ariver expedition on the Grand as part of a day camp experience through Apps� MillNature Centre, Brantford. Some local outfitters now provide public rafting outings.
3
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GRAND ACTIONS May/June 2000 .
Milestones are progress or products ofThe Grand Strategy Joint Work Plan.
MILESTONES
local bookstores and outfitters.Brochures describing all the GRCARail Trails are also available at theGRCA headquarters. Stay a gooddistance away from dams, even smallones - the currents above and belowthe dam can be extremely dangerous.
Dan Schneider is a GRCA ResourceInterpreter. He is a well-known natureand travel writer and especially enjoysintroducing children to nature.
Forest Plan Workshop aSuccessOn April 1st, 51 people gave up abeckoning, spring Saturday to attend aworkshop and show their support andenthusiasm for the proposed GrandRiver Watershed Forest Plan. Therewas general agreement that the onlyway for a plan of this nature tosucceed is to build it from the groundup, a plan written by the communityfor the community.
Virgil Martin, from the RegionalMunicipality of Waterloo, focused onthe Historical Perspectives and Valuesof the Grand River Forest includingseveral photos showing forest andland use changes in the last 140 years.Dwight Boyd, a Senior Water Re-sources Engineer with the GRCA,gave an educational presentation onthe effects of forests on the hydrologyof the Grand River watershed. Severalother speakers presented topicsranging from the values of communityparticipation to lessons learned fromother successful projects. The after-noon allowed the participants time tohave open discussions and ask ques-tions of staff and presenters. Progresswas made towards defining the role ofthe plan in relation to the sustainable
future of the watershed, developing amission statement for the plan, settinggoals and strategies and deciding whatsteps the group would take next.
There is no doubt that the forests ofthe Grand River watershed play a vitalrole in many aspects of managing naturalresources. They provide ground waterrecharge areas for aquifers, supply aneconomic base for many watershedresidents and are home to a staggeringvariety of plant and animal life. Re-sponse to the plan so far indicates thatthere is no shortage of optimism thatsomething can be done to ensure a fittingforest legacy for the future, and that thewatershed communities have the willing-ness to do it. For more informationcontact Jason Culp, Watershed ForestSpecialist, at (519) 621-2761 ext.295, orby e-mail at [email protected]
WHAT�SHAPPENING?
Celebrate a CanadianDreamImagine stepping onto a trail in yourcommunity and knowing that if you keepwalking, you�ll end up on the shores ofthe Pacific, Arctic or Atlantic Oceans.This dream is becoming a reality as theworld�s longest recreational trail � theTrans Canada Trail nears completion.
As it winds its way through the heartof the Grand River watershed, the TransCanada Trail will link the communities
of the Grand with each other and therest of the country. Much of the trailwill be alongside the Grand River, andtrail users will experience the Grand�sdistinctive heritage and beauty as theypass through floodplains, wetlands,Carolinian forests, rare prairiegrasslands, lush countryside, andvibrant urban centres.
The Trail brings us one step closerto achieving the vision in The GrandStrategy for Managing the Grand as aCanadian Heritage River (1994) of anetwork of interconnecting trails toattract increasing numbers ofvacationers to the Grand Riverwatershed.
Between February and September2000, the official inauguration of theTrans Canada Trail will be celebratedwith the Trans Canada Relay 2000,hosted by communities throughoutCanada. You can learn more about theTrans Canada Trail at www.tctrail.ca
Over 5,000 Canadians will carrywater drawn from the Pacific, Arcticand Atlantic Oceans along the 16 100kilometre route while cycling, hiking,cross-country skiing, snowmobiling orhorseback riding. Special communityevents will be held along the route.
The Relay culminates on Septem-ber 9th, 2000, in the National CapitalRegion where the waters will besymbolically joined in a newly-createdTrans Canada Trail Fountain.
