On December 17th, we launched “Climbing for Community” at the Arcteryx Toronto store. It is a documentary highlighting the efforts of all those that attended SOIceFest01, raised awareness and a bit of funding for TROUT. It is available for viewing online here!
On December 17th, we launched “Climbing for Community” at the Arcteryx Toronto store. It is a documentary highlighting the efforts of all those that attended SOIceFest01, raised awareness and a bit of funding for TROUT. It is available for viewing online here!
This past October, the OAC launched a campaign to address proposed closures to Ontario climbing in the new Niagara Escarpment Plan. It is unclear when we will learn the outcome of our community’s efforts. It is vitally important that we as a climbing community continue to pressure relevant management bodies to recognize rock climbing as a legitimate conforming activity.
Rock climbing in Canada is growing at an incredible rate. The current ban on rock climbing in Ontario Provincial Parks (with the exception of Bon Echo) is placing increased pressure on existing areas. Additional closures to public lands on the Bruce Peninsula and Devil’s Glen will further increase impact at remaining climbing sites. While every other province in Canada with significant climbing opportunities works with their local climbing community, Ontario instead proposes blanket closures, a unique approach.
In January 2017 the OAC will be issuing a CALL TO ACTION. Details will be provided at that time. It is vital that every climber get involved regardless of ability, style of climbing, or experience. We as a community must continue to push for our right to enjoy climbing on public lands.
“Climbing for Community” Screening at the Arc’teryx Toronto store! RVSP here!
Heart of Turtle Island: The Great Escarpment
Throughout the day, as we searched for and photographed ancient cedars, we crossed paths with numerous hikers at Mount Nemo. They were enjoying a stroll through the forest on a beautiful autumn day. Occasionally they would stop at the many lookout points along the top of the cliff and take in the vista-of-humanity in the valley below—farms, golf courses, and cities—unaware of the ancient world below their feet. An ancient world that Mark hopes to capture and showcase for everybody to see. His work aims to preserve this ancient world in images and words.
I’ve been philosophically wrestling with human impact these days. The conservation versus enjoyment trade-off hangs heavy in my mind. What is that balance between preservation and being able to experience what we are preserving? Is it even meant for us to experience, to enjoy? Does the old environmentalist adage of “leave no trace, take only photographs” still fit with the current, and growing, usage of our parks and natural spaces? We can’t pretend that we have no impact when using these trails. While these trails are created to preserve the environment, they are still highways for humanity into previously natural areas; every footstep a micro-construction site of steamroller compaction and bulldozer erosion. In a world where everyone has a device capable of professional-quality photographs, does a picture of an ancient cedar inspire us to preserve the space, or does it inspire us to go take a selfie with the tree?
Climbers have long been the scapegoat of Escarpment conservation. As we are the only user group on the side of the cliff, we are an easy target. That cliffside ecosystem is ancient–one of the few undisturbed ancient worlds left on Earth. Climbers need to recognize that it isn’t a playground or a climbing gym. We need to educate ourselves on what is being protected, and to try to co-exist with it. It seems the more time we spend in the cliffside environment, the more we are desensitized to its uniqueness and beauty. Mark’s excitement over seeing the amazingly sculpted ancient trees reminded me how lucky we are as climbers to experience this cliffside environment. But it isn’t just the ancient trees, it’s the whole ecosystem that the cliffside supports, itself supported by the trees.
Next time you’re out climbing, open your eyes to the world around you and ask questions. “What’s this plant?” “What’s that tree?” “What type of bird is singing that song?” In doing so, we can deepen our relationship with the natural world. And a deeper relationship will help us remember how special our time is when spent in this space.
Mark’s book, Heart Of Turtle Island: The Great Escarpment, is expected to be released in October 2017. It should be required reading for Escarpment climbers, as the words and images contained within will guide us to deepen our appreciation for our local crags.
http://www.markzelinski.com/books.html
Written by Justin Dwyer
Mountain Equipment Co-Op‘s ongoing support has been instrumental in funding our operations. Their contributions free us to focus on our core competence, advocating for Ontario access, confident that we have money for ongoing operations.
We’re grateful that the staff at MEC Burlington have chosen to award the OAC $500 as part of their Staff Choice Community Grant program!
The Ontario Crags 2017 calendar is available now at MEC stores across Ontario! Don’t miss out on our best collection of photos yet! Featuring 12 different crags, plus a bonus centrefold poster of Lion’s Head, this calendar is a reminder of just how much great rock and ice this province has to offer. Get yours (and a gift for a friend) today! A HUGE thanks to our contributing photographers. We thank you in advance for supporting the OAC through this purchase!
