Recreation and Trails
Update from the Provincial Park and Oakville Parks & Recreation
At last, here is the promised revised trail map for Bronte Creek showing present and planned (for this year) pathways. As this area is mostly ‘creeklot’ or ‘woodlot’ these pathways will remain as screened limestone and maximum 3 metres width. The issues of some wider, paved trails with lights is for the area north of Dundas, and this is still in early discussion and much opposed.
If you would like to know how far you are walking, running or biking, you can look at a website called www.mapmyrun.com. You can use a satellite map showing all the pathways as well as the roads, so this can be fun. For some idea of distance, we have shown on the map the 1.14km distance east-west across the pipeline.
Oakville Parks & Rec. are currently looking into getting regulatory signs installed (poop & scoop/no dumping) for the pipeline area which provides access to the Provincial Park. They are hoping to install a path this spring, tidy up the area and install permanent cans that can be maintained by the parks operation centre.
We have been in contact with the staff from Bronte Provincial Park to see if they can make a decent trail from the pipeline access southward to join with the entrance from the woods and then west to join with Little Pond Lane. Alternate directions are also being considered, including west along the pipeline by the hedge, understanding that the Park focus is on the protection of the habitat. Timelines can be delayed at any point because of the regulatory process and cost. They have very tight budgets so are looking for affordable options. The Park is working on a plan to inform new residents of the role and responsibilities of the Park regarding public and wildlife. For example, the fields to the west of both park accesses (behind the berms) are specially planted to encourage the ground nests of endangered bird species and should not be walked across by people or dogs.
Meanwhile, here is an information piece from the Oakvillegreen Conservation Association which is quite interesting. The coyote that had recently become too friendly in the area just east of here had been fed so that someone could take close-up photos, not good for people or for the coyote.