The Georgian Trail

 Southern Georgian Bay's Georgian Trail provides excellent lessons in history, geography, and what can happen when a few community-minded people get a really good idea.

The trail follows the abandoned railway bed of the Collingwood-Meaford line of the long-defunct Northern Railway.

 The Northern came to Collingwood in 1855. Collingwood's proximity to Toronto, and it's deep, natural harbour allowed it to become an important Great Lakes port, allowing for access to the bustling docks of Chicago and Thunder Bay.

An anecdote from the late 1800s suggested that one could get from one side of Collingwood harbour to the other by simply walking across the decks of the various types of vessels anchored there.

The North Grey line from Collingwood to Meaford was constructed in 1872. Following the Georgian Bay shoreline, construction was relatively easy from both an economic and engineering point of view.

The line was eventually supposed to reach Owen Sound, but the more challenging terrain, competition from other railways (a rival line had reached Owen Sound first, in 1873), and internal financial difficulties kept the line from being built.

This, of course, was a time of great competition and expansion in the railway industry.

With declining revenues thanks to the rise of automobiles and highways in the post WW II era, passenger service from Hamilton to Meaford via Collingwood was ended in 1960, and the line was abandoned in 1985.

A group of civic-minded inviduals lobbied for the conversion of the rail line into a trail that could hook up to Collingwood's burgeoning trail system (which now stretches from Meaford to Stayner).

5 municipalities managed to work together to complete the conversion of the Trail by the fall of 1991.

The Georgian Cycle & Ski Trail Association has been the driving force between the construction and maintenance of the Trail. They are also responsible for fundraising and management. The GTA, as it is commonly referred to, boasts a membership of almost 500 families and individuals who support the Trail's operation through their annual membership dues, donations, and help with fundraisers.



We have done the Collingwood-Thornbury section many times. When the boys were younger, we would park at the Trail's eastern terminus in Collingwood, then bike the 20 km to Thornbury. We would stuff bathing suits, towels, subs, drinks and sunscreen into our knapsacks. A refreshing jump into the Bay from the long Thornbury pier was the reward.

I recently parked where the Trail crosses Osler Bluff Rd, and took the dogs for an early evening walk. A pensive doe stood motionless on the Trail not 200m in front of us just a few minutes in.
The dogs, thankfully, were oblivious to the