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Page 10 I he Canadian Statesman, Bowmanville, August 27,1997 Ganaraska Trail Part of 450-Kilometre Route Guest Speaker Guides Rotarians on Trail Tour by Lorraine Manfredo Staff Writer Most of us have heard of the Ganaraska River and the Ganaraska Forest. But few have experienced "the Ganny's" lesser-known treasure, The Trail. Winding its way from Port Hope to Glen Huron near Georgian Bay, this 450 kilometre kilometre trail follows a course through sand hills of moraine, through pastoral farmland, and snakes its way over the Canadian Shield. There's even a 40- kilometre section of such rugged wilderness that hiking is limited only to groups with a qualified leader. One of the Ganaraska Trail founders is Jack Gocring, a Port Hope engineer. He was at the Bowmanville Rotary Club on August 24th, encouraging encouraging members to keep fit and explore the trail he and his fellow naturalist club members members first envisioned up back in 1966. They started with a small section along a discontinued HAPPY TRAILS -- Rotary Club President Val Gardiner, Rotarian Don Hutton (centre) and Port Hope hiker Jack Goering look over a guide map tracing the 450 kilometre route of the Ganaraska Trail. Goering was a member of the Willow Beach Naturalist Club when it established the first leg of the trail back in 1968. rail line stretching from Port Hope to Millbrook. One of biggest challenges on the trail was getting the permission from property owners whose land it crossed, Goering recalls. "We had difficulty with landowners who understandably understandably don't want people who they don't know wandering across their land." Nevertheless, the members managed to acquire the blessing blessing of many farmers and landowners. In turn, the users promised to follow the nine commandments of the Hikers' Code, including: carry out all garbage, leave flowers and plants for others to enjoy, stay on the trail, and respect private property. Still, there remain places where the trailblazers were forced to map out bits of the trail on road allowances. But Goering notes they haven't yet given up improving the trail and are continually rerouting rerouting road allowance sections sections through more scenic areas wherever possible. The initial leg of the trail opened in 1968 at the 10th line in the Ganaraska Forest. The founders arranged with groups in Peterborough and Lindsay and people further to the north who were willing to work together to extend the trail as far as the Bruce Trail. It took until 1989 to complete. complete. The trail now extends north from Lake Ontario through the sand hills of Ganaraska Forest, on through the lakes and drumlin fields of the Kawarthas, through Canadian Shield Wilderness, then west through the rolling hills, of Simcoe County. It ends near Georgian Bay and the edge of the Niagara Escarpment. A section connects connects it with the Bruce Trail You can hike it, crosscountry crosscountry ski it or snowshoe it. You can take in a short section section in the Ganaraska Forest or go the distance. "There are end-to-end people people who like to say they've done the whole trail," Gocring notes; A track record is kept and those who do complete it arc given special badges. Ganaraska Trail is divided in sections and is cared for by six regional clubs in Orillia, Midland, Peterborough, Barrie, Mad River (near Angus), and Pine Ridge (Port Hope). Each club is responsible responsible for trail development and maintenance in its area. There is also a Wilderness Club with guided hikes. Revenue to maintain the trail and put up painted markings markings and stiles to protect privately privately owned fences is generated generated mainly through the annual annual $15 family membership fees of roughly 400 members. Recently, the association received a grant from Shell Environmental Fund. The Ganaraska Trail Association has a limited impact philosophy about trail management. "We try to keep it as natural natural as possible so that there is only a limited amount of work to be handled by volunteers" volunteers" To request your $12 guide book with maps, write Hike Ontario 1185 Eglinton Ave. East, Suite 411, North York, Ont. M3C 3C6. Concert in the Park The band, Chaser, entertained the audience with new country numbers last Thursday night in a free concert at Bowmanvillc's Rotary Park. Members of the band include singer Heidi Howsam, Dave Coupland, Mark Doughty, Ron Hooper and Rob Powell. Last week's concert was sponsored by St. Marys Cement. The final concert of the summer is this Thursday evening, August 28th, when the guests will be the Wilmot Creek Chorus. The show commences at seven p.m. Admission is free. ibrary Board Announces New Hours Clarington kicks off the fall season with a brand new lending library in Courtice and new hours at the other three branches. Courtice Library The new Courtice library, located at the Courtice Recreation Complex, is due to open on September 13th. Margie Singleton, Coordinator Coordinator of Public Services for the Clarington Public Libraries, is excited about the opening. "There are thousands of people in Courtice and it's time they had a library," she said. Four new staff have been hired for the Courtice