In the Grand River watershed,celebrations are being planned alongthe relay route between August 14th
and August 20th. On these days, therelay will wind across the GrandRiver watershed from three directions,(north, west and south), with carrierstransporting water from the Arcticand Pacific Oceans.
Relay 2000 is a once-in-a-lifetimeopportunity to celebrate our greatCanadian Dream come true. Getinvolved � be a part of history. Jointhe celebrations in your community.
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4 SHARE THE RESOURCES - SHARE THE RESPONSIBILITY
Grand Relay RoutesOn August 14th, the Trans Canada
Relay 2000 will enter the Grand Riverwatershed from the northeast nearHillsburgh and will proceed along theElora Cataract Trailway to Belwood.On August 15th, it will extend fromBelwood to Elora, and the next daywill move from Elora to Guelph, andthen to Elmira. The relay will passthrough the Region of Waterloo andthe County of Brant along the Cam-bridge to Paris Rail Trail on August17th and 18th and enter the City ofBrantford on the 19th. At the sametime, the relay will be entering thewatershed on August 18th at Oaklandand will go through Mt. Pleasant onAugust 19th to join up with the relaycoming from the north at Brantford.On August 20th, the relay will movealong the Hamilton to Brantford RailTrail into the Dundas Valley.
In the south end of the watershed,the relay will pass through Dunnvilleand Caledonia on August 20th . Thefollowing day, the relay will com-mence from Caledonia and willconverge with the route fromBrantford at Hamilton Harbour. Formore information regarding specificcommunity events, call your localmunicipal office.
Sustainable CommunitySymposiumOn Saturday, April 1st, approximately100 people gathered at the OrangevilleConvention Centre to explore needsand challenges relating to social,environment, heritage and economicissues � the four pillars for sustainablecommunities. The symposium wasconceived as the start of a communitybuilding exercise to increase thesharing of information such as infra-structure expertise and skills. Hostedby Environment Canada and theCounty of Dufferin, the event featuredspeakers presenting information
around four key themes including:1. Atmospheric Hazards, Community
Safety and Public Participation2. Social Values and Evolving Issues3. Environment, Agriculture and Eco-
nomic Futures and,4. Natural Heritage, Conservation,
Recreation, Education and Commu-nity.Keeping the headwaters area healthy
is particularly important for residents ofsouthern Ontario and the Grand Riverwatershed as it is the source area for fivemajor Ontario Rivers including theGrand, Maitland, Saugeen, Nottawassagaand the Credit. We applaud the Countyof Dufferin in initiating this communityprocess and for setting an example forother watershed communities in promot-ing sustainability.
Doon Heritage CrossroadsDoon Heritage Crossroads, the sixty-acreliving history museum in Kitchener, hasranked number one is a recent assess-ment of more than 200 communitymuseums in Ontario. The assessmentwas part of the annual CommunityMuseum Operating Grant Program
administered and funded by theOntario Ministry of Citizenship,Culture and Recreation.
Museums were evaluated on theirability to meet a number of museumoperating standards in such areas asresearch, artifact collection records,staff training, exhibits, public interpre-tation, education programs andconservation of the collection.
Doon Heritage Crossroads cel-ebrates life in a re-created WaterlooCounty village in the early 1900s, inaddition to preserving objects from theRegion�s history. The Region ofWaterloo assumed ownership of thevillage from the GRCA in 1983. Overthe years there has been a steadyexpansion of services includingwheelchair accessibility to most of thebuildings. Each year the non-profitsite hosts over 40,000 visitors from theRegion and all over the world. Specialevents and celebrations allow visitorsto feel part of the past and take part inhands-on activities and re-creations ofholiday customs. Doon HeritageCrossroads is open all year. For moreinformation, call (519) 748-1914.
School children outside the Post Office at Doon Heritage Crossroads enjoy achance to dress up and experience a quieter, more simple era.
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5GRAND ACTIONS April 2000 .
