New walking trail reveals heritage of downtown Erin

As published in the Erin Advocate

A self-guided tour of the Victorian architecture in Erin’s historic downtown district is now available, with brochures provided in many local shops.

The Heritage Walking Trail takes less than an hour to complete, starting at the Founding of Erin historical plaque on the east side of Main Street near the West Credit River.

It is a joint project of the Town’s Trails and Heritage Committees, with support from the Wellington County Planning Department.

The brochure has two maps, one of the downtown core from Centre Street to Water Street, and the other showing the network of village trails and greenspaces, from the Elora Cataract Trailway to the Water Tower Trail. It can be downloaded as a PDF file from the Trails section of the Town website.

There are photos and information on 17 points of interest, plus codes that people can scan with their smart phones to get more details on-line. Erin’s mill history is highlighted on a sign at McMillan Park. On the west side of Main Street, the tour diverts to Riverside Park, which has a sign with even more information on local history and natural features.

I have a personal interest in the current project, helping plan it over the last few years with Steve Revell and Bill Dinwoody of the Trails Committee, and doing much of the design, writing and photography. This year, the Heritage Committee got involved and pushed the project to completion, with the support of Chair Jamie Cheyne, Councillor Jeff Duncan, Economic Development Coordinator Bob Cheetham, County Planner Director Gary Cousins and the BIA.

It is all a continuation of work done previously. In 1985, signs were created for downtown shops with historical information on the buildings, and many are still in place. In 1994, the Village of Erin published a Walking Trails brochure, with the help of Tim Inkster of The Porcupine's Quill, identifying the downtown business district as The Heritage Trail.

Trails support the principles of the Wellington County Active Transportation Plan, which encourages people to get out of their cars and get moving under their own power. This is good for fitness, good for the environment, good for local business and good for educating people about heritage and nature. As former trails volunteer Frank Smedley liked to say, “It’s all good.”

For economic development, trails promote a positive image for the Town as a desirable destination. Having a public network, with brochures and signs, gives visitors some well-defined choices.

The network so far includes the Elora Cataract Trailway, the Woollen Mills Trail, the Rotary Trail, the Water Tower Trail and Riverside Park. It could be expanded with a Riverside Boardwalk, a link through the Stanley Park area and a Height of Land trail extending from the water tower.

When we have new housing subdivisions, we should incorporate trails as part of the essential infrastructure. Also, Wellington County’s purchase of land surrounding the Hillsburgh Mill Pond opens up possibilities for a new trail in that area.

A Trails Master Plan would identify the type of trails network the Town wants, and how we can go about building it. Fortunately, planning and promotion of trails has become a key part of Erin’s Economic Development Action Plan, and grant money is being sought to make more progress.

Credit Valley Trail plan gets a burst of energy

As published in Country Routes

After decades of trekking over rough terrain, advocates for a continuous network of trails to connect Orangeville, Caledon and Erin with Lake Ontario are seeing a light at the end of their journey.

The Credit Valley Heritage Society (CVHS) has brought together a consortium of local volunteers and municipal officials to help Credit Valley Conservation (CVC) finish off a footpath concept that has been part of its mandate for 60 years.

More than two thirds of the trails network already exists in various communities, and now tentative preferred routes have been mapped out for linking them together. The Credit Valley Trail will become the main thread in a tapestry of trails throughout the watershed.

It will bring together nature appreciation, fitness, environmental protection, historical awareness and the economic benefits of establishing a brand to attract visitors. Sections of the network will also be suitable for bicycles, horses, strollers, wheelchairs and snowmobiles.

A preliminary overview of the Credit Valley Trail, created by CVC.
The final route has not been determined in some areas.

CVHS is an agency under the Ontario Historical Society, which has advocated for preservation of the Barber Mill on the Credit River near Georgetown. In 2012 they expanded their vision to the whole watershed.

“If we could find a way to promote the cultural and natural resources of the river together, then we could advocate for the conservation and preservation collectively – this is when the vision for a Heritage Tourism Trail was born,” said CVHS Acting Executive Director Susan Robertson, at a meeting of 45 participants at the Alton Mill.

Susan Robertson

“We’re promoting an ethic of care, and in terms of quality of life, this concept promotes sustainable transportation, getting people out of their cars, giving people an alternative – connecting nature with culture and recreation.”

The project is similar to other history-themed routes such as the Shared Path along the Humber River in Toronto and the Laura Secord Legacy Trail from Queenston to Thorold, which focus on “history hidden in the landscape”. Robertson expects the Credit River Trail to be the largest of its kind in Canada.

Deborah Martin-Downs, Chief Administrative Officer at CVC, praised the successful efforts of the Friends of Island Lake. With CVC and other partners in the Orangeville area, they raised funds and built the Vicki Barron Trail. It includes major sections of boardwalk and is designed to link with other trails.

“If Orangeville can do this, we can do the rest. We can tackle the rest of the watershed easily,” she said. “The idea of the Credit Valley Trail is not a new one, and the early pioneers and the First Nations would tell you that they’ve already been there and done that.”

An Orangeville to Port Credit route was envisioned at the founding of CVC in 1954, as a series of public footpaths linking conservation areas, but Martin-Downs said it has lacked a champion and funding.

“I think now is the right time. In two years it is Canada’s 150th birthday, and what is more Canadian than a trail that connects our natural and cultural history?”

A trail in the Grange area near Alton,
where Shaw's Creek joins the Credit.

A variety of existing trails running roughly east and west would intersect with the Credit Valley Trail and serve as a network of side trails. The Grand River Trail runs west out of Alton, while the Elora Cataract Trailway links Hillsburgh and Erin, continuing east into Caledon as part of the Trans-Canada Trail.

In the Terra Cotta area and points south, there are intersections with the Bruce Trail, the Caledon Trailway and the Greenbelt Cycling Route. In Georgetown, the trails in Hungry Hollow are expected to be linked with Willow Park (where Silver Creek meets the Credit in Norval) and with the Guelph Radial rail trail coming in through Acton and Limehouse.

Dave Beaton, Manager of Community Outreach for CVC, said there has been major progress in acquiring land along the river, especially more than 400 acres for the Upper Credit Conservation Area near Alton.

Dave Beaton

“The biggest bang for our buck is having nature interpretation and cultural heritage information along the trail system,” said Beaton, noting the connection between mills and the river. “We’re connecting the tree huggers with the heritage huggers. It’s a very natural fit. Tourism is a major draw, so we can be spinning this into a lot of economic benefits.”

He said outdoor activities are “integral to our well-being and integral to a sense of magic”, and that the project will “help fend off the crisis of nature-deficit disorder that seems to be plaguing this world.”

With help from the Friends of the Greenbelt Foundation, CVHS has formed a steering committee to create a Master Heritage Trail Plan. Future projects will include signage, ensuring safety and protecting historical sites, but the current challenge is the fact that sections of possible trail are on privately-owned lands.

“There has been a groundswell of community interest,” said Eric Baldin, Senior Lands Planner at CVC, who deals with property owners. “The ultimate goal of completing the links is very, very achievable.”

Trail plans for the Upper Watershed - Orangeville, Erin and Caledon areas.

CVC has put the project into its new strategic plan as a way to celebrate shared local history and create an emotional connection to the river valley. The trail will create destinations as part of a tourism strategy, provide “access to nature’s art gallery” and create an active transportation corridor.

