dundas walks

inspired snow

2012-01-30T10:07:00.000-05:00

Cathedral Snow, by Randy Kay, January 29, 2012, Hamilton ON

‎"There is nothing in the world more beautiful than the forest clothed to its very hollows in snow. It is the still ecstasy of nature, wherein every spray, every blade of grass, every spire of reed, every intricacy of twig, is clad with radiance."

William Sharp

Spencer Creek, the reason for a trail

2012-01-11T21:01:00.001-05:00

Spencer Creek, flowing under Main Street, barrier free

The Spencer Creek in Dundas is like a watery line dividing the town, running west to east, and of course a natural destination for nature lovers. Water is the building block of life, and the Spencer Creek trail is my personal favourite trail in Dundas (and that's saying something!)

Spencer Creek Trail, looking East, between Main Street and West Street, Dundas ON

What attracts me to this trail is, of course, the obvious beauty of a footpath running through a built-up community: the trail takes you away from, but also to, places you might actually want to get to. Tonight I was heading to a sports-store for skate laces, etc., and I really enjoyed getting away from the loud roadways to seek refuge by the naturalized creek (i.e. where before a concrete barrier blocked the natural flow of water and watery life under the Main Street bridge i.e. fish, etc., the first photo (above) shows the post-barrier flow under the Main Street/Osler Bridge.)

But the appeal of this creek and the trail, beyond the already alluded to beauty, is the brokenness of the system. No, not the omnipresent litter, but the fact that hikers have to leave the creek to traverse along sidewalks, interrupting the reverie that comes with proximity to the rushing waters. This more than anything is a sign that we have yet to realize the value and potential of this creek for the former town and its current inhabitants.

Ideally we should be able to spend our time alongside the creek, uninterrupted by detours to less tranquil environments, as we go from one end of Dundas to another. Now there's a realizable goal to keep in mind!

This blog began with my concern for the sanctity of the Spencer Creek Trail, a much more vulnerable bit of real estate than say, the Dundas Valley Conservation Area trails. We need to pay attention to this trail, while seeking ways to help improve the route, and pay homage to the work of the trail's early stewards like Ian Reid. This creek defines our purpose, and re-connecting the trail along the full course of the creek is a priority for this blog's author! Join me...

Happy New Year!

2012-01-01T11:46:00.003-05:00

Sky over Cootes Paradise, looking west from Burlington Heights, January 1, 2012

Wishing everyone a new year of wonderful excursions into the woods, prairies, mountains and marshlands!

Ancient Signposts

2011-12-28T13:12:00.000-05:00

The Old Indian Trail - Marker Tree, Townline Rd. ( at Thorold - Stamford )
Niagara Fall Public Library digital collection [source file]

I want to share this fascinating article about First Nations' trail marker trees, trees deliberately bent to point out trail directions, in the hopes that you can help the article's author locate likely candidates locally. Hundreds of years ago these were the guideposts relied upon to locate important places along trails. Very few are likely left, making each finding all the more significant. Thanks to Paul O'Hara for allowing me to re-publish this article. (Paul's contact info is at end of article) - Randy

A Call Down the Path: Trail Marker Trees in Ontario

Figure 1 The ‘Mother of All Markers’ in Kingsville near Point Pelee.
Gerry Waldron and a White Oak marker pointing west along a tray
l that is documented on a map drawn by crown surveyor Patrick Mcllliff
in the 1780's. There is little doubt this magical tree was marked
by Aboriginals sometime in the 18" century - Paul O'Hara (P0)

FBO Newsletter - Fall 201 1 - Vol 23(3)

It was a couple of years ago. I forget what I wassearching for now. Something tree-related - dreams of discovering more grainyblack and white shots of loggers enveloped in Southern Ontario old growth. Iwas scanning the Niagara Falls online digital library when I saw a photographthat has been burned into my brain to this day. It was labeled, “The Old IndianTrail - Marker Tree. Townline Rd. (at Thorold - Stamford)

G0 check it out. [or see above] It shows a mature, roadside White Elm(Ulmus americana) on the Haldimand Clay Plain near Thorold with its sidebranches pulled down, the trunk and main branches drawing the shape of an ‘M’,the lateral branches forming the crown. Aboriginals had purposefully modifiedthe tree at one time — early to mid 1800s, I would guess - to point along anancient footpath. The tree was well known in the community, ravaged by DutchElm Disease in the early 70s, but saved as a snag until a Windstorm brought itdown December 28, 1982.

Figure 2 Gerry and a Shagbark Hickory marker at Maidstone Conservation
Area. It points north up the nearby Puce River towards the shore of
Lake St. Clair. - P0

Wow, I thought, dumbfounded and flooded with questions.Where do I find out more about Indian trail marker trees? Are there more photosof tree markers I could find? Are there marker trees standing on the landscapeof Southern Ontario today?

My first couple of questions would be answered with a littlemore surfing. I came across two links about trail marker trees, both from theUnited States. The first one is run by the Mountain Stewards(mountainstewards.org) of the Southern Appalachians, the second, a link to theGreat Lakes Trail Marker Tree Society (greatlakestrailtreesociety.org) run byartist and trail marker tree researcher, Dennis Downes* from Illinois. Bothsites show numerous photos of trail marker trees standing in the US today, butmost of them didn’t look like the Old Indian Trail Marker Tree in Thorold. Mostwere modified to point in one direction and, not surprisingly in the US, mostof them were oak.

Downes’ site dug deeper into the background on how markertrees were formed and provided tips on what constitutes a true trail markertree (apparently, there is some debate over what constitutes a true marker asthere are a lot of bad examples out there - folks calling any old misshapentree a trail marker). True markers were modified near the ground. A sapling wasbent over and its leader was tied down with rawhide, grapevine or secured withheavy rocks. The lateral branch pointing directly upwards was retained whilethe rest were removed. Over time the tree settled into the bend, the rawhidewas removed or withered away, and a ‘nose’ was often left to point the way. Asthe tree grew, the diameter of the main trunk remained larger than the lateral branchforming the crown. Other trees, like the branches on the Thorold marker, werejust pulled down and secured. Either way, marker trees were meant to look verypurposeful, distinguishing them from naturally bent trees.

I learned that marker trees were used by Aboriginals topoint to all kinds of things: villages and camps, water sources and riverfords, or to mark boundaries between Aboriginal tribes. It is thought that thepractice of marking trees was taught to the first Europeans, and it is plausiblethat they and not the Aboriginals formed some of the markers remaining ontoday’s landscape. Apparently, trail marker trees were common in pre-settlementtimes, most now lost to habitat destruction and the practice of removingill-formed trees in woodlots.

Figure 3 One of three Sugar Mapie markers near the shoreline of Big Cedar Lake in the

Kawarthas. This one has two ascending trunks and a prominent pointer.

- Kristine Tortora

My quest to find marker trees in Southern Ontario led me tospend a winter revisiting my old haunts in Hamilton, Halton and Niagara Regionsto no avail. It was only when I started asking friends and fellow botaniststhat I started to get somewhere. None of them really knew about marker treesbefore. I just shared what little I had discovered and for some, a little lightbulb went on above their heads as they recounted seeing a similar looking treeat such and such place. Some of the leads were dead ends, but some led me tothe most magical trees I have ever seen.

A friend told me about seeing markers at her partner'scottage in the Kawarthas (see photo). Another told me about a tree in aCaledonia hedgerow. I learned of a grafted, double-trunked Sugar Maple thatstood in Binbrook along the Welland River, believed to be a boundary markerbetween Iroquoian tribes (that is, until some kids started a fire under it 10years ago and burnt it to the ground). This past summer, my friend and treecolleague, Gerry Waldron, showed me a couple of amazing marker trees in Windsor-Essex(see photos). One of them is the most impressive tree I have seen (online or inperson) to this day. And last fall I stumbled across a couples of Sugar Maple lessthan 100 m apart (see photo) in north Burlington pointing in the same directionalong a path from the Niagara Escarpment to Lake Ontario - the only markertrees I have discovered on my own thus far.

Figure 4 One of two Sugar Maple markers in north Burlington
pointing southeast along a trail between the Niagara Escarpment
and Lake Ontario. - P0

Perhaps early colonists to Southern Ontario modified thesmaller trees, but it is thought that, because of the bends, the growth onmarker trees is slow and the trees are older than they look. What is clear isthat marker trees exist in Southern Ontario, and marking trees was an ingenious practice employed by the Anishinabe(Ojibway) and Haudenosaunee (Iroquois) Peoples of Southern Ontario. There issomething so beautiful, sophisticated, and poetic about trail marker trees. Itis incredible to think in this age of frenzied, electronic communication, thatliving‘, natural messages so simple and practical are still standing on thelandscape today — a centuries old tap on the shoulder pointing us the way home.Reaching back to a time before the car, before roads and lights, when stickingto the forest trail was crucial to survival, and a wrong turn could spelldanger or death. For these reasons, I would argue that our oldest trail markertrees are the most historically important trees in Ontario today.

I am continuing my search to find and document more trees, seeing it as a project with a 10 or 20-year horizon. Yes, researching and Walking old Aboriginal trails is helpful, but again, I have found the best way to find out more about these special trees is just to ask around. Therefore, I am appealing to the FBO membership: Do you know of a trail marker tree where you live? In your wanderings, do you remember seeing trees like these? Do you know of a marker tree that once stood where you live, a document describing it, or someone who may know of a marker tree in your area? If so, I would be very pleased to talk to you by phone or email, please and thank you.

Ijust learned of a trail marker tree that was chopped down this year,unknowingly, by a property owner along the shoreline of Lake Erie at PortDover. Once dead, or removed, we lose their untold stories, stories that tellus about who we are and where we come from, stories we canshare with future generations about this very special land, and the incrediblepeople that walked and marked its forest paths.

Paul O'Hara

blueoak@sympatico.ca

(905)540-9963

* Dennis Downes’ new book Native American Trail MarkerTrees: Marking Paths Through the Wilderness is available from the Great LakesTrail Marker Tree Society at www.greatlakestrailtreesociety.org. It is thefirst comprehensive book on trail marker trees ever published.

mists and mystery

2011-12-17T12:22:00.001-05:00

Contrasting temperatures collide along the Spencer Creek in Dundas, the resulting mists lending an air of mystery to a walk along the lower Spencer Creek Trail (photos from Dec. 14/11). Winter weather has not yet settled in, with temperatures rising and falling throughout the week and no real snow forecast.

crooks hollow trails closed during construction

2011-12-17T08:57:00.002-05:00

Walking trails in the Crooks’ Hollow Conservation Area will be closed to the public starting Dec. 19 until the fall of 2012, which the Hamilton Conservation Authority says is a conservative estimate.

The closure will permit the HCA to remove the 95-year-old Crooks’ Hollow dam and then restore Spencer Creek into a more natural channel while rehabilitating plant life and fish habitat.

A new pedestrian bridge crossing the creek will replace the path over the old dam when the project is completed.

We love our trails in natural open space!

2011-12-15T00:13:00.001-05:00

City of Hamilton survey about recreation spending preferences of citizens: Natural Open Space and Trails in parks top the list!

Shorter days, longer shadows

2011-12-13T15:12:00.000-05:00

South Shore ravine in midday sun, near Princess Point, Cootes Paradise

ice and fly-by

2011-12-12T13:32:00.003-05:00

I was on the Desjardin/Bayfront waterfront trail today in the glorious sun, and saw Tundra Swans, Hooded Mergansers, Buffleheads, a Northern Shoveller, American Coots, and some others I will have to add (once I consult my bird books at home.)

I didn't have my camera, but wanted to take a picture of the ice formed on Cootes Paradise, so I used my laptop camera to take a (not very good) photo. Just after I put the computer away, a bald eagle drifted across my field of vision, low enough for me to get a very very good look. The eagle continued southward and then changed direction, eventually flying out of sight over Princess Point to the west.

This was only me second, but best, sighting of one of the two bald eagles in Cootes, and was certainly a thrill to witness! No photo to share though...

Of moments and miracles

2011-11-21T22:57:00.001-05:00

Princess Point, November 21, 2011

“People usually consider walking on water or in thin air a miracle. But I think the real miracle is not to walk either on water or in thin air, but to walk on earth. Every day we are engaged in a miracle which we don't even recognize: a blue sky, white clouds, green leaves, the black, curious eyes of a child -- our own two eyes. All is a miracle.”

― Thich Nhat Hanh

2011-11-04T12:38:00.000-04:00

Chedoke Rail Trail, Hamilton ON, Nov. 2011, by Randy Kay

"A trail is an invitation for a conversation with the landscape"

The Royal Botanical Gardens' Head of Science, David Galbraith, posted the above quote on the Cootes to Escarpment Facebook page. A lovely invocation of the relationship we have with nature trails; (tagging trees and rocks does not qualify as part of the conversation...)

Thank You Dundas Valley!

2011-10-10T14:21:00.000-04:00

Merrick Orchard, Dundas Valley, by M. Kay

Plenty of pedestrian activity in Dundas Valley today as the gorgeous weather carries through the long weekend. Fall colours and warm temps as Canadians celebrate Thanksgiving Day with a hike in the woods (not to mention cyclists and horseback riders, also in abundance).

Get out before you settle down for tofurkey, and soak up some of the beauty while building your appetite. This weather will not last forever! If you have any autumn photos you would like to share, let me know, I'd be happy to post them on the site!

Thank you to the people who fought to preserve Dundas Valley from highways, roads and houses, so that we may enjoy the natural setting today.

Lower Spencer Creek Trail

2011-10-02T12:46:00.001-04:00

Afternoon sun, Lower Spencer Creek Trail, Saturday, October 1, 2011

The weather took a turn toward cool, but once the clouds cleared, the sun did an admirable job of keeping things tolerable, nay, pleasurable on the Lower Spencer Creek Trail in Dundas.

And for those who have abandoned all hope for more glorious fall weather, oh ye of little faith: Environment Canada is forecasting sunny skies and temps around 18C for mid week and beyond.

Be prepared! Bring some rain gear and a sweater, but also sunglasses and sunscreen. It's autumn in Ontario, after all!

Ends and Means

2011-09-26T17:30:00.001-04:00

A beautiful fall weekend to enjoy the Dundas Valley as the trees begin their annual transformation and the crickets create a background track, the sun bright and warm as light clouds drift by.

Solidago canadensis forms a sea of gold in open meadows (below), seen from above the Sawmill Trail, east of the main entrance driveway. "Solidago," Latin for "to make whole" (for the commonly named Goldenrod's healing properties); Solidago describes the sense I get when in nature, a chance to breathe and take time to observe the way things interconnect, to remember that we depend on the health of the earth's ecology for our well-being.

