WALK ON CAPE BRETON

 
Bridge on The Marconi Rail Trail

 
The wild life is returning to the ponds at the former heavy water plant
Guided Walk Events and CBIH Annual General Meeting
The 2009 walking season for the Cape Breton Island Hoppers is drawing to a close with two walk events and the clubs annual general meeting remaining for November. The 2010 schedule is now available by contacting the club President Joe MacKinnon at the next walk event, at the annual general meeting or you can see the schedule (a work in progress) online at http://www.capebretonislandhoppers.com/
EVENT # 1
Sunday 01 November, Guided Walk Event
Registration: 1:30pm, Start Time: 2:00pm
Marconi Towers Trail (My name for this portion of the S&L Railroad)
This trail is also part of the future development of the DEVCO MEMORIAL TRAIL.
5/10k Rated 1C, note our original assessment of this trail was 2C however the new SP for this year has made it much easier then previous walk s on this trail.
Start Point: 755 Hwy 255 (Donkin/Glace Bay Hwy)
The start point for this walk event is the “former Heavy Water Plant” parking lot in front of building #1 and please note that there are signs indicating the highway is closed except for “local traffic”. The road is open to the former plant and we will have signs directing you to the parking lot.
Walk Leader: Rollie Coombes, 849-0747, bretonhoppers@hotmail.com
 
EVENT # 2
Saturday 14 November, 1:30 – 4:00pm MEETING
CBIH Annual General Meeting
Cape Breton Regional Library Headquarters
McConnell Memorial Library
50 Falmouth Street, Sydney, NS
http://www.cbrl.ca/
For further details or to suggest an item on the agenda please contact the club President Joe MacKinnon, 562-3117 or e-mail joeandelsie@ns.sympatico.ca or bretonhoppers@hotmail.com
 
EVENT # 3
Sunday, 15 November Guided Walk Event
The Last Guided Walk for 2009
Registration: 1:30pm, Start Time: 2:00pm
MacKeigan Road/ Trail
Marion Bridge
5/10k Rated 2C
From Sydney take Hwy 327 to Marion Bridge, MacKeigan Road is a short distance after the bridge off Hwy 327. CBIH signs will be posted to the Start Point.
Walk Leader: Lucy Nardini, bretonhoppers@hotmail.com
Don’t forget our two Year Round Events in Sydney and North Sydney will remain open until DEC 30^th. Members can support the club by doings these walk events on your own or with friends and other club members whenever you want to get out for a walk. YRE’s are an excellent way to accumulate distances in your awards books and to help the club as well.
Hope to see as many club members as possible at these last events for 2009.
Check out all the information on the Canadian Volkssport Federation (CVF) 2010 Convention to be held here in Sydney 28-30 May, 2010 http://www.walkcapebreton.com/

THE DEVCO RAIL TRAIL

This is a follow up meeting from a workshop attended by the CBIH walk committee.

The proposed conversion of the DEVCO rail line that runs from Sydney to downtown Louisbourg needs vocal support.  This is part of the divestment plan of the defunct DEVCO facilities on Cape Breton Island and of CBRM's Active Transportation Plan to turn the old railroad through Glace Bay and Dominion into an active transportation (walking, biking, etc.) trail. This is part of the original Sydney&Louisbourg Railroad.

The officials at DEVCO and at CBRM are still considering the issue, but is fearful of moving forward without a tangible amount of support.  

Presently, there is debate about whether or not motorized vehicles should be included. If you care about this issue one way or the other, please attend these meetings. If you live along the trail in Glace Bay or Dominion, this is your opportunity to have your say as to what that trail will look like and what types of uses will be included.

PUBLIC MEETINGS on the proposed DEVCO rail trail are planned for the following locations and dates:

Wednesday, October 21 at the BayPlex in Glace Bay

Thursday, October 22 at the Dominion branch of the Royal Canadian Legion.

Both meetings are scheduled for 7-9 pm and Jim Neale will be facilitating

Please add this on your "To Do List" to show your support for this initiative. It would provide a recreational trail that would bypass the notorious Trunk 4 traffic, and allow kids and adults a way to safely commute to work, meet friends, go shopping, run errands, go to events and the like.We cannot afford to let this opportunity pass us by! 