Vertical Reacher�Keeping Ontario Beautiful� startswith the our own communities. Springis a time when the environmentally-conscious become involved in cleanupprojects and the restoration of beauty.A new product from R & B Distribu-tion will make this job easier, saferand more appealing to most of us whodo not like to handle garbage.
The Vertical Reacher combinesdexterity for picking up the smallestitems such as cigarette butts and popcan tabs, and strength for liftingwater-logged items like bottles filledwith water. There have been noreported injuries while using theReacher, and even individuals withback problems can participate in acleanup program.
R & B Distribution is a companythat has a strong environmentalinterest. Owners James and BettyMcKinnon�s initial project in 1998was the Wrigley�s Corner Cleanup. In1999, their goal was to encouragecommunity involvement and as aresult there was an inspiring coopera-tion from Heritage Truck Lines Inc. inthe Waterloo Region�s Adopt a RoadProgram. Community involvementcontinued with the contribution of theAyr Boy Scouts in this year�s springclean up of 5.3 kilometres of road fromAyr to Highway 24.
James and Betty used the Reacherfor garbage cleanup since the initialproject, and the simplicity of use andoverwhelming results have promptedthe launch of a campaign for others toexperience the benefits of this product.
The Reacher costs $18.95, with adiscount for orders of 10 or more. Formore information contact James orBetty, R & B Distribution, at 519-632-8240 or 1-888-999-9068, or email:[email protected]
James McKinnon demonstrates theVertical Reacher on a roadside clean up.
NOW AVAILABLE
Ten Years of Silt to Silverby Eleni Turnbull
It seems like only yesterday when arather green group of the new LaurelCreek Citizens� Committee firstgathered at Laurel Creek ConservationArea in Waterloo ten years ago. Ourmission was creek and habitat restora-tion, put the riffles back into LaurelCreek; restore the health of our creeksso that brown trout would once againfeel at home here. A rather loftyambition, but we called ourselves the�Siltbusters�, and as siltbusters, we feltwe had a chance to get it right!
Hardworking bodies, dedicatedsouls, and many hours later, our effortsshowed significant progress. Thiswinter I walked the creek areas wherewe have worked, and I am proud of thevisible improvements. The brown troutare back in Laurel Creek (I saw aschool of at least 40) and enchantingsilvery riffles are a lovely sight to seeand hear.
In our archives we have two videosabout our work, as well as severalphoto albums showing the work sites,and works in progress. Not to mentionthe numerous cheerful and energeticvolunteers who have joined our efforts.It pleases me that we have also becomean outdoor, hands-on learning experi-ence, science-classroom-in-the-creekthat has benefited so many elementaryand high school students.
I wonder who will get the prize thisyear for the most sensational slip, tripand stumble until your chest wadersget soaked. Soaked on the inside, thatis!
For more information about theLaurel Creek Citizens� Committee, orto become a volunteer, please callPauline Richards, at (519) 888-6917.
Haldimand-Norfolk CyclingMapCycling is a healthy, non-polluting wayto see the special beauty of the GrandRiver watershed and neighbouring areas.Eleven recommended cycling routes inHaldimand-Norfold region are shown onan innovative tourist map, Cycling inHaldimand Norfolk.
The pocket-sized map was co-pro-duced by the Haldimand-Norfolk CyclingAdvisory Group and Haldimand-NorfolkEconomic Development with supportfunding from Canada Trust Friends ofthe Environment Foundation. You canorder complimentary copies by calling519-586-TOUR or e-mail:[email protected] Copies are alsoavailable from tourism and municipaloffices throughout the Haldimand-Norfolk region.
LOOK WHO�STAKING ACTION
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6 SHARE THE RESOURCES - SHARE THE RESPONSIBILITY
Brant MPP Dave Levac (centre) helped greet donors at the Earth Day Beer Storepromotion held on April 15th, assisted by Brantford Beer Store employee Dan Kring(left) and student volunteers Gini Beaumont and Jill Kring. Customers at theBrantford store contributed to the $3,200 total raised for local environmental work.
