New Gerry Berkhout Trail a connection to nature
A former rail line on which trains once ferried passengers between Fenwick, Wainfleet and Niagara Falls is now an active transportation route through stunning natural landscapes and the realization of a long-held dream of its namesake.
On Saturday morning, friends, family and well-wishers gathered at Centennial Park to cut ribbon to officially open Gerry Berkhout Trail, named in honour of the former town councillor and Pelham citizen of the year whose early advocacy blazed a trail for the 6.5-kilometre route.
The trail starts at the park and cuts through thick forest towards the former split from the Hamilton, Trail, Buffalo rail line. It then follows the rail line on a northwest-southeast direction to Murdoch Road, just north of Webber Road.
Berkhout, who served on council from 1997-2003, after which he almost immediately began pushing for the trail, said it’s a great way to experience a beautiful part of Fenwick and envision what it must have been like for train passengers.
“With a little imagination when you walk you can hear the train and see the people going through this beautiful countryside,” he said.
Berkhout has a long history of giving back to the community. He was named Pelham citizen of the year in 2005 and earlier this year received his 50-year pin from Fonthill Lions Club.
Deputy mayor Richard Rybiak said that community service, along with the enthusiasm Rybiak had for the trail, made picking a name an easy choice.
“I think he’s more than deserving of this honour,” he said.
Berkhout said the recognition by the town and its active transportation committee, which suggested naming the trail after him, was a special one.
“Having this named after me is the icing on the cake.”
Ward 2 Coun. Catherine King, who is on the active transportation committee, said she recalls being contacted by Berkhout some 15 years ago about developing the trail.
She admits at the time she didn’t even realize the old rail line was there and already being used by hikers such as Berkhout.
She said it’s a great way to cross through town, not only on foot and bicycle but any other form of active transportation, including snowshoes and crosscountry skis.
The town purchased the old rail line for $1 and spent three years developing the trail, hiring a contractor to do the initial clearing in 2016.
Most of the work by the town, including clearing a overgrown trees and stumps and replacing the stones on the line with easierto-transverse gravel, occurred this season.
While there are currently unsightly concrete barriers at the park entrance to prevent access by motor vehicles, that will soon be replaced by a gate.
There are also a dozen signs at each road crossing, indicating the permitted uses for the trail and the distance to the next crossing.