CAR FREE WEEK - COOTES HIKE

Car Free Week in Hamilton winds up today - 15 people gathered this morning at McMaster to take a guided tour of Cootes Paradise with the ward councillor Brian McHattie, who also happens to be the past president of the venerable Hamilton Naturalist Club.

We were able to examine plant life representative of Carolinian forests which have their northernmost reaches here: Black Cherry, Beech, and the lovely Shagbark Hickory are just some of the distinctive species inhabiting the forest.

We encountered some difficulty with a large number of trails closed for natural regeneration, which meant the path we followed didn't get us close to the marsh. Nevertheless we had an excellent two hour hike, and some people came back to the OPIRG office for free maps.


We did hear a woodpecker, saw two snakes, one frog, and learned a bit about the history of the nature reserve, and here, Brian brandishes a branch bristling with lichen.

For some McMaster students it was an introduction to this lovely natural area (owned by the Royal Botanical Gardens) bordering the campus.

Banners, Boas, Beans (and more pics from hamilton car free day)

CAR FREE DAY street party w/rain

Rain kept car free day street party numbers down to about 50 people, and kept the musical performers inside the welcoming Sky Dragon Centre, yet while rain may have dampened the numbers, it did little to sink the buoyant spirits in attendance.

A critical mass bike ride with 30 riders took off for a ride that touched Locke, Aberdeen, Victoria, and King William and points in between. Costumed riders brightened the ride, and prizes donated by Green Venture and OPIRG McMaster were handed out to the most colourful by our committee of children judges.

After the riders returned a human traffic control formed to divert traffic from King William, and a tree constructed from the contents of dumpsters majestically festooned the crosswalk at James Street, looking as though it was planted there 20 years ago.

Meanwhile, Kim and Frank Koren (aka Punchbuggy Yellow) took the stage inside the Sky Dragon Centre's Bread and Roses Cafe to start the live music portion of the night.

As the rain continued outside, the appearance of three Hamilton Police (on bicycles) served to make the rain feel wetter, and after 10 minutes of negotiation, the car free revellers decided to join the drier climes of the cafe where spoken word artist D-Lishus was set to perform, followed by Tarik with some rhymes and Kelly Grrrl for some punk rock fun.

Thanks to all the performers and the people who helped shape the evening, the Bunnytown crew for the spirit and the colour, and to Kevin at the Sky Dragon for the use of the dry space (now licensed...)

Happy International Car Free Day!

CAR FREE WEEKEND COMING UP!

It's been a busy week so far with 5 events in 4 days - monday's bus and hike (3 people), tuesday's women only bike repair (8 women) and the Cuba/Peak Oil movie at Transit Gallery (80 people, pictured), the anti-idling ticket time in Westdale, and of course the third annual non-motorized "drive-in" movie night under cool but clear skies at Gage Park (tonight).

Friday, it's rain or shine critical mass bike ride (5:30 pm) meeting at the skydragon centre (27 King William between James and Hughson) and after the ride a STREET PARTY starting around 6:30pm with live music - Kim and Frank Koren, Kelly Grrl, the Funk Ambassadors and spoken word artist D-Lishus. (Rain location is the Sky Dragon Centre, otherwise we're on the street!)

Explore the city without a car at these volunteer-run events! A BIG THANKS TO ALL THE VOLUNTEERS WHO CONTRIBUTE TIME TO MAKE THINGS HAPPEN!

tlchamilton.org for more, including sustainable transportation advocacy.

BUS AND HIKE IT - CAR FREE WEEK

CAR FREE WEEK - a chance to celebrate life without cars kicks off Monday (Sept. 18) at 4:00p, sharp with a guided bus 'n hike starting at the bus stop nearest the McMaster Museum of Art and ending at Sherman Falls in Dundas Valley (pictured).

Full-time mac undergrads can ride the bus 'free' by presenting their student card (with HSR sticker) - others should bring a bus ticket or cash fare ($2.10 exact change). Wear sturdy walking shoes, bring water and comfortable clothing.

The walk is roughly two hours round trip at a brisk pace on trails ranging from crushed gravel to rocky. We will travel on the Heritage Trail (Dundas Valley Conservation Area) and the Bruce Trail to Sherman Falls.

Participants must stay on marked trails, and take nothing but photos and leave nothing but...whatever that saying is.

It can't help but be spectacular.