Then I sifted through the sounds of car doors slamming, and car wheels on gravel driveways, and thought about the long driveway from Governor's Road slicing through the rolling land and across little streams to get to the parking lot, and wondered if some of the people who drove knew that the Hamilton to Brantford Rail Trail brings you to the same spot? I've known people who live nearby but don't realize they can get to the conservation area without driving, so perhaps there are others missing out on the ride.

So if you are reading this, and live in West Hamilton or Dundas, the rail trail is an easy ride, off road of course, and takes you past all the trails in Dundas Valley. You can cruise right in to the Rail Centre and grab a muffin and a fair trade organic coffee, and forget about cars and roads for a while.

2011-09-04T16:01:00.001-04:00

What: Pedestrian Mobility Master Plan PIC #2
Date: Thursday, September 8, 2011
Time: 4:00 to 7:00 p.m. (open house format) & presentation at 6 pm
Location: Central Library, Hamilton and Wentworth Rooms, 555 York Blvd, Hamilton

The purpose of this study is to undertake a comprehensive Pedestrian Mobility Master Plan for the City of Hamilton. This plan will establish a 20 year (2031) framework to improve the pedestrian environment and increase the opportunity for walking as a mode of transportation (active travel) and recreation that is efficient, comfortable, safe inclusive, accessible and improve health of communities and economic development.

The first round of PICs held earlier this year identified the opportunities and constraints to walking and mobility in the City. PIC #2 will present the alternative solutions based on public and agency input gathered from PIC #1.

More information about the Master Plan, including the Boards from PIC #1 can be viewed athttp://www.hamilton.ca/PedestrianMP.

A second meeting, which will present the same information, is scheduled for September 10, at Turner Park Library, Main Foyer & Program Room, 352 Rymal Rd. E., 12:00 p.m. – 3:00 p.m. Open house/drop-in format, presentation at 2:00 p.m.

Sound Escape

2011-09-04T11:37:00.001-04:00

Escaping the city is easy if you want to get away from the sights of human-built form (though with monster homes encroaching on Conservation Areas it's getting trickier) but leaving behind the sounds of civilization requires some evasive action.
Noise from lawnmowers and leaf-blowers certainly interrupt tranquil moments on trails near neighourhoods, but there is almost always the sound of traffic in our natural areas.
To escape the incessant dull roar means getting deep into the valley where the hills block sound, and where a small creek bubbles along in its own noisy, but soothing way.
Living with a constant background noise of cars, trucks and buses wears on our psyche in ways that induce stress, stress we have grown accustomed to as a price of our way of life.
But head out onto the trails, and find a place where you can only hear the natural world and you've got a great stress reliever, both from the exercise it takes to get there, and the peaceful noise of life in the woods.

Rail Trail Detour Improved

2011-07-08T14:23:00.000-04:00

A new bridge to replace the now structurally unsound "Powers Crossing" on the Hamilton to Brantford Rail Trail is not imminent, as far as we know, but at least the detour has been upgraded to better serve cyclists on this busy trail. A fine stone has been applied to the formerly uneven and bumpy path to the north of the defunct bridge (seen to the left in photo) making it smoother and safer for riding on. This should also aid people in wheelchairs, but the path is of course steeper without the bridge.

vandalism unleashed

2011-07-02T15:17:00.001-04:00

Park entrance signed "dogs must be kept on a leash."

The battle for leashed-or leash-free status at Warren Park in Dundas has officially ended with, we think, a reasonable restriction on free-roaming dogs, given the lack of fencing, proximity to walking trails and environmentally sensitive areas.

The Law

It seems someone who disagrees with the restriction has taken to vandalism to promote their view, with spray paint on a camp building in the park, advocating for unleashed dogs.

They've even gone to great heights to obscure the trail signage placed the the Conservation Authority repeating the message.

Apparently nothing is sacred to the spray can, this dying tree now carrying the message previously reserved for man-made infrastructure.

I'm all for political protest, but defacing nature and going against the wishes of the majority of park users who prefer their kids, their pets, and themselves be protected against unleashed dogs comes off as selfish.

I think Hamilton needs more leash-free parks, but fenced in to protect against unwanted encounters of the threatening, biting kind. Hill Street park off Dundurn Street South seems to be working fine, and will hopefully serve as a model for more parks in neighbourhoods in Hamilton.

Binkley Hollow Bridge

2011-06-21T11:18:00.000-04:00

The state of the pedestrian/cycling bridge on the Hamilton to Brantford Rail Trail, east of University Plaza. The gravel/sand path to the right of the bridge is being used while the bridge is closed. No word on when/if it will be repaired anytime soon.

Binkley Hollow Bridge Beam Broken

2011-06-11T08:53:00.000-04:00

A major pedestrian and cycling span connecting the Hamilton to Brantford Rail Trail over Binkley Hollow, just east of University Plaza, is closed due to structural decay. The deck of the bridge has been in bad shape for a few years, pieces of plywood and particle board patch the surface, making for a bumpy ride, but it appears that below the deck things were getting bad too. A major beam break has closed the bridge, requiring users to follow the footpath that parallels the bridge just beside the structure.

Cyclists in the west end of Hamilton are finding bridges to be a problem this year, with the McKittrick Bridge contra flow bike lane over highway 403 closed during reconstruction.

While the alternative trail allows for a continuous journey along the rail trail, the loss of the bridge means a steeper grade up and down each side of the ravine for human powered travellers, and may mean greater difficulty for users of scooters or mobility aids.

This is one of the busiest off road pedestrian links between west Hamilton and Dundas.

Bridge was examined hours before collapse

Hamilton Spectator, June 11, 2011

Two hours before the Hamilton Conservation Authority became aware of a major beam break on a Dundas bridge last weekend, a staffer inspected it and did not report any problems.

The agency said it has been monitoring the Rail Trail trestle bridge for the past year, but does not keep records of inspections, repairs or complaints about any of its bridges.

A major beam on the Dundas bridge collapsed on Sunday. It was reported to the HCA by a passerby at 10 a.m. A superintendent had inspected it at 8 a.m.

“He called me and told me it had looked fine,” said Tony Horvat, director of land management for the authority.

He said staff inspect the bridges and call him if they find issues. Staff are not engineers, but Horvat said they have 20 to 30 years of trail maintenance experience.

“It’s common sense stuff,” Horvat said of the staff’s regular inspections.

He did not know exactly how many bridges the HCA is responsible for, but guessed about 20, including roughly a dozen structures in Dundas, and two steel bridges at Confederation Park.

Horvat said he occasionally takes notes or photographs during his inspections, but has no formal system for storing reports.

The trestle bridge is made up of nine, approximately 7-metre-long wood sections. In its entirety, it’s roughly 60 metres long, between 2.5 and 3.5 metres high, and accessible only to pedestrians and cyclists.

It lies adjacent to a path, so Horvat said there will be very little inconvenience while the bridge is closed.

Horvat, a civil engineer, performs annual inspections on the bridge himself. If he finds something wrong, he will make a note or make a call to get it fixed.

If something more serious occurs, he keeps a project file.

There has been no project file for this bridge since a 1995 environmental assessment.

HCA park superintendent Paul Piett inspected the bridge on the Sunday morning, and reported no problems. Two hours later, a passerby stopped at the HCA trail office to inform staff of the fallen beam.

The City of Hamilton’s asset management staff said they have a strict provincial mandate for inspections on their own bridges.

Hamilton has 393 bridges with a span greater than three metres — which means they fall under the Ontario Structure Inspection Manual (OSIM).

OSIM inspections are done by structural engineers who check the bridge’s structure, substructure and deck for any signs of deterioration or failure.

“It’s a pretty wholesome and comprehensive inspection on all components,” said the city’s John Murray.

General inspections are done biannually, and detailed inspections are done whenever a critical problem is identified. All information goes into the Ontario Bridge Management System (OBMS).

The province said these standards fall under the Public Transportation and Highway Improvement Act (PTHIA) and only apply to public bridges, versus private ones. They said factual considerations such as whether a bridge is located inside a controlled admission area may be relevant to determining whether it’s considered public.

It is unclear if any of the HCA bridges fall under these regulations.

Horvat said he was not familiar with OSIM.

A third party engineer is assessing the Dundas beam break, but Horvat said he doesn’t yet know what the repairs will entail.

human-powered Hamilton

2011-05-27T09:35:00.001-04:00

Hamilton Spectator reporter Jon Wells is doing a human-powered trek around Hamilton, starting in a canoe in Hamilton harbour, moving through Cootes Paradise and into Spencer Creek in Dundas, hiking through Dundas Valley, Ancaster, West Hamilton along the Bruce Trail, and today he is in the Red Hill Valley. You can follow his adventure at the Spectator.

Jon had contacted Dundas Walks prior to his journey, researching if it was possible to hike around and through the city without going on roads. While much of the trip can be on trails, or on the water, there will have to be times where the trail gives way to roads and sidewalks due to the built up city-scape of some areas. But surprisingly for those who have never considered the concept, Hamilton trails provide an easy escape, and you can spend hours walking in the woods away from traffic, forgetting you are minutes away from a city.

While Jon is using a car to get to his destinations each day, groups like Transportation for Liveable Communities have been promoting the idea that you don't need a car to get to some amazing trail heads, with many conservation areas and waterfall destinations located along HSR bus routes, or an easy bicycle ride away from home, work or school.

For anyone planning a hiking or canoeing adventure in some far-away locale, you can train for the task here at home; you may find that you fulfill a need you thought could only be filled by driving several hours away. And with the right interventions, we could choose to have more nature and less roads: in short we could restore the natural beauty of our well-situated city!

Rail Trail Green and Dry

2011-05-23T10:05:00.000-04:00

The Hamilton to Brantford Rail Trail through Dundas is a dry spine passing through otherwise water logged lands. This photo was taken after a morning rain, which seems to only have added to the rich green of spring growth.

blossoms with water

2011-05-06T18:20:00.000-04:00

Light rain makes an afternoon commute on the highway into a mess, but on the trail a mess of blossoms entice your attention away from your cares (and cars...)

While the Conservation Areas are muddy, the lower Spencer Creek Trail in Dundas is, as a former rail line, solid and dry, and worth detouring to.

slippery slopes

2011-05-06T10:11:00.002-04:00

trout lilies beginning to flower

The Hamilton Conservation Area has posted some trail closures effecting cyclists and equestrians, and slippery and muddy conditions exist for hikers:

Dundas Valley: Trails remain closed to cyclists and equestrians, until further notice.

The Spring Valley Trail leading from Jerseyville Rd. is closed where it enters onto Conservation Authority land, approximately 500 m. north of Jerseyville Rd. The Hilltop Trail and the Murray Ferguson Way are also closed until further notice. Recent emergency utility repair work has left the trails in unsuitable condition. Once the ground dries out in the spring, repairs will be made and the trails will be reopened. Notices will be posted. The Headwaters Trail is still open. Access to the Headwaters Trail is available from Jerseyville Rd via Marten’s Rd.

Due to current weather conditions trails are extremely slippery and very muddy in areas, caution is advised.

how 'bout them mayapples!

2011-04-30T11:29:00.001-04:00

One of the early signs of spring on the forest floor, Mayapples are opening their leaves and working on producing the single fruit they will bear in a season. Just don't eat it. Learn more about this common native plant here.

Interesting that Podophyllum peltatum takes its name from the Latin for "shield shaped." Which made me think about a poem (first two stanzas below):

The Shield of Achilles
W. H. Auden

She looked over his shoulder
       For vines and olive trees,
     Marble well-governed cities
       And ships upon untamed seas,
     But there on the shining metal
       His hands had put instead
     An artificial wilderness
       And a sky like lead.

A plain without a feature, bare and brown,
   No blade of grass, no sign of neighborhood,
Nothing to eat and nowhere to sit down, 
   Yet, congregated on its blankness, stood
   An unintelligible multitude,
A million eyes, a million boots in line, 
Without expression, waiting for a sign.

[read the entire poem here]

Today would be a perfect day, with the sun shining and the air warm, to grab a book of poems, or a pen and paper to write your own, and head out onto the trails.

board walking freshened up for spring

2011-04-01T11:31:00.000-04:00

The Royal Botanical Gardens, with the assistance of volunteers from the Cootes Paradise club at McMaster, replaced the boardwalk at the Chegwin Trail in time for early spring hikes along this looping trail.

The trail begins and ends at McMaster University, and is a perfect lunchtime hike for office-dwellers and students in need of some R&R. Leaving campus behind, the sloping trails lead down to the treasured marsh, where the boardwalk allows you to stand among the reeds and watch the red-winged blackbirds set up for the season.

Looking south, east and west, from the boardwalk, the only visible sign of human engineering are some distant hydro towers.

spring along Spencer

2011-03-29T22:29:00.001-04:00

Lower Spencer Creek Trail: Dundas ON

So warm in the sun, but still the look of winter persists. The trail was very pleasant, a bit slippery in places, but generally compact and, with proper boots, not a problem to traverse.

Plenty of red-wing blackbirds calling out of the marsh and high in the trees, the beauty disturbed by the cars and truck noise from nearby Cootes Drive. Still, a lovely walk with a remnant wild space still supporting life despite the encroaching human infrastructure.

temporary trail closure: Dundas

2011-03-18T17:09:00.001-04:00

From the Hamilton Conservation Authority, this:

Visitor Alert! A major portion of the Hilltop, and Spring Valley Trail will be closed from March 18 to March 25, 2011. Ontario Hydro will be carrying out maintenance work on a hydro lines. Other trails that will be affected will be the Lions Pool trail off of Jerseyville Road in Ancaster.Still plenty of trails to explore and visit in the valley!

Eco Motion Meeting Moved

2011-03-14T23:14:00.001-04:00

From the organizer at Environment Hamilton:

There has been a last minute change in plans, and the meeting has changed locations from the Town Hall to the Amica Retirement Residence. The meeting will take place at the same time at 7 PM on March 16th, and is just west of the Town Hall along Hatt Street. The Amica building is on the corner of Hatt and Ogilvie (50 Hatt St). I look forward to seeing you there!

Thanks,

Adam

The meeting is

"a review committee for the Dundas Eco-Motion Project ...and door prizes will be awarded. We will be focusing upon prioritizing the walkability concerns within Dundas, which will then be taken to Councillor Russ Powers. All are welcome to come, and any feedback is much appreciated. I hope to see you there."

back on the eco-motion trail in Dundas

2011-02-23T14:12:00.000-05:00

A hike organized by Environment Hamilton. Here are the deets:

My name is Adam Pallett and I am the project coordinator for the Dundas Eco-Motion project - 2011. We are back in Dundas working to improve the walking conditions, while encouraging people to walk within their communities. We are holding a nature walk on Sunday the 27th to get the project rolling again, and it would be great to meet any of you who were involved with the project last year or meet anyone who would like to become involved with the project.

