Announcements

When asked for advice to volunteers at our 50th Anniversary AGM, Oscar Zawalsky gave us this:

“Find a hike you like and make it your own.”

Several Waskahegan members do exactly that.

Some have a few favourites they lead every year. And some like the challenge of scouting new hikes every season.

Both types make great hike leaders—and that’s good news for the hike coordinator. The hike coordinator works with the hike leaders to put together the guided hike schedule for the season. Hike leaders contribute by suggesting hikes they want to do.

There are some hikes we try to do at certain times of the year…like kicking off the summer season at East Battle River to see the prairie crocuses in bloom…Stoney Creek in mid July for a chance to see cactus in bloom…and Irene’s hike at Miquelon Provincial Park in the first week in December.

The rest of the schedule is filled in based on past seasons and our collective experiences. (We learned the hard way that the trail westward to Schnee Hill should be hiked only AFTER the crops are taken off, and not in mid-summer.)

The hike schedule lets the email subscribers know who are wondering where we’re hiking on Sunday. It lets the landowners know ahead of time when we will be visiting their trails. And it guides the activities of the Trail Maintenance volunteers.

Duties of the Hike Coordinator

Twice a year

• Gather the hike leaders and organize the schedule for the next six months, due in March and October
• Publish the schedule for the landowners and Trail Maintenance
• Work with the Web Administrator to post the hike events on the website’s calendar.

During the year

• Be the point of contact for hike leaders and interested public
• Provide communications to hike leaders
• Receive the hike signup sheets and collect statistics
• Attend monthly board meetings

At year-end, prepare a report of hike statistics and announce the winner of the Order of the Laces at the AGM.

About the Board

The board meets on the third Thursday of most months via Zoom. Why not visit the next board meeting?

If you have any questions about the duties of the Permissions Director, acting Hike Coordinator Lee Stickles will be happy to talk to you.

Read about other board positions:

Permissions Director
Trail Maintenance Coordinator
Membership Secretary
Introduction to Board Postions

One of the marvels of the Waskahegan Trail was how we were able to get permission from so many private individuals to build trails on their land.

It was slow at first. In the late 60’s, there was much excitement and enthusiasm for the trail as a Canadian centennial project. But it was hard getting up the nerve to approach landowners.

Until Stan Skirrow got involved.

And everything took off. As Stan relates in the Waskahegan Trail Guidebook, “It was found that farm people didn’t get into a dreadful fit when you made a request of them. It was found that for every NO, there are many YESes and that there are many fine chats and cups of coffee. Farm people, after all, are special.”

Stan insisted that all agreements be verbal, and that permission could be withdrawn at any time.

He also built long term friendships with landowners and their families. He visited them regularly, and even attended their funerals. In short, Stan built momentum for the trail.

As a result, their generosity and trust has continued over the years, even as land has been divided and sold.

Today, when land changes hands, it’s almost always a positive situation. One landowner told us, “When we bought this property we were thrilled to discover that we were part of the Waskahegan Trail network.”

The Permissions Director works with Trail Maintenance and other volunteers to address landowner concerns and find solutions, such as signage and rerouting.

Landowners get in touch with us either through our website’s Contact page or by posting a message on our Facebook page. For us to get in touch with them, we keep records of land descriptions and owner information. But when land changes hands, we don’t always know about it. Usually a land title search or a visit is all it takes to discover a new landowner and update our records.

Duties of the Permissions Director

• Be a single point of contact for landowners having questions or concerns.
• Keep records of landowners and site descriptions up to date.
• Mail the guidebook and welcome letter to new landowners.
• Visit a landowner—accompanied by another member—if required.
• Coordinate the annual landowner newsletter.
• Report to board meetings.

About the Board

The board meets on the third Thursday of most months via Zoom. Why not visit the next board meeting?

If you have any questions about the duties of the Permissions Director, acting Permissions Director JoAnne Burek will be happy to talk to you.

Read about other board positions:

Hike Coordinator
Trail Maintenance Coordinator
Membership Secretary
Introduction to Board Postions