Thanks to the efforts of Teacher-Librarian Tom Neal, over 100 children and parents discovered the beauty of the Bruce Trail on October 5. As an avid hiker and Bruce Trail ambassador, Tom wanted his students at Tribune Drive Public School in northwest Brampton to experience the trail for themselves. With the support of his principal and school board, the entire school was invited to come to Limehouse and walk the 3.8k loop trail. Families drove to Limehouse, 12 teachers participated and there was a scavenger hunt planned. The hikes were self-guided, with maps of significant landmarks provided.
Tom had previously been in touch with the Toronto Bruce Trail Club, and he secured 50 youth badges for all of the children who participated. “I imagined the fall as the best time of year because of the colours and no bugs to worry about, he said.” The feedback was very positive. “Families were saying they didn’t realize the trail was so close to where they live; and they were overwhelmed by the beauty along the trail,” he added. “I wanted to introduce them to the Bruce Trail and to teach them about land conservation. We also do a regular land acknowledgement at our school, and we like the students to see the connections to nature,” he said.
Toronto Club President David Royle said he was thrilled to hear about the initiative. “It is so important for young people to learn to appreciate nature, to understand the physical and mental health benefits of hiking and to become good stewards of the land. They represent the future growth of our Club and our conservation efforts.” Tom hopes to make this an annual event for his school and explore other parts of the Bruce Trail in the future.