Dundas Eco-Motion Nature Walk

Sunday, February 27th from 1-3pm

Meet in front of East Side Mario's in University Plaza - 119 Osler Drive (the walk will end at University Plaza)

The walk will be led by Richard Reble at a fairly quick and sustained pace, it will be an energetic two hours of hiking!

frosty chalk

2011-02-15T19:45:00.001-05:00

Someone chalked these lines from Robert Frost's poem on a building at McMaster University. I, fortunately, had no promises to keep, and had just returned from the deep and lovely woods.

trail report

2011-01-30T21:35:00.001-05:00

Skied the Ravine Road trail in Westdale today - the trail surface is great for walking - packed snow, no real icy sections so a good pair of winter boots - or in my case, an old pair of x-country skis - are all you need. With more snow in the forecast, it should remain excellent for trail mobility for the near future.

I saw people in snow shoes, and lots of people walking, but many with dogs off leash which is against the law, and unnerving, as unleashed dogs sometimes get weird around humans on skis.

Hopefully I will be reporting from the ski trails in Dundas Valley Conservation Area in the next week or so. If you beat me to it, please share the trail conditions with us here!

get lost...

2011-01-29T09:31:00.000-05:00

with this fascinating radio program on getting lost, and finding your way...

Cold? Snap out of it!

2011-01-23T23:18:00.001-05:00

Do you complain about the cold, about winter in general? Then perhaps you don't know how to enjoy this fantastic winter weather. Dress for success, first and foremost, but once you are layered in your thermals, hitting the trails is a year round activity!

I have a supply of walking aids, including YakTrax or trekking poles, but I have lately been trading my boots for cross country skis. We've also hiked over to the new outdoor skating rink at the Hamilton harbour (by Williams Coffee Pub), slipped on the blades and joined others slicing across the ice!

So temper your complaints with a dose of self-reflection: are you making use of the special environment of cold, ice and snow?

local locomotion

2011-01-08T16:00:00.000-05:00

"There is in fact a sort of harmony discoverable between the capabilities of the landscape within a circle of ten miles' radius, or the limits of an afternoon walk, and the threescore years and ten of human life. It will never become quite familiar to you."

H.D. Thoreau

walking, don't give a crooks hollow dam...

2011-01-06T08:50:00.025-05:00

From our bloggery neighbours at Restore Cootes, an update on the fate of the dam on Spencer Creek at Crooks Hollow -

RESTORE COOTES: back to nature: "The Hamilton Conservation Authority is moving ahead with the task of removing a dam and restoring the original watercourse on Spencer Creek ..."

Good news for fish and wildlife, and for restoring the natural landscape after so much human intervention in the past 100 years!

Of course, our concern at Dundas Walks is about the potential loss of a hiking link: the historical Crooks Hollow trail on the north side of the creek with the neighbourhood on the south is currently linked by the walkway for pedestrians across the dam.

The good news from Hazel Breton, Manager Water Resource Engineering at the HCA, is that a footbridge will be put in place at the location of the dam to keep the pedestrian connection in place. So add a hiking win to the list of wins on this case!

return to the point

2011-01-01T23:26:00.001-05:00

A new year's day walk along the recently re-opened Sassafras Point Trail in the Royal Botanical Gardens' Cootes Paradise.

The record setting warm weather (11C) had turned the trails muddy, though ice persisted on the sheltered inlets between Princess Point and Sassafras Point - a return to colder temps tonight and next week should get the ice back for skating.

The views from Sassafras Point are stunning. Unfortunately we were running out of light and time to follow the trail from the tip of the point back along the north side, so resolved to return and enjoy the tranquility and the ever changing landscape once the snow flies.

place of quiet?

2010-12-27T10:00:00.000-05:00

Walking along the Ginger Valley trail my 15-year-old daughter commented that she can't remember ever walking on a trail where she couldn't hear traffic.

Roads bisect and disrupt the natural areas we have, fragmenting both habitat, and the experience of habitat. Even when out of sight, traffic interferes with the enjoyment of nature, and has become the background soundtrack to our lives.

The ironic thing is, to escape, we must get in cars and drive hours away, and even then, must work to get away from vehicular noise.

Is there a place locally that defies the constant hum or drone of motor vehicles?

small is...not big and stupid

2010-12-22T22:39:00.001-05:00

Thoreau once suggested that "most men appear never to have considered what a house is..."
Some giant homes, built for two people to inhabit, offend the natural sentiment of neighbours. Well, how about considering the other extreme - small dwellings that take up very little space?

video from the valley

2010-12-21T21:27:00.001-05:00

Christmas will end hunt in Valley

2010-12-21T13:51:00.000-05:00

It appears that process was the first casualty in the deer hunt in Dundas Valley, resulting in a renegotiated deadline to end the hunt which has closed the Headwaters Trail. The trail will be re-opened December 25.

A long term agreement on use of these lands by hunters from the Haudenosaunee needs to be established (or perhaps an agreement that has hunting take place in areas other than HCA lands with established trails) if there are to be continued good relations, based on trust and mutual respect. It sounds like the HCA was involved in this type of process, so it seems only fair for the process to be respected by all.

Here's the latest from the local daily:

Native hunters asked to leave Dundas Valley

DEER HUNT The Hamilton Conservation Authority says confederacy members from Six Nations have agreed to make Dec. 24 the final day of their hunt.

Ron Albertson/The Hamilton Spectator

ANCASTER The Hamilton Conservation Authority has asked Haudenosaunee Six Nations hunters to end their two-week deer hunt on Dundas Valley conservation lands by Dec. 25.

“They have consented to reduce the length of the closure to have the trails open Christmas Day, and that there would be no further hunting for the remainder of the year,” HCA chief administrative officer Steve Miazga said Tuesday.

The move comes after an early-morning conference between HCA chair of the board Chris Firth-Eagland and Miazga, who then contacted members of the Haudenosaunee Confederacy and asked them to leave the western part of the conservation area near Paddy Green Road where they set up a deer hunt site on the weekend.

The Haudenosaunee Six Nations Confederacy members, who say they have treaty rights to hunt in the area, began hunting deer with bows on Sunday and had planned to remain there until the end of the year.

“In order to have a relationship with the Hamilton Conservation Authority, if they ever hope to be partner stewards with the citizens of Hamilton, through the city of Hamilton and the Hamilton Conservation Authority, then they must lead in this instance and show support for the work we’ve been doing in looking at Iroquoia Heights (deer management) and get their people out of the Dundas Valley,” Firth-Eagland said Tuesday morning.

THE CONSERVATION AUTHORITY WAS HOPING FOR “A GRACEFUL WITHDRAWAL get out within the next several days – and tell us you are coming back to the table with us at the Deer Management Advisory Committee to help us understand the issues and work together in the long term,” Firth-Eagland said.

“I asked Steve Miazga this morning to go back to the Haudenosaunee as quickly as possible with their own words, with their own notion. I urged him to look at the minutes of when they came and made their presentation, and their reference that they are thinking seven generations to the future, that they must plan for the health and welfare of the natural environment.”

limits of tolerance?

2010-12-20T12:03:00.004-05:00

Refreshing to see treaty rights being considered, and not rejected outright as is often the case. The trail effected by the temporary closure is limited to the western section of the Headwaters Trail, and does not include the Hamilton to Brantford Rail trail. As the article notes, not everyone will be happy with this decision, but if we accept the premise that deer are overpopulated (i.e. surpassing natural limits) in this region, then this method seems to be an interesting way of dealing with it. The Spectator article is reprinted below; the HCA notice from their web site is here:

Dundas Valley is not a happy hunting ground

the Hamilton Spectator

Temporary signs have appeared at trail entrances in Ancaster warning users of native hunting.

Ron Albertson/The Hamilton Spectator

Part of the Dundas Valley Conservation Area in Ancaster is closed to the public for the rest of December to allow deer hunting by natives from the Six Nations Haudenosaunee Confederacy.

The decision to close a three-square kilometre chunk of the conservation area near Jerseyville Road and the Morgan Firestone Arena was made with no public fanfare by the Hamilton Conservation Authority.

At the entrance to one trail at the bottom of Martin’s Road, a couple of small paper safety notices, with an accompanying map, are posted to trees, announcing that the trails are closed until December 31.

The decision to close the section from Martin’s Road to Paddy Greene Road, between Power Line and Jerseyville roads, was made last week, according to Steve Miazga, chief administrative officer of the conservation authority, “at the request of the Haudenosaunee, who informed us that they would be harvesting in that area which is the far west end of Dundas Valley.

“We have played it low-key because we don’t wish to attract any further attention in terms of poachers to our situation and we do know that we have poachers in the Dundas Valley,” added Miazga.

Miazga said an agreement was reached to respect the treaty rights of the Haudenosaunee, who will cull the deer both for food and because deer are an important part of mid-winter ceremonies that will take place in early January.

“Quite frankly, they’ve been very forthright with us and have informed us of when and where they will be conducting their harvest in terms of their food-gathering and their ceremonies,” said Miazga. “We respect their treaty rights and therefore we have decided that we have to post those trails.”

View Dundas Valley Hunting zone in a larger map

Paul Williams, a member of the committee working on hunting issues on behalf of the Haudenosaunee, said the arrangement balances treaty rights and public safety.

“We’re having to reconcile social issues, legal issues on both sides, conservation issues and certainly we work with the conservation authority to identify the places where the deer can be taken with the greatest safety, the greatest benefit in terms of conservation and the least possibility of inconvenience to the public,” said Williams.

Williams also noted that there was no need for public fanfare because the issue of treaty rights and hunting is well-established for the Haudenosaunee.

“We do what we can to avoid conflict, but this isn’t something new,” said Williams.

“This is something we’ve done with other agencies before. It’s not secretive.”

Both Miazga and Williams refused to speculate if members of the confederacy would have proceeded with the deer hunt if an agreement with the HCA hadn’t been reached.

Williams also wouldn’t speculate on the number of Six Nations hunters who might participate in the hunt.

“It’s not as if hundreds of people are descending on the valley,” he added.

The two sides have studied the deer population in the area and concluded that there is an overabundance of deer. The HCA’s study conducted in 2009, based on standards set by the Ministry of Natural Resources, suggests the west end of the Dundas Valley area has three times the appropriate number of deer.

Only bow and crossbow hunting will be allowed on the HCA land until Dec. 31, and both the MNR and Hamilton police have been informed about the hunting decision.

The decision to close the trail was not greeted happily by some Ancaster residents out walking their dogs Sunday morning in the conservation area.

“I’m disgusted with it,” said one man, who declined to identify himself. “They have no business being here, as far as I’m concerned.

“It’s like a turkey shoot for them.”

Joanne and John Renaud, who have enjoyed the area for about two decades, worried about their safety.

“I don’t like the idea,” said Joanne.

“You wonder, ‘Am I going to be mistaken for an animal?’” added John.

Rob Martin, who has used the trail for about 10 years, said he was very surprised when he noticed the warning signs.

“That’s way too dangerous,” said Martin. “If they see my dogs walking along, are they going to take a shot?

“I have to assume they’re not that stupid.”

Miazga acknowledged he expects the conservation authority’s decision will be met by some anger.

“I can appreciate their concern but nevertheless we, as the HCA, have to weigh the issue of public safety and treaty rights and in consideration of both, it’s only prudent that we close those trails,” said Miazga.

Williams said he also expects some people will react angrily.

“What we’ve found is there are some people who will be unhappy, no matter how human beings take deer,” said Williams.

“They’re also unhappy about people eating cows.”

walk on the wild side

2010-12-16T23:25:00.000-05:00

Coyotes have been hunting deer in Dundas, apparently right along the busy rail trail, according to this article in the Hamilton Spectator. Some advice: 1. Do Not Feed Wildlife. 2. Keep your dogs leashed 3. Don't panic! Coyotes live in the area, and are generally shy of people. Attacks on humans are very rare. We have coyotes in our neighbourhood near Cootes Paradise, and I've only seen one up close once, as it ran ahead of my daughter and I on a trail. I was thrilled to see it, but it did make me a little nervous for a while. But you are far more likely to get in a car accident than be attacked by a coyote.

Dundas neighbours worry about coyotes

COYOTE KILL A partially eaten deer carcass on the rail trail in Dundas lies just metres from a childrens' playground.

Ron Albertson/The Hamilton Spectator

Twyla Murray is increasingly worried about the growing number of coyotes boldly prowling her southwest Dundas neighbourhood.

Murray and her husband, Brian, live just steps away from the Dundas rail trail and the nearby Dundas Valley ravine running behind Little John Road. They rattle off stories of close sightings of coyotes.

On one occasion, there was a coyote standing outside their back door in broad daylight. On another, Brian came within feet of a coyote while walking their schnauzer-poodle, Bailey, who froze in fear.

They say neighbours have been confronted by three coyotes walking down the street and the animals have been spotted in an open area beside playground equipment.

“We’ve been worried because they’re very close and don’t seem to be afraid,” said Twyla.

“We go out on the trail a lot and we see moms with strollers and little kids running far ahead … It scares me. I don’t think people realize.”

The couple thinks there should be warning signs along the rail trail and ravine paths to make users aware.

Little John resident and Spectator photographer Ron Albertson snapped a photo of the latest deer victim of coyotes this week. He and his wife have come across three carcasses in the last few months along the Dundas rail trail, adjacent to a popular playground and in the shadow of Dundana public school.

He’s also concerned that rail trail users aren’t prepared to happen upon a coyote.

A number of people walking the trail Wednesday said they weren’t aware that coyotes are hunting deer in the area. One woman walking her large dog said the news makes her wonder if she should be out on the trail alone.

“I run the trail down in the ravine. Maybe I won’t do that any more,” she said.

Coyote attacks on humans are exceedingly rare but not unheard of. A 19-year-old Toronto woman was killed by two coyotes in Cape Breton in October 2009.

Brazen coyotes have become an issue in several parts of Hamilton, including along the Beach Strip last year when they were going into back yards searching for food. Experts say coyotes are one of the few animals in Canada whose range is growing. That brings them into more urban and suburban environments.

Coyotes den in fields, tree stumps or burrows, and typically hunt singly or in pairs. They will kill or eat carrion.

The Murrays say they now see far fewer deer and rabbits than when they moved into the area five years ago. Deer had become something of a nuisance but Twyla worries that the coyotes don’t have any natural predators locally.

Sue O’Dwyer, acting manager of Hamilton Animal Control, says the agency has received 12 calls since January about coyotes in Dundas. She said people are mostly reporting the animals in fields and back yards.

O’Dwyer says if coyotes become a public safety issue, animal control will contact the Ministry of Natural Resources, which would decide whether to trap and euthanize problem animals.

She says those walking in or close to natural areas should carry bells or an air horn and always keep dogs on a leash. Anyone who comes across a coyote should make lots of noise and throw something in its direction, she said. They shouldn’t turn and run but stand their ground and make eye contact with the animal.