Beer Store Earth DayOn April 15th, thirsty Beer Storecustomers also helped the environ-ment. The Grand River Foundationparticipated in an Earth Day promo-tion with Beer Store patrons at ninelocations in the Grand River water-shed. Customers at these storescontributed their empty bottle returnsto local conservation work. Over$3,200 total was raised for trail andstream rehabilitation work.
Many GRCA staff volunteered theirtime on the day, as well as the volun-teers from Friends of the Grand Riverin Fergus, Elora Cataract TrailwayAssociation in Guelph, and BillThompson and the Lackenbauerfamily in Kitchener.
Trees for GuelphOnce again, Guelph and area studentsare thinking globally and actinglocally.
Trees for Guelph would like tothank everyone involved in thisspring�s tree planting activities.Students from St. James High Schooland Central Public School, Guelph,completed a naturalized plantingalong the Auden Drain with fundingsupport from Shell EnvironmentFund.
Guelph Collegiate VocationInstitute students planted 250 whiteash and sugar maple saplings atStarkey Hill, a popular hiking spotsoutheast of Guelph. Funding for thisproject is through the EnbridgeCommunity Based EnvironmentalCommunity Initiative Program.
Students from RockwayMennonite Collegiate, Kitchenerparticipated in their schoolEnvirothon by planting a variety ofnative trees and shrubs along awalking trail at McNeil ConsumerHealthcare in Guelph. For moreinformation about Trees for Guelphcontact (519) 621-2763, ext. 268.
Guelph Community BoatingClubThe Grand River watershed is blessed notonly with fine river recreation, but alsoseveral large reservoirs. These providenot only flood control for local communi-ties and water for consistent river flow inthe summer, but are also great recreationareas for environmentally-friendlyboaters. Guelph Lake has been home tothe Guelph Community Boating Clubsince 1977. Small sailboats predominatein the Clubs �stable� but canoes, kayaks,sailboards and rowing shells are alsorepresented. The Club�s CooperativeBoating Program makes sailing possiblefor many who enjoy the water but do nothave their own craft. The club has twelvesailboats which are shared by 225 familymembers. The smallest boat in the Co-opprogram is the Optimist Pram, a greatfavourite with children. The most popularboats are capable of carrying two or threepeople.
Thirty different communities aroundGuelph are represented in the 400- strong
membership with about half themembers participating in the rapidly-expanding Cooperative Program.
For more information about theBoating Club, contact the MembershipSecretary, Cassie Henwood, (519) 826-6873, or email [email protected]
Sunoco Earth DayThe Sunoco Earth Day event atSouthwest Optimist Park in Kitchenerwas a great success. On April 29, over250 people turned out to plant 1,000trees and shrubs. Nature crafts, facepainting and other entertainmentmade this a fun day for many families.
The event owes its success to manypartners including Earth Day Canada,Sunoco Inc. and the Suncor EnergyFoundation, the GRCA, City ofKitchener and the Southwest OptimistClub. Thanks to all who organized theevent and to all who participated inthe planting, the future will be greenerand healthier for this part of theGrand River watershed.
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7GRAND ACTIONS April 2000 .
Marlene Hawkins admires the fine jobdone by her grandson Jeffrey McArdle atthe Sunoco Earth Day tree planting inKitchener.
� In 1982, it was estimated that therewere 3,059,000 sites for publicpicnics in the Grand River water-shed.
� The Brant Park and Byng IslandConservation Areas have two of thelargest outdoor swimming pools inOntario.
� The highest recorded temperaturein the Grand River watershed wasat Brantford on July 7, 1988, at38.5°C.
� Water skiing is a common past timeon river stretches above the Caledo-nia Dam and the Dunnville Dam inthe southern part of the river.
� There are about 103 kilometres oftrails registered with the TransCanada Trail that are owned orjointly owned by the GRCA.
� The Trans Canada Trail will be thelongest hiking trail in the world at16 100 kilometres.
