Monthly Update for May 2026 |
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GHTC Land Acknowledgement Let us take time to reflect on our privilege as people who live, work, and hike in and around the city of Guelph.
This place we call Guelph has served as traditional lands and a place of refuge for many peoples over time, but more specifically the Attiwonderonk and the Haudenosaunee. This land is held as the treaty lands and territory with the Mississaugas of the Credit First Nation. Guelph lies directly adjacent to the Haldimand Tract and is part of a long-established traditional hunting ground for the Six Nations of the Grand River. Today, many First Nations, Inuit, and Métis peoples who have come from across Turtle Island call this land home.
As people who love the land, may we walk forward with humility and a commitment to reconciliation through education, respect, and action. |
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A Word from Our President |
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Dear members,
Time flies, and the May long weekend is here! If you end up hiking, keep an eye out for comically large beavers and very surprised geese, who clearly don't always appreciate the company. Give our feathered and furry friends some space, but don't forget to enjoy those special encounters that make our trails special.
It might seem early to mention, but your executive team is already looking toward our AGM on November 19th. It’s going to be a big night to celebrate our wins and ratify some key plans for the club. We'd love to know how were doing in our mission to bring Fantastic Local Hiking to our community. I hope all of our 550 members can participate and I'm hoping the early invite will make it easy to mark your calendars well ahead of time.
Looking even further ahead, we are starting to think about the city’s Bicentennial next spring. We’re hopeful the G2G connection will be ready to help us kickoff the celebration in style, and we want the GHTC to be a pillar of the city’s 200th anniversary. We need your ideas—and your help—to make it happen. There is community funding available, and we’re looking to form a sub-committee to help promote hiking and celebrate our community on this occasion. If you have a vision for a bicentennial event or want to help us execute the plan, please reach out! We're hoping to share some early plans in November when we get together.
Happy hiking, friends! See you on the trail. Justin St. Maurice President |
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Thank you to everyone who took the time to review and provide feedback on our proposed Community Standards and Code of Conduct. We’re pleased to share that the response was overwhelmingly positive, with many members describing the documents as clear, comprehensive, and reflective of the respectful, welcoming culture we value so highly as a club.
It was especially encouraging to hear that these standards align with what members already experience on our hikes—thoughtful leadership, inclusive participation, and a strong sense of community. At the same time, many recognized the importance of having clear, formal guidelines in place as the club grows, ensuring we continue to provide a safe and enjoyable environment for all.
We also received a number of helpful suggestions. These included ideas to strengthen communication (such as improving visibility of hikes and ensuring guests understand expectations), clarify a few procedural details, and continue enhancing our commitment to inclusivity and respect for the land.
A small number of members cautioned against unnecessary complexity, reminding us to keep things simple and true to our core purpose—enjoying the outdoors together. We appreciate this perspective and will keep it in mind as we finalize the documents.
Overall, the feedback affirms that we are on the right track. We are proud of the strong, supportive culture we’ve built together and remain committed to preserving it as our club evolves. We will bring the finalized version of the Code of Conduct to this year's AGM for formal member approval.
Thank you again for your thoughtful input and ongoing support. |
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Tree Planting Day at Arkell Spring Grounds |
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An enthusiastic group of 20 GHTC volunteers gathered at the City of Guelph’s Arkell Spring Grounds property, on Watson Road, for an afternoon of tree planting on May 6. We shared a meaningful day of ecological restoration and land stewardship, as we helped restore and protect the lands where we hike. We planted 250 deciduous trees and shrubs, of various species, to help promote biodiversity in the reforestation field, just north of the ‘Gate C’ laneway beside our Dave Hull Side Trail.
Nigel Finney, Project Manager, from Guelph Parks and Water Services, organized the day, along with Lou Meloche, Parks Department, who brought in the trees, tools, and water tank, and helped explain how to plant trees properly. |
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The field had already been prepared ahead of time, including cutting down some invasive species, and digging randomly spaced pits and leaving mounds of dirt nearby. We planted some seedlings on top of the mounds, and others down in the pits. This pit-and-mound method improves seedling survival by enhancing soil aeration, reducing competition, and altering moisture levels, making this ideal for reforestation. |
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Each tree needs either 1 or 2 buckets of mulch, depending on the particular type and size of seedling. And also 1 bucket of water. Some tired muscles and sore backs by the end of the afternoon!
