Cyclists Being Welcomed to Chatham-Kent Community groups across Chatham Kent are warming up to welcome more than 200 cyclists and their supporters who will be riding through our community on Tuesday August 13 and Wednesday August 14. The event is called the Great Waterfront Trail Adventure (GWTA) and is organized by the Waterfront Regeneration Trust, an organization that has been working since 1992 to promote Ontario’s waterfront trails and greenways as a way to achieve a healthy environment and lifestyle. Many riders are from the Greater Toronto Area. Past events have been held along the shores of Lake Ontario and the St. Lawrence River. Positions in this year’s event are all sold out. The seven-day event starts in the Lakeshore and Windsor area, and ends in Fort Erie. “The 2013 adventure will be along the new section of signed Waterfront Trail,” said Marlaine Koehler, executive director of the Waterfront Regeneration Trust. “Participants will follow the shores of Lake Erie along the mostly on-road route that uses country roads and a few bike paths with stunning views of the lake, farmland, quaint towns, beautiful parks, wineries, fruit stands, and historical sites, to name but a few of the scenic highlights. It has been a pleasure working with the community and the municipality to identify and sign a route that builds on the fantastic work of the Chatham-Kent Trails Council.” “It’s great to see the hospitality and enthusiasm with which local volunteer groups and businesses are welcoming these visitors to Chatham-Kent,” said Mayor Randy Hope. “When they return home, they will cherish great memories and have a full appreciation of everything Chatham-Kent has to offer. No doubt, they’ll tell their friends, and maybe they… and their friends… will come back to visit, or to stay.” On its website at waterfronttrail.org, the trust says that the cyclists will be in Wheatley on Tuesday: “While in Wheatley, discover the beautiful trails of Two Creeks Conservation Area. This rest stop is hosted by the Friends of Two Creeks, a volunteer group that manages the area with a mandate to address the conservation, recreation and cultural needs of the Wheatley area with an emphasis on youth. The Friends of Two Creeks, the Wheatley BIA and the Rockets Off-Road Cycling Club will be on site to greet cyclists, introduce them to Wheatley, and offer ten minute easy walks along gentle paths, across our treasured historic railway bridge, through secluded woodland and crossing meandering creeks. Fresh, local fruit will be available.” The visitors’ itinerary calls for a rest stop at Kinsmen Park in Merlin, including refreshments and memorabilia of Canada’s black heritage and the Underground Railroad, with proceeds supporting local historical sites and Buxton’s Next Generation. Optional rest stops at a fruit stand and a winery will be followed by lunch in the restaurants of the unique beach town of Erieau. The cyclists will stay overnight in Rondeau Provincial Park. The Friends of Rondeau community group will introduce the visitors to bird watching. “Rondeau Provincial Park and the surrounding Rondeau Bay Marshes protect beautiful Carolinian wetlands that are home to a variety of flora and fauna. Jim Rule, president of the Thames Talbot Land Trust, will be at the info tent after dinner to answer questions about the plants and animals that have been seen on route and highlights for the upcoming days.” On Wednesday, the cyclists have an optional rest stop at a garden centre and café housed in a unique eight-sided barn in Palmyra, before they head east for the rest of their tour. For the detailed itinerary of the 2013 Great Waterfront Trail Adventure and more information on the Waterfront Regeneration Trust, visit waterfronttrail.org .
Posted on: Mon, 12 Aug 2013 14:59:20 +0000
Trending Topics
Recently Viewed Topics
© 2015