Confrontations with an aggressive coyote should be reported to animal control or even the police.

O’Dwyer is particularly concerned about reports of people feeding coyotes, either from their hands or by leaving out food in their back yards. That changes their behaviour from nocturnal, timid creatures, she says, into entitled beggars.

“If people feed them, they will show up in the day and get bold and they become too familiar with people.”

monsters in the valley

2010-12-15T21:29:00.000-05:00

Yes, there are people out there who feel the need to build BIG, BIG houses where there once was a wee cottage. There are arguments against such giant impositions on the landscape, especially in the lovely remains of the valley, but it's almost a morally embarrassing voyeuristic thing to watch. But rich people don't know how we feel anyway.

So maybe you should check out an online petition against the enormous chateau here.

(image from the Hamilton Spectator web site)

work party

2010-11-28T17:37:00.001-05:00

The latest info courtesy of the Cootes Paradise Club; here is their latest communique:

The club is looking for 10+ Cootes explorers to assist for 1 hour next Monday between 10am and 2pm. The more people help the faster it will be and the more fun too! We'll be meeting at the Brandon Hall entrance at the hour or half-hour that you sign up. There will be snacks and gloves provided but do dress warm! This is a great way to show to the RBG that we students care about the forest conditions and we are willing to play a role in helping improve the environment.

So if you are in the area of Chegwin Trail, lend the Royal Botanical Gardens a hand!

Salmon Run

2010-11-28T17:27:00.000-05:00

Regular walkers along Spencer Creek in Dundas will be familiar with this sight in the fall.

Chegwin Bridge

2010-11-17T13:08:00.003-05:00

A McMaster University student club devoted to Cootes e-mailed out this bit of info with their weekly events listing:

Monday, Nov. 29th! On this day, the Royal Botanical Gardens will be coming to the Chegwin Trail to remove the old wooden boardwalk that is near the cattails. It's the one with the railings and curves and we walked on it during the September full moon night hike. They have asked for our help in removing the wood. There will be more details to come, but it would be great our club could supply some help for about an hour or two. Gloves and snack will be provided. I'll give you all more details about this event next week. If you want to play a direct role in revitalizing Cootes by working on a project that will be beneficial to the community, this is it! Plus, you can meet all the great people that work with the RBG!

Does this mean they are removing the footbridge? or replacing it? Check back here for answers soon!

ANSWERED! Tys Theysmeyer, Head of Conservation, Aquatic Ecologist at the Royal Botanical Gardens has confirmed that the bridge along the south shore of Cootes Paradise will be upgraded over the next couple months, with a possibility of a raised platform to enable viewers to see over the cattails in the marsh. Volunteers will be able to help with getting the old bridge out. Watch for updates on this blog for ways you can help.

Walking to Dundas Town Hall

2010-11-15T13:24:00.003-05:00

Environment Hamilton's Dundas Eco Motion Project invites you to join us for the:

Dundas Eco-Motion Project Town Hall Meeting

When: THURSDAY, December 2nd @ 7pm
Where: Dundas Town Hall

Environment Hamilton will provide an explanation of the findings from the Dundas Eco Motion Project. Project goals and achievements will be addressed, along with an overview of the community concerns received throughout the project. There will also be a discussion on how to move forward with the findings from this project.

Any questions should be directed to our offices by calling:
905-549-0900

Thank you for your continued support, and we hope to see you there!

Alessandra Gage
Project Coordinator
agage@environmenthamilton.org

sunset on Cootes

2010-10-27T18:49:00.012-04:00

Stuck without my camera on the bridge over Cootes Drive tonight, I happened to meet a very agreeable young man who shared his photos of the spectacular sunset with me: thanks to Jason Yuen for the kind and prompt favour!

walk think

2010-10-15T23:46:00.000-04:00

I love how science keeps kicking out proof of what we suspect about the benefits of walking. This latest study found the seniors who walk about "10 kilometres per week suffer less brain shrinkage, which may help stave off dementia."

So, walking can stave off the aging of the brain that can cause memory difficulty in older adults.

The CBC reports that,

"In the study, 299 volunteers in Pittsburgh with an average age of 78 who were free of dementia recorded the number of blocks they walked in one week. Then nine weeks later, scientists took brain scans of the participants to measure their brain size.

After four more years, researchers tested the subjects to see if they had developed dementia or other memory problems.

Study author Kirk Erickson of the University of Pittsburgh and his co-authors found that people who walked at least 72 blocks per week — 10-14 kilometres — showed greater grey matter volume in their brain compared with people who didn't walk as much.

"Our results are in line with data that aerobic activity induces a host of cellular cascades that could conceivably increase grey matter volume," the study's authors wrote.

Trekking more than 72 blocks did not seem to offer any further increases in grey matter volume, the researchers found.

The findings held true regardless of other risk factors such as family history.

Erickson's team called for more studies on the effects of exercise on dementia, but noted that in the absence of effective treatments for Alzheimer's that walking could help.

"If regular exercise in midlife could improve brain health and improve thinking and memory in later life, it would be one more reason to make regular exercise in people of all ages a public health imperative," Erickson said.

The study appears in this week's online issue of the journal Neurology.

The study was funded by the U.S. National Institute on Aging.

So, what are we to do? Well, continue to create walkable communities, which means rejecting road widening schemes, like those proposed in the Downtown Dundas Transportation Master Plan. Wide, fast roads discourage walking and cycling, and make conditions more dangerous for those who dare try it.

Let's get more traffic calming, more cycling lanes, wider sidewalks, and we will have a healthier population of all ages.

Dundas In Eco-Motion!

2010-10-05T10:30:00.005-04:00

Alessandra Gage coordinated this summer's Dundas Eco-Motion Project for Environment Hamilton; she took some time from her busy school schedule at McMaster to debrief on her experience for Dundas Walks.

Q1) Briefly describe the idea of the project: what are you hoping to accomplish?

The purpose of the Dundas Eco-Motion Project is two-fold. First and foremost, it is meant to cultivate an appreciation for sustainable methods of transportation and a healthy lifestyle. By engaging community members through special events (bike rides, walkabouts, waterfall hikes, and historical tours), we are attempting to reduce our dependency on car-culture. The second goal of the project is to voice community concerns to public officials and address issues of transportation.

Q2) Why Dundas?

Dundas was chosen for a few reasons. The town has been host to a number of Environment Hamilton projects over the years, and funding was offered to run another project in the area. Similar, successful projects pertaining to sustainability were run in the Kirkendall Neighbourhood and near Concession Street, and Dundas seemed like an appropriate candidate for the Eco-Motion Project in light of the heightened community concern regarding transportation issues following a number of traffic-related incidents earlier this year.

Q3) What needs are not being met for people interested in getting around without a car?

Most of the identified needs that are not presently being met fall into one or more of the following categories: connections, safety, and speed. Although Dundas has been improving over the years, residents are still looking for better connections between living areas and different modes of transportation. For instance, many citizens have requested that the sidewalk along Ogilvie be extended from Creekside Dr. to Governer's Road. This connection is particularly important for individuals with mobility issues, because it can be both tedious and dangerous for a resident to walk the longer distance (walking back up to Hatt, crossing to the Metro-side of Ogilvie, and crossing back over at Governer's) to reach the bus stop on Ogilvie at Governer's. Another pressing need was for wider sidewalks, and a more pedestrian-friendly intersection at Governers & Ogilvie. The sidewalks are currently being worked on, but it's important for people to keep discussion about improvements ongoing and active so that positive changes can continue. One of the safety/speed concerns that has frequently been mentioned, is the hazardous stretch of Hatt Street, and Creekside Drive (connecting both Ogilvie and Hatt). Residents have asked for wider sidewalks, smaller lanes, and more stop-signs. Some have requested speed-bumps along Creekside to help deter drivers from using the road to avoid the lights at Hatt & Ogilvie. While there are plenty more requests made to address needs of individuals travelling without a car, one of the last ones that I will mention is that of connecting modes of transportation. In order to have a comprehensive system of transportation, it's important to have good links as modes of transportation change. For instance, providing bike racks alongside bus stops, so that travellers can lock their bikes up before the next stretch of their trip; or having sidewalks, bike lanes, and bus routes all connect so that you can travel continuously from one place to another, while using various methods of sustainable transport. All of these needs must be met if residents of Dundas desire to move away from today's car-culture and towards a more eco-friendly lifestyle.

Q4) What are some suggestions you've heard from people?

Some of the suggestions I've heard from people include the following:
wider sidewalks
re-painting crosswalks
more stop-lights
higher frequency of HSR buses through Dundas
pedestrian-friendly intersections (clear crosswalks, railings for pedestrian islands)
more bike lanes
grass/flowerbed buffer-zone (mini-boulevard) between Hatt Street & the sidewalk to provide more protection & distance from traffic
closing off King Street completely to make a pedestrian-only street
continuous sidewalk leading from Creekside Dr. to Governer's along Ogilvie.

This list of suggestions is not exhaustive, and the suggestions have come from a wide variety of residents. Not everyone supports the idea of turning King St. into a permanent pedestrian-only street, but it's a bold suggestion that is important to consider - especially because it prompts us to consider the idea of pedestrian-only streets in general.

Q5) Describe an interesting or surprising moment you experienced.

I was having troubles thinking of a surprising moment, since most of the suggestions I heard were ones that I figured might arise after reviewing the Dundas area, but one that pops into mind was when I spoke with the Creekside residents. Most individuals had expressed dissatisfaction with the HSR bus frequency and service, but there were a few people from Creekside that felt the bus service was running quite well, and that they didn't have many complaints. They also explained some of the benefits of having the buses run as they do through the town. The perspective was nice to hear, since it's always helpful to hear arguments from both sides and from multiple perspectives.

Q6) What happens now that the project is over? Is there a legacy?

Now that the project has been completed, we are working to ensure that the information is passed on to community groups (like Dundas in Transition), who can then continue our efforts. Ideally, we will receive funding for another year in Dundas and we can continue to work on the Eco-Motion Project. While our initial 6-week blitz was helpful in to jump-starting the project, it is imperative that we continue our efforts through self-sustaining means. This means ensuring that the information is not lost, but is utilized by local groups & remains alive in discussion. The Dundas Eco-Motion Project isn't just an Environment Hamilton initiative; it's a project for the people of Dundas, about the people of Dundas, and by the people of Dundas. It's about ensuring that the community's diverse voices are heard and taken into consideration during decision making processes & policy forming.

Thanks Alessandra for your insights and your dedication to Dundas' sustainability!

For those wishing to stay involved, contact some of the organizations and resources listed on the Dundas Eco Motion web site (copied below):

Helpful Links:

Check us out on facebook! - Dundas Eco-Motion Project Facebook Group
Open Streets Hamilton - Open Streets Hamilton
Transportation for Liveable Communities - TLC
Dundas Walks - Dundas Walks Blogspot
Dundas In Transition - DIT
Dundas Ontario in Transition - Let's DOiT
City Councillor Russ Powers - www.russpowers.com

Important Documents:

Downtown Dundas Transportation Master Plan - DDTMP
Hatt Street Study (2005) - Hatt Street Study
Cycling Master Plan (2009) - Cycling Master Plan
International Charter for Walking - Charter for Walking
Canadian Walks Master Class: Case Study, Hamilton 2009 - Hamilton Report
Urban Braille System - Principles & Guidelines

FALL WALK THROUGH TIME IN DUNDAS

2010-09-20T17:11:00.000-04:00

This is a friendly invitation to one of the last special event's being held for Environment Hamilton's Dundas Eco Motion Project. We would love for all interested individuals to come and attend the:

Cross/Melville Walking Tour:
Heritage Buildings & Trees(previously listed as "Dundas Heritage District Historical Tour")

Ann Gillespie, built heritage consultant and member of the Dundas Valley Tree Keepers, will be guiding participants on a wonderful tour of the Cross/Melville area. This walk will be done at a leisurely stroll with stops at a number of locations; however, there will be an optional, brisker walk around the Dundas Driving Park for those wanting a bit more exercise.

Date: Tuesday, September 21st*Time: 6:30pm-7:30pm - NOTE TIME CHANGE!!
Meeting Location: Parking lot of St. Paul's United Church (corner of Cross St. & Park St.)
*In the case of rain, this event will be moved. If the event is moved, the new date/time will be posted on the website, or you can call/email for the more information.

For more information, please direct all inquiries to:
Alessandra Gage
905-549-0900agage@environmenthamilton.org

noboby wants dogs in the park?

2010-09-13T11:37:00.002-04:00

Plans to close Warren Park to off-leash dogs (welcomed by this blog!) have been delayed, and now, the alternative site of Delottinville Park is being opposed by neighbours.

Is this a classic case of NIMBY (Not In My Back Yard)?

The concerns with Warren Park focused on the environmentally sensitive nature of the area, and its integration with the Hamilton Conservation Area trails, where dogs are supposed to be leashed. The area was not fenced, which meant unwelcome encounters between loose-running dogs and hikers, sometimes leading to threatening behaviour by dogs, and sometimes between owners and hikers.

The replacement park, which is in the midst of the newly completed sprawl development at the western reached of Dundas, north of Governor's Road, would be fenced, and have parking, as well as being close to the dog-owners living in the subdivision.

Clearly, dog-owners want a place to take their dogs off leash. The city is looking at providing this service using best-practices to ensure environmental and safety concerns are met.

As the Dundas Star reports:

the two-acre area would be enclosed by a four foot high fence with double-gated access, it is located outside environmentally significant areas and the site does not conflict with any proposed sports facility.

As letter writers have declared:

We love nature and that is why we moved to Dundas in the first place. The thought of our peaceful neighborhood being converted into a busy, noisy dog sanctuary is unbearable.
After all, Dundas Valley is identified as an environmentally sensitive area in the Hamilton-Wentworth Region official plan

They might want to consider that the landscape where their new home sits was not long ago a meadow with footpaths; a stream was placed into a pipe and buried, the hill leveled to a flatness suitable for subdivisions, while access to the Conservation Area trail was fenced off.

Now that houses stand on the former natural area with their roads, paved driveways, and suburban accoutrement like lawn mowers, leaf-blowers etc. it seems selfish to take such an environmental stance against a low-intensity fenced leash free area.

The Hill Street leash free area is in Hamilton is close to houses and part of a children's park and functions very well in the community.

People in support of a leash free park in Hamilton had better speak up and let Councillor Powers know your views (rpowers@hamilton.ca), since, as the staff report states, there are no real options other than this location.

Creekside Walk Croaks?

2010-08-16T21:47:00.000-04:00

Well, my daughter and I were walking the trail to Burlington through Hendry Valley along Grindstone Creek and we were surprised to find this sign (above) - well, "not recommended" for hiking isn't saying "closed to hiking" - plus the fineprint saying repairs would not happen "until summer when the creek and grounds are it its driest" led us to continue on our trek, it being mid August and all.