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There you go. Easy as that! One done, only 249 more to go. Thank you to all our GHTC volunteers! Click here for more photos! |
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Friday, May 22 will be a work party to repair and build boardwalk damaged by this spring's floods on Section 3 of the Speed River Trail. We will walk lumber into the woods some 500 metres to the work site. Lots of mud, rubber boots advisable. Bring a hammer and work gloves. Max. of 8 workers. Meet at 1 pm at the parking lot of JL's Home Hardware on Wellington Rd just west of Hwy. 6. Email the leader, Bill Mungall, if you're interested.
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Branded Club Clothing Coming Soon!
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We are finalizing details and will very soon be opening ordering for some amazing Guelph Hiking Trail Club clothing! We will have cotton t-shirts, dry-fit t-shirts, long sleeved shirts, hoodies, sweatpants, a soft shell jacket, ball caps and toques available with our new club logo on them! We won't be making money on the clothing; rather, as we all go around town wearing our cool and stylish club clothing, we'll be raising awareness of our club and the fantastic local hiking we make possible. Watch your email inbox for all the details over the next couple of weeks!
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Welcome to Our New Volunteers! |
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Our club is growing! That growth is making GHTC incredibly dynamic and engaging, but it's also requiring more work to keep everything running smoothly. We recently put out a request for some support and were delighted when George MacNaughton, Rick Bos, Christine Cooke, Rosanne Beneteau, Tannis Sprott, and Sanjeev K stepped up! George will be the newest member of our Executive Committee as he takes on the role of Kissing Bridge Trail Coordinator. Rick is learning about Wild Apricot so he can support our Webmaster, Gayle. Christine has agreed to take on the role of Merchandise Manager; Rosanne will be our new Clothing Manager; Tannis will be our new Communications Coordinator; and Sanjeev will be helping us get our electronic files in order as our new SharePoint Administrator. We so appreciate their willingness to work collaboratively with each other and our Executive Committee to ensure we continue to offer the efficient and seamless membership experience we have all come to appreciate. We are very grateful to all six of our newest volunteers and to our existing team of Trail Captains, Hike Leaders and special events helpers! The shared efforts of many people is what makes the Guelph Hiking Trail Club awesome.
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Take your yoga outdoors!
Urban and Nature Yoga Hikes combine the cardio benefits of well-paced hiking with the stretching and strengthening moves of yoga for an group workout that is accessible to yoga practitioners of all levels. Yoga Hikes are led by a certified yoga instructor who will keep you moving and guide you on routes that combine hills, stairs, and approx. 5km distance for a great overall workout. Yoga Hikes are limited to 12 participants to foster a fun social atmosphere and ensure that you have the attention you need for the best possible experience. So if you are looking for something awesome to do outdoors, or just love taking on new fitness challenges, come join us for a Yoga Hike!
Distance: Approx. 5km
Pace: easy/leisurely
YogaBreak - Approx. 20 minutes - mat not necessary, but we will be on the ground at times. Practice will happen mid-hike or at the end of the hike (terrain consideration)
Suitable for ALL experience levels (beginners welcome)
Dogs are welcome, that said, they will have to be attached to you or secured during the yoga practice. Register here! |
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G2G Guelph Gateway Connection Update |
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We’re excited to share that steady progress continues on this new trail initiative. Outreach efforts are underway with key stakeholders, and they’ve received preliminary support for the recommended route from the Guelph Junction Railway.
The project is now moving into the next phase, with Crozier Consulting Engineers developing a detailed trailway design. At the same time, consultations are in progress with Wellington County regarding the north trailhead.
Click here for details about the G2G Guelph Gateway Connection Open House taking place at Fixed Gear in Guelph on May 30th. |
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Give the Gift of Great Hiking |
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Looking for a meaningful gift that encourages fresh air, fitness, and connection to our local trails? Gift memberships to the Guelph Hiking Trail Club are now available!
An annual membership is $25, or you can bundle it with our Trail Handbook for $45 to make a perfect introduction to fantastic local hiking. Gift memberships make a wonderful choice for birthdays, Father’s Day, teachers, or anyone who loves spending time outdoors.
If you’d like to purchase a gift membership, then please visit our online store.
Share the joy of hiking and help someone discover the trails around Guelph! |
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Help Make Our Summer BBQ a Success! |
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We're planning to host our first Summer Members’ BBQ in August, and we’re looking for enthusiastic volunteers to help make it a memorable event!
