The Huron Tract Land Trust Conservancy (HTLTC) and Bayfield River Valley Trail Association (BRVTA) hope to get a walkway built to allow residents safe access to the Bayfield River Flats.
The project team plans to hold a fundraising campaign between November 15 and December 15, 2023. Huron County Land Trust Conservancy Past President Roger Lewington hopes to raise $50,000 to complete the pathway under Highway 21 allowing residents to enjoy the protected wildlife habitat.
"People can enjoy the benefits of a natural area there," said Lewington. We've got osprey there, we've got eagles. On the river, we've got some beavers. We have trails initiated there."
The Bayfield River Valley Trail Association raised more than $70,000 to buy the property in 2017. The trail association manages the property and donated it to the land trust so the property will be preserved permanently.
"It's like a five minute walk from Main Street. So it's really nice to have that pedestrian access as Bayfield is really at walking community," he explained. "So it just gives that opportunity to build a walk there. And then we'll walk there safely, because we don't want families or children having to cross the highway. It's nice if you can go under the bridge."
Lewington said the pathway would provide river access, which is rare in the area.
"There's fishing in the river, that type of thing," he added. "But really it's about nature appreciation and nature in general."
The project team is excited to announce the proposed walkway has received the permissions required to make it happen and now the team will turn its attention to mobilizing the public support needed to make it reality.
“The Flats is a natural gem only a short walk from Bayfield’s Main Street,” said HTLTC Chair Max Morden. “Home to eagles and ospreys and species at risk, it’s a place where people can both appreciate and preserve nature.” Volunteers from the Trail Association manage the property at no cost to the public.
Fundraising activities include a ‘Walkway to the Finish Line’ evening. The event is at the Bayfield Town Hall on Wednesday, December 13, 2023 from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m.
The Bayfield River Valley Trail Association was founded in 2006. The association maintains seven recreational trails in and around Bayfield, Ontario. The volunteers from the association schedule more than 20 guided hikes each year
