Here are some photos
taken along the the MILL RUN TRAIL.
Hike or bike the Mill Run Trail and you will see work done by the Langs Farm summer work crew.
I had the pleasure of spending 3 summers working on this section of the
trail
with youth sponsored by the Langs Farm Village Association. The unique aspect of
this trail is that footbridges have made it unreachable by City vehicles. And so it
is that"volunteers and donations" have "built" the trail. Starting
with Ken Boyle and Cambridge North Rotary Club work crews, volunteers and youth workers have improved the
trail.
Finally in August 1999, a stonedust base is completed from end to end. The trail
is now electric wheel chair/scooter accessible.
Below is the present trail and beside it a 1993 view of the
same spot near Ellis Creek
A major task for the 1998 work crew was to strengthen the beams
and then build railings on the Ellis Creek bridge.
The original footbridge wasbuilt in 1995 by members of the
Cambridge North Rotary Club and other volunteers
A before view of the bridge with one split beam and bouncing platform.
Because the bridge
was situated in the middle of a forest area, we had to carry in all of our equipment and most work was done without machinery.
Sweat equity best describes this rehabilitation project.
With the aid of several hundred bolts and nuts, more that $1000 of lumber
and
much sweat, the 65 foot long bridge has been transformed into a safe and solid
structure.
An $800 grant from Molsons and an Our Common Future donation provided
funds
to purchase the materials for our work.
Below is the finished
product.
Park at the Sheffield
Street trail entrance and enjoy a walk. The first stretch follows
a dike built for the Silknit dam ..... can you spot the beaver house? After passing the
historic dam, you will enter the forest and soon reach Ellis Creek. The trail then continues on until you reach BeaverdaleRoad. But, be certain to stop on the 80 m boardwalk and enjoy the view of the Speed River .. fishing is permitted.
We worked hard to improve this trail so come out
and enjoy the completion of this link between Preston and Hespeler.
Take a quiet pause to see or hear any
of the following: deer, red-tailed hawks, blue heron, sunbathing turtles,
and numerous other creatures of the forest.
The entire trail between
Beaverdale Road and the new Russ Street trailhead follows
the route of the 1896 railbed of the historic Galt, Preston and Hespeler
Street Railway.
About 250 m north of highway #401 you will pass the site of the long vanished site of Idylwild
Park.
Call us for a brochure containing original tourist information that describes the park.
An early postcard photo of a GP&H electric railway car running beside
the Speed River near present day highway 401.
A vanished scene from Idylwild Park in the early 1900s. This long vanished park could only be visited by riding the P H & G electric railway. The Mill Run Trail passes this site...actually, you can see it from the north side of highway #401 as you cross the Speed River bridge. An all season footbridge under #401 allows you to walk back into history. One thing about the SpeedRiver has not changed since Idywild was created - excellent trout fishing.
I recently purchased this postcard showing a boat in the river near the Idylwild footbridge. Although the caption states "near Galt", Idylwild Park was actually located half way between Hespeler and Preston. Except for the electric railway, there was no access to this forest park.