Towns and cities within the watershed are including trails in their plans for infrastructure and economic growth, and the province has identified waterways as Ontario’s number one tourism asset.

Like the river, the Credit Valley Trail has major tributaries including the Caledon Trailway (Terra Cotta-Caledon East-Palgrave), the Elora Cataract Trailway (Forks of the Credit-Erin-Hillsburgh) and the Radial Line Trail (Limehouse-Guelph), all former railroad routes, as well as the Humber Valley Heritage Trail that leads to Bolton.

It also intersects with the Bruce Trail, which covers the length of the Niagara Escarpment, the Grand Valley Trail that runs from Alton to Lake Erie and the Trans Canada Trail – the world’s longest recreational network with 23,000 km of trails connecting all three of Canada’s ocean coasts.

“One of the key goals is to connect communities with nature, and promote environmental awareness, appreciation and action,” said Martin-Downs. “We believe that the most powerful force for environmental protection is an informed and mobilized community. Connecting people with nature is the first step in demonstrating how a thriving environment is vital for health, safety and well-being.”

Trail plans for the Middle Watershed - Terra Cotta, Glen Williams,
Acton, Limehouse and Georgetown areas.

Lions walk supports dog guide program

Some of Erin’s finest fundraisers will be straining at the leash when their dogs take them for a walk on Sunday, May 31. The Erin and District Lions Club is hosting its first National Dog Guide Walk on the Elora Cataract Trailway, starting at Centre 2000.

There will be swag bags for the dogs in attendance and a free barbecue for the human participants. Sign in starts at 11 am and the walk is at 12 noon.

Organizer Wendy Parr says the idea is to create a fun social event, to raise money and inform people about the training of dogs to support people with various disabilities.

The goal is to get at least 100 walkers and raise $25,000 – the amount it takes to train one dog for its special duties. All of the funds will go directly to the training of dogs, which are provided at no cost to qualified applicants by the Lions Foundation of Canada.

For more information, go to www.purinawalkfordogguides.com. Click on “Find a Walk” and then to the Erin page, where people can register, make an immediate donation or create a team.

Registration can be done at the event as well, and you don’t have to have a dog to go on the walk. The plan is to walk to Winston Churchill Blvd. and back, a round trip of about 4 km, but participants are welcome to do a shorter section if they wish.

More than 200 similar walks are happening on the same day across Canada, a tradition that started 30 years ago. Parr had attended the one in Fergus in previous years, and had often thought it would be great to organize one in Erin.

With the support of the Erin Lions, she has been busy promoting the event to local businesses and schools. Helping her is Bonnie Gagnon, a local foster mum for prospective guides, currently caring for Garbo, a 9-month-old black lab.

Prior to their formal training, puppies are sent to foster families who house-train them, teach them manners and basic obedience, expose them to many different situations and get them used to the distractions of public areas such as streets and malls. Nestlé Purina PetCare donates all food and the Lions Foundation covers routine veterinary expenses.

For nearly 100 years, Lions Clubs around the world have supported projects to prevent blindness, restore eyesight and provide eye health care. The Lions Foundation operates a dog training centre in Oakville, plus a breeding and training facility in Breslau.

The program started out with only canine vision dogs, but now has expanded to include hearing ear dogs for the deaf, seizure response dogs for those with epilepsy, service dogs for other physical disabilities, autism assistance dogs and diabetic alert dogs.

Once fully trained over two years, the dog is matched with its handler who then spends one to four weeks at the Oakville facility, learning how to handle, trust and bond with their new Dog Guide. Breeds commonly used are Labrador Retrievers, Poodles (for those who are allergic to most dogs) and Golden Retrievers.

The trained dogs give their handlers the confidence to navigate obstacles in public areas and help them pursue education, careers and community participation.

More information about the work of the Lions Foundation is available at www.dogguides.com.

Main Place group plans new youth programs

As published in The Erin Advocate

The Main Place Optimist Club of Erin is organizing a renewed effort to provide social and recreational activities for local youth.

Mary Shields and Kevin MacPherson from the group appeared as a delegation at the December 16 meeting of Town Council to provide an update and seek ongoing support.

The extensive activities of Main Place and Erin Hoops were severely curtailed last year after the death of organizer Patrick Suessmuth, and the deterioration of the old public school building to an unusable condition.

“We’re finalizing our incorporation and hoping to run a March Break Camp,” said Shields. “We are determined to fill that void. We really can’t have our youth with no place to go outside of school, because they will start looking for their own fun, and that won’t be good.”

They will be arranging activities at new locations. Being an Optimist Club provides them with essential liability insurance.

“I worked 10 years with Pat, and we had 100 kids a week for summer camps,” said MacPherson. “It was a really good thing.”

Councillor John Brennan said, “You have a great deal of dedication and courage – you are treading in the footsteps of a giant.”

Councillor Matt Sammut said, “What you are doing is outstanding. It is important that youth have things to do, especially some of the economically challenged families. I hope we’ll be able to support in different ways.”

Mayor Al Alls said that some funding for the group might be available through East Wellington Community Services.

Bacon Night could be a new camping tradition

As published in The Erin Advocate

We got lots of hiking done last week, and we didn’t have to wear bells. You may have heard that some people advise wearing little bells to scare off bears while hiking. And of course you need to watch for bear droppings – the ones with the little bells in them.

We’ve been camping with a group of friends from the Georgetown area for the last 20 odd years, since our kids were little. We haven’t seen a bear yet, but we still stash our trash in the vehicles at night, to avoid tempting the local raccoon population at Point Farms Provincial Park.

There were 27 of us (plus dogs) on five campsites last week – four generations, including a newborn, a bevy of short people, a gaggle of medium to well-dones and a great grandmother.

We still use a tent, but most have retreated to the comfort of trailers. To facilitate this escape to nature, there were various stoves, fridges, furnaces, televisions, a mini trampoline and sufficient acreage of tarps to ensure that torrential rain would only be a minor inconvenience. The campfire light blended nicely with the glow of cell phone screens.

We had our traditional outings to mini-golf and historical Huron County Gaol, and knowing that the Goderich Walmart was only a short drive away brought a feeling of security. I also managed to get in a little book larnin’, thanks to The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn.

As usual, things alternated between loud and laid back, with everyone mostly doing their own thing. Except of course for a possible new tradition, known as Bacon Night. It could be called a "pot luck pig-out", though this term is perhaps disrespectful to the providers of the bacon.

The main dishes were:

• Bacon burgers, of course

• Caesar salad

• Fresh pole beans (from my organic garden), with cubed barbequed back bacon

• Bacon-wrapped potatoes, with cheese and sour cream

• Spaghetti à la Carbonara, with bacon cooked in wine

• Devilled eggs, sprinkled with bacon

• Mashed cauliflower casserole, with you know what

• Bacon-wrapped barbequed shrimp

• Pork sausage meat, rolled in strips of bacon.

Someone forgot to bring the bacon-flavoured vodka, but like true woods people, we adapted quickly and passed the bottle of Sambuca around.

Surviving Bacon Night without undue gastronomic distress requires some discipline. Know your limit. Eat within it. And then have some dessert, which in this case was bacon dipped in chocolate, then drizzled with more chocolate.

So there you have it, a fine escape from day-to-day affairs. My only regret is that I had to miss last week’s Town Council meeting. I hear it was intents.