The Cape Breton Island Hoppers Volkssport Club's Annual General Meeting (AGM)

DATE CHANGE: SATURDAY, 14 November 2009, 1:30 - 4:00pm

Members are encouraged to attend these most important meetings to ensure that you have a say in club matters.

 
This years meeting is definitely very important due to the upcoming Canadian Volkssport Federation Annual General Meeting and Convention to be held here in Cape Breton  28-30 May, 2010.

Location for this years 2009 Annual Club Meeting will be The Cape Breton Regional Library Headquarters, MacConnell Library, 50 Falmouth Street, Sydney
http://www.cbrl.ca

SATURDAY, 14 November 2009, 1:30 - 4:00pm

Joe MacKinnon, President CBIH

The Cape Breton Island Hoppers Volkssport Club present an annual series of walks during the Celtic Colours International Music Festival:

Saturday, October 10, 2009 at 2:00pm French Road/ Canoe Lake Trail

Walk Leader Carmel Coffin, Distance 5 and 10k Rated 2B

Directions To Start Point: From Sydney take Hwy 327 to Marion Bridge and continue for 10k to the Community of French Road. Canoe Lake Road is on the right.

Sunday, October 11, 2009 at 2:00pm Grand River/Heather Hill

Walk Leaders Barb and Cal Thistle, Distance 5 and 12k Rated 2B

Directions to start Point: Follow Hwy 4 to Soldiers Cove, take road to Grand River, continue to Fire Hall in Grand River.

A very special CD featuring the 42K Marathon walk event has been developed and is available by contacting Terry Crawley of our Ways and means Committee. crawleyterry@gmail.com
The CD was developed by the creative touch of Clare MacNeil in collaboration and partnership with the recreation director for Inverness County, AnnaLee MacEachern.
Clare MacNeil clare.macneil@ns.sympatico.ca will have some CD's available on the bus tour.
The DVD was  produced by professionals at The Judique Interpretive Center in Judique using their creativity. They produce music DVD's for the well known local musicians such as Kinnon Beaton featured on this DVD. The music on this DVD is terrific.  It is worth the $10.00 just to listen to the music. The scenes are beautiful scenes of the Trans Canada Trail.  The people in the pictures of the marathon are fantastic.
A large number of photos have been produced as a souvenir on our Sept 12 event from Troy to Port Hood.
Music Credits: Kinnon Beaton and musicians on the Eoghan Dubh CD.

Cover and Disc Design: Angela MacNeil

Photo Credits: Cal & Barb Thistle, Roland Coombes, Wendy Snook, Jean MacLean, Ellen Wilcox, Shauna & Clare MacNeil

All Club Members and interested groups are invited to attend:
General Meeting of Committees and Volunteers for the 2010 Canadian Volkssport Federation:
Next meeting will be held 6:30pm,Tuesday, September 29th 2009
The McConnell Library, CBR Library Headquarters, 50 Falmouth Street, CBRM, Sydney.

More volunteers are needed and are welcomed to attend
Come help make this a great convention

The meeting is restricted to 2010 Convention details

www.walkcapebreton.com

Joe MacKinnon President CBIH, Elsie Buck VP, Chairperson Convention 2010

HELP SUPPORT YOUR CLUB, COME OUT AND DONATE OR BUY SOMETHING :

WHERE: SPANISH RIVER COMMUNITY CENTRE, HOWIE CENTRE, HWY 4

WHEN: SATURDAY, OCTOBER 3rd, 2009

TIME: 9am - 12 Noon

All proceeds will be used for The Canadian Volkssport Federation (CVF) Annual General Meeting and Convention, the convention will be hosted by the Island Hoppers and will be held in CBRM - Sydney, 28 -30 May, 2010.

WAYS AND MEANS Committee and all those volunteers who want to make our 2010 National Convention a Great Success please note:
We will setup Friday night at 9:30 PM as the hall is used prior to that time. Volunteers are needed to set up the hall as well

We are asking that members and friends of the club look for items they would like to donate for the flea market. People can make a monetary donation if they wish.
Some suggestions are to have Tea, Coffee, sweets at the event for a small donation; as well fudge can be sold just to mention a few.

