March 2024
Hello, Bruce Trail supporters and friends. We're back with a terrific slate of stories. Here's what you'll find this month:
Happy March, everyone.
 |
|
Club Member Allan ‘Birley’ Cowan Made A Significant Contribution to Bruce Trail
 The Toronto Club lost a valued member on Dec. 27, 2023. Allan “Birley” Cowan was a hike leader, volunteer, trail maintenance worker, trail captain and donor, and he also completed his E2E twice (#19 and #619). But his accomplishments with the Bruce Trail go far beyond that. A skilled carpenter, Allan drew up the current design of our fence stiles in 1970 and created a standard for boardwalk design. He is also credited with originating the liability waiver forms in 1988 and participating in the first hike leader training program with first aid as part of the course.
 Allan was good friends with fellow Club member Aldo Palma (both are life members). Aldo passed along Allan’s impressive badge collection as a donation to the Club, which features many unique patches. Club archivist Margaret was happy to receive the badge collection which will be on display at the Club’s AGM on April 21.
Allan, nicknamed “Birley”, weighed in at 250lbs. He was a big man, humble and non-judgemental. His light shone brightest when in the outdoors and talking to his fellow hikers, says Aldo. “He was eccentric, a very interesting man, and self-taught. He seemed to remember ever meter of the Bruce Trail footpath,” says Aldo.
Allan started hiking in 1967 and completed his first E2E in the mid 1970s, driving to one end and cycling to the other end of the trail each day. From 1988 to 1992, he completed his second E2E with a bus load of Toronto Club hikers in tow, including Aldo. Their accomplishments were written up by Toronto Star columnist Frank Jones in 1992. Allan knew Canadian artist and fellow hiker Robert Bateman and he won, in a BTC raffle fundraiser, an original early sketch donated by Bateman – also an early BTC member. Allan also introduced a Bruce Trail challenge badge, where you had to collect hints along the trail to find landmarks based on clues provided.
Aldo recalls that the Toronto Club bus program began on a somewhat regular basis in about 1977 with monthly trips and by the 1980s the buses were running year-round, rain or shine. Allan was leading trips on a regular basis, often with Aldo as a sweep.
Allan’s badge collection is a testament to his love of hiking that also took him to trails across the province of Ontario (Thames Valley, Ganaraska, Muskoka) and British Columbia and even internationally to countries like New Zealand. He was also very active in the winter, participating in cross country ski trails and “loppets” with other skiers. Inevitably, there would be many badges for that as well!
|
|
Gender-Affirming Workshop for Hike Leaders is Launched
 On February 21, the BTC hosted the first of four workshops designed to help BTC hike leaders better understand issues and barriers facing trans people, along with strategies to be better allies on the trail. Held via zoom, the workshop was led by Cole Gately, Intersecting: Anti-Racism & Anti-Oppression Consultant. It resulted from discussions with members of the Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Belonging committee, which has representation from all nine BTC clubs.
Cole helped the 14 workshop participants navigate and learn terms and definitions related to gender diversity, as well as pronouns, public washrooms, cisgender privilege, and allyship. He showed a video that underscored important issues, including why pronouns matter to Trans people. “It feels good to our ears, and we want to be respected,” says Cole.
One of the points Cole made was that “labels are for soup cans” and it is not always easy – or even necessary – to figure out a person’s sexual or gender identity. The important thing is to open our minds and accept a person for who they are, the instructor adds. “Be curious, but be respectful when talking about gender – there is no right way to be Trans and you have to be open to all types of people”, he says.
To learn more about Trans lives you can watch this video by a group of youth from Australia, called Minus18, which was shown at the workshop: Trans 101: The Basics.
A hike leader can be an ally by putting their pronouns on their name tag, Cole says. If someone objects to hiking with a Trans person, the response should be “we are here to hike as a group, and you are free to hike on your own if you are not able to respect others; we are an inclusive group,” said Cole, with nods from the hike leaders on the Zoom call. “Hike leaders shouldn’t attach labels – treat everyone with the same respect. If transphobia occurs during a hike, address it as you would any other type of discrimination.”