Sidewalk to Tim Hortons would be costly

As published in The Erin Advocate

Installing a sidewalk from Ross Street up to Tim Hortons and the Medical Centre would cost the Town of Erin about $310,000, but it only has $100,000 set aside for the project.

Town Councillors took no action after receiving a report from Road Superintendent Larry Van Wyck on April 15, other than to request a list of potential sidewalk jobs so they could discuss priorities.

“We’ve encouraged development there, and there is a lot of pedestrian traffic – a lot of kids are using the area,” said Mayor Lou Maieron.

Truck drivers often pull to the side of the road and cross the ditch to get to Tim Hortons, and high school students have beaten a trail across the Deer Pit for a more direct route to the restaurant.

The Town would be responsible for building the 550-metre sidewalk, but since Main Street is a County Road, it would also have to convince Wellington council to fund construction of curbs and gutters, or a physical barrier between pedestrians and traffic, plus storm sewers and catch basins.

There are two ditches there, and the one closest to the road, which handles little water, would have to be filled in.

Contributions totalling about $100,000 were required from the developer of new buildings in the area, and this money is being held in reserve for the sidewalk, but the Town would have to cover the balance. This project is not in the current budget or the five-year capital forecast.

Erin Tennis provides opportunities for kids

As published in The Erin Advocate

The Erin Tennis Club is eager to get more kids involved in a sport that could provide them with health and social benefits for the rest of their lives.

“We really want to focus on our junior programs this year,” said Monique Fischer-Anderson. “We want the club to thrive and for the kids to become members as adults, so we want to give them more opportunities.”

The club has grown in recent years and now has about 350 members. The courts are located behind the high school and Centre 2000, owned by the Town, but operated and maintained by the club.

People can join at any time, but a registration session will be held this Saturday, April 12, 9:30 am to 1:30 pm, in the Centre 2000 lobby. The cost, which includes three free group lessons, is $105 for adults, $50 for kids, or $170 per family.

One of the main junior activities is the Winners After School Program, run by adult volunteers on Fridays, 4:30 to 5:30 pm. It combines tennis tips with informal games and music, intended for ages 9-14.

More experienced players can try out for a travelling team that competes with other nearby clubs.

There’s also the Summer Camp (at an additional fee), which will be run by the club’s new pro, Joanna Phang. A certified Tennis Canada instructor, she was one of Malaysia’s top ten players from 1998 to 2001, and now lives with her family in Caledon.

She also teaches the free early-season group lessons for adults and children, and offers privately paid lessons – private, semi-private or groups.

A wide range of club activities is included in a membership, such as House League competition on Tuesday or Wednesday evenings. Players are matched by skill level, so even absolute beginners can participate.

“We do have something for everybody, regardless of ability,” said Amanda Storey, who helps run the league. “We want to make it fun. If you are new to the area, it is a good way to meet people and get involved in the community.”

Several semi-competitive tournaments are held throughout the season, while more competitive players can try out for the A or B Level InterClub Teams, which play on Thursdays.

The courts are available at various times for players to arrange their own matches, or to be part of a co-ed ladder program, which tracks a competitive ranking. Slightly older players may be interested in the Freedom 55 program on Thursday mornings.

On the weekends, members can drop in to participate in a series of fun matches at the Men’s Sunday or Ladies’ Saturday Morning sessions.

There are also social events, especially the themed Friday Fun Nights, involving tennis, food and special attire.

For more information on the club and its programs, go to www.erintennis.com.

Fitness Centre launches wheelchair bikes

As published in The Erin Advocate

Erin PhysioFitness has launched a campaign to raise $7,500 to buy a wheelchair bike for the participants of ARC Industries East.

"We will be able to take them for rides on the rail trail – and let us know if you wish to become a volunteer bike rider," said Campaign Chair Ted Forrest. He also volunteers his time taking seniors from the Wellington Terrace home in Fergus out on the nearby Elora-Cataract Trail, using a similar bike.

ARC Industries, part of Community Living Guelph Wellington, provides work and support for adults with intellectual disabilities, and recently opened a new Erin facility close to the trail.

Donations can be made at the gym at 6 Thompson Cres. in Erin, or call Forrest for more information at 519-855-9788.  Cheques payable to ARC Industries East can also be sent to their location at 10 Thompson Cres., Erin N0B 1T0, or visit www.clgw.ca to donate online.

Ted Forrest takes a senior from Wellington Terrace out for a ride.

Environment a key factor in public health

As published in The Erin Advocate

With our health care system stretched to the limit, we will soon need to rely more on the environment – both natural and "built" – to keep ourselves healthy, according to the keynote speaker at last month's Stewardship Forum, hosted by Credit Valley Conservation (CVC).

Dr. David Mowat, Medical Officer of Health in Peel Region, said the design of urban areas can help improve people's health by providing access to natural features, facilitating physical fitness and promoting local self-sufficiency. He said diabetes is increasing at such a rate that by 2025, one in six people in Peel will suffer from the disease, and in 50 years it will be one in three.

"The last time we had in our society something that affected one in three people was in the 14th century, and it was the Black Death – so this is quite serious," he said, noting that children are increasing in weight and declining in muscle strength. One third to one half of Grade 9 students in Peel do not meet minimum standards for physical fitness.

"We often, by default, think that we're ill and the system makes us well. But do we ever stop to think that we should be well. What makes us ill in the first place?" he said. Health care spending now accounts for 44 per cent of provincial expenditures.

"Clearly, very soon, the ability of our health care system to take ill people and make them well again, will be exhausted. Too often, the only way we can think to address it is to point to personal responsibility for changing behaviours. That will not do it. We need to recognize the influence of our physical, social, economic and natural environment on determining those behaviours."

Peel Public Health has a mandate from regional council to comment on new housing developments. They have emerged as one of the leaders in Canada, exploring the connections between community design and the health of residents, said Mike Puddister, CVC's Director of Restoration and Stewardship.

"Many solutions can be found in the way we plan communities," he said. "They require collaborative approaches."

The Town of Erin is now dealing with a subdivision proposal from Solmar Development Corp. that would more than double the size of Erin village in the coming decades. It is a huge opportunity to create a well-planned group of neighbourhoods.

Wellington-Dufferin-Guelph Public Health (WDGPH) has expertise in various aspects of the built environment, including promotion of physical fitness, maintaining the quality of air, soil and water, the value of urban forests and good design of parks and playgrounds. There is no formal requirement to involve the public health unit, but it would make sense to invite their advice in the Solmar planning process.

"We would like to be at the table," said Shawn Zentner, Manager of Health Protection at WDGPH. "We are well-positioned to make some evidence-based comments."

Exposure to natural elements includes parks, gardens, trees, conservation areas, trails, rivers and wetlands. While it is difficult to measure exactly, it is clear that these features improve our physical and mental health. Walking, of course, can have social as well as physical benefits. The interactions at the Fall Fair or last Friday's downtown Window Wonderland are good examples.

Dr. Mowat said it is important to "build the kind of human scale, aesthetically attractive environment that will get people out there walking – let's make our streets more livable."

Modern zoning is based partly on public health needs, with the effort to separate housing from toxic industries. But we've ended up with people stuck in their vehicles, living far from their employment, even though most do not work in heavy industry. Traffic congestion drains $6 billion annually from the GTA economy.

