Waterfront Trail
DO MORE ON THE SHORE EZINE
January/February 2010
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- Meetings around the lake
- Meal Plan
- Shuttle option
- Bike Train
- Jerseys for 2010
- Bike rental with Zoom Leisure for 2010
- GWTA Participant from 08-09 carries Olympic Torch:
- A look at Niagara-on-the-Lake-Launch for GWTA
- Along the Trail
- Other Trails of the World: La Ruta Maya
Meetings around the lake:
With 2010 no longer just a date on the calendar, we are now just over 160 days out from the 3rd Annual GWTA. This week marks the official first round of meetings with each of the communities involved in the planning for this year’s tour. By the middle of February we will have more details to add to the 2010 itinerary
Meal Plan for 2010:
In response to comments received from both participants and partners, the Waterfront Regeneration Trust is launching a Meal Plan in 2010 that will offer GWTA participants an opportunity to pre-pay for most of the GWTA meals. All participants who purchase this plan will receive a braclet providing them with 6 breakfasts, 5 lunches and 2 dinners along the route. The "MP" helps to create flexibility and more convenience to the riders and community partners during the tour.
As part of the "MP", the GWTA, along with our community partners have teamed up with AlPha (Association of local Public Health agencies) to create these meals that will provide the proper sustanance for full days in the saddle, followed by nights of social activity. The details and availability to purchase the plan will be announced in the coming weeks, along with daily menus that will be posted for all to see and plan for!
Shuttle option:
We are just wrapping up the details for the return shuttle from Riviere Beaudette to Niagara via Toronto. The shuttle will load and depart from the tour finish shortly after 12:30 pm on July 10th, arriving first at Yorkdale Mall (North parking lot, off the 401) by late afternoon/early evening, and then onto the Pillar & Post Inn in
Niagara-on-the-Lake for all remaining passengers. Long term parking is available at the Pillar & Post for anyone taking this option. To book your space for long term
parking please contact Ian at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it . This will be an option for the first 55 people to sign up. For a return shuttle from Riviere Beaudette to Toronto or
Niagara-on-the-Lake, please follow the link that will be posted on the front page of the GWTA website on February 9th, 2010.
NEW – BOOK YOUR RETURN TRIP FROM CORNWALL TO TORONTO OR NIAGARA-ON-THE-LAKE
$165 (taxes included) to Niagara-on-the-Lake
$145 (taxes included) to Toronto
Limited seating, so reserve your ASAP!
Reservations close June 1, 2010*
Approximate arrival times
Toronto: 7 pm @ Yorkdale Mall, Toronto 7 pm
Niagara: 9 pm @ Pillar and Post Hotel
48 John Street W, Niagara-on-the-Lake, ON L0S 1J0
Yorkdale Mall is close to the Toronto Subway system for people who need to get to downtown Toronto. Pillar & Post is the site of the long-term parking for the 2010
Adventure. You may decide to enjoy an evening of luxury at this beautiful vintage inn and spa. http://www.vintage-hotels.com/pillarandpost/default.htm
Bike train:
For everyone who has been checking out the various options for getting to and from the event. We are pleased to announce that Bike Train is being offered for July 2nd
to assist participants with their arrival plans to Niagara-on-the-Lake, details to come shortly.
Jerseys for 2010:
The 2010 Jersey is in the process of being designed and will be posted on the website by the middle of February as well. You can expect a few colour changes and perhaps a more classic design for the New Year!
Bike rental with Zoom Leisure 2010:
Zoom Leisure Bikes – Pre Event provider for all bicycle related needs. Call us at 1-866-811-6993 or 905-468-2366. Zoom is providing participants with access to quality bicycle rentals, and any related repairs that are needed to bikes the day before the ride. We encourage you to ship your bike to us and we will assemble your bike in time for the ride! Visit us at www.zoomleisure.com, e-mail at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it . Or come see us at the store at 431 Mississauga St, Niagara on the Lake, Ontario
GWTA Participant from 08-09 carries Olympic Torch:
A prime example of what a healthy lifestyle can do, George Schoebe 76 a veteran of the inaugural GWTA and the 2009 tour has continued his quest to show people what can be done when you stay active!
George has been a tireless rider covering almost 1500 km’s of Waterfront Trail in the past couple of years and has now added Olympic Torch run to his list of achievements. For more on this Windsor native, check out the article in the Windsor Star below:
http://www.windsorstar.com/health/George+Schoebe+carry+Olympic+torch/2319181/story.html
A look at Niagara-on-the-Lake, Day One launch:
The 3rd Annual GWTA will once again launch from inside the walls of Historic Fort George, the onetime bastion of the British/Canadian forces from the War of 1812 has been restored to its glory days of the 19th century and will provide barracks and camping for all those coming a day early arriving on July 2nd!
The town of NOTL from the chamber website:
Niagara-on-the-Lake has often been referred to as the loveliest town in Ontario, with its beautiful parks and gardens, stunning downtown as well as a long and distinguished history. Originally NOTL was the site of the old Neutral Indian village of Onghiara, before being settled by Loyalists coming to Upper Canada.
At the end of the 18th Century the British Government purchased land from the Mississaugas, eventually establishing the town of Newark and becoming the first capital
of Upper Canada. A few years later the capital of Upper Canada would be moved to our Day 2 stop of Toronto (formerly York). With the exception of the powder magazine at Fort George the physical appearance of the town was virtually erased by the burning of Newark at the hands of the Americans during the war of 1812.
In 2010, a mere two hundred years after its founding, Niagara-on-the-Lake is a thriving town with numerous attractions. People from all over the words come to the historic sites - Fort George and the Historical Society Museum, along with the Shaw Festival, the marina, the heritage business district for shopping, parks and beautiful farmland, as well as the Niagara wineries.
A beautiful & historic way to start the ride!!
Launch @ Fort George
http://www.friendsoffortgeorge.ca/fgnh.htm
Along the waterfront trail:
Introducing Black and White, a theme show by the artists of the Colborne Art Gallery.
What happens when an artist is given a theme to work within, does this limit their creativity or push it to unexplored levels? The members of the Colborne Art Gallery are working with a theme in mind for their upcoming show, simply entitled Black and White.
Black and White opens January 23, 2010 with an opening reception from 2-4 pm, and runs until March 7, 2010. Join us and discover how each artist interprets the theme of contrasts along with a selection of other new works, all by the members of the Colborne Art Gallery.
The Colborne Art Gallery
51 King Street East
PO Box 903
Colborne Ontario K0K 1S0
905 355-1798
email: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
website: www.thecolborneartgallery.
Other trails of the world: La Ruta Maya
Whether the trails are designated, marked or maintained have not always been the key elements in the desire of people to travel them. For millennia indigenous groups have used paths and trails to connect with family, search for food, conduct business or find enlightenment. In Central America the La Ruta Maya (Maya Route) is a pathway that is among the most popular itineraries traveled by people of this region and beyond. The route travels across several countries, explores ancient Maya ruins, and boasts some of the world’s most picturesque scenery.
Although most travelers through the years have encountered the route on foot, and now car, there are those who have taken the time to explore La Ruta Maya by bike. Some choose to meander from Mexico to Honduras, Belize and Guatemala, while others just for sections or specific countries. Although many take this journey on their own, there are now guided tours providing support along the way. Here is a link to a story of a couple who made the trip back in 1997, and their thoughts and photos along the way...not much has changed.
http://www.crw.org/tours/Guatemala/index.html
