March 26/99 12:11 pm - Trail Workshop, Napa World Cup this weekend

Posted by Editoress on 03/26/99
 

HAMILTON REGION CONSERVATION AUTHORITY PRESENTS

A TRAIL CONSTRUCTION AND MAINTENANCE WORKSHOP:
WHAT WORKS AND WHAT'S NEW

Friday, April 9, 1999
9:15 a.m. - 12:30 p.m.

at Woodend, HRCA's Main Office
838 Mineral Springs Road, Ancaster, L9G 3L3


This half-day workshop is intended for Conservation Authority and municipal staff involved in trail construction and maintenance. It will also be of interest to trail user groups who participate in trail construction and maintenance. Both field staff and planning staff will find this workshop of interest.

Multi-use trails are more popular than ever and different demands are being placed on those who build and maintain them. Volunteers are interested in helping with trail construction or doing so themselves. Representatives of three of the biggest user groups will give their perspective and Ken Buck, a well-known trail expert in Ontario, will provide up-to-date guidelines on construction and maintenance.


AGENDA

9:15 - 9:25 Welcome and Introductions - Scott Konkle, Director of Watershed Planning and Engineering, Hamilton Region Conservation Authority

9:25 - 10:15 What Works and What's New in Multi-purpose Trails - Ken Buck

10:15 - 10:45 A Hiker's Perspective - Eric Best and Paul Beneteau - Bruce Trail Association

10:45 - 11:00 Coffee Break

11:00 - 11:30 A Mountain Biker's Perspective - Jim Crosscomb - Ontario Cycling Association

11:30 - 12:00 An Equestrian's Perspective - Chris Firth-Eagland - Dundas Valley Equestrian Association

12:00 - 12:30 Questions and Answers


SPEAKERS

Ken Buck is the senior landscape architect at ESG International. He has been a keen trail enthusiast all of his professional life, originating with his work in laying out the optimum route of the Bruce Trail as an employee of the Niagara Escarpment Commission in the early 1970s. He has written and lectured widely on trails design issues and been project manager for numerous controversial trail issues where the balance among environmental sensitivity, recreation, tourism opportunities and human use of natural spaces has been the focus of attention. Ken has consistently and vigorously applied an ecologically based problem solving process to his trails design and construction projects. He is Vice-President of the Ontario Trails Council.

Eric Best is the Iroquoia Bruce Trail Club's Trail Director. He has five zone Bruce Trail coordinators, 41 trail captains and 60 trail construction and maintenance workers assisting him in the maintenance of 160 km of the Bruce Trail from Grimsby to Highway 401. He is retired and resides in Lowville. He won the 1997 Trail Award for his contribution to trail improvement.

Paul Beneteau is the Iroquoia Bruce Trail Project Coordinator and Bruce Trail Association's Sign Coordinator. He has been involved in trail maintenance and construction since the early 1980s when he too was a trail award winner. In 1998 he received the Volunteer of the Year award for his recent work. Now retired, Paul uses his background in design, landscaping and construction to plan each of the Iroquoia Club's twice weekly work parties.

Jim Crosscomb is President of the Ontario Cycling Association and former Chair of the Ontario Recreational Mountain Bike Association. He undertook the trail reconstruction in the Kolapore Highlands and is familiar with many other mountain bike trails systems in the province and beyond.

Chris Firth-Eagland is an equestrian who has used the Dundas Valley Conservation Area trails for 20 years. He also hikes the trails and knows the trail system intimately. He is a member of the Dundas Valley Equestrian Association, the Dundas Valley Trail Use Group and the Dundas Valley Volunteer Patrol. He lives adjacent to the Valley in Dundas.

REGISTRATION

Registration is free but only the first 50 people will be accepted because of space limits.

To register please contact Lisa Hampson by Monday, April 5th, 1999, at 905-648-4427, Ext. 135.



Phone: 905-648-4427, Ext. 133 for additional information.


World Cup Coverage this weekend

The first round of the 1999 Mountain Bike World Cup takes place this weekend. Rob left this morning for San Francisco, and after touchdown and a 2 hour drive, will be on site to start with our weekend long coverage of the event. Check back regularly over the next 3 days for up to the minute reports.

Weather reports are favourable, with temperature expected in the mid 60's F through Monday, and no rain expected until Monday...........