"Can we have people live, and work and play in the same community, so new development would be complete communities? There would be agriculture and industry and residential and transportation, all in the same moderate size community. We need to look at how we're building suburbs, and the extent to which they are still livable once you lose your driver's license, or once you can't move so fast.

"Only about 15 per cent of Canadians will regularly take part in any recreational physical activity. The vast majority of us get our physical activity by going from A to B – utilitarian. So opportunities for recreation are important, but on their own, not enough."

"We're talking about active transportation – having engineered physical activity out of our lives, to try and put it back in again."

Forests offer escape from noise and straight lines

As published in Erin Country Routes

Do you ever need to escape the well-trodden sidewalks, the din of cars and trucks and the straight lines of buildings? There are public tracts of forest in the Erin area set aside for just that purpose.

In addition to popular routes such as the Woollen Mills loop (off Millwood Road) and the Elora Cataract Trailway, there are trails on parcels of rural land maintained by Wellington County and the Grand River Conservation Authority. No hunting, no dirt bikes, no snowmobiles, no bicycles – just walkers, and dogs.


There are no spectacular views of the escarpment, and the trails don't lead anywhere special. They are simple loops winding through half-concession lots where the terrain is too irregular for farming.

The Peacock Tract is a Wellington County Forest, near the communications tower on Trafalgar Road, 1.3 km north of County Road 50 (the former Peacock Sideroad). The trail goes past wetlands and mossy rock outcrops, as it cuts behind neighbouring properties.

Initially there are stands of spruce and cedar, but further in there is a wide open maple bush. The whole loop takes about 40 minutes, or a bit longer if you are walking an unruly hound, with a tendency to dash off after scents and wrap her leash line around trees.

The Ospringe Tract, managed by the Grand River Conservation Authority (GRCA), is located on the Fourth Line of Erin, .7 km south of County Road 124 (turn at Denny's).

On a sunny winter's day you can hear the water gurgling under the ice as it drains away from the cattails. You can hear the trees crackling in the cold and see the trails of deer and coyote tracks in the snowy fields nearby, with sweeping views of undulating farmland and scrubland.




Most of it is natural growth forest, but a small section was reforested many years ago, with the conifers towering over 80 feet tall. This hike also takes about 40 minutes.

Another forest managed by the GRCA is the Johnson Tract, located on the Second Line of Erin, just south of the Garafraxa Town Line. For more details, see the Erin Insight column from May 4, 2011, at erininsight.blogspot.com.

Also worth a visit is Scotsdale Farm, a beautiful piece of land just south of Ballinafad, which has been open to the public since 1982. Stewart and Violet Bennett lived there for 40 years, raising Arabian horses and Shorthorn cattle. Stewart was President of the Beardmore Tannery in Acton, Vice-President at Canada Packers and President of the Royal Agricultural Winter Fair.

The couple bequeathed their 219 hectare farm to the Ontario Heritage Foundation to ensure its protection. (They also donated $1.3 million to the Georgetown Hospital, which created the Bennett Centre for seniors.)

Archeological evidence of an Iroquoian village from the 1500s has been found on the land. The original farm homestead was built in 1836 and the barn is at least 130 years old. The farm has been used as the setting for several movies and The Campbells TV series, and as a conference centre. The Bruce Trail runs through the property, which features a moraine, escarpment outcrops, forests, wetlands and pastures.

The farm is suitable for picnics, exploring with children and hiking. The 3.9 km Bennett Heritage Side Trail branches off from the Bruce Trail just south of the entrance to Scotsdale, and goes between the farm buildings. It crosses a small dam on Snow's Creek, which flows south and east from Ballinafad. All streams in this area drain to the Credit River at Norval.

The Bennett trail meets the Eighth Line, where you could cut south, and use the Maureen Smith Side Trail join the main Bruce Trail, and loop back to Trafalgar. Or you could follow the Bennett trail farther east as it crosses Owl Creek, then runs beside Silver Creek, ending up at 27 Sideroad. This creates a much longer loop back to Trafalgar, so check the posted maps, or download one (Google "bruce trail bennett") before you set out.

There are hiking videos available on YouTube for Scotsdale, the Peacock Tract and the Johnson Tract, courtesy of foottrek.com.

In other trail news, the Bruce Trail Conservancy is celebrating its 50th anniversary. The Caledon Hills Club will mark the occasion at its annual meeting and potluck dinner on April 1 at Caledon Village Place, starting with a hike at 10 am.

The afternoon meeting will include a presentation to Dr. Phil Gosling, the club's first president. In 1962, he took a year off work to lay out the Bruce Trail from Niagara to Tobermory, meeting with landowners and organizing local clubs. For more information, go to caledonbrucetrail.org.

Active Transportation Plan needs active support

As published in The Erin Advocate

If you could ride on a network of wide, safe bike lanes, where would you like to travel? Would you be looking for regional destinations, like Rockwood, Fergus, Orangeville, Belfountain or Acton, or just loops close to or inside the Town's urban areas?

We already have the Trans-Canada Trail linking Cataract, Erin village, Hillsburgh, Orton, Belwood, Fergus and Elora, but the Wellington Active Transportation Plan is about creating a broader network, combining roadside lanes and off-road trails.

Not every road will get a bike lane, so it is important to find out where there is public demand. Should we have more paved trails, natural hiking trails, mountain bike trails, horse trails, or all of the above? Or do we prefer motorized trail travel, on various snowmobile routes and the unofficial dirt bike and ATV trails?

Convenient access to trails and bike lanes means opportunities for physical activity, saving people money, reducing our local greenhouse gas emissions and making our communities safer, more cohesive and attractive. Trails also protect natural areas, while making them accessible to more people.

The process started in June, including a meeting in Erin involving local politicians and residents. Existing trails have been mapped and there is an ongoing internet survey (search Wellington Active Transportation).

Preliminary results were reported at an open house held recently at Centre 2000, showing that active recreation was the main factor motivating trail users, as opposed to travel for work or shopping. Walking (or running) was the top activity, followed by cycling, hiking, cross-country skiing (or snowshoeing), horseback riding and in-line skating.

MMM Group of Mississauga, the consulting firm hired to develop the plan, will now be doing field investigations, developing design guidelines and devising strategies for implementation, funding, tourism and getting more people onto the routes.

Project Manager Jay Cranstone hopes to have a draft network by February, with recommendations going to County Council in the spring. The County could adopt the Active Transportation Plan, then incorporate key elements into its Official Plan. Lower-tier municipalities such as Erin will likely be asked to follow a similar process.

County Planner Sarah Wilhelm said that actual improvements will still be dependent on available funding, but that it is important to have an official framework.
"You need a plan in place for grant applications," she said.

Taxpayers generally don't know or care whether a road is controlled by the County or the Town, but they do expect them to work together to deliver the most practical improvements.

In its Official Plan, the Town of Erin has objectives that include promotion of compact, people-oriented downtowns by establishing a safe and pleasant pedestrian environment, encouraging movement by foot and bicycle rather than by automobile.

Vehicle and pedestrian movement is to be facilitated through improvements to roads, parking areas and pedestrian paths, including linkages along the rivers.

Just because something is in an Official Plan, however, does not mean it is going to happen. If people actually care about such "objectives", they need to prod the Town and County into aggressively pursuing them.