Bon Echo Provincial Park is one of Southern Ontario’s only multi-pitch trad climbing destinations. The Alpine Club of Canada (ACC) Toronto Section maintains a hut on an incredible piece of land just outside the park boundary. Accessible by boat only, the setting is both isolated and beautiful. As with all fifty year old structures, the hut cabin is in need of renovations to help preserve the hut for future generations. Use of this property is open to all ACC and non ACC members at very fair pricing.
If you are not an ACC member, we would encourage you to consider joining the ACC. Climbers of all abilities and interests (bouldering, sport climbing, trad climbing, and skiing) can benefit from ACC trips and programs.
Also, the ACC Toronto Section donated over $11,000 and the ACC National Section donated $500 towards the land purchase of Old Baldy securing access for all climbers in the climbing community. Here is your opportunity to get involved and give a little back.
We are asking all to support the project of renovating the Bon Echo hut. No donation is too small or too big. If you haven’t had the pleasure of climbing at this unique area, Bon Echo definitely needs to
go on your list.
Tax deductible donations may be made by going to http://www.alpineclubofcanada.ca/ and clicking on the donations button. For more information, contact info@alpineclubtoronto.ca.
The Government of Ontario has been conducting a co-ordinated land use planning review since February 2015, and in its latest draft, rock climbing has quietly come under attack.
The OAC believes the proposed Niagara Escarpment Plan (NEP) amendments put rock climbing access at significant risk, especially within Ontario Parks. Ontario climbers could lose 50% of Escarpment climbing areas, including Lion’s Head.
We, the Ontario Access Coalition, have been representing climbers throughout this review. We’ve provided extensive feedback and attended meetings to offer advice for the future management of rock climbing in Ontario within the Niagara Escarpment Plan as part of the Provincial co-ordinated land use planning review.
Our feedback can be found here: http://tiny.cc/ierwfy
The Government of Ontario has released proposed amendments to the NEP: http://tiny.cc/yfrwfy
The Niagara Escarpment Commission’s (NEC) comments for the NEP review: http://tiny.cc/9grwfy
Now is the time, as climbers, to speak up and to let the Government of Ontario know that rock climbing must be considered a compatible outdoor recreation use on Niagara Escarpment lands.
We will be starting our efforts with the NEC. In later stages, the OAC will provide information and OAC form letters for other relevant government recipients.
We ask that ALL climbers send in comments/letters to the Ministry so our community is heard (see link and instructions below). Your comments supporting rock climbing in Ontario must be received by the October 31, 2016 deadline. Follow the instructions below to use the sample letter, (better) customize our letter, or (best) write your own. The more submissions we get to the government the better, so enlist your friends and family to write letters too.
Thanks,
Tony Berlier and Randy Kielbasiewicz
on behalf of the Ontario Access Coalition Board
Questions and Answers: https://www.ontarioallianceofclimbers.ca/nep-amendments-qa
If you are using the OAC form letter, generate it and save the resulting PDF, by following this link: Niagara Escarpment Plan Form Letter Generator.
Click the link below, or copy and paste it into your browser:
http://www.mah.gov.on.ca/Page14851.aspx
Please note: You are opening a Ministry of Municipal Affairs and the Ministry of Housing page.
Complete all of the required fields in the form.
Because of a technical glitch on the Ministry site, it is best to attach your letter as a PDF file (Niagara Escarpment Plan Form Letter Generator.) File sizes must be 5mb or less. Use the preview function to double-check your information made it onto the site. Note: you only have 30 minutes to complete the form before you have to start over.
Feel free to copy and paste the entire sample letter, or customize it, or write your own. The sample letter will give you a sense of what some of the major issues are.
Want to customize your letter? Include more information on what climbing means to you and the impact of the proposed restrictions on your life. (e.g “I have been climbing in Ontario for XX years and have enjoyed the natural landscapes of the Escarpment.”)
We can use all the help we can get, so more is better! We need you to get everyone you can to submit letters by Oct. 31, 2016 to protect the future of Ontario climbing.
PS – Just in case we didn’t make it clear, MORE IS BETTER!
To whom this may concern,
I am a rock climber, writing to state my opposition to the proposed Niagara Escarpment Plan (NEP) as part of the Provincial co-ordinated land use planning review for the following reasons. I believe that the only path to an effective long-term collaborative conservation approach that keeps communication channels open between climbers and managers requires the following three actions:
I have grown increasingly frustrated and impatient with the province of Ontario for not being able to adopt more proactive, modern, and sustainable approaches toward outdoor recreation resource management that clearly work well in other parts of the world and which effectively find balance between use and protection of the natural environment. It is my sincere hope that the new NEP will lead to real change that benefits the public and the natural environment and which takes into consideration the 100+ years of rock climbing history in the Province.
Yours truly,
[Your Name]