Yet we quickly realized that not many others are ignoring the posted warning, since the trail was very narrowed by the overgrowth of life as it goes on in the woods - and we had to brush past a constant supply of greenery, some of which we found was likely poison ivy, so we wait now to see how our bodies deal with it.

We made it through and the path was much better as we approaced Unsworth drive and on into Hidden Valley. Funny thing was, I was just checking out the Royal Botanical Gardens own mapping of their trails, including this one, earlier today. Maybe the mapping site could include updates when there are problems with the trail.

I'm itching to tell them...

Warren Park Loses Leash Free

2010-08-16T09:22:00.003-04:00

The local daily reports that Warren Park's leash-free status is gone by the end of the year.

City council decided to revoke the Dundas park's designation as a leash-free park and instead convert a developing area north of Governor's Road into a leash-free zone.
The park near Tally Ho Drive, which is on-leash during the summer, will cease to be a leash-free area in about four months once its replacement, Delottinville Park, is ready, said the city's director of environmental services, Craig Murdoch.

The opposing sides in this tug-of-war over the use of the park for free-running dogs has not always been polite.

To me, it has always made sense to have this park protected since it is in an Environmentally Sensitive Area (ESA) with hiking trails linked to the Dundas Valley Conservation Area where dogs are to be on-leash.

As city staff reported, "Through the action of the dogs, the park is in a degraded state and the natural environment has been impaired."

It also makes sense to me to have leash-free parks with fences to segregate the dogs from the rest of park users who may not be comfortable with unknown dogs of all sizes approaching them at any speed.

I also suspect that there will always be a minority of dog-owners who ignore the rules, and operate on the assumption that their dog would never cause a problem. However, as any dog behaviourist will tell you, there are no guarantees and any dog is capable of causing harm.

But I also suspect that most dog-owners will respect the new by-law and work to ensure proper amenities for their pets.Hikers in the area will be more secure in their walks knowing that they will not be accosted by dogs whose owners are not in proximity to control them.

View Leash Free Dog Park Issues, Dundas ON in a larger map

Two other parks in Dundas (Chegwin and Littlejohn) are up for review, neither of which has fencing, and one (Chegwin) next to a creek that feeds into Spencer Creek, and a paved trail linking to the Spencer Creek Trail and to Governor's Road, so a review seems to be in order.

talking shit

2010-08-14T23:04:00.002-04:00

A correspondent to this blog is getting annoyed at what he sees at an abundance of horse manure being left on the Hamilton to Brantford Rail Trail in Dundas Valley:

Basically we have private horse riding private businesses making use of public space, churning up the path with their hoofs, leaving potholes and shit all over the place, and basically taking over the public space, while making money off of it. This does not include the one bicycle rack that was ripped out of its moorings at the Trail Centre by a wild horse.

When I get to the Brant county section of the trail, I notice that they have scoop signs, which are sort of ambiguous, but at least it is something. I get this shit in my mountain (bike) tires and have to clean it out with water.

The shit sometimes is deposited between the two barriers at the crossings, so one would only have about four square feet to work your trick bike.

Well, on my ride out there last Saturday I found two piles of horse droppings on the trail, about a kilometre in each direction from the Trail Centre. I will admit, I was a bit shy about taking pictures of poop, but, all in a day's blogging. I have a photo of the second pile, but I hope this one will suffice as a a sort of synecdoche of shit.

A little further on down the trail, just east of the Trail Centre I found this scat, which I will guess is perhaps Coyote poop, which would make leaving it behind a bit more legitimate, being wild and all.

The correspondent (I'll call him CCRider) took my advice and called to complain at the Hamilton Conservation Authority, but he was not pleased with the response. The administrator, according to CCRider

implied that horse riders are the most important clients of the trail, and the real problem is dogs, not horses

I am not sure where to go from here: I do enjoy seeing the horses, though they can be skittish, therefore potentially dangerous around other trail users. I wish the riders would, as I seem to recall was required from an earlier trail etiquette brochure (i failed to find it on the new HCA web site), push the poop to the side of the trail at least.

What do you think? Is horse poop a problem on the Dundas Trails? Use the comment section to have your say.

walking environment

2010-07-30T10:03:00.000-04:00

Walk-abouts are back in Dundas! These walking tours give people a chance to see just how walkable the community is, while allowing people to review and suggest where improvements can be made. Transportation for Liveable Communities did the first walk-about in May 2005, and another one with funding from Safe Kids Canada on Governor's Road in May 2008, and now Environment Hamilton has funding to take the project of sustainable mobility another step forward with Eco-Motion.

Some Eco-Motion events are scheduled, with more to come:

Dundas Walkabout #1 - Saturday, July 31st @ 2pm, meet in front of Dundas Library (18 Ogilvie Street) - approx. 1-2 hours
Dundas Walkabout #2 - Saturday, August 7th @ 2pm, meet in front of Dundas Library (18 Ogilvie Street) - approx. 1-2 hours
Downtown Dundas Historical Tour (1 hour, led by Stan Nowak) - Tuesday, August 24th @ 7pm, meeting location TBD
Dundas Heritage District Historical Tour (1 hour, led by Stan Nowak) - Tuesday, September 21st @ 7pm, meeting location TBD

As TLC has noted elsewhere, Dundas is ripe for improvements to its sustainable transportation network, improvements that would encourage more people to walk and/or cycle as part of their Dundas experience. Dundas Walks wishes Alessandra Gage of Eco-Motion all the success in moving toward sustainability in the Valley Town!

Read what the Dundas Star has to say on the matter:

Eco-Motion Project underway

Environment Hamilton once again blitzing Dundas for info
Published on Jul 22, 2010

Environment Hamilton is back in Dundas for a six-week blitz.
The local non-governmental agency will spearhead a sustainability project that focuses on reducing our carbon footprint, promoting sustainability and voicing neighbourhood concerns about transportation and walkability.
Student intern Alessandra Gage is working closely with Councillor Russ Powers and a number of local community groups to put the project in motion.
The Dundas Eco-Motion Project (DEMP) has been initiated to build awareness and ensure that Dundas offers effective forms of sustainable transportation, addressing any current issues with walkability/eco-friendly transportation.
In addition to gathering community feedback, there will be special walking tours, bike hikes, and information sessions held throughout the summer.
"Working to improve the use of sustainable transportation is important for the community, not only because it reduces our carbon emissions, but because it offers important health benefits as well" explains Alessandra Gage.
By working closely with community groups and city councillors, the DEMP also hopes to maximize the efficiency and efficacy of pre-existing and current initiatives. Most importantly, Alessandra stressed the project looks at improving sustainable transportation for everyone, regardless of age and ability.
"It's important to have accessible, eco-friendly transportation that can meet the needs of the diverse individuals living in Dundas -not just one niche," she said.
Meetings to finalize the project details and event dates will be held this upcoming week, but individuals are invited to keep up to date by following the project website at www.environmenthamilton.org/view/page/dundas_eco_motion
The Dundas Eco-Motion Project is closely related to the Kirkendall Walks and Concession Street Walks projects run by Environment Hamilton in previous summers.
For more information, contact Alessandra at 905-549-0900.

propping up the banks

2010-06-18T12:11:00.001-04:00

Some work has been done to stabilize the Spencer Creek banks just north of Edwards Park in Dundas. There are new trees and shrubs planted along the top, which will help retore this shady spot to its former beauty. Gone is the tree on the near bank that once held a rope swing used by young and old alike to play in the water.

The Spencer Creek Trail provides the most potential to develop a pleasant and scenic walk through the centre of Dundas; after all, a walk is made more invigorating and restorative if it is in the midst of natural beauty.

The existing east-west trail would benefit from improvements to the creek environment, especially the removing of concrete channels that straighten the creek and destroy fish habitat (more on this subject later).

A more natural creek setting would do much to enhance Dundas's image as a scenic and restful place, where quality of life means more than the fastest car commute. Spencer Creek is perhaps the former Town's most important natural asset, and as such, needs some tender loving care to restore it to it's former glory.

on the RBG's Geotrail

2010-06-09T08:58:00.001-04:00

RBG walk? There's an app for that

Jenni Dunning, The Hamilton Spectator, (Jun 9, 2010)

Lush walking trails, waterfalls and rarely seen turtles can all be found in Hamilton's back yard -- and at your digital fingertips.
Hikers, bird watchers and outdoor lovers now have Geotrail, a new high-tech interactive tool to help them map out routes on the Royal Botanical Gardens' 27 kilometres of walking trails.
"There's this growing ability to use online mapping to do all sorts of things," said Geotrail co-founder Paul Shaker. "One niche that we saw could be improved was the outdoor experience and outdoor education."
The Hamilton company created the web service that allows people to plan walking routes based on distance, difficulty level, scenery and duration. It's part of a growing wave of handheld technology applications, or apps, that connect users with the Internet anywhere they go, even the woods.
"This whole area is picking up steam," Shaker said. "It's making the computer more human friendly. It goes where you want to go."
Since Geotrail was launched at the RBG on May 21, the website has received more than 1,000 hits and is getting linked on Facebook pages, he said. Shaker said he has also received interest from other provinces about creating trail maps, and even urban trails in cities with historical landmarks.
Many people have responded positively about the educational aspect of the site, he said.
"You don't just have a dot on a map," Shaker said. "To be able to compare (nature walks) in real time before you head out, you really get a sense of knowledge."
Geotrail also promotes local trails and natural land that don't get much recognition, Shaker added.
That's partly what attracted the RBG to the project because it's much more well-known for its rose and tulip gardens, said Lee Oliver, RBG communications manager.
When Geotrail's Shaker and business partner Gallisedo Bae approached the RBG about the project a couple months ago, "we jumped on it," he said.
"We've been talking about ... how can we better promote the trails to people," Oliver said.
"There's so much amazing technology out there. We're definitely going down that route."
Check out Geotrail on the RBG's website: rbg.geotrail.ca.
jdunning@thespec.com
905-526-3368

SATURDAY JUNE 5: International Trails Day

2010-06-04T10:40:00.000-04:00

Well, this should be an easy one to Celebrate in Dundas - some of the most scenic sections of the Bruce Trail are found here in Dundas Valley and the Spencer Gorge; The Royal Botanical gardens footpaths through Cootes and Hendrie Valley, the nearby Waterfront Trail along the Hamilton Bay and Lake Ontario, and of course, the Trans Canada trail sections that are entwined along these routes. It's hard to be but a few minutes travel to a great trail in this area, and most of them will pay dividends by taking you to or past glorious waterfalls.
Send me a photo of your hike so I can post it on this blog. Now lace up your boots and get moving!

Celebrate International Trails Day on the Trans Canada Trail
JUNE 5 is International Trails Day, a world-wide celebration of recreational trails. Trails promote healthy living, preserve our natural heritage, generate local economic development and inspire endless journeys of learning and discovery.

Join us on the world's longest Trail on June 5. Events and activities are planned from coast to coast to coast. With geo-caching on NB's Fundy Trail, an adventure hike-a-thon on MB's Centennial Trail, the grand opening of Central Alberta's Blindman River Bridge, along with a horseback ride on BC's Haller Trail, a Trail Opening in Midland ON and a Magical Historical Sites cycle tour in Victoria, a great day awaits you on the Trans Canada Trail. Click here for details and a full list of events.

do you move yourself?

2010-05-31T18:09:00.002-04:00

Help local researchers figure out why you choose to move your body!

(click on image to get larger view)

doctors doing it

2010-05-28T10:21:00.008-04:00

How to exercise without "exercising": walk places you need to go! I would add only that to walk for utilitarian purposes is made better if there are decent places to walk (traffic-calmed streets, shade trees, trails, etc.). Walking on Main Street though downtown Hamilton does not qualify.

rk

Local physicians walk the talk
WORKING OUT WITH DRS. HERTZEL GERSTEIN, GREG CURNEW AND RICHARD TOZER

Lise Diebel
Special to The Hamilton Spectator

(May 28, 2010)
Docs who walk: Doctors are well-known for working long, unpredictable hours under stressful conditions.
So how can doctors -- who are in the business of promoting good health -- find time for regular exercise?
One solution is to build exercise into everyday activities, say Hamilton Health Sciences physicians who walk to stay physically active.
Diabetes specialist Hertzel Gerstein conducts meetings with colleagues while walking.
Cardiologist Greg Curnew organized a lunchtime walking group called the Million Step Club.
And cancer specialist Richard Tozer walks to work every day, year-round. Tozer's daily trek includes climbing the escarpment stairs.
Pedometers: "Many people will spend the day doing essentially no activity," says Gerstein, who wears a pedometer every day to track his steps.
This small device is worn near the hip to count and record the number of steps taken. There are many types of pedometers on the market.
"The really cheap ones are not that reliable," warns Gerstein, who recommends spending at least $25 for a dependable model.
It's recommended that people take at least 10,000 steps a day -- the equivalent of walking eight kilometres. Yet the average Canadian takes only 3,000 to 4,000 steps a day.
"It's very informative for people to wear a pedometer to see what they're actually doing," says Gerstein, who aims for 13,000 to 14,000 steps a day.
Wearing one could be a wake-up call for people with desk jobs.
"You may find at the end of the day you've walked 1,000 steps -- which is almost nothing."
Studies have shown that the pedometer should be worn as close as possible to the top point of the hip bone for maximum accuracy, says Curnew. Wearing it closer to the centre of the body gives inaccurate readings.
Talk and walk: "If I have meetings with people in my office, we often do strolling meetings where we can talk and walk at the same time," says Gerstein, who works at the McMaster University Medical Centre.
"There's no reason why two people have to sit across a desk to have a meeting."
When Gerstein has documents to read or notes to dictate, he'll do this while walking the halls, as long as it doesn't involve confidential information.
Healthy choices: Being physically active can help prevent disease -- including diabetes, adds Gerstein.
"Studies have shown very clearly that if you do an average of about 30 minutes of brisk walking at least five days a week, combined with very modest dietary changes, it reduces your risk of diabetes by 50 to 60 per cent."
Physical activity is also one of the best ways to reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease, adds Curnew, who wears a pedometer and aims for 10,000 to 15,000 steps a day.
When you're active 30 to 60 minutes a day on most days of the week, you can dramatically lower your risk of heart disease and stroke, according to the Heart and Stroke Foundation of Ontario.
Regular activity also helps prevent and control risk factors such as high blood pressure, high cholesterol and obesity. Adding more activity to your daily life may also reduce stress levels, increase energy and improve sleep and digestion.
"We're trying to get people to be active," says Curnew, who encourages his patients to wear a pedometer and join his Million Step Club.
"If you do 10,000 steps a day, it takes roughly three months (to walk one million steps)."
Curnew has also organized group walks from his office. They will start in June and take place every Thursday during the lunch hour.
In addition to walking at least 10,000 steps a day, Curnew recommends aiming for seven hours of sporting activity per week as a way to improve cardiovascular fitness. His sport of choice is squash.
Weight loss: If weight loss is your goal, physical activity alone won't be enough, says Gerstein. "You need to combine dietary changes with physical activity."
For many people, all it takes is a small reduction in what they're eating each day.
"If you can cut 200 calories a day out of your diet, that can add up to a 10-pound weight loss over a year," says Gerstein.
Tozer, an oncologist at the Juravinski Cancer Centre, lost 40 pounds by walking to work every day and following the Weight Watchers program where all foods are assigned a point value based on the calorie, fat and fibre content.
Tozer doesn't wear a pedometer. Instead, he walks at a very brisk pace over set time periods. It takes him 40 minutes to walk from his home to the Juravinski Cancer Centre on Hamilton Mountain. He walks home whenever possible, and also goes for regular evening walks lasting 90 minutes.
"I basically traded in my briefcase for my knapsack, and I've never looked back," says Tozer. He credits walking with helping him to trim down and improve his stamina.
According to the Canadian Cancer Society, up to 35 per cent of all cancers can be prevented by being active, eating well and maintaining a healthy body weight.
After not smoking, maintaining a healthy body weight is one of the best things people can do to reduce their risk of getting cancer.
Walk with the doc
What & Who: Free midday group walks with Dr. Greg Curnew are open to anyone.
When: noon Thursdays starting in June. Contact number below for exact date.
Where: Meet at Dr. Curnew's office, 414 Victoria Ave. N.
Contact: 905-667-0783

- - -
photo: Ron Albertson, the Hamilton Spectator

racing past discussion

2010-05-17T12:01:00.004-04:00

Check out this move - with no real planning or community discussion, the group wanting to build a Pan Am Velodrome decided to forgo the synergy of having the track built along with the Pan Am stadium and somehow selected Dundas; with the local councillor's approval. How can these decisions be made with no input from the community?