One priority should a bypass route to divert truck traffic from downtown Erin village, along with at least one more traffic light and some official crosswalks. These ideas have been discussed in the past and not done, but that does not mean they should not be done. Often a need will exist for a long time before action is taken – for example, the creation of a village fire brigade in 1946 after decades of disastrous fires.

Erin's Official Plan also requires that new developments provide links with pedestrian and cycle routes "on their perimeter". Perhaps that idea could be expanded so that a new subdivision would have a trail winding through it, separate from roads and sidewalks.

Some would prefer that no new subdivisions ever be built in Erin, but that is probably unrealistic. They will not be built any time soon, however, since the Servicing and Settlement Master Plan (SSMP) study process, which has frozen most development since 2007, is proceeding very slowly. The study was originally to have been done by now, but we're still in the middle of it, waiting for a report on sewer and water options, with several stages still to go.

Cycle tourism presents an attractive opportunity

As published in The Erin Advocate

Erin should take full advantage of its beautiful rolling hills by promoting itself as a destination or take-off point for cycling tourists.

"There is a tremendous opportunity for cycle tourism," said Andy Goldie, Director of Parks & Recreation for Centre Wellington, which is developing a Trails Master Plan. He was helping with an information Open House at Centre 2000 on October 22 for the county-wide Active Transportation Plan (ATP).

It is going to take a while to build up the number of rural roads with excellent bike lanes – ideally 2 metres wide, compared to the current 50 centimetres (19 inches) if they exist at all.

"Cyclists are using the roads anyway, and interest is growing all the time," said Project Manager Jay Cranstone, an Erin native, avid cyclist and landscape architect with MMM Group of Mississauga, the consulting firm hired to organize the ATP. While mountain biking remains popular, he has noticed a renewed interest in road cycling.

"Cycle tourists spend more than car tourists," he said. A survey in Quebec, where cycling culture is very strong, showed cycle tourists spending an average of $102 per adult per day (up from $83 in 2005), compared to $52 per day for motoring tourists. They also like vacationing in the spring and fall, extending the season for tourism-related businesses.

Unfortunately, Downtown Erin village is too congested on summer weekends for many cyclists to feel comfortable. Alternative routes and better parking could help improve the situation. Our off-road trails are generally unmarked, which is fine for long-time local riders, but for visitors, a more official, signed network is needed.

Erin needs to boost its image as one in a series of attractive destinations within a network of regional bike routes.

There are several positive scenarios. For example, people traveling the Trans-Canada Trail (Elora-Cataract) could detour into Hillsburgh or Erin village because they've heard good things about them. City dwellers who load their bikes onto vehicles and head out for an afternoon of riding could make Erin their preferred place to park and set out. Or those who come here mainly for shopping may like the option of also doing some short loops, either biking or hiking.

Cyclists planning a vacation could decide to check in at a local Bed & Breakfast place, using it as a home base for their excursions. Or if they are based at Conservation Area campgrounds in Rockwood, Guelph Lake or Belwood, they could plan routes through rural Erin, because they've heard that the hills and views are great, and the roads are not too busy. Companies that book cycle tours could flag Erin as a "must-see" place.

The Town of Erin needs to promote itself as a centre of activity, not a fringe area. Being a part of a large regional tourism association is useful, but the benefits seem limited. Erin has been shifted into a region that extends from here to Lake Huron, though we can still maintain a link with our Headwaters partners to the east, which seems a more logical grouping.

Erin gets some promotion on the Headwaters website (thehillsofheadwaters.com) which is quite professional, but it is not enough. We are lumped in with other places that in some respects have more to offer.

We can't expect other people to aggressively promote Erin – that's our job. We need a broad tourism strategy, involving businesses and the municipality, that identifies our strengths and gets the word out to potential visitors. Ideally, we should have our own tourism association to decide on the best marketing strategies.

Improved cycle tourism is just one of many aspects, which tend to support each other. Cycle traffic benefits food businesses, both the sit-down restaurants and places that offer quick carbohydrates such as ice cream and baked goods.

Riders may be interested, for example, in travelling to several of the art displays on the Hills of Erin Studio Tour, visiting farms or in attending attractions after their riding is done, such as shows at Century Church Theatre.

Public feedback is still being collected for the county study on non-car mobility – search Wellington Active Transportation or go to www.surveymonkey.com/Wellington_Questionnaires.

Shand Dam provides huge recreation area

As published in The Erin Advocate

It's off the beaten path for many people, so unless you have a passion for boating, waterskiing, fishing, hunting or hiking, the Shand Dam may be an unfamiliar landmark.

Located just 5 minutes west of the Erin border, along County Road 18, the dam was completed in 1942, the first in Canada built solely for water conservation purposes. It prevents the Grand River from regularly flooding the communities of Fergus and Elora just downstream, and helps regulate the flow for Kitchener-Waterloo and Cambridge.

The dam is 640 metres long and 26 metres high and can hold back 64 million cubic metres of water in Belwood Lake. It was the first project for the agency that became the Grand River Conservation Authority (GRCA).

I joined a hike there recently with some friendly people from the Elora Cataract Trailway Association. They have monthly outings from May through December, and the next one is November 6, starting in Elora. Go to www.trailway.org for more details. The trail itself, a former rail roadway that crosses the dam, is co-owned by the GRCA and Credit Valley Conservation.

The lake level varies considerably, reaching a high point in the first week of June, then dropping gradually until late summer. In dry periods, more water evaporates from the lake than flows into it.

"We couldn't keep it full if we wanted to – it's not supposed to be here," said Derek Strub of the GRCA, who gave us a tour.

Water levels are measured at least twice a day. The floodgates can be opened wide to allow maximum water flow, even if it means flooding downstream. Water cannot be allowed to "overtop" the dam, since it could quickly erode the earth that supports it, causing a catastrophic collapse.

The raw data for river flows, and water levels for reservoirs such as Belwood Lake, Guelph Lake and Conestogo Lake (south of Drayton in west Wellington County) are posted on the GRCA website.

Some communities take drinking water from the river and discharge waste into it. Normally it is treated waste, but untreated waste does reach the river due to storm overflows. Sufficient water flow has to be maintained to dilute that discharge for the benefit of communities downstream.

The dam offers a fine view of the Grand River valley, and provides the GRCA with a valuable source of income since one of its chutes drives a year-round hydro-electric generator. It puts about 700 kilowatts per hour into the Ontario grid, enough to power at least 250 homes. A stairway on the dam face provides access to the base.

Belwood Lake is quite attractive, but it is an active recreation spot rather than a protected nature zone. Unlike Guelph Lake, motorized boating is allowed. The lake is 12 km long, including 347 private seasonal cottages, with the community of Belwood near the north end and the 1,348-hectare Belwood Lake Conservation Area to the south.

There is no charge if you just want to hike or cycle through on the rail trail, but for other activities, admission is $5.25 for those over 14, $2.75 for ages 6 to 14, and free for 5 and under.

There are 3.3 km of additional trails, a picnic area, and a one-acre spring-fed quarry with a sandy beach for swimming, including a shallow section for younger kids. Water quality is tested weekly in the summer, but there is no lifeguard patrol. The park is also home to the Belwood Lake Sailing Club.