� The Trans Canada Trail will enterthe Grand River watershed throughthe Elora Cataract Trailway in thenorth and link the communities ofGuelph, Fergus, Elora, Elmira,Kitchener, Waterloo, Cambridge,Paris, Brantford, Caledonia, andDunnville.
� Tom Longboat (1886-1949), fromthe Six Nations near Brantford, wasthe first Canadian to make hisliving solely from sports. He was anoutstanding Canadian runner whowon the Boston Marathon in 1907,and competed in the 1908 Olym-pics.
� Grand River Country is a jointmarketing initiative of varioustourism organizations and GRCA todraw visitors to the area for a moreextended stay.
� In 1891, West Side Park in Water-loo was created around AbrahamErb�s mill pond. The lake became
William WilsonSince the mid-seventies, WilliamWilson of Cambridge has been observ-ing and recording bird species alongthe Speed and Grand Rivers betweenthe 401 bridge and the Galt Golf andCountry Club, and from Riverside Parkto the river�s confluence. His recordsinclude weekly observations, from1994, along the Linear Trail of theCambridge Riverbank Trail System.
The area at the confluence of theSpeed and the Grand Rivers is recog-nized as a premier winter waterfowlfeeding and resting area in the Regionof Waterloo and acknowledged as anEnvironmentally Sensitive Policy Area(ESPA 36) in the Regional OfficialPolicies Plan. Bill Wilson�s meticu-lously collected records and recom-mendations were used in 1995 todelineate and extend the boundaries ofESPA 36. He has also prepared andrevised regularly a checklist of birdsfor the Riverbank Trail Committee fordistribution to Linear Trail users.
To date, Bill has observed andrecorded 208 species in the checklistarea. Of these, 44 species are known tobreed in the area. His hobby providesnot only fresh air and good exercise,but current and valuable informationon local bird populations.
Although the Wilsons are dedicatedbird watchers and travel to many otherareas at home and abroad, Bill enjoysthe challenge of continual observationof his home turf. He compares hishobby to that of playing the piano. Hishome area provides him with regularpractice and hones his skills for themore exotic areas he visits.
Bill Wilson would like to see birdobservations extended to other sectionsof the Cambridge Riverbank Trail.Trail users with bird identificationskills and an interest in contributing toa database for developing other birdchecklists should contact Bill at (519)653-1274 or email [email protected]
DID YOU KNOW?
l See page 8
Northwest PedestrianBridge BrantfordHikers and residents of the City ofBrantford will both benefit from a newbridge in Brantford. The two-level bridgewill carry both city utilities and pedestri-ans over the Grand River. The lowerdeck carries water and sewer pipes to thenorthwest part of the city. The upperdeck is part of the local trail connectionwith the Trans Canada Trail.
Before construction by the City ofBrantford, the Six Nations of the GrandRiver endorsed the concept and will bepartners in the opening celebrations onJune 17, 2000 at 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Forthe event, vehicle access will be allowedthrough the Blue Circle Aggregatesproperty off Hardy Road. Celebrationswill include a ceremonial tree planting,the blessing of the bridge, and a readingby Mona Staats of the Six Nations. Manyother attractions at the event will includemusic, dancers, canoe rides, and a fourgun salute by the Brant Muzzleloaders.
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8 SHARE THE RESOURCES - SHARE THE RESPONSIBILITY
Publications MailAgreement #1448471
ABOUT THISNEWSLETTERThis newsletter is produced as acommunications tool by the GrandRiver Conservation Authority on behalfof the partners in The Grand Strategy.