As advocates for hiking and walking in the Dundas area, we need to know if the hasty plans have been thorough, or as it appears, knee jerk. Unless hikers want elite mountain bike racers speeding past them on the nearby footpaths...

"The NCCH believes the Dundas site would best serve three of the four cycling disciplines as it is close to road cycling routes and mountain biking trails."

What trails are they referring to? RBG trails? Bruce Trail? Neither of which are open for cycling, being footpaths in naturally sensitive areas? Or do they consider Dundas Valley trails close? How well thought out is this plan?

RESTORE COOTES: footpath or cycle path?

Good Fences Make Good Dog Neighbours

2010-05-07T15:40:00.002-04:00

Council considers first fenced leash-free dog area in west end"
Craig Campbell, Dundas Star News Staff

Published on May 06, 2010

As a city staff review of a controversial Dundas leash-free dog running area enters its fifth month, city councillors will consider placing a fence around another leash-free park for the first time.

A notice of motion was given at this week’s public works committee meeting. The motion, if approved at the committee’s May 31 meeting, would direct city staff to install a fence around a leash free park in Hamilton’s west end. This would be the first fenced leash-free or free-running area operated by the city. Three unfenced free-running areas are located in Dundas, plus one in Ancaster.

According to the motion, there have been an increasing number of “dangerous interactions” between off-leash dogs and children or families using a playground in the same park. “…effectively fencing off the leash-free and playground uses of the park will provide a workable solution for all users,” the motion states.

As previously reported by the Dundas Star News, most municipalities with leash free areas within parks enclose the free running areas with fences – particularly when there is any chance of interaction with other park users, or to keep dogs away from conservation or environmentally significant areas.

The Ontario Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals supports leash free areas that are fenced, for the protection of the dogs who use them.

In Hamilton, leash free dogs are not permitted in environmentally significant areas or conservation areas. Warren Park, which is home to an unfenced free running area, is frequented by people using various trails, is located within an ESA and surrounded by Hamilton Conservation Authority property.

Change the rules

A group of dog owners who allow their pets to run at large in Warren Park has asked the city to change the rules for leash free areas to allow the use to continue. Another group has requested the leash-free designation be eliminated.

A staff report and recommendation on Warren Park’s leash-free status is expected by August.

Leash or Leash Free Decision Held Back

2010-04-20T15:03:00.004-04:00

As someone who uses the trail through Warren park as part of the hiking trail system in this valley, having a leash-free area creates a great deal of fear and potential danger for people.
We don't know that your dog, barreling toward us and our young children, is friendly or attacking.
I have seen dogs disobey orders, I have heard "he's never done THAT before" after the dog has growled at us, or started aggressively barking at us; there are just so many potential conflicts that the owners are unable to address that having the two uses i.e. hiking and leash-free, are incompatible.
After years of reading meters for Hydro, I know very well that dogs can be unpredictable, yes, even yours. The owner's verbal assurances aren't worth the paper they are written on when it comes to our safety and comfort.
Of course I will never forget the shock and horror of the time a free-running dog attacked and killed our dog (in Burlington): the dog's owner was unable to first control, then unable to get his dog off ours until it was too late: he ended up chasing after his dog into the dark, while we were left to pick up the remains of our family pet.
I see leash free areas in neighbouring Burlington, fenced in, and not in Environmentally Sensitive Areas, so I certainly hope the staff report reflects concerns above and beyond convenience or a sense of "right" of dog owners.

Dundas decision on dog leashes will have to wait

Meredith Macleod
The Hamilton Spectator

(Apr 20, 2010)
A decision on the freedom of dogs in Dundas's Warren Park won't come until late summer.

The city's public works committee heard from many passionate delegates on both sides of the leash-free debate yesterday before Dundas Councillor Russ Powers moved that the matter go to staff for a report due back in August. He asked staff to come up with alternative locations for a leash-free area in Dundas.

Dog lovers said the park has been leash-free for 23 years and Hamilton already has a shortage of areas to legally walk dogs off-leash. Brian Hinkley, representing the Friends of Warren Park, said users ensure the area is clean and safe and that a volunteer committee can address the concerns of the park's neighbours.

But nearby residents say the use of the park has skyrocketed in the past few years and neighbours are subjected to noise, clogged streets and unruly dogs.

The park abuts the Dundas Valley Conservation Area. Dogs must be leashed in those areas and the Hamilton Conservation Authority has said it's going to step up enforcement after receiving complaints.

A group called Warren Park for Everyone urged the city to make it leash-only because it is within a designated environmentally sensitive area and is near walking trails.

mmacleod@thespec.com

905-526-3408

so many reasons

2010-04-17T18:59:00.001-04:00

Spring is making her presence felt in so many magical ways. If you were needing a prompt to lace up your boots and hit the trails, just the chorus of frogs singing could be enough to justify a trip to the woods in search of the small ponds and marshes.

Or perhaps the lure of the early spring flowers will drag you away from your busy life: one of my favourites - trout lilies - are colouring the forest floor with subtle intensity. And of course the Mayapple, pictured, finding room to spread out beneath the hickory, oaks and the black cherry trees.

Love is in the air, so get out and enjoy it! (Remember, leave the plants and the wildlife alone i.e no picking flowers, if for no other reason than that others may also enjoy)

human powered trails please!

2010-04-09T13:20:00.005-04:00

I go to the woods to get away from the 'hustle and bustle', which for me is an euphemism for 'motor vehicles.' The trails offer quiet and safe surroundings to relax and enjoy nature.
But it seems recreation for some people means simply changing what and where they drive. The two uses (passive human powered locomotion: fast loud ATVs etc) in one area are incompatible. I hope they catch and fine some of the ATV, motorcycle riders, etc. for trespassing on Conservation Area trails and can find ways to keep them out. The damage they cause to sensitive natural areas is too great to ignore.

Motorized vehicles not permitted on trails

Published on Apr 08, 2010, Dundas Star News

The Hamilton Conservation Authority has developed more than 140 kilometres of trails throughout the City of Hamilton in conservation areas and on regional trails, like the Dofasco Trail, Chippawa Trail, Hamilton to Brantford Rail Trail and the Lafarge Trail.

The popular trails provide areas for passive enjoyment by hikers and bicyclists throughout the region. HCA also provides Hamilton with first-class hiking and outdoor recreation facilities.

The high value of these trails to the physical and mental well-being of citizens in the community is well recognized, said HCA operations manager Bruce Mackenzie.

“The Conservation Authority asks all members of the community to enjoy the trails for their intended uses,” he said. “However, we request that no one uses these trails with motorized vehicles.”

Mackenzie said the use of these trails by all-terrain vehicles, snowmobiles and motorcycles seriously erodes the value of these trails for the community.

“Plus HCA is spending thousands of dollars trying to keep motorized vehicles off of the trails,” he said, pointing out gates are being destroyed and barriers removed, while legitimate users of these trails are intimidated by fast-moving motorized vehicles.

HCA hopes thousands will enjoy its trails in the way they were intended to be used. To help ensure public safety and decrease property damage, HCA staff will be assigned to patrol areas frequented by ATVs and other motorized vehicles.

Mackenzie said violators could face charges and fines under the Trespass to Property Act and/or the Conservation Authority Act of Ontario.

Hike a "Draining" Experience

2010-04-06T09:47:00.003-04:00

I have been a fan of www.vanishingpoint.ca for years, not only for the fact that these urban explorers go where most dare not (sewers), but as much for the ethereal photos of this often stunning underground world of architecture they produce.

For a local perspective, you must view the Drains of the Hammer

In the preamble to the Hamilton page, the author supports Hamilton's latest tourism wonder:

Hamilton has more waterfalls within its urban limits than any other city in the world, and this has coloured our experience of its drains, offering a particularly majestic, if no less conflicted, intersection of nature and cement.

Unfortunately, the author/explorer - Michael Cook (Kowalski) - has been arrested for pursuing his pastime in Toronto, along another sewer that replaced a creek (the majority of Hamilton's original creeks are buried and now serve as combined sewer overflows) .

In a way, they are explorers of natural history, taking a former natural waterway, and tracing its path, now reformed in concrete and buried. Should they be punished for their work? Check out their web site and then decide.

Here's an article from the Toronto Star:

Two men arrested for late-night foray into sewers

April 05, 2010, Katie Daubs, Toronto Star

While many urban explorers publish under aliases, Cook and Emond have always revealed their identities.MICHAEL COOK/VANISHINGPOINT.CA

When two men were arrested for taking a stroll in the sewers on Sunday, police were flummoxed.

“That’s not normal, people going down into the sewers,” said Det. Dan Murphy at 14 Division. “Why are they going down into the sewers?”

Well, it really doesn’t smell that bad, according to one of the men arrested.

“For the most part it isn’t toilet waste, which makes up a small part of the stream,” Andrew Emond told the Daily Commercial News and Construction Record last month. “It’s mostly water from showers, baths and dishwashers, which gives off a kind of soapy, organic smell, which isn’t unpleasant.”

Michael Cook, 27, of Toronto, and Andrew Emond, 35, of Montreal were arrested Sunday after a perplexed citizen saw them enter the sewer near Ossington Ave. and Dundas St. W. Both face charges of mischief to interfere with property.

“I don’t feel comfortable commenting on this event just yet until it’s been resolved in court,” Emond wrote in an email on Monday. Emails to Cook were not returned.

Both men are urban explorers and photographers. Cook runs www.vanishingpoint.ca, and Emond runs www.undermontreal.com. Both have explored drains for several years and most recently, the men were exploring the sewers that replaced Garrison Creek, in the western section of downtown.

Urban exploration is a hobby and subculture where people venture into drains, abandoned buildings and infrastructure to photograph the forgotten past and unseen workings of a city. Some ask permission, some don’t.

“It’s illegal what we do unfortunately” said a Toronto photographer acquaintance of Cook and Emond, who’s accompanied them twice to the sewers that don’t smell as bad as you’d think.

“We don’t do this to break the law,” said the fellow explorer who did not want his name used. “It’s about urban cartography, viewing the city that isn’t visualized through streets and other landmarks.”

He said they are usually outfitted with hip waders and goggles, and always listen to the weather forecast to make sure there’s no rain.

Urban exploration can be deadly. In 2009, a man lost his life after he was swept into the Mississippi River when the tunnel he was exploring in Minneapolis-St. Paul filled with rainwater. Another urban explorer on the same venture survived.

“We take every precaution necessary to keep ourselves safe,” the photographer said. “Every time it rains obviously those pipes are going to fill up and are potentially dangerous.”

In a 2007 interview with a U.S. blog, Cook said he once ran into trouble while navigating the “surge spillways” that “spiral downwards” at the Ontario Generating Station in the Niagara Region. Cook said he lost his footing and slid 60 metres to the bottom.

“I was very lucky to come away from that with just a few friction burns and a sprained thumb,” he told BLDGBLOG.

Although many urban explorers publish their photos under aliases, Cook and Emond have always been up front about their identities on their respective websites.

Emond has said he’s explored Montreal’s sewer and waste water system for three years without any repercussions.

“In fact, I’ve received positive responses from a wide range of people, including historians, engineers, architects, community planners, the media, artists and even local politicians,” he said.

Cook has said most urban explorers aren’t interested in “undergrounding” because it can be kilometres on end of “featureless pipe.”

Troy Paiva, a San Francisco photographer who wrote Night Vision: The Art of Urban Exploration, has other reasons to stay above ground.

“I don’t do functioning infrastructure. I find it’s too easy to get thrown in jail,” he said.

Paiva has run into police, property owners and people with shotguns, all telling him to scram. He’s never been charged.

“You have to learn how to talk to people and say you’re just a weirdo artist, not a vandal or a thief. I think most people think you’re in there to do drugs, break the place up or to tag it,” he said.

In his interview with BLDGBLOG, Cook acknowledged legal issues around sewer exploration are “pretty grey.”

“It’s not something that I’ve ever had a problem with — and definitely not something that requires me to go in the middle of the night,” he said. “The only thing that really dictates what time you can go is traffic conditions. If you have to use a streetside manhole, you generally don’t want to be doing that doing the day.”

Stanley Greenberg, who has photographed the infrastructure beneath New York City since the early ’90s, says urban explorers are like well-intentioned computer hackers.

“Part of the challenge is finding your way in. They’re not there to do any harm, these aren’t people who do graffiti,” he said. “Granted it’s occasionally dangerous, it can cause problems, but most of the time it’s pretty harmless.”

Greenberg, who published Invisible New York, has pestered officials for permission for most of his explorations, but there have been a few places he had to sneak into.

“So many places I’ve been to, I thought, ‘I almost don’t care if I make a good picture, I’m getting to see this incredible place, to be on the edge of the unrestored part of Ellis Island, it’s like you’re in a different century.’ ”

Cook and Emond’s acquaintance said he felt obliged to speak about urban exploration to dispel myths.