Motorboats and ice fishing huts can be rented, and there are two public launch area. The lake is known for its pike, smallmouth bass and perch. Below the dam, the water is cool enough to support brown trout. There is a fishing pond for kids, stocked with rainbow trout and bass.

There are 243 hectares set aside for hunting deer, turkey and waterfowl, with a permit costing $15 a day or $120 for the season.

You can rent kayaks, but not canoes. I have found it better to paddle in the narrower upstream area of the lake where you can barely hear the jet-ski engines, and there is more chance of seeing wildlife such as heron.

Belwood is a day use area, so if you want to camp, check out Highland Pines, a private campground on the north shore. It is not far from the Belwood Transfer Station, where Erin residents now drop off their bulky or hazardous waste.

Getting serious about transportation alternatives

As published in The Erin Advocate

For the past 15 years, I've been thinking about cycling to Hillsburgh and back, along the route of the old Credit Valley Railway, but have never gotten around to it. I've needed a special event to prod me into action, and now it has arrived.

There's a community bike ride this Saturday, September 24, on the Elora Cataract Trail, with registration starting at 8:30 am in Erin and at 9:15 am in Hillsburgh. It is a political demonstration, of the decidedly peaceful variety, to show local politicians and provincial candidates that people feel strongly about curbing greenhouse gases, promoting alternative methods of transportation and reducing Canada's carbon output.

Sponsored by Credit Valley Conservation Authority (CVC), the Climate Change Action Group of Erin (CCAGE) and Erin Trails, it should be an enjoyable way to bring people together. It is part of a world-wide day of cycling action called Moving Planet: A Day to Move Away from Fossil Fuels. A visit to www.350.org will update you on the many efforts to reduce the earth's carbon dioxide level to 350 parts per million. For more information on the Erin "Ride for Change", contact Heidi Matthews at 519-833-9816 or email: gsheidim@gmail.com.

A bike ride won't shut down the carbon-producing tar sands in Alberta or produce immediate changes in our consumption-driven, car-dependent economy. But doing something is always more powerful than just talking. If millions of people not only speak up to say that current trends are unacceptable, but also demonstrate that they are willing to make lifestyle changes to benefit the planet, they will have an impact.

Another way to make a difference locally is to fill out the on-line survey that is part of the Wellington Active Transportation Plan, which aims to get more people involved in things like walking, jogging, running, cycling, in-line skating, skateboarding and even snowshoeing. The goal is to make non-motorized transportation more practical for commuting to work or school, for recreation and exercise, and for destination travel such as shopping and visiting friends.

This would be achieved not just through education, but by improvements to infrastructure such as bike lanes and trails. It is a joint effort involving the Public Health Unit, the County and local municipalities.

Do a search on Wellington Active Transportation or go to www.surveymonkey.com/Wellington_Questionnaires to access the survey. It will take about 15 minutes to complete, asking about current activities and priorities for improvements. You do not have to provide personal information.

In the Comments section at the end, I made two suggestions. If you agree with them, please back them up with your own comments. First, that both the County and local municipalities should commit to creating paved bike lanes whenever a road is being rebuilt. This does cost more initially, but some costs are recovered over time because the wider pavement lasts longer.

Second, that Wellington County establish a fund, similar to those in Peel and Halton Regions, to contribute towards the purchase of lands for protection of natural areas and development of recreation and trails. Such deals are typically coordinated by conservation authorities and often require funding from several sources – provincial, region/county, town and charitable foundations.

I saw a notice recently that Centre Wellington (Fergus-Elora) is launching a formal study to create a Trails Master Plan, a process they expect to cost about $50,000. Erin does not have that kind of money for trails, but it is worth noting that trails have become a high priority for many municipalities.

Trails are not a recreation luxury. They should be a key part of the local infrastructure, supporting physical and mental health, environmental protection, road safety, tourism, economic development and the town's reputation at large.

Silver Creek crevices will keep you on your toes

As published in The Erin Advocate

Just read about some doctors who like to prescribe walks in the woods to counteract "nature-deficit disorder", a term coined by Richard Louv, author of Last Child in the Woods. It is certainly a logical way to boost mental and physical health, but the medical angle is a reminder that we are in a crisis of stress and inactivity that is doing real harm.

Active Healthy Kids Canada reports that many young people are spending 6-7 hours a day in "screen-based sedentary activities" and urges parents to assign manual chores and insist on outdoor play. Only seven per cent of kids meet the minimum levels in the Canadian Physical Activity Guidelines.

One screen that would probably lead to more activity is that of a digital camera, if kids were out looking for interesting things to photograph. I recently picked up information about a Guelph-based non-profit group called Focus on Nature. Inspired partly by Richard Louv, the group offers photography workshops in schools that enable kids to develop their creative observation skills and to "get outside and explore and connect with the natural world".

I was out with my camera last week, getting an overdue dose of stress relief and cardiovascular stimulation with a hike along the Bruce Trail, in the Silver Creek Conservation Area. It is just a few minutes from Erin, straight down the Ninth Line and Fallbrook Trail, now paved all the way to the trail entrance at 27 Sideroad, Halton Hills.



A huge wilderness reserve, it is 388 hectares (958 acres) of prime Niagara Escarpment land managed by Credit Valley Conservation, stretching from the 10th Line to Trafalgar Road. There are no buildings, just babbling brooks, lush forests, stunning views, an orchestra of birds, and some unique rock formations that make for a rewarding hike.

The origins of Silver Creek are mainly in south Erin, including Snow's Creek that flows south from Ballinafad through Scotsdale Farm, and the network of creeks that arise in the Paris Moraine between Winston Churchill Blvd. and the Eighth Line.

The northern limit of the Silver Creek Sub-Watershed is the rise of land just south of 10 Sideroad, the edge of the moraine. It was formed in the late stages of the most recent ice age. The Laurentide Ice Sheet covered most of Canada and the northern US for about 75,000 years.

As the ice melted and retreated, it would sometimes expand again during colder periods and rework the landscape, but not always in a north-south pattern. Geologists believe that the Paris Moraine was formed about 12,000 years ago by a huge lobe of ice in the Lake Ontario basin, over a kilometer thick, which flowed northwest, up and over the Escarpment.

The rock, sand and gravel it left behind, with the action of melting water, created both moraines, which are irregular and hummocky, and drumlins like the one next to Erin village, which are long smooth hills pointed in the direction of the ice flow. Neither make for good farmland.

Streams on the Paris Moraine flow south-east and amalgamate into Silver Creek as it tumbles down the Escarpment. It joins another branch in Silver Creek Valley, a deep gouge parallel to the Escarpment, well-known to drivers taking the Ninth Line "scenic route" to Glen Williams. The water flows through Georgetown and does not join the Credit River until Norval.

My hike took me east from Fallbrook Trail, past a look-out over the panorama of Silver Creek Valley where you can watch turkey vultures cruising on the updrafts. The forest trail alternates between dirt and fields of smoothly-pitted rock, with many crevices that could cause a nasty fall or twisted ankle. So watch your step, be sure to keep pets and kids on a short leash and don't set out too close to dusk.

The Bruce Trail carries on towards Caledon, on its way to Tobermory, but you can cut back to the road on the Roberts Side Trail, making a 2.6 km loop that will take an hour and a half at a casual pace. The side trail is not as dramatic, but there is a huge variety of plant life, including trilliums, the provincial flower which seems to be less plentiful in recent years. There is also a large wetland pond with a boardwalk used by school field trips.