Final details will be made at next Tuesdays Ways and Means Committee Meeting, Time: 7:00pm at Lucy Nardini's home,located at 106 Carmichael Drive.

You can find Lucy's by going up Fatima Drive to the top of the hill where Carmichael is, then turn left and go to the far end of the street to Lucy's place.

NOTE: You can also help by spending $2 at one of our self-guided tours of Glace Bay, Louisbourg, Baddeck, Sydney and North Sydney. See details at our website: www.capebretonislandhoppers.com

The "Early Bird Walkers" at the 0 Km Mark                 These young ladies did 5K achieving their goal!  

                  

Saturday Sept 12^th, 2010                              

The Cape Breton Island Hoppers have been, for the first time, the host club for the Annual NS 42K Marathon Walk Event. The 2009 marathon was held in Inverness County, Cape Breton. The Island Hoppers offered multi-distance event throughout the day. Those walkers wanting to do the full marathon began their walk at 8am and the more anxious and very enthusiastic adventurers were at the Start Point as the sun came up and the registration desk and tent were being erected. Once signed in at Troy Station parking lot, the walkers headed out on a one-way walk to Port Hood Station. During the event the volksmarchers were aware of the fabulous scenery along the route with mainland Nova Scotia and the Strait of Canso on the west side, and the green hills of Cape Breton on the east side of the trail including Hwy 19 that is referred to as the Ceilidh Trail. The participants were in for a great walk on the Trans Canada Trail that winds its way across Inverness County. The Trans Canada Trail on the west side of Cape Breton is looked after by the Inverness County Trails Association and in turn the trail is divided up and looked after by the different communities that it travels through. The walkers for this marathon began on the Ceilidh Coastal Trail continuing onto the Judique Flyer Nature Trail, and finishing up on the Chestico Rail Trail in Port Hood Station. These are excellent trails and we would like to take this time to thank all the trails community volunteers who helped to build and maintain the trails and to those who came out from each community to assist wherever possible along the route. Some local citizens even offered their homes as rest stops along the way.

Besides the marathon walkers, local walkers and even some families and many other volkssporters from across NS participated in shorter routes along the trail during the day and no matter what distances they traveled, all reported, that this was a great scenic trail. The care that was put into developing this multi use trail could be used for persons of all abilities and all ages.

The event was topped off with a dinner that evening in the Community Hall at Judique, the Celtic Music Centre of Cape Breton. This is one of the “Great Halls” that the CB International Celtic Music Festival is held in each year. During the dinner the Atlantic Director took the time to present Tanya McNutt, the president of Central Nova Club with her well deserved 5 year volunteer pin. An award that was overdue and hopefully we have corrected that error.

This was the 20^th Annual Nova Scotia Marathon Event and it was my great pleasure as the Atlantic Director and as a member of the CBIH to welcome Lily Conrad to Cape Breton. Lily has now completed her 20^th consecutive marathon event and it is our privilege here in Cape Breton to have her accomplish this feat on our island. Lily has been presented with a CVF Presidents Certificate, signed by President BenoÎt Pinsonneault. As the Atlantic Director it was also my distinct pleasure to present Lily with a plaque to commemorate this occasion as well.

This event would not have been as successful as it was without the many volunteers who came forward to help out. Our Trails Coordinator Elsie Buck arranged all of the materials necessary for such an undertaking. Clare MacNeil, who provided her home, drove the support ATV, and also hosted an evening wine and cheese; Ann Coombes and Joe MacKinnon both of whom maintained the Start Point for the entire day. Kathi and Phil Rice who maintained a check point along the trail. Many others who helped out such as Heart & Stroke Foundation, St John Ambulance, Trails Committees along the route, we thank you all for your assistance and any others who participated in any way.

A total of 85 walkers participated in all of the walk events for the day and a record number of 52 completed the 42Km NS Marathon Event. Congratulations to all walkers who completed their goals for the day’s activities.

                  

Judique Hall after the dinner.                       They did it!