Archive

FOIL’s Donation Day at Island Lake this Sunday

May 21, 2014   ·   0 Comments

By Tabitha Wells – This Sunday, the Friends of Island Lake will be setting up collections at the two entrances to the Island Lake trails to help raise funds toward the completion of the perimeter lake trail. The event follows the scrap metal collection day, which helped to raise about $700 more toward the total cost of the trail, which hovers around the $800,000 mark.

“We are really hoping to be able to raise a couple thousand dollars through donations on Sunday,” said Bob Shirley, Co-Chair of Friends of Island Lake (FOIL). “We have a bank in town that has agreed to match the donations, so if we could get around $4000 between the two, we would be able to begin construction and apply for some grants to help with the remaining costs.”

Although the estimated total amount from the scrap metal collection day itself is about $700, but Mr. Shirley explained there is still more to be weighed before they will have the official number. The scrap metal collection will continue until November 1, for those who were unable to make it to the day hosted at Island Lake.

“People can give us a call to have their stuff picked up, or to ask where they can drop it off,” said Mr. Shirley. “We’ve had a few people who thought they missed their chance, but we want people to know that this will be an ongoing project throughout the year. We’ll be having another collection day in the fall, and we have another group that has offered to match the funds raised there, so things are looking good.”

On Sunday, donations will be received at the north and west entrances to the trails – off Hockley Road and at the Highway 10/4th Avenue intersection throughout the day, serving as a voluntary ‘toll’ booth for people walking the trails.

Along with the further development of the trail has come the discussion regarding increasing parking availability to help with the growing number of trail users.

Currently, Credit Valley Conservation has proposed developing a pay parking lot at the end of Hurontario Street, which currently serves as a turn-around point and has an unofficial entrance to the trails.

Local residents have raised concerns, and suggested that the CVC and Friends of Island Lake look at approaching the Orangeville Agricultural Society (OAS) about utilizing the south side of their property for an official parking lot.

Since the suggestion appeared in an article last week, there have been several incidents in which hikers used a small service entrance at the south side of the OAS property to access the trails.

That access point is neither official nor legal, as it falls on private property owned by the OAS. Although the alternate location of a new parking lot was suggested, for it to proceed, a contract and agreement would have to be made between the CVC and OAS as to such things as terms of access and the cost of the required roadway and parking facility.

The additional usage has prompted a request for a reminder to the public that there is no public access through the OAS property. Currently, there are only three public entrances to the trails – through the parking lot on Hockley Road, on the east side of Highway 10 at Fourth Avenue and through the Island Lake Conservation Area, where the current admission fees are $5 for adults and $3 for seniors and children between six and 12 years of age.

Readers Comments (0)