“A city like Toronto desperately needs more urban mythology. Instead of having crap like the CN Tower, the SkyDome represent the city, we present things that have been around much longer that most people aren’t even aware of.”

With files from John Goddard

Tuesday Trail Torched

2010-04-05T22:51:00.004-04:00

UPDATE: BURN POSTPONED DUE TO RAIN

RBG plans burn Tuesday

The Royal Botanical Gardens plans to burn off unwanted invasive plants at three locations around Cootes Paradise Tuesday morning.

Weather permitting, prescribed burns will take place at 11 a.m. along York Boulevard between Old Guelph Road and the Rock Garden, at noon at Princess Point in Westdale and at 12:30 p.m. on nearby Sassafras Point. RBG officials say the times are approximate.

The idea is to burn off invasive species that sprout in early spring to make room for native grasses that emerge later, with the aim of restoring tallgrass prairie and oak savannah plant communities.

http://www.thespec.com/

sun rock and water

2010-04-05T22:36:00.000-04:00

Sherman Falls in all it's springlike glory (even with low rainfall amounts to date). May April showers bring more glorious tumbling H20 over the escarpment in Dundas and surrounding area.

Stranded on the South Shore

2010-03-29T09:40:00.001-04:00

The South Shore trails of the Royal Botanical Gardens (RBG) in Cootes Paradise are becoming a bit of an island, isolated from the McMaster University section of the trail system, primarily by the loss of the bridge over Spencer Creek (the RBG does not plan on replacing it).

Those of us who have used the trail to walk between the eastern end of the Spencer Creek Trail and the RBG trails to McMaster and beyond into Westdale/Princess Point have lost a very scenic route; our loss may be wildlife's gain, as the RBG refines its trail network to protect important pockets of wilderness habitat.

Part of me agrees with the strategy, but another part of me wonders if cutting trails back while not taking more action to shrink the human footprint of roads and development is the right approach. This section in particular was part of a continuous route that nature lovers could retreat to as an alternative to walking beside busy roads.

If you know this area, what do you think about this issue?

temporary trail closure for prescribed burn

2010-03-26T12:26:00.002-04:00

PRESCRIBED BURN SCHEDULED IN ROYAL BOTANICAL GARDENS’ NATURE SANCTUARY

This spring, Royal Botanical Gardens will be conducting several prescribed burns in order to restore rare oak woodland, oak savannah and tallgrass prairie habitat at Sassafras Point, Princess Point and York Boulevard Prairie of the Cootes Paradise Nature Sanctuary in Hamilton.

Prescribed burns require specific weather conditions and accurate forecasting before a precise date can be established. A second notice will be posted on our website once the date is confirmed.
Visit www.rbg.ca for a daily countdown to the burn day!

Tallgrass Prairie and Oak Savannah Management at RBG

Today, less than one percent of Hamilton’s prairies and savannas remain. Prairie and savannah plant communities require frequent disturbances such as fire to be maintained. Without fire, woody plants and invasive species take over. Ecologists use low-intensity burns as a tool to restore these rare communities. In the past 30 years, highly successful burn operations have been demonstrated in many similar ecosystems throughout southern Ontario, including urban parkland settings in Toronto and Windsor.

Fire Safety

RBG’s oak savannah and tallgrass prairie burn will take place under the supervision of prescribed burn specialists from Lands & Forests Consulting Ltd. This will ensure that controlled conditions exist throughout the course of the event. Local fire departments and governments have approved the burn plan. There will be a safe viewing area at Princess Point for visitors to witness the prescribed burn.
The fuel type and length of burn will produce minimal smoke, however smoke may be present for up to 48 hours after the fire has been extinguished. For health reasons, it is recommended that asthmatics avoid prolonged exposure to the smoke. In addition to this, the smoke may contain small amounts of poison ivy oil. Those individuals who
are sensitive to poison ivy should avoid exposure to the smoke. If respiratory irritation occurs, please move immediately to an area with fresh air and contact a physician.

There will be no access to Ginger Valley Trail from Princess Point on the day of the burn. Sassafras Point trail will remain closed before, during and after the burn.

Get Involved!

If you are interested in volunteering for this important and exciting restoration event, or if you have any questions or concerns, please contact Lindsay Burtenshaw, Royal Botanical Gardens’ Terrestrial Ecologist, at lburtenshaw@rbg.ca or 905-527-1158 ext. 257.

The 2010 Oak Savannah and Woodland Prescribed Burn Project is supported by the Edith H. Turner Foundation Fund through the Hamilton Community Foundation.

bay ice

2010-03-11T19:53:00.000-05:00

Mild weather is reducing the ice on the Hamilton Bay, but there were still at least two ice-fishing holes still being worked. The view from the Waterfront Trail on the harbour, looking north, north east toward Burlington on a sunny, 10 degree C day in March.

snow on the horizon

2010-02-23T16:01:00.003-05:00

It's been a winter without much snow, so yesterday's contribution to the winter wonderland is more than welcome. The view (above) is from the bottom of the hill in Kay Drage Park, Hamilton. The sledding was terrific!

Peripatetically speaking

2010-02-22T15:48:00.005-05:00

"To derive benefit from walking, Dr. Doty explained, it must be indulged daily and systematically. The best time for doing so is between the end of the working day and dinner. People who spend most of their time indoors, are advised to move their legs regularly. Golf, tennis, or a weekend hike, he said, are no equivalent for a daily walk since there is more to walking than physical exercise. Walking stimulates the mind, especially walking in congenial company."

quoted from Streets for People, by Bernard Rudofsky

Scene from Sawmill Trail

2010-02-21T18:54:00.000-05:00

The trails in Dundas Valley were snow packed, but in some places muddy, but overall good walking. Here's a scene from the Sawmill Trail (west of the Bruce Trail). I'm still hoping for a big snowstorm so we can get some more winter action in (ie cross country skiing) before spring.

dogged

2010-02-06T22:47:00.001-05:00

City staff reviews leash-free zones after public, HCA express concerns
Craig Campbell, Dundas Star News Staff
Published on Feb 04, 2010

Hamilton is already behind other Ontario municipalities in providing safe leash-free dog-running areas and appears to have ignored its own policy by permitting a free-running area to continue in Warren Park.

City staff is currently reviewing the leashfree zone after concerns from the community and Hamilton Conservation Authority.

In its 2003 leash free parks policy, Hamilton differentiates between fenced dog parks and unfenced free-running areas. The city now operates four unfenced running areas and does not have any fenced dog parks. The SPCA offers a fenced dog park on Dartnall Road.

The Dundas Star News reviewed the leash-free park policies of 10 other Ontario municipalities and found the majority require a fence around any area where dogs are permitted to run at large. The rest require fencing when a free-running area is located close to an environmentally significant area, or don’t allow dogs in those areas at all, either on-leash or at-large.

Former Town of Dundas recreation director Rick Lane now works for the City of St. Catharines.

He said the municipality has two fully enclosed leash-free parks, including one that is 2.5 acres, and is considering creating another one. The third will also be fenced.

“It makes for safer conditions for pets and pet owners,” Lane said.

Last summer, when the Hamilton Conservation Authority raised concerns about dogs running at large on its properties adjacent to the leash-free area at Warren Park, City of Hamilton animal control manager told the Dundas Star News every dog owner says their pet would never bite a person or another dog.

“My personal opinion is we tend to attribute human behaviour or motives to their actions, forgetting they don’t think the way we think,” Buckle said. “(Dogs) don’t have human motives. They’re also not 100 per cent predictable.

“People are dumbfounded when their dog bites somebody. No one ever expects their dog to do that.”

The former Town of Dundas permitted six leash-free areas in neighbourhood parks in 1987.

Apparently, no rules or selection criteria were established. After amalgamation, it was a surprise to many people the designations actually existed. Since then, use of the leashfree areas has increased.

In 2004, after approving a leash-free policy, the city repealed the free running designations for Valley City Community Centre, Sanctuary Park and Olympic Park. Leash-free zones officially continued in Warren Park, Little John Park and Chegwin Park.

The city subsequently designated a fourth free-running area in Ancaster at Cinema Park on Golf Links Road.

City staff recommended repealing the leash-free status for three Dundas parks, but the May 2004 public works staff report did not explain how those areas contravened city policy. It recommended continuing the leash-free designation in Warren Park, but did not mention the designation contravened two requirements of the policy –that leash-free parks are not to be located in Environmentally Significant Areas, and that they not be located next to trails. Warren Park is part of an ESA and features trails that directly link to HCA trails where at large dogs are prohibited.

Hamilton’s leash-free policy does not address the idea of fencing leash free zones.

The City of Ottawa has an extensive policy for designating parks for dogs. Every one of the amalgamated city’s parks has been individually assessed and designated as off-leash, on-leash only or no dogs at all. Dogs are not permitted in parks adjacent to conservation areas.

In Toronto, the city policy requires a leash-free zone be completely fenced if it is within 10 metres of a naturalized area or ravine.

The City of London requires leash-free zones be fenced, and does not consider Environmentally Significant Areas suitable for free running dogs.

London requires the fenced zones be set back at least 15 metres from ESA’s and watercourses.

Mississauga, Kitchener, Cambridge, Waterloo, Oakville and Oshawa are other examples of municipalities that fence all their leash free zones, unlike Hamilton.
http://www.dundasstarnews.com/news/article/201661

pedestrian letter

2010-02-01T15:02:00.005-05:00

I had to read this a couple times, just to see if it was as inept as I thought.
It was...

Common sense required when it's time to cross the street

Natasha Wickie
Oakville
The Hamilton Spectator

(Feb 1, 2010)

Re: Pedestrian fatalities

I can't believe how many people are being killed just trying to get to the other side. (Good start! Identify the problem, people getting killed for trying to cross streets! You go, girl!)

We need to adjust our laws to give cars the right-of-way. (Blink. Blink. Wha? Why, pray tell?) People are more manoeuvrable, can stop on a dime and don't have blind spots, unlike cars, trucks and buses (Ohhhh, and therefore should be punished for being better than cars trucks and buses? Am I missing something here). Pedestrians need to be reminded that cars will win every time (And I thought we were reminded every time someone is run down by a car).

At what point did we forget the fundamentals of crossing the street: Look both ways, proceed with caution. (Sound reasonable, but at what point did some drivers and letter writers forget that driving a car means being in control and proceeding with caution?) Pedestrians who have the right-of-way believe this gives them a right to completely ignore crossing signs, crosswalks or even a car racing toward them (If the pedestrian has the right of way, and they should, but in this car dominant society they don't, then vehicles should not, for example, be racing toward them when they are crossing a street. If pedestrians truly had the right of way, cars would be going slower, stopping more frequently, and always be prepared to give way to pedestrians. Instead, it is car drivers who believe they should not have to slow down, or heaven forbid, stop, on their way to any destination. We won't even get into the number of red light runners, all way-stop violations, speeding, drunk drivers, cell phone yacking drivers, etc.).

Common sense seems to have gone out the window here, and will no longer be required to cross the street. (Or write letters to the editor, I humbly submit)

Thank you, Hamilton Spectator, for sharing this charming and highly educational letter with us...

parking but no walking

2010-01-30T18:13:00.008-05:00

The trail that cuts through Binkley Hollow between McMaster's west parking lot and Osler Drive (across from University Plaza) is currently blocked by construction at the McMaster end. Wish I had known that before walking from Dundas to find 10 foot high chain link fences.
On the way there I got to witness the cleared swath of vegetation-less mess thanks to Hydro clearing along the transmission lines. Uck!
Saw 10 (maybe 11) white-tailed deer bounding away as I approached along the trail.

No idea how long the construction will take, but it would have been nice if they had provided some alternative access to this lovely and useful trail.

The City of Hamilton continues construction of a new Combined Sewage Overflow (CSO) tank on the southwest corner of parking zone M. The 6,000-cubic meter underground tank will hold storm water overflow and prevent the runoff from entering nearby creeks. During the construction, part of zone M has been fenced off. A temporary ramp has been built allowing vehicles to leave via existing zone M gates.
A wash station ensures construction vehicles are cleaned of any dirt and debris prior to them leaving the site. The City of Hamilton is responsible for all aspects of the project and McMaster is monitoring its progress and is in constant contact with project managers.

walking but no parking

2010-01-22T20:07:00.002-05:00

From the Hamilton Conservation Authority web site:

Parking areas closed for winter season
Please note that the following parking areas are closed for the winter season:

Devil’s Punch Bowl
Borer’s Falls
Crooks’ Hollow (both lots)
Greensville Optimist Park
Christie Wildlife Area (Middletown Road)
The back portion (bus area) of Tew’s Falls lot
Fletcher Creek

The conservation areas themselves are open, but the trails won’t be maintained. However, you may walk into the areas. Greensville/Crooks’ Hollow parking is available at Christie Lake or the two Spencer Gorge lots. Westfield Heritage Village's office is open, (buildings are not open), weekdays from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. They are open by appointment after office hours. They are open for February 15's special Heritage Family Day event and Maple Syrup Festival in March.

unleashed unsafe at Warren Park

2010-01-22T19:26:00.003-05:00

[Long overdue for a by-law change, the lovely park has had more than it's fair share of problems with owners of dogs who fail to control their pets. Our family has had more than one encounter with aggressive dogs, and owners, over the years at this park. In contrast, the leash free park off Dundurn South in Hamilton is a fenced in area whereas Warren Park is a natural setting amidst the Dundas Conservation Authority trail system, and does not lend itself to a happy and safe segregated use between hikers and nature lovers, and dogs running loose. Foxes, yes, deer, sure, but dogs, no. Hopefully a resolution is found to amend the leash-free designation here. Good bit of first-hand reporting by Mr. Campbell

Park neighbours want city to enforce rules
Warren Park leash-free designation contravenes 2003 selection criteria
Craig Campbell, Dundas Star News Staff, Published on Jan 21, 2010

Neighbours of Warren Park off Tally Ho Drive feel unwelcome in the neighborhood park and are calling for a city review of the leash-free zone that breaks the city’s own rules.

Warren Park’s free running area has existed for 23 years, but has apparently never undergone the required site evaluation introduced in 2003 when the City of Hamilton created a policy for leash free parks.

Selection criteria

The continuation of Warren Park’s leash-free designation does contradict the city’s site selection criteria because the site falls within an Environmental Significant Area and the city policy does not permit free running areas within ESAs.

City staff was not available to comment this week on the Warren Park leash free zone.

Phone calls with specific questions were not returned before deadline.

More than a dozen park neighbours gathered at a Tally Ho Drive home last weekend to share some of their own concerns. Several said they no longer feel comfortable walking in the park because of threats posed by aggressive dogs and some aggressive dog owners. They are often confronted by dogs digging, or defecating, on their private property.