If you’d like to lend a hand - whether it’s with planning, setup, activities, or food - we’d love to have you join us at our planning meeting:
Monday, May 18
3:00 PM
Royal City Brewery
Come share your ideas and be part of the fun behind the scenes!
Can’t make the meeting but still want to get involved? No problem - just reach out to Rhonda McMahon to let her know you’re interested.
Let’s work together to create a fantastic BBQ for all! |
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Ignatius Jesuit Centre
The IJC is seeking volunteers who would be willing to walk a particular part of their extensive system of trails about once a month, as trail monitors. They would report on any work that is needed to keep them in good shape. Anyone interested should call the IJC at (519) 824-1250.
University of Guelph Arboretum
The J.C. Taylor Nature Centre was built in 1978, and has served as a welcoming site for learning, connection, and environmental stewardship for nearly 50 years. Nestled beside the Victoria Woods forest and Mtigwaaki Woods trail, as well as the Gosling Wildlife Gardens, this crucial space is in need of updating to serve future generations of learners.
A thorough renovation plan is underway, with fundraising in 2026 for a construction project in 2027. Click here to learn more or to donate!
G2G
Click here for details about the G2G Guelph Gateway Connection Open House taking place at Fixed Gear in Guelph on May 30th.
Bruce Trail
Click here for information about this fall's Peninsula Hiking Festival - a weekend of guided hikes, expert-led experiences, and a shared celebration of the Bruce Trail and the people connected to it.
Click here to learn more about a new series of Wednesday Walks in the Waterloo Region.
Research Project
Jenn Baici, researcher at the University of Toronto, is reaching out to nature groups and naturalist clubs across Ontario to request participation in an initiative to map the distribution of a newly arrived flea beetle in the province.
Phyllotreta ochripes (fill-uh-TREE-tuh OKE-rih-peez), first detected in North America in 2017, is a small black and orange flea beetle known to feed primarily on garlic mustard. It has been detected in several states and in Ontario, but the extent of its distribution in the province is unknown. We hope to utilize community science to map the distribution of the flea beetle in Ontario and learn more about its life cycle. Individuals can submit observations of the Phyllotreta ochripes to iNaturalist. So long as the observation is flagged as the correct species (Phyllotreta ochripes) and is in Ontario, it will automatically be incorporated into our project (“Finding Phyllotreta ochripes in Ontario”). We are particularly interested in photos of the Palaearctic flea beetle on garlic mustard, but any observations of this species are informative.
Click here to go to the iNaturalist project. |
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Check out the GHTC calendar regularly for updates on all hikes!
Wednesdays - Arboretum afternoon hikes are offered every Wednesday afternoon. For more information contact Christa at arb.naturalist@uoguelph.ca or ext. 53615. Level: easy. Speed: slow.
Upcoming Hikes
May 13 - Wednesday Hike May 14 - Hockley Valley Thursday Fast Hike May 16 - Long Weekend Bird Hike May 17 - Radial Line and Side Trails Series #3 May 18 - Ignatius Jesuit Centre Trails May 19 - Monday Mutts Urban Hike May 19 - Late Afternoon Arboretum Hike May 20 - Wednesday Hike May 21 - Yoga Hike May 21 - Thursday Fast Hike May 25 - Monday Evening Hike May 27 - Wednesday Hike May 28 - Thursday Fast Hike May 30 - Rock the Wood "Vita Parcours" June 1 - Monday Evening Hike June 3 - Wednesday Hike June 4 - Thursday Fast Hike June 6 - BT Iroquoia E2E Day 8 June 8 - Monday Evening Hike June 27 - BT Iroquoia E2E - repeat of first hike July 18 - BT Iroquoia E2E Day 9 July 19 - Blue Jays Hike
Thanks to our VOLUNTEER hike leaders
for building these hikes.
We appreciate your time and efforts! |
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GHTC Trail Users' Code
As a member you agree to follow the GHTC Trail Users' Code when on the trails:
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May 18 - Planning session for Summer Member BBQ - Volunteers Needed! May 19 - Trek & Tell at the Arboretum Centre - VENUE CHANGE! July 19 - Annual Blue Jays Hike |
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Other Hiking and Outdoor News
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PO Box 1, Guelph, ON, N1H 6J6
www.guelphhiking.com |
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