Want to Get Fit?
Walk, run, cycle, stroll, jog as you wish – start anywhere
There is much talk right now amongst the town’s “chatterati” about the need to look after our parks and green spaces. You won’t be surprised to know that I am a fervent defender of our parks.
This reminded me that last summer I was commissioned by the town to take photographs of all our parks which they could use on their new website. Hence, I had a fair idea of what’s out there, which is more than many residents can say. Furthermore, the weather is nice at the moment and I am not getting any younger – we chaps in the prime of our declining years need to keep fit – so the idea came into my head to walk around town and try top visit all our parks.
I sat down with a map …
A success, a palpable success. Turns out that I found a route of fractionally over 10km (that’s about 6.25 miles for Americans) that visits almost all the green spaces, can be enjoyed by a gentle stroller in, lets say, two to two and a half hours and which anyone can join almost from their front doors as it’s a circular route. With only one small variation it can also be done, rather more rapidly, on a cycle. Fit young chaps could run it in an hour though I won’t be joining them. The only thing it lacks is the presence somewhere along the way of a decent pub with cold beer.
Hence – I give you the “Bay 10K”
You can follow it from the map above … or if you are cartographically challenged you can be “talked” around it by installing the ViewRanger app on your smart phone and downloading route sparrow003 or Baie-D’Urfé Parks Walk
ViewRanger website – https://www.viewranger.com/en-us
It would be interesting to share thoughts on this … send them to greenbirding@gmail.com
Fritz Area
There are a group of parks and sports facilities, places to wander and exercise and great views of the lake. Check out the Garden at Fritz (volunteers growing produce for food banks) and the Butterfly Garden (milkweed and other native plants), view the river from Bertold and the Town Hall parks, use the kids climbing equipment and the other facilities behind the Red Barn.
South Eastern Parks
Several parks close together just before you venture into the “Here Be Dragons” area of Beaconsfield. There is Allen’s Hill on which generations. of town children have tobogganed, Picardy Park which has play equipment, Balsam Hill Park with a football pitch (soccer field if you will) and running from the Lakeshore road towards the river there are two narrow linear green areas owned by the town that take you to the waterside – look out for the signs as you walk along.
Smaller Parks, mostly for children
The Middle of Town
A green area on the main access road to the town about half way between the highway and the town hall
Green Corridor and the Town Forest
From the west side of the Friotz Park head north up the “Green Corridor”, at the northern end of which pitches are marked out for football.
Head west parallel to the highway past an unofficial, undeveloped (thank goodness) wooded area which despite the traffic noise is home to plenty of interesting wildlife.
Down St-Andrews you come to John-Weir Park with childrens’ play equipment, a softball pitch and a wooded area with an especially rich range of trees following plantings by volunteers in recent years.
I Challenge Everyone …
Go for a stroll, a walk, a ride, a run … visit our park, complete the Bay 10K and set a record for others to beat. Tell us all about it too, maybe on the town’s Facebook group.