Concerns over Warren Park’s leash free designation were raised last summer by the Hamilton Conservation Authority, which connects directly to the park.

Bruce Mackenzie, the HCA director of customer services and operations, told the Dundas Star News during the summer leash free dogs are not permitted on conservation lands –but there were ongoing problems enforcing that rule.

“We do have a problem, particularly with our trails adjacent to Warren Park,” Mackenzie said.

The HCA put up signs between the municipal leash-free park and its own land reminding dog owners to leash their pets. But members of the group calling themselves Warren Park For Everyone pointed out people have written the word, “Nope,” on a sign advising dog owners to leash their pets.

The residents say many of them are dog owners themselve and have nothing against the pets or their use of the park. But they argue Warren Park is unsuitable for leash-free dogs and doesn’t meet the city criteria for such a designation.

They said the opportunity to unleash dogs in a natural area has brought people from a wide area outside Dundas to the local park, which is part of a significant natural area stretching from Ogilvie Street to Sulphur Springs Road.

While individual dog owners may only let their pet run loose for an hour or less then leave the area, it becomes a 24-hour a day, seven day a week issue for the community that surrounds the park. They say it causes noise, personal property damage, threatens children and the elderly and also creates significant parking problems.

Warren Park is not leash free during the summer months, but neighbours say some dog owners ignore the restriction –in contravention of city policy.

Last Saturday afternoon, when a reporter visited the park, a loose dog walked onto Tally Ho Drive in front of an oncoming vehicle. A teenage girl struggled to control and leash the dog.

During a 20-minute walk through the park, several violations of the city’s policy were noted –including examples of dog owners who had not cleaned up after their pets. One dog charged at the reporter during the visit and the owner made no attempt to leash the pet, as required under the city policy.

Redside Dace Recovery Project

2010-01-17T16:02:00.005-05:00

A newly installed info board at the lower Spencer Creek Trail (near the Canadian Tire trailhead) with background on the Redside Dace, a Provincial and National species at risk. Some background on the Redside Dace here.

Suggested actions you can take to help the project succeed include using a rainbarrel to reduce runoff from storms into creeks, planting native trees and shrubs, use alternatives to salt for de-icing, protect streambanks from erosion, and avoid using pesticides so that the little fish have insects to eat. Yes, these little fish jump out of the water to eat low-flying insects!

I couldn't find a link to any information about this project on the Hamilton Conservation Authority web site, their involvement was limited to installing the sign - the Hamilton Wentworth Stewardship Council was behind the project, but their web site failed to turn up any information on the project.

trail challenge

2010-01-04T22:28:00.001-05:00

Here's a little game to try - find a destination that you can walk to, and see if there is a way to get there avoiding roads.
I live in a city, but I can walk to my work at the University without being on the road with cars - a short backstreet, an unofficial path, across the railroad tracks, through a hole in a chain link fence, under a major highway via an underpass to a parking lot used seasonally for soccer games, and then on paths maintained by the city and the Royal Botanical Gardens through a nature preserve.
From home to work, about a 4k walk, just under an hour, and it is like a different world.
It certainly makes life interesting, and I am submerged in nature with time to think and enjoy the sights and sounds from my vantage point on the trail.
Let me know if you take the challenge, and how you make out! (no trespassing on private property allowed!)

skate from Dundas

2009-12-30T17:27:00.000-05:00

Cootes Paradise is proving an excellent skating destination for area blades. Today, the hockey games were numerous, and the skaters of all ages ranged across the frozen marsh from Princess Point toward West Pond. The cold makes nature come alive in new ways for those who get outdoors.

Swedish or Canadian?

2009-12-17T19:13:00.004-05:00

The message from this 1973 commercial was embedded in my brain when I was a kid - something about it inspired a sort of Nationalistic shame/pride - sort of the way Canada is embarrassingly lagging when it comes to Climate Change - in Copenhagen no less (not Sweden, but close enough). I remember thinking, I don't want to lose this battle.

When I think of how we measure up as a Nation when it comes to fitness, I think we might want to hold a place for some nostalgic memory, and perhaps get back in the fight to stay in good physical health.

Rather than walking for purely recreational pursuits, build a little walk into your life for daily trips - it really is the best way to get exercise, and the recreation is there once you leave the shelter of your car.

Challenge yourself to try a little harder, go a bit further, and get a little more Particpaction!

valley inn

2009-12-08T09:03:00.000-05:00

Hamilton area hikers and cyclists will be glad to know that the Valley Inn Road bridge is still open. The city has begun some of the improvements to the area now that the road is officially closed to motorized traffic.

taking the temporary road

2009-12-07T12:16:00.003-05:00

Sunday afternoon activity on the south side of lower Spencer Creek: it looks like the hydro work is wrapping up, and they were removing the temporary construction roadway laid down to protect the forest floor (though it appears that some of the work wasn't sensitive to the wildlife). The Spencer Creek Trail along the old rail line on the North side is back open for your pedestrian ramblings.

twilight

2009-12-06T19:19:00.000-05:00

No Vampires, just a day coming to an end as Spencer Creek approaches Cootes Drive at twilight. A recent frost has done its artistic part to alter the landscape's flora, and there is evidence of coming winter's bite with the beginnings of ice on shallow and slow moving areas of the creek. Snow is forecast for tomorrow, keeping the ever changing in the ecological equation.

mapping the future

2009-12-01T13:28:00.001-05:00

View SHIFTING GEARS CYCLING PLAN in a larger map

Combine with this for a closer look at cycling infrastructure planned for Dundas/Hamilton

View City of Hamilton Ward Boundaries in a larger map

secret passage?

2009-11-27T18:34:00.001-05:00

This highway pedestrian underpass is certainly a welcome bit of infrastructure for Bruce Trail hikers who formerly had to take their life in their hands to cross #6 Highway between Hamilton and Waterdown. With stairs leading from the Bruce Trail to the underpass on the Burlington and the Hamilton side of the underpass, the trek is now terror free.
As far as I know, there has been no official opening or announcement, but for you lucky readers, know that it is open for your ambulatory business anytime.

Iroquoia Heights Trails Reopened

2009-11-23T08:42:00.001-05:00

Ancaster park reopens after native assurances

The Hamilton Spectator, (Nov 19, 2009)

An Ancaster park closed because of safety concerns over deer hunting by members of Six Nations has reopened.

Iroquoia Heights Conservation Area reopened yesterday morning after the Hamilton Conservation Authority said it received assurances from a Six Nations Confederacy representative there'll be no more deer hunting in the Old Mohawk Road park.

"It is our understanding there is no hunting taking place," said Steve Miazga, chief administrative officer for the HCA, shortly after he had a phone conversation with lawyer Paul Williams. "He just said that is the current position of the Confederacy."

While the park has reopened, the HCA is still asking citizens to inform them immediately if they see any hunters in the park.

Miazga said the authority is also continuing to "dialogue" on the issue with the Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources and Six Nations -- both the traditional Confederacy and the elected band council. He is planning to meet with Williams.

Williams, a Waterloo-based lawyer, could not be reached for comment.

Miazga said closure signs at the park have been removed and notices will be sent to neighbours informing them it has reopened.

The park was closed Nov. 6 after residents complained to the HCA about native hunters killing deer in the park.

Some members of Six Nations say they have the right to hunt in the park under the Nanfan Treaty of 1701, which gave the Iroquois Confederacy perpetual hunting and fishing rights in southwestern Ontario.

The HCA says the hunting was unauthorized. The city's discharge of firearms bylaw prohibits people from firing a bow within 100 metres of a dwelling, a public park or a private park.

Those who violate the bylaw can be charged under the Provincial Offences Act.

http://www.thespec.com/News/Local/article/675597

dam creeks

2009-11-22T18:52:00.000-05:00

Beavers have made some changes to the ecology in Dundas Valley, with a new dam on North Spring Creek, near the junction of the John White and Sawmill trails in the Dundas Valley Conservation Area.
The expanding water is making new habitat here, so it will be interesting to see how the changes effect the area, and what else the little busy bodies get up to.

not bored

2009-11-15T20:13:00.001-05:00

A beautiful fall day for waterfalls in Dundas: Borer's Falls [pictured above] in late afternoon, doing its thing. If someone could retrieve the blue tarp seen in the foreground, that would certainly help improve the view.
Most of the leaves are off the trees these days, so the views are extended: you can see the Skyway Bridge from the edge of the escarpment, even through the mists that clouded the view today.

trail troubles

2009-11-12T16:00:00.005-05:00

The Bruce Trail will be effected by this temporary closure as the link between Hamilton and Dundas goes through Iroquoia Heights CA. [ed.]

Illegal hunt closes Mountain conservation area
Bow hunters found in urban area

Danielle Wong, The Hamilton Spectator, (Nov 12, 2009)

The Hamilton Conservation Authority has indefinitely closed the Iroquoia Heights Conservation Area after a number of deer were illegally killed by hunters armed with bows and arrows.

"(The area) was closed due to our concern for public safety," Hamilton Conservation Authority general manager Steve Miazga said yesterday. "It's not condoned by us at all."

Miazga said the Ancaster conservation park, east of Highway 403 and north of the Lincoln Alexander Parkway, was closed Friday after a Ministry of Natural Resources conservation officer confronted someone who had been illegally hunting in the area.

Miazga said the conservation officer reported the male hunter was from Six Nations and said he was conducting a "chronic waste disease control study on deer" that involved killing the animals.

"(The conservation officer) discussed the issue with a person on site last Friday and we did not get (any) indication of when that will end," Miazga said.

The authority contacted the Six Nations band council and Chief Bill Montour. Montour said he was not aware of the hunting in the area prior to receiving a letter from the authority.

"I'm not sure of what's happening at all," Mountour said.

He referred questions to Paul General, who oversees wildlife and ecological matters for the Six Nations. General could not be reached for comment.

Miazga said the conservation authority is also anxious to hear from General. The authority had no prior knowledge of a chronic wasting disease study, Miazga said.

Chronic wasting disease is a fatal nervous system disease that infects white-tailed deer, mule deer, black-tailed deer, moose and elk.

According to the Canadian Food Inspection Agency and Ministry of Natural Resources websites, this disease has not been detected in deer in Ontario.

Miazga is aware of illegal hunting incidents Friday and Tuesday in the densely populated park, which is surrounded by houses. He did not know how many deer were killed.

The first report came from Victor Pavlicic, an avid deer photographer who was walking through the park last Friday morning when he saw a pile of deer guts just south of the park's main trail near the middle of the site. "They had cut the belly open and pulled out everything," Pavlicic, 57, said, adding the ministry told him the remains were one to two days old.

Pavlicic called his wife, who called the conservation authority and then the ministry. A ministry officer arrived at about noon and spoke to a man by his truck. Later that day, as Pavlicic was leaving the area, he found a carbon arrow outfitted with three razor-sharp blades.

"It's crazy, them being in there shooting them," he said. "They're almost like pets. They come right up to you."

On Tuesday, the authority delivered letters to adjacent homes, advising residents to stay out of the park until the problem is resolved. The letter indicated the authority is "attempting to communicate with the involved parties."

Mustafa Ghouse, 21, whose family has lived on Old Mohawk Road across from the conservation park for the past 10 years, said he and his family often see deer roaming the neighbourhood. "I could see how hunters would want (to hunt here); there are so many of them."

In January, an aerial census over a 10-kilometre radius of the city conducted by the ministry and the authority found 102 deer in Iroquoia Heights, where there would be ideally 12 or fewer.

While there may be an overpopulation of deer in the area, it doesn't justify the hunting, Pavlicic's wife, Susan, said.

http://www.thespec.com/News/Local/article/671344

valley inn out

2009-11-09T17:49:00.002-05:00

From our friends at transportation for liveable communities, a temporary trail closure report:

Work underway on the old bailey bridge at Valley Inn Road, part of the improvements to the cycling and pedestrian environment that are to follow the fairly recent closure of the road to motor vehicles. Above, at around 2pm and below a couple hours later from the same side of the bridge.

My cycling partner and I were able to cross the bridge today, but we had to go over the flexible fencing to do so. Check back here to find out more about the bridge work and any expected work that would block passage.

i hate "timmies"

2009-11-02T18:51:00.000-05:00

Two cups in one. Why can't take-away cups be made so they don't need to double cup? Why do so many Tim Horton cups get left in natural settings, as thought they were a a sleek car in pristine car commercial settings? When does our throw-away society get a grip on sustainability? When will I stop taking photos of abandoned Tim Horton's cups?

hydro work: trail disruption

2009-10-24T17:03:00.008-04:00

The lower Spencer Creek Trail will see periods of construction activity at the hydro corridor, meaning some trail closures are likely during this time.

Despite posted signs warning the trail was closed (above), the trail was in fact open this weekend with no barriers.

Hikers in the area will be rewarded with a chance to watch the fall salmon run upstream. We saw a few today, in the creek just downstream of the Thorpe Street bridge (below).

Seems like everyone is struggling to get somewhere along the creek these days!

walking dead

2009-10-05T15:09:00.001-04:00

The Hamilton Cemetery is set on Burlington Heights, overlooking Cootes Paradise to the west. It is a cemetery with a lot of history, including, other than grave markers, remnants of earthen works used by the British in the war of 1812 against the U.S.of A.

Quite by chance, passing through the cemetery, I happened to look down and noticed the little flags, which then drew my attention to the inscription on the headstone. I had vaguely heard the story of Colonel William Winer Cooke, who was a Canadian killed with the 7th U.S. Cavalry at the battle of Little Big Horn with that more famous fatality, General George Custer.

History is a funny thing, and depending on how you look at it, some players that were once heroes, may not be considered such today.

I have yet to go along for one of the organized local tours of the cemetery, but here is a link to the historical guide of such guided walks.

flyin' down the rail trail

2009-09-27T21:53:00.000-04:00

The Hamilton to Brantford Rail Trail is at it's best as it passes through Dundas Valley. Take a side trail into the woods and down to the forest streams curving their way toward the Great Lake Ontario. See dog-walkers, joggers, walkers, cyclists, families, couples, soloists, plus a wide array of birds, and forest dwellers like deer, chipmunks, snakes, and if you are lucky, a red fox.
This healthy highway for non-motorized traffic is a wonderful gift to all, commuters, excercisers, and wanderers alike.

bursting with life

2009-09-14T12:51:00.000-04:00

Dundas Valley is just amazing for the abundance of wildflowers, flowers that are now getting ready to cast out their seeds for another generation of plants. Not being a naturalist, sitting on a bench beside the Hamilton to Brantford Rail Trail, I could catalogue several species of plants and species who depend on the plants, all thriving as the human parade passed by on foot and on bicycles.
I encourage you to get out and see this transition, and I think next time I will bring my plant field-guide along.