Trail Care Event: Great Lakes Waterfront Trail, Windsor
A family-friendly trail cleanup event along the Great Lakes Waterfront Trail
On International Trails Day, staff from the City of Windsor and Trans Canada Trail, along with members of the community gathered in Dieppe Gardens Park in Windsor, Ontario. They held a trail cleanup event, along with several family-friendly activities.
Community organizations offered free outdoor yoga sessions, a spin art bike for kids, art cart tours at a nearby sculpture garden, and e-bike demonstrations from Bird Canada, plus informational booths from local outdoors organizations and Trans Canada Trail.
Michael Goodyear, Trans Canada Trail’s Director, Policy and Stakeholder Relations, was on site to welcome participants and offer opening remarks. James Chacko, Executive Director of Parks & Facilities, with the City of Windsor, also spoke at the event.
City of Windsor staff member Laura Ash recounts a moment that stood out to her, in which a local family turned the event into a fun, educational experience for their young children. “They were so enthusiastic and eager to help that they inspired other volunteers around them, showing how even the youngest members of our community can make a big impact.” She continues, “Another touching moment was when an elderly volunteer shared her story of regularly cleaning the Trail on her own and how delighted she was to join a group effort. Her dedication to maintaining the Trail over the years was truly inspiring. During the cleanup event, she took a break to enjoy the lunch and free yoga sessions provided in the park. It was special to see her stay and participate throughout the entire event. This underscored the importance of collective action and the joy that comes from working together to care for our shared spaces.”
Community involvement and in-depth conversations
Several local police officers and staff from the City of Windsor showed up to join in the celebration and show their support for the Trail Care event. Laura notes that these visits sparked engaging conversations about community safety and environmental stewardship.
Showing appreciation for volunteers, thanks to Trail Care funds
The trail group used Trail Care funds to provide nutritious food and drink, and tokens of appreciation, such as water bottles, bike bells and complimentary activities. Trail Care funds were also used to provide gloves, first aid kits, reflective vests, trash grabbers and sharps containers, ensuring volunteers stayed safe.
“The grant enabled us to successfully complete extensive cleanup work on our section of the Trail, achieving and surpassing our original objectives. Volunteers diligently picked up and properly disposed of garbage along the trail. To promote responsible disposal, we also arranged for recycling containers to be delivered to the site, ensuring that recyclable materials were processed appropriately,” says Laura.
Thank you to Columbia Sportswear, Toyota Canada and VIA Rail
Trail Care was made possible with the generous support of Columbia Sportswear, Toyota Canada and VIA Rail. To encourage trail users to get outside and experience more sections of the Trail, VIA Rail and Trans Canada Trail held a giveaway contest at the event. Two lucky winners each received a $250 VIA travel voucher.
Volunteer/organizer spotlight
Laura Ash is with the City of Windsor. She notes that the Trail Care event went off so well thanks to dedicated volunteers from the community, along with City of Windsor staffers.
Local events on the Trail, like Trail Care Day celebrations and cleanups, are made possible thanks to the dedication of thousands of volunteers across Canada. “Although national in scope, the Trans Canada Trail is really a trail of trails, each as unique as the community it runs through. The Trail Care events are a great opportunity for Trans Canada Trail to support local events that not only engage locals, but also show appreciation and recognition for those who make their trail terrific. The Trans Canada Trail would not be the network it is without the support of municipal staff and volunteers across the country,” says Michael Goodyear.