If you are thinking of taking up the hiking habit, don't wait for the doctor to tell you. Consider joining the Bruce Trail Association. Go to www.brucetrail.org for an interactive map, download local maps for $3, or get their reference guidebook. There are 800 km of main trails 200 km of side trails to explore.

Skateboard Park plan deserves strong support

As published in The Erin Advocate

Dropping in to the Skate/BMX/Band Jam at Erin Centre 2000 on June 25, I was greeted by a wall of angry sound from a punk band on the arena floor. The people I met there, however, were anything but angry – everyone was having a great time.

Punk rock is not my cup of tea, but then neither is opera or jazz. I can appreciate the creative value in any style of music, as long I am not too close to the speakers. I have never been a skateboarder, but I can see that the primary factor is fun, and so I am glad to support construction of a Skate/BMX Park in Erin.

I remember how important a bike was for me as a kid, providing independence, risk and part of my identity. I am especially impressed with the vertical techniques that today's BMX riders have developed.

Skateboarding and BMX are not going away. Their popularity has fluctuated over the past 50 years, but with improvements to equipment and exposure in movies, interest has spread to many countries around the world. There is a need for a facility now, and there is every reason to believe that the interest will continue well into the future.

The Jam offered participants the chance to try out their techniques on portable ramps and rails in the arena. Andrea Rudyk, who helped organize the event, said about $1,200 was raised.

"It was a success, there were a lot of skaters and BMXers enjoying the park, which is what we were aiming for," she said. The bands performing were Agents of Id, Bread Fan, Frenemy, KIZ & LEGIN, Fade Chromatic, Nobel Savage, Rise of the Lion, No King for Countrymen and The Elwins.

Young people in Erin have shown that they are willing to raise money and work for their cause and have attracted support from donors such as developer Shane Baghai, Scotia Bank, Nestlé Waters and Erin Hydro.

It has been more than two years since resident Mark Middleton brought a petition with 335 signatures to Town Council, asking them to support a skate park, now expected to cost about $100,000. The Town has agreed to pay half the cost. A site on the west side of Centre 2000 has been chosen, and work could start this fall.

"I'm going to stick around – I don't give up easily," said Middleton, part of a committee of adults and youth working to raise $50,000. "Seeing the kids on the downtown streets got me going. They need a place to express themselves."

Skateboarders are not always welcome to hang out in some areas of the town. The new park will not completely solve this tension, but it will certainly help. Mutual respect is a sign of a strong community.

Previous attempts to get a park, with extensive efforts by both adults and youth, were not successful. Naturally, interests change as teens get older and they often move out of Erin, but as I saw at the recent fundraising event, many younger kids continue to take up the sport.

To support the campaign, or to get more information, go to www.erinskatepark.com, or their Facebook page. Donations can be made through the Town office, with income tax receipts available. There will be more fundraising at local events this year.

The park has the support of the Wellington County OPP. It will be covered by Town liability insurance, and by the Centre 2000 surveillance cameras. The site will have a flat concrete pad, with portable equipment attached to it. As in other sports, there is a risk of injury, but this can be controlled through common sense and good equipment. The plan is to incorporate a barrier to reduce the noise for nearby homes.

Skateboarding has had a traditional link with punk rock, which supports the sport's rebellious image. It does seem to attract those who do not like the strict rules and timetables of more organized sports, but there is no standard image. Like any culture, it covers a broad spectrum.

There is a natural overlap of interest with BMX bikes, since they use many of the same ramps and structures for their jumps. BMX (bicycle motocross) started out as an offshoot of motorized dirt bike racing.

There is a link too with surfing and snowboarding, which started out as rebel cultures. It is a natural evolution – when an activity has real value, it eventually earns acceptance, even in small town Ontario.

Trail upgrades will link homes to water tower hill

As published in The Erin Advocate

Work is expected to start soon on improvements to a trail that links the Delarmbro subdivision with the Erin village water tower hill.

The initiative is being taken by the Erin Trails group, as part of the Town's Recreation and Culture Committee (RACC). It is backed by the Rotary Club of Erin, which has pledged up to $5,000, plus manual labour to help get the job done.

To be known as the Rotary Trail, the route is on municipal land. Walkers and cyclists use it to travel from the subdivision, along an existing berm parallel to County Road 124.

From behind the apartment buildings, the trail then cuts through a cedar grove and over an intermittent stream (which intersects the road next to Kirk's Barbershop). It then climbs a steep embankment to join the service road that takes vehicles from Main Street up to the water tower.

"We decided on the walking trail as being a project which would benefit the whole community," said Rotary President Ron McJury. "The eventual goal is to have a network of interlinked trails throughout the community, linking with some of the existing trails to provide locals and tourists alike an opportunity for exercise, communing with nature, and getting some spectacular views of the area."

Rotarians Melodie Rose and Rod Finnie proposed various projects to the club and members decided to give priority to trails. McJury hopes that new sections can be added every year.

The current project includes construction of a 20-foot bridge across the stream bed, in the style used by the Bruce Trail Association, plus tiered steps on the embankment. There will also be a series of signs and shamrock-style trail blazes. Arrangements are being made for the necessary approvals from Town Council and Credit Valley Conservation.

The Elora Cataract Trail, part of the Trans-Canada Trail, is an important route through Erin and Hillsburgh, but it needs off-shoots to create better hiking experiences. The Woollen Mills Trail (in the conservation area behind Mundell Lumber) was upgraded in 2009, but it needs a bridge across the Credit River to link it with MacMillan Park.

There are numerous informal trails around Erin village, including the routes from the water tower that connect to Charles Street and Church Street, but most are on private property. Erin Trails hopes to get permission to make some of those trails official, with proper signage and liability insurance, making them more accessible to the public.

For more information or to get involved in the trail improvements, call Bill Dinwoody at 519-833-2305 or Steve Revell at 519-833-2571.

As a member of the trails group, I have long had an interest in expanding this valuable network, which is now used by very few people. It is a relatively low-cost venture which can be done in stages. Better trails would enhance conditions for residents and make the villages of Erin and Hillsburgh more attractive destinations.

If we could create a loop route for hikers that includes both natural areas and the commercial section of Main Street, it would be an ongoing benefit for downtown businesses. It should be part of the Town's marketing plan.

If we could design a trail for horses and their riders, branching off from the Elora Cataract Trailway, it would attract a whole new group of visitors.

If we could make more connections between subdivisions, schools and stores, bypassing the busiest roads, we could make the urban landscape safer, especially for kids and seniors.

For a town that prides itself on environmental awareness and quality of life, a good network of trails should not be considered an optional luxury, but an important necessity. It should be a functional part of "The Charm".

Reclaimed land provides enjoyable hiking route

As published in The Erin Advocate

Whether you are ambitious to try out every hiking trail that Erin has to offer, or just want an interesting place to walk your dog, check out a property on the Second Line owned by the Grand River Conservation Authority.

It is a managed forest called the Johnson Tract, with a small network of trails next to a creek, in the headwaters of the Speed River.

It might be best to postpone your visit until a bit later in the spring, when the road conditions are better. I had the misfortune of traveling on the Second Line in mid-April, during what the Town calls the Spring Breakup of Roads. The base soil beneath older gravel roads has a high moisture content, and when it is only partly thawed, the surface can turn to soupy mud ruts.