The instructor briefly discussed gender identity and public washrooms, including washroom breaks when there is a trans hiker on a BTC group hike. Contrary to many beliefs, it is trans women who are most at risk in public washrooms, because they can be shunned or abused by cisgender women, even though there are no reports of trans women abusing cisgender women in public washrooms. In Ontario and Canada, trans people are protected by human rights legislation. For example, a trans person has the right to access the public washroom that best meets their needs with respect to gender.
In terms of bio-breaks on the trail for larger group hikes, the BTC is still working on guidelines for the clubs and an announcement will be made after all the workshops are completed. There are three more scheduled workshops. If you want to join or get more information, contact Shimeem Al-Ayash at sal-ayash@brucetrail.org.
|
|
-- advertisement --
|
|
AGM Registration and Sign-up for Hikes Now Open
 You won’t want to miss this year’s AGM, set for Sunday April 21. You’ll hear about highlights from 2023, you can congratulate our award recipients, and you can be inspired by our guest speaker Shimeem Al-Ayash. Sign up for a hike before the catered lunch at the Kortright Centre and make it a complete day of exercise, camaraderie and learning. You can order your tickets now.
You’ll be able to get there by bus from either of two subway stations, at a cost of $25 for adult members and $10 for child members. Sign up here for a bus leaving from Kipling Subway Station, or here for one from York Mills Subway Station. Once you arrive at Kortright, you can choose any one of 3 hikes – one with a nature photography theme, another with a biodiversity theme, and a third that’s a 7.7 km loop hike with some hills to give you a bit of a workout. You can also choose to explore the trails on your own.
If you are driving to Kortright, you can join Frank Ye & Jen Zhang on a 9k hike through variable terrain starting from Centre. Sign up for their hike here. (There is no cost for the car hike.)
 After the morning hikes, a full lunch is offered (Cost is $27 per person). Check-in is at 11:00 a.m. with lunch at 11:45 a.m. Then you’ll proceed to the auditorium at 1 p.m. for the Annual Meeting.
Guest speaker Shimeen Al-Ayash will explore what it means to foster a sense of belonging as it relates to the Bruce Trail, drawing on her personal experience and on her role at the BTC where she chairs the inter-club Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Belonging committee.
|
|
-- advertisement --
|
|
Humans of the Bruce Trail Featuring Jeanette Vincent
On a regular basis, we will introduce you to members of the Club. We are, after all, humans of the Bruce Trail, joined by our love of the outdoors, and hiking. This month, we meet Jeanette Vincent.
 Where do you live?
I lived all my life in the Region of Waterloo, first in the rural hamlet of St. Clements where I was raised and raised my children. Now I live in Kitchener, downtown in the Civic Centre District, from where it is easy to get out of town fast in any direction to hit those trails.
Why did you join the Toronto Bruce Trail Club
I got involved in camping, outdoor activities and walks as a Girl Guide Leader when my daughters were young. When I left Girl Guides, I found I missed the outdoors and began researching local hikes. That led me to a course called Hiking Ontario Trails, taught by the late Greg Vincent. He shared his hiking knowledge and his love of nature and the outdoors with us. A true advocate for hiking and trail clubs, he encouraged us to join the Grand Valley Trail and the Toronto Bruce Trail Clubs.
Most memorable outdoor experience?
Many of us joined Greg Vincent's End to End of the Bruce Trail in the year 2000. Seeing hike leaders and volunteers along with two hundred hikers on the trail was quite amazing and a learning experience in itself. I completed the End to End and was hooked! I took the TBTC Hike Leader Training course, a Map and Compass course, and began learning the flora, fauna and the geology of the Niagara Escarpment. I became a Hike Leader in 2001 for the TBTC and GVTA.
Favourite words to live by?
Variety is the Spice of Life!
Hobbies and interests?
Keeping in touch with family and friends; history and culture, which combine well with hiking out of the country and in other parts of Canada; yoga, pilates, gardening, cycling, snowshoeing, cross-country skiing, canoeing, kayaking, swimming. I learned to sail in 2021.
Most admired person and why?
