Growth and Progress
Growth and Progress are positive signs of the role the Walker’s Creek Neighbourhood Association can foster. And this past week has shown some prime examples of that development.
The Thursday morning “Walks In The Parks” for the WCNA connected Parks have now become history. Many more folks joined in these morning jaunts, visiting five to the seven parks, being introduced to the many varieties of plants and flora that make the Parks special, seeing how this original watercourse adds dimension to the area and recognizing that amidst the residential areas, there are oasis of calm, beauty and interest. Delighted to have folks join these walks for their first venture into the Parks, discovering first hand what can become a regular walking tour. Even for the folks who regularly enjoy the Parks, Della Trojan, WCNA Vice Chair, introduced new insights, recent and past history and special features that they had not known existed.
Consideration will be given to an Evening Walk or two as the fall foliage takes on its colour and the shift from the busy summer growing season to the preparation for the coming colder months, while allowing the viewing of the inner most areas and their natural settings. Watch this website for dates and times.
Malcolmson Eco-Park is offering “Walks In The Park” through that unique area each Thursday in October, beginning at 10:00 AM from the parking area off Lakeshore Road at the end of Niagara Street. This Park, dedicated to a natural habitat contains many special features ranging from grassland prairies to bogs to a very special Learning Centre used extensively by school children. Very knowledgeable leaders will enlighten and explain this Parks delights, where trails wander though the Park offering alternative routes and experiences.
Delighted to discover that construction has begun on the New Pathway that will connect Grantham and Niagara Streets through the old Arboretum, a part of Pearson park we refer to as “Reach Eight”. This new pathway when completed, will allow everyone, including mobility challenged folks, to take a shortcut to the new Library and Pool, easier access to Niagara Street and more direct passage to the Scott Street Shopping Plaza while providing an easy route for Laura Secord Secondary School students going to and coming from school. Exploration of the Arboretum will also be enhanced. This site of many mature specimen trees is a cool picnic spot in summer and a delight year round for the many dog walkers in the area. The New Pathway will follow the visible Creek from where it exits from its underground passage from the WalMart Plaza to Grantham before disappearing again under Laura Secord Secondary school, homes and the Scott Street Plaza to resurface at Scott Street where it remains open to the Lake. Special thanks to Councillors Washuta and Phillips for encouraging the Recreation and Community Services Department of the City to undertake the creation of this new pathway.
A special plea to all residents adjacent to the Parks … while the frequency of grass clippings ending up on the Creek side has diminished significantly, folks who are using the refuse barrels to get rid of their grass clippings are seriously asked to seek another way to rid themselves of these compostible materials. Leaving the clippings on the lawn to provide mulch and moisture retention items is the preferred way to avoid having to send grass clippings to the landfill sites. They add to the health of the lawn and make use of something that is otherwise offensive in larger quantities. Similarly, household garbage should not be deposited in the Park refuse barrels as these receptacles are meant for the litter and bagged dog droppings of the Parks and receive only occasional emptying, whereas being filled with other materials defeats their ability to do the job for which they are intended.
The WCNA is aware of three possible sources of new funding through grants, but we are in need of a person or persons willing to help us take on the challenge of preparing these grant proposals. Theses significant grants can add funding for everything from pathway improvements for mobility challenged folks, the addition of native trees to extra efforts where the Walker’s Creek enters the Lake. These grants, from the Provincial Government and Private Foundations are there for the asking and past grants received by the WCNA have added special trees, creek side stabilization and other improvements within the Parks. Please let us know you can and will say “YES!” to this request.
The October WCNA Community Meeting will offer discussion and information, courtesy of a Master Gardener, on preparing your gardens for the winter season … save, preserve and enjoy the beauty again next year … makes sense to me!! Watch this website for the date and times.