The nearby wetlands are one of the most attractive features of this hike, and the trail itself remains relatively dry. There is only parking for a couple of cars at the start, which is on the east side of the road, north of 27 Sideroad and south of the Garafraxa Town Line.

Looking at the bigger picture, water in the western half of Erin drains to Lake Erie through the Grand River watershed. The Grand starts up near Dundalk, and flows through Lake Belwood, Fergus, Elora, Kitchener, Cambridge, Brantford, Caledonia and Dunnville.

The Speed starts in northwest Erin, flows south through Guelph Lake and on to Cambridge to join the Grand. The Eramosa River starts in southwest Erin and flows through Rockwood to join the Speed in Guelph.

The Johnson Tract is by no means a pristine wilderness. It appears to have once been at least partially a farm, with cedar rail fencing. Now it is entirely covered in trees, though some areas have been thinned out with selective logging. There is a sign at the entrance with an aerial photo and map, but no other informative signs further in.

The initial trail goes through a tall grove of cedars. As it splits into three possible routes, it becomes a reforested environment, with spaced rows of spruce planted quite some time ago – many are over 100 feet tall.

The ground is covered in needles, mossy areas, small ponds, fallen trees and piles of rock from land-clearing. One area had an undergrowth of ferns. The south trail goes through a maple bush, and between some boggy wetland areas. I spotted a couple of deer, but of course they had spotted me first, so I only saw their tails.

I saw quite a few ducks, so when I heard what sounded like a bunch of them quacking up a racket in the reeds, I snuck up to get a good photo. It didn't happen though, since they were actually frogs. Not sure how they learned to make duck calls.

There's a modern farm on the east boundary, and a creek, flowing south from Orton, on the north boundary. With no dams to impede its flow, it takes a meandering path through grasslands and under the trees it has caused to tumble.

New life seems to be sprouting everywhere as last year's dead grass and leaves give way to spring growth, saplings emerge out of the fallen cedars and water seems to bubble up from the earth. If you are weary of the urban environment, it's a good place to be.

Something special needed beside the Tim Horton's

As published in The Erin Advocate

With construction of the Tim Horton's progressing quickly at the north end of Erin village, I hope it is not too late to put in some suggestions for the lot next door, owned by developer Shane Baghai.

He invited suggestions from the public last month and ideas ranged from a pool to a grocery store. I thought back to the start of the Servicing and Settlement Master Plan (SSMP) in 2009, when people were asked what they thought was needed in Erin.

A Tim Horton's was one of the most common suggestions, along with more stores, affordable housing for seniors, better health services, more parks and trails, a pool and many other things – even a paintball arena. The SSMP study is not just about sewers. It is a formal Environmental Assessment of how Erin will evolve, and there will be more opportunities this year for public input.

With construction of the medical centre and the donut shop, Baghai has in short order fulfilled two items on Erin's wish list, while the SSMP chugs along at a snail's pace.

If the Town ever decides to build a sewer system, perhaps Baghai could be engaged to get the job done quickly. Actually, I take that suggestion back; public works should be publicly owned and operated, much as we may be tempted to privatize.

The Town needs to work with developers in a business-like fashion, seeking benefits for taxpayers, just as developers seek a good return on their investment. We cannot expect an entrepreneur to build a pool, with no chance of recouping their money. The Town couldn't afford to maintain a pool, even if were given to us.

So what are the realistic possibilities for this "third lot"? It should probably be a project that will not generate a large amount of traffic. There will already be vehicle issues with Tim Horton's, such as truckers wanting to stop on the shoulders on both sides of the road, no access via the stop light intersection and traffic on Thompson Crescent. That zone could not handle a fast food restaurant, for example, and many people would not want one in the village.

What I would really like to see is a development with some retail on the ground floor and apartments for seniors above – or even a retirement home. The need is great, but I am not hopeful, since the land is not designated for residential growth. There may be better sites, and the Town has frozen residential development while the SSMP is in progress. I don't know if Council could make an exception for a highly desirable project.

I have not spoken with the developer, but I think he would like something that could be built soon, produce a solid revenue stream and look classy. We are a small market, and any growth is projected to be moderate. And while competition is a good thing, I would rather see a new development draw revenue away from other towns, instead of drawing it away from existing Erin businesses. We would appreciate services that we currently have to drive elsewhere to obtain.

If it is to be a store, or group of stores, the SSMP participants suggested a need for clothing and sporting goods. How about electronics equipment? In the entertainment realm, perhaps a bowling alley or a laser-quest style facility. How about an artists' co-op, flea market or farmers' market?

Exactly what goes there depends on an assessment of the market by those putting their money at risk. The main question for the public is whether it will enhance the Town as a place to live and a place to visit.

I am hoping for something practical and distinctive, both in concept and physical appearance. Something that will build on Erin's charm, not dilute it. I do not want to see the town develop into a miniature version of the urban areas I moved here to get away from.

From what I have seen so far, Mr. Baghai has the imagination and drive to make something special happen.

Try not to worry about things that might happen

As published in The Erin Advocate

I had a good time at the Mayor's Levee on New Year's Day, skating at Centre 2000. It was a nice family event, with little kids learning to skate, budding hockey tykes showing off their skills, parents chatting while keeping an eye on their broods and old folks proving that they can still get around on the ice.

A "levee" can mean any sort of reception, but it was originally an assembly of men hosted by the British monarch. Mayor Lou Maieron was on duty to greet the masses, and showed a good example by wearing a helmet, instead of a crown.

I've been skating on Monday mornings at the arena this winter, and I've taken to wearing a helmet as well, after a friend of mine fell and suffered a serious head injury. After a year, she is still struggling to make a full recovery.

My caution was reinforced at the levee when I saw a gentleman stumble and crash head-first into the boards. He ended up with a cut over his eye that took four stitches to close.

I'm not old yet (at least I don't think I am), and if I keep my body and brain active, I may be able to put off that stage for a good long while. The aches and pains are increasing, but they seem to rotate to different areas, instead of striking all at once. As my mother is fond of saying, "Getting old is not for sissies."

I went to visit her in Cambridge after the levee. Last spring, at the age of 80, she was golfing and swimming, after recovering from her second major cancer surgery. It was a short reprieve, however. Now it is in her bones and she can barely stand up.

We are at the stage where survival is estimated in months and relief measured in doses of morphine. It is a stark reminder that the advances of medicine may improve our quality of life for a certain time, but cannot save us from the inevitable.

She has made a transition, from strong and independent to frail and vulnerable, while maintaining a positive attitude, which is quite an accomplishment. Her faith in God is strong, and I think she wants to teach by example that suffering is to be expected, and accepted without a big fuss.

She will not be impressed if she reads this, only because these things are so apparent that to write them down shows an excess of sentimentality. The need to write things down can be a curse. Or perhaps it is a form of therapy, an attempt to impose some order on a confusing array of thoughts.

Anyhow, we had a good Christmas. She was able to come to the table and enjoy dinner in the company of her children, grandchildren and of course my father, who has devoted himself to her care without a big fuss.

A few days later, my sister and I were sitting at their kitchen table, working on things like the medication schedule and the power of attorney document, and my father seemed concerned about us.

"Try not to worry about things that might happen," he said.

That sounds like a good New Year's resolution, one that might make the other resolutions easier to achieve.