Trail Care Event: Rum Runners Trail, Dynamite Trail Section
Spreading awareness about trails and nature with an expo
The multi-use Rum Runners Trail runs from Halifax to Lunenberg, Nova Scotia, over 107 kilometres. The Dynamite Trail Association is responsible for managing a section of the Trail between Mahone Bay and Martins River.
On June 1 — Trail Care Day — the Dynamite Trail Association hosted an expo, aiming to spread awareness about trails in Nova Scotia and beyond. The event had a celebratory feel, with 16 booths and exhibits on site. The event welcomed trail groups, including Trans Canada Trail; government bodies; Cycle Nova Scotia; and more. Subjects included fire safety from the Nova Scotia Department of Natural Resources and Renewables, which was quite popular.
Growing a network to care for the Trail in the future
“The event was all about confirming and growing contacts and support to help us care for the Trail into the future,” says Nigel Mathew from the Dynamite Trail Association. He notes that the group also aimed to attract new trail users. “The event was very successful in increasing the profile of Trans Canada Trail and the Rum Runners Trail. The mayors of both areas the trail runs through spoke very positively about the impact of trails in their communities,” he adds.
In addition to trail group volunteers and community members, the Mayor of Mahone Bay, David Devenne, MLA Susan Gorkum-Creek, and Mayor Caroline Bolivar-Getson from the Municipality of the District of Lunenberg were in attendance. Brenden Blotnicky, Trans Canada Trail’s Manager, Trail Development and Volunteers, was also in attendance.
“It was a lively event, and I had no shortage of great conversations throughout the day; by the end I was quite raspy from all of my communicating! Guests were of course very interested in the ballots for the Via Rail giveaway and the other giveaway items, but so many wanted to chat about their experiences on the Trail across Canada. Others genuinely wanted to see the connected Canada map and appreciated the context of how we are all connected by this one amazing trail system. I concluded the event by giving the closing remarks, where I mentioned how we could feel connected to those in Newfoundland, in Ontario, Alberta and BC, who were hosting very similar events at that very time. I could feel (and hear) the power and appreciation of this comment about Canadian connectedness as it resonated with volunteer staff and guests,” says Brenden.
Involvement from several community groups and sponsors
In addition to generous Trail Care sponsors, Columbia Sportswear and Toyota Canada, several community groups pitched in to help out at the event: Bay to Bay Trail, Bayview Community School — that provided food prepared by Grade 9 students, which they sold on site to fund a camping trip, and Coastal Action. Sweet Ride Cycling of Mahone Bay and Shore Cycle Marine also contributed to the event. Starpower Atlantic supplied battery-powered electricity for the event, topped off with mobile solar panels.
Nigel points to some highlights from local community groups: “One of our plans in the future is to improve accessibility on the Dynamite Trail. As a step in this direction, we were grateful to Cycle Nova Scotia, who brought and demonstrated several adaptive cycles. In addition, Hillside Pines Care Home from Bridgewater, which brought two electric-assist trishaws, which can transport two passengers or one wheelchair.”
To encourage trail users to get outside and visit more parts of the Trail, VIA Rail and Trans Canada Trail held a giveaway contest at the event. Two lucky winners each received a $250 travel voucher.
Recognizing longtime trail group volunteers
The Dynamite Trail Association was also pleased to recognize the outstanding, continuing service of three of its founding directors: Sandy Hamilton (Chair), Geoff Macdonald (Treasurer) and Avery Bain (Secretary) each received a plaque commemorating their 24 years of service. Dynamite Trail director, Derek Long, built six benches, which will be placed along the Trail section in the founders’ names. This recognition activity was sponsored by Trans Canada Trail.
Volunteer/organizer spotlight
Nigel Mathew is Vice Chair of the Dynamite Trail Association. He has held this position for eight years.
The Dynamite Trail expo and celebration demonstrates how volunteers across Canada come together to enhance trails for their community by raising awareness about trails and the benefits of nature. Tens of thousands of volunteers pitch in annually to maintain and improve their local trails, and we are very grateful for their dedication.
