SJAM Winter Trail News

The most recent news is that the Champlain Park Community Association made a $500 donation to support the Sir John A. Macdonald Winter Trail. Our community association co-chair Lynne says:

One of our goals this year is to support the SJAM, an especially important resource for community exercise and recreation with the pandemic making outdoor physically distanced activities critical to a healthy winter.

In this photo from a snowy cold Wednesday morning on October 28th 2020 are Jeff Leiper (our city councillor), Dave Adams (SJAM Winter Trail), and Adrian Bradley (CPCA).

SJAMWinterTrail Thank You from Dave Adams (center). Jeff Leiper (left, city councillor) and Adrian Bradley (right, CPCA)

After the ceremony, we had a look at where the Pontiac curb would be cut (need a 10 foot wide space) with sloping sides to make room for the groomer to continue the ski trail onto the field. Previously we had a seasonal ramp made of wood chips.

Dave Adams and Adrian Bradley showing where the curb cut in Pontiac Street will be for the SJAM trail crossing.

Here’s the path going to Tunney’s Pasture through the woods, mostly paralleling the parkway road (though you usually can’t see it). It comes out near the Tunney’s Pasture parking lots so it could be convenient for skiers from away (or if you don’t want to take a car, the O-Train at Bayview has skiable public transit access).

Fans of a wide trim of the bushes making an easy to groom path to Tunney’s Pasture in the forest.
Map with location of Remic Little Hill and Tunney’s Pasture Segment.

The NCC had left a pile of wood chips from their dead tree forest cleanup (lots of ash trees died last winter). It will be spread out to fill in the holes and bumps on the trail. If you want to volunteer, that’s a task you could do. Late breaking news: thanks to volunteers Kris Philips and Adrian Bradley (CPCA) for spreading the wood chips so quickly. There are also positions open for snow scoop elves and other helpers. See http://www.wintertrail.ca/volunteer/ to get in contact with the trail people. Note that this little hill adds some extra variety for cross country skiers.

Dave strikes a more dramatic king of the pile pose.

Looks like we’re calling this little hill the Tunney’s Hill. Now with wood chips.

SJAM Tunney’s Hill with Wood Chips.

Closer to the river is another pile of wood chips, again for smoothing lumpiness, this time for the Remic Winter Hill.

Discovered a fresh requested pile of woodchips on Remic Winter Hill.

Here’s an update from Twitter, where volunteers have spread out the wood chips. Looking smooth!

Another shot of the slope, with wood chips by Kris and Adrian.

Remic Winter Hill with wood chips spread by Kris Phillips and Adrian Bradley.

In case you are wondering where this hill is, it’s just west of the Remic Rapids parking lot and near the river path.

Area and Landmarks around Remic Winter Hill.

Here is the hill in winter. The idea is that small children will be able to use it a bit more safely than tobogganing down the sides of the parkway road.

Location of Remic Winter Hill for Kids’ Tobogganing.

In related news, it looks like the NCC may be opening the Remic Rapids Bistro for some of the winter season, which is expected to be busier than usual with the COVID-19 pandemic encouraging outdoor exercise.

Remic Rapids Bistro on the SJAMWinterTrail.

In any event, the SJAM Winter Trail Fire Pit will be there.

Fire pit at Remic Rapids.

And that’s all the winter trail news, until the snow flies!