McGuinty Government investment benefits Town of Southampton through Ontario Trillium Foundation (OTF) Grant - July 24, 2007

Saugeen RailTrail Receives Support for Restoration Thanks to OTF Grant

Southampton – On Tuesday, July 24, 2007 the Saugeen RailTrail Association (SRT) received some great news thanks to a $20,000 grant from the Ontario Trillium Foundation (OTF). Carol Mitchell, MPP for Huron-Bruce, was joined by OTF representative Liz Fry to share the exciting news that will help improve the Saugeen Shores trail system.

“This is wonderful news for the Saugeen RailTrail Association and for the residents of the community,” said Carol Mitchell. “Preserving the historical institutions that help define our communities is a very important part of respecting the past while looking towards the future”.

The funding, awarded in June, will be used to restore a historical memorial area to commemorate the 1954 Hurricane Hazel Train Derailment site in Southampton, where two train workers lost their lives, and make the trail wheelchair accessible. The improvements will provide and maintain a local and important historical event location and an area of natural beauty while ensuring that it’s safe and accessible to all users.

“The grant we’ve received from the Ontario Trillium Foundation comes at an opportune time,” said SRT President Bruce Alexander. “Now we are able to complete the project of this historical site in memory of the two train men, Stewart Nicholson and Gordon McCallum, which lost their lives in the area.”

The Saugeen RailTrail Association is dedicated to the planning, development and maintenance of multi-use recreational trails in the Saugeen Shores area. The volunteer-led organization provides land stewardship, and maintains a bio-diverse and natural environment for people to enjoy. Actively encouraging use of its trails to residents and many service clubs, it also works with area schools to encourage student science and environmental projects on the site. SRT has adapted its sites to provide wheelchair accessibility. For more information please contact Joyce Scammell at (519) 832-9193.

The Ontario Trillium Foundation is an agency of the Government of Ontario. For 25 years, it has supported the growth and vitality of communities across the province. OTF continues to strengthen the capacity of the volunteer sector through investments in community-based initiatives. For more information, please visit www.trilliumfoundation.org.

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For more information, please contact:

Joyce Scammel, Public Relations
Saugeen RailTrail Association
(519) 832-9193, joycescammel@hotmail.com

Carol Mitchell, MPP
Huron-Bruce
(519) 396-3007