Well, I would have to choose the late Greg Vincent, who I subsequently married. He was always encouraging, sharing his love of hiking, of the outdoors, and of learning in general. He was adventurous and maintained a healthy lifestyle. I am so grateful to have had him in my life.
|
|
-- advertisement --
|
|
Congrats to Mark for attaining his Sawyer’s Certificate!
 In the photo, Toronto Club Trail Maintenance Director Laurent Thibault was pleased to present a certification of completion to Mark Pottruff (wearing vest) as he passed his requirements to safely handle a chain saw. Also in the picture is Ian Grindall (far right) who recently was certified, and Greg Lawrie (back) who also plans to get certified.
Said Thibault: "With the constant challenge of fallen trees all through the 113 kms of trail along the Toronto Section of the BTC, I very much appreciate folks who step forward to invest in the specialized skills so necessary to keep the trails safe."
|
|
TBTC Biodiversity Group Draws Attention to Invasive Species
By Lynn McFerran, TBTC Biodiversity Team Leader
Invasive Species Awareness Week (Feb. 26 – March 3) is a collaborative initiative that focuses on communicating with community partners about invasive species through social media. The campaign has operated successfully since 2016, to heighten awareness of the ever-growing concern about species, insects, animals, plants, water-based plants, fish and other water beings.
The goal is to engage in conversation about invasive species and their impacts and to share strategies to stop their spread. Examples of invasive species on the Bruce Trail include stands of garlic mustard, dog strangling vine, phragmites, and more. We can see the effects of emerald ash borer beetles and spongy moths and sometimes we can even hear them. As BTC members and users of the trail, we ask you to increase your own awareness and to support the efforts of the BTC and our club's Biodiversity Team. This can include identifying and reporting invasive species as well as volunteering for a work party to do a garlic mustard pull or remove scotch pine seedlings and their bigger brothers along our trails.
I learned last week that garlic mustard does not grow with may apples. If garlic mustard is removed and may apple seeds are planted, it may reduce the spread of the garlic mustard along the trails. I would much rather see may apple blooms along our trail. There will be work parties scheduled for spring, so look for the notices and come out to join us. It is hard work but as they say, many hands make light work, and we do have fun too. The Biodiversity team is always looking for new volunteers.
Invasive Species Week is sponsored by the Invasive Species Centre. Check out the social media posts (#InvSpWk) or look for more information on their website.
|
|
-- advertisement --
|
|
Submit your Photos for the Naturalist Badge
Do you have photos on your phone of the interesting natural phenomena you happened across as you hiked the Toronto section this past year? Get them out and have another look! This is a great time to review the requirements for the Naturalist badge and see if you have what is needed, and if not, to identify what you still need to hunt for when you are out hiking.
You don’t need to wait for summer. There are insects that appear in the very early spring before the snow disappears, there are always trees to identify and photograph, and fungi and lichens have been abundant due to the mild temperatures and lack of snow!
As a refresher, here are the categories:
Wildflowers - 10 different species
Trees and shrubs - 5 different species
Ferns - 5 different ones
Birds - 5 species (by song, call or sight)
Mushrooms and Fungi - 5 different types
Insects - 5 different types (e.g., butterfly, dragonfly, spider)
Mammals/Reptiles - 5 species (e.g., chipmunk, rabbit, snake)
Full instructions for applying for the badge are available on our website. The Naturalist badge is the 9th one in the list. The biodiversity team looks forward to receiving your submission and seeing the natural beauty you have photographed.
|
|
Mark your calendars
Selected car hikes
Mar 16: Hike of 2 Lakes (King City)
Mar 24: Earn Dufferin Youth and/or Side Trails badge
Selected Urban Walks
Mar 9: Grafitti, Art and Culture in Toronto
Mar 23: Sherwood Park/Sunnybrook Park
Winter Coach Program:
Mar 9: Arrowhead Provincial Park
Mar 16: Highlands Nordic (Duntroom)
Also:
April 21: AGM at Kortright
For the latest in all our hikes (bus hikes, car hikes, urban hikes and coach hikes), check the Hiking Calendar.
|
|
|
|
