Once a Dump

Once a Landfill, eh Earl Plato
Have you been to Glenridge Quarry? It’s had an amazing transformation. The newly developed Glenridge Naturalization Site is worth a few hours visit at least. Bud and I arrived there on a cool morning. It’s located north of St. David’s Road just to the east of Brock University. We talked with a knowledgeable Niagara Peninsula Conservation Authority worker by the name of (Meesh?) He told us that the authority had taken over maintaining the Walker Brothers enterprise. He outlined what they hoped to accomplish in the future. We wanted to do the entire three trails and we did in a little over two hours. We started north on the compact stone Meadow Trail. Lots of bluebird boxes along the descending trail. Numerous butterflies - dark coloured Roadside skippers flitted across the path. Very dry as the vegetation was quite brown. Some rain is needed. Staghorn sumachs were along the way. Trees had been planted but the drought had done many in. A Science and Nature area in the open was there for children and school classes. There is an historic log cabin replica there. An amphitheatre made of huge blocks of limestone allowed a teacher to have a captive audience. From the first, interpretive panels were very useful in explaining the Walker Brothers reclamation project. Other hikers were on the trail too. They passed us and headed for the Bruce Trail connection. Yes, we walked north until we were on the Bruce Trail. Now wait, that wasn’t our intention. From the coolness of the woods we turned back to the main trail. To our east we could see a large expanse of water. Let’s head for it. Again a reminder the walking on the compacted stone grit is easy on the feet. Canada geese and mallards were in the immense pond. To our right we followed a narrow path to two well constructed docks. A small bullhead made its way around the interior pond. No one around at this very peaceful setting. The ducks seemed suspended on the pond’s surface. Not so. They were actually standing on a partially submerged rock. We had seen killdeers, swallows and now goldfinches flitted around the water’s edge with their flashes of bright yellow. Ahead of us was the Summit Overlook Trail but first we headed southeast to the Heritage Arboretum Trail. Bud remarked how pleasant the trail was through the shaded woods. We examined some of the Carolinian trees and shrubs there. Out in the sunlight we saw the trail leading up to the summit. We climbed the steep path. From here you have a panoramic view of the site and to the north - Lake Ontario. Time well spent.