The OAC is pleased to announce that on Nov 8, 2013, Canadian Retail Cooperative – MEC, stepped forward as a major contributor towards the purchase of lands adjacent to Old Baldy Conservation area. MEC has agreed to fund $100,000.00 towards the purchase of a crucial parcel to help solidify sustainable and safe climbing access to the cliff at Old Baldy while promoting tourism in the Beaver Valley region for generations.

Additional funds are still required to make the purchase, and the OAC will continue partnership with the Toronto section of the Alpine Club of Canada, the Grey Sauble Conservation Authority, and the climbing community towards gaining the additional funds. This presents a significant opportunity for the climbing community to step forward and become relevant in large scale conservation efforts in the region.

The cliff at Old Baldy provides sport and traditional climbing opportunities at all grades in a picturesque setting above the Beaver Valley. The OAC has previously partnered with MEC, and the Grey Sauble Conservation Authority to successfully replace the existing climbing hardware at the cliff to enhance the safety of the cliff at Old Baldy.

Please donate via the PayPal option at www.ontarioaccesscoalition.com or email Randy Kielbasiewicz for inquiries.

Contact: Randy Kielbasiewicz
Email: randy@riversideopticalab.com

Downloadable Old Baldy Funding Press release

The OAC continues to increase its visibility among stakeholders by participating at this year’s Niagara Escarpment Leading Edge Conference, held October 24 at Country Heritage Park in Milton, Ontario. The Niagara Escarpment Commission hosted the conference in partnership with the Ontario Professional Planners Institute and celebrated the 40th anniversary of the Niagara Escarpment Planning and Development Act (NEPDA). The NEPDA aims, in part, to provide for outdoor recreation. Stakeholders at the event included the Niagara Escarpment Commission, the Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources, Ontario Parks, the Niagara Peninsula Conservation Authority and Parks Canada. Presentations and panel discussions ranged from how to revitalize quarry sites to the intangible values of Escarpment lands.

At the conference, the OAC displayed its informational bouldering poster, typically housed at the Niagara Glen Nature Center. The poster generated a lot of interest in the state of climbing in Ontario and the OAC’s role in protecting climbing environments. Overall, the conversations were progressive and positive. The OAC hopes that continued representation at this conference will bolster collaborative efforts between climbers and land managers in Ontario to make climbing a more sustainable and accepted form of outdoor recreation along the Niagara Escarpment.