branch, bringing the overall number of staff to roughly 30, with about 12 of these being fulltime. fulltime. Like all of the branches, the Courtice Branch will be closed Mondays and Sundays. It will open weekdays weekdays from I - 9 p.m. (except Wednesday when it will open 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.) Saturday hours in Courtice are 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Summer hours at Bowmanville, Clarke and Newcastle branches will conclude conclude at the end of August. In order to provide more efficient efficient services to residents, the Library Board has approved new fall hours to take effect September 1. There are no additional hours, but the changes should give the users at Clarke and Newcastle more morning hours, explains Children's Services technician, Leslie- Anne Bentley. Bowmanville branch returns to its original winter schedule, opening 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. Tuesday through Friday with Saturday hours from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Clarke will be open 12 noon to 8 p.m. on Tuesday and Wedneday; from 10 to 6 p.m. on Thursday; and noon to 5 p.m. on Friday and 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday. Newcastle Village Branch will be open 1 p.m to 9 p.m. on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday; from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Friday; and 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday. Singleton says that the library board gets an accurate picture of the unique "use patterns" at each branch, thanks to computerized check-out data. This information information helps them staff each branch accordingly. "Nothing is left to guess work," she adds. Port Perry Welcomes You Annual Fair Offers Fun for All Ages This Weekend Labour Day weekend is always a fun time in Port Perry, thanks to the annual Port Perry Fair. The fair runs from Saturday, Aug. 30, to Monday, Sept. 1, this year at the Port Perry Fairgrounds on Old Simcoe Road. / Shirley Hunter, the Secretary- Treasurer of the Port Perry Agricultural Society, says the fair /jgrows each year to include new 'activities and ensure it appeals to young and old ali.ke. ■ "This year we have two new activities: a Beach Volley Ball Tournament and a [Demolition Derby," Hunter ■ said. The ideas for the new events came from a meeting "with the Youth Council in Scugog and they suggested the events to encourage the teens to be a part of the fair," Hunter said. "The teens would come to the fair and complain that there was nothing for them to do," Hunter recalled. So, the soci- CLOCA Staff Appointments Roger Anderson, Chairman, is pleased to announce the following following staff appointments with the Central Lake Ontario Conservation Authority. R. Perry Sisson, P.Eng. has been appointed Director, Environmental Engineering Services. Perry is a graduate of Guelph with an Honours B.Sc. (Engineering), Water Resources Major. Since 1988 he has been employed with G.M. Sernas and Associates Ltd., Whitby, in the capacities of Water Resources Engineer and Stormwater Management Coordinator. He assumes responsibilities previously held by Mark Peacock, P.Eng. Dale A, Leadbealer, B,Sc„ B.Ed. will serve as Ecologist. Dale is a graduate of the University of Toronto and has extensive experience with the Royal Ontario Museum, teaching teaching at the secondary school level and ns an environmental consultant. ety decided to be pro-active and find activities the teens would enjoy. This year, families will be glad to know that a new activity from last year is to return. It's called a family rodeo. Hunter explained "this allows audience participation and everyone everyone enjoyed it last year." The society hopes this year's family rodeo will include a wheelbarrow wheelbarrow race and mutton-busting. The family rodeo is one of many events to take place on $aturday, Aug. 30. Others are: an English hunter show, a colouring contest for children, the beach volleyball tournament, a children's pet show, family entertainment and a tractor and truck pull. Sunday will start off with a 4-H . Beef Cattle Show, a classic car show, craft and agricultural demonstrations, demonstrations, harness racing, a fiddle contest, and finish with the demolition demolition derby at 6 p.m. Also on Sunday, there will be a beer tent which closes at I a.m. On Monday (Labour Day) the fair's 60th Holstein show will start the day off and will be followed by the baby contest. Other activities during the day include the fun and games horse show, the heavy horse show, and a horse pull. Of course, the agricultural buildings will be open and bursting with displays from all age groups and there will be a midway. The grounds are open from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday, and on Monday, Sept. 1, the grounds will be open from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Clarington residents heading up to the Port Perry Fair will take Hwy 7A west to Port Perry and "follow the signs to the fair grounds," Hunter said. The cost is $6 for adults and seniors; children 6 to 14 -$3 and preschoolers are free. Parking on the fairgrounds will cost $3 per vehicle. 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