This newsletter can be seen (withoutphotographs) on the Internet atwww.grandriver.on.ca/gractndx.html
For information on The GrandStrategyContact Barbara Veale, GRCA,400 Clyde Road, Box 729, CambridgeON N1R 5W6.Phone: (519) 621-2761.Fax: (519) 621-4844Email: [email protected]: http://www.grandriver.on.ca
For newsletter submissionsContact the Editor, Liz Leedham,c/o Barbara Veale at the above address.Newsletter submissions must be madeby the 15th of the month prior topublication, and may be subject toeditorial change. Tax deductibledonations and sponsorships toward thecost of producing this newsletter arealways welcome. Please contactBarbara Veale at (519) 621-2761, ext.274, for more information.
THE GRAND STRATEGY CALENDAR
DID YOU KNOW?from page seven
Cambridge Tour-de-Grand, Annual Cycling Tour, May 28, 2000. Cycleroutes for all abilities. Register for a map, group leader, T-shirt, refreshmentsand sag wagons. Call (519) 740-4681, ext. 4229, for information.
Belwood Lions Club Pike Derby, Belwood Lake, May 27 to 28, 2000. Fordetails on registration contact Gerry Ellen, (519) 843-2990.
Ensuring the Future of Heritage Elms, June 2, 2000, 8:00 a.m. to 4:00p.m. Organized by the Ontario Shade Tree Council and hosted by The Arbo-retum, University of Guelph. Information available at (416) 631-8111.
Flyfishing Forum, Belwood Lake, June 3, 2000. For registration and otherdetails call Larry McGratton, (519) 843-3102.
Caring for Our Land: Stewardship and Conservation in Canada, June 3to 6, 2000, a National Millennium Conference at the University of Guelph.Contact Peter Mitchell, (519) 824-4120, or email [email protected]
21st Annual Speed River Clean-up. June 3, 2000 at 9:30 a.m. Royal CityPark Guelph. For more information call OPIRG-Guelph at (519) 824-2091.
Environment Sustainability Awards, June 8, 2000, at the City Hall, Kitch-ener. Awards will be presented in recognition of environmental innovation inthe Region of Waterloo.
Kiwanis Club Canoe Trek, Sunday, June 11, 2000, Cambridge to Paris,with barbecue and prizes. Kiwanis supply the canoe for $30 adult, $25 child.Cost $20 adult, $15 child, with own canoe. Proceeds to Kiwanis YouthPrograms. For information call Ross McDonald at (519) 622-1628.
Homer Watson House and Gallery, 6th Annual Open House and LawnParty, Doon, Sunday June 11, 12 noon to 4 p.m. Opening of the millenniumshow The Landscapes of Homer Watson. Activities include a celebrity paint-off with Peter Etril Snyder, demonstrations, entertainment and refreshments.For information contact Homer Watson House at (519) 748-4377
Ecological History Walking Tour, Speed River, Sunday June 18, 2000, at1:00 p.m. from the Boathouse Tearoom, Guelph. Official trail head signunveiling with guided tours of the river. For more information contact Brianat OPIRG-Guelph at (519) 824-2091, or email: [email protected]
River Rendezvous 2000, June 23 to 25, at Bingeman Park, Kitchener. Acelebration of rivers sponsored by Ontario Streams. For details call RyanPlummer at (519) 824-4120 or see the website www.riverrendevous.com
International Conference on Climate Change Communications, June 22 to24, 2000, Sheraton Hotel, Kitchener. Topics include stakeholder perceptionsand understanding of climate change, raising awareness and overcomingbarriers to action. Contact Keith Warriner at (519) 888-4567, ext. 3678, forregistration and event details.
Byng Island Grand Pool Opening, Sunday, June 25, 2000, at Byng Island,Dunnville, at 1 p.m. Free pool admission. Park admission applies.
known as Silver Lake and the parkbecame Waterloo Park.
� Waterloo Park was famous in theearly 1900s for its concerts. Underthe leadership of Professor C. F.Thiele, the Waterloo MusicalSociety Band became a well-knownpart of national musical history.
� The Hamilton to Brantford RailTrail is built on the abandonedroadbed of the Toronto Hamiltonand Buffalo Railway, which wasaffectionately known as the �To Helland Back�.