Chair person: Gloria Yeung

Those attending: Mark Bauman, Joyce Cummings, Inga Rinne, Ann Roberts, John Robinson, Clint Rohr.

Guidebook Distribution: Eleano= r was not present to report.

New Secretary: Brenda Kempel is our new secretary. However, Brenda was not= able to attend due to poor weather and the subsequent road closure at Arthur St. and Listowel Road. Some of you may already know = Brenda (and her husband Ron) from work days and hikes. John has met with Brenda and transferred all secretary tasks and information.

WTG Membership Report: Brenda was not present to report due to poor weather.

January 15^th hike report: Brad, Eleanor and Jim led the hike. However, with no “white stuff” on the ground, the group hiked instead of skiing or snow shoeing. There were 5 pe= ople on the hike.

March 26^th hike on the KBT/TCT near Ariss: Paul offered to lead this hike. Would someone like= to help Paul lead? Pl= ease let Paul know if this might work for you. Please note that there is = a typo on the hike schedule…it reads March 23^rd (which is a Thursday).

Woolwich Healthy Communities Newsletter:&n= bsp; The newsletter will be mailed in mid-March. Joy is looking for articles f= or the newsletter. Clint sugges= ted that Ken Reger might be interested in writ= ing an article on bluebird houses. Joy to contact Ken to inquire. The trails group would l= ike to use the loose middle page for their list of hikes for ’06 on one side and their list of April activities on the flip side…..people could easily post this on their fridge or bulletin boards at home. If anyone has other ideas for= the newsletter please let Joy know. The deadline for articles to Joy is Friday March 3^rd= .

April is Healthy Communities Month: Council endorsed April as Healthy Communities Month on Jan. 17th. The group decided on the following hikes/activities for April:

Sunday April 9^th, 2 pm: Lions Ring Trail, Elmira. Art will be asked if he woul= d like to lead this hike.
Sunday April 16^th, 2 pm: Health Valley Trail. Hike plus “Birding with Mark”. Is someone= else available to help lead? There will likely be two groups: hikers and birders. Please note that this is Eas= ter Sunday.
Sunday April 23^rd, 2 pm: Breslau. Loretta will be asked if she= would like to lead this one. Note: Ann contacted Loretta after the meeting. Loretta is away starting the 22^nd. &= nbsp;
Tuesday April 25^th: = work party on the GVT north of West Montrose. If interested call Joyce at 742-5197 and meet in the West Montrose parking lot at 9 am.
Bike hike. Ann will co= ntact Brad to see if he would like to lead a bike hike in April. Note: Ann contacted Brad aft= er the meeting. Brad off= ered to lead a bike hike on the Sunday April 30^th.
Saturday April 29^th Hike relay:&nb= sp; Clint suggested a relay from Kossuth to F= loradale. The Rec. Associations and po= ssibly adopt-a-road groups will be invited to contribute walkers. Ann will ask Lucien if he wo= uld like to walk the entire length. Other long distance walkers will also be invited. Ann will ask Lucien if he wo= uld like to be interviewed by Record staff about his long distance walking interest. Clint offered= to map out a route with appropriate sections for each rec. association.<= span style=3D'mso-spacerun:yes'> Inga suggested a band play a= t the start.
April 30^th, 2pm: Lions Lake trail at Florad= ale. Clint offered to lead.
Inga suggested giving some hand-outs (guidebook, pedometer) for first time hikers. To be discussed further at next meeting.
John offered to post these activities on the HC webpage.

Woolwich Township Trail Plan: Open houses were held in early November.&n= bsp; The report will go to council in February. Ann will advise members of th= e date when available. The publ= ic will have an opportunity at council to make comments on the plan.

Unleashed dogs on trails and parks: <= /span>At the last meeting, some members (as well as comments from the KBT survey conducted in the summer) noted a safety concern about unleashed dogs as well as the inconvenience of dog droppings. Could an area(s) in Woolwich = be designated as leash free? The area behind the water treatment plant in St. Jacobs was suggested as w= ell as a section of the Township-owned land in the Elmira Industrial lands. The group would l= ike to see a trail developed (using part of the existing horse trail) through= the un-leashed area. No fencing would be required for the un-leashed area. On the main trail = need to post signs about keeping dogs on leash and stoop and scoop by-law w= ith the fines listed. <= /span>Ann pursued the idea with Larry and Richard Hoover. More information is required b= efore a decision can be made. = Ann will pursue further.

GVT Update: 1- Joyce talked about progress being made at Snyder’s Flats to reinstate the former GVT route now that the gravel extraction= is complete in this area. <= b> Preston Sand and Gravel has given permission for the trail on their properties. GVTA is waiting for a reply f= rom the GRCA. WTG members of= fered to help. Inga suggested = that the Bloomingdale Rec. Association might be interested in helping as we= ll. 2- The new edition of the GVT guidebook will be available this spring. 3- Joyce invited members of t= he WTG who have helped on the maintenance of the GVT to a trail captains̵= 7; get-together on Friday March 24^th. More details to follow.<= span style=3D'mso-spacerun:yes'> 4- Tues. April 25^{th was
set for a work party on the GVT section north of West Montrose. Please let Joyce (742-5197) <=
span
class=3DGramE>know if you are able to help. 5- Joyce noted that they norm=
ally
receive a call each spring to see if the GVT would like to have a
volunteer crew of Eastway Collegiate stude=
nts to
help on the trail. Joyce
wondered if our group might be interested in some student labour.}

Trail link to Schaner Park, St. Jacobs: At the last meeting the group agreed to spend dollars to construct a trail link from the MRT to the = new Schaner Park.&n= bsp; Ann is meeting with Region of Waterloo staff and the adjacent landowner on Jan. 25^th to discuss construction details and = the required agreement and survey.

KBT Mileage Markers: Ann reported for Eleanor. El= eanor provided Jeff at Runners Choice information about making a formal requ= est to the Trailway Advisory Board.

Mill Race Trail Walking Circuit: Gloria plans to work on the map in February.

Distance Markers: Mark = has drafted a list of distance markers for Township trails. Ann and Mark to meet th= is week to discuss further. Ann to attend the next KBT meeting to discuss the project and solicit inpu= t.

Other projects for 2006: 1= - The group would like to help develop a trail through the proposed leash-fr= ee area behind the firehall in St. Jacobs. 2- The group offered to help = the GVTA with the redevelopment of the GVT in Snyder’s Flats.

Next Meeting: Wednesday March 1^st 7 pm at the fire hall in S= t. Jacobs.

Dates to remember……

April is Healthy Communities Month in Woolwich!<= o:p>

Next WTG Meeting: Wednesday March 1^{st 7 pm
at the St. Jacobs firehall.}

WHC Celebration Dinner: Thursday February 23rd 6 pm. More details to follow.=

Next Family Sunday Hike…. Please note the revised date= , i.e. our hike schedule stated March 23^rd (which is a Thursday).<= /o:p>

Sunday, March 26^th, 2 pm: 2 hr= hike on the Kissing Bridge Trailway/TCT at Ariss

From Elmira take Line 86 east towards Guelph. In Ariss turn left or north-east onto Wellington County Road 51. Turn right on Schuett Road; meet in the parking lot. Trail rating: easy walking stone dust trail.

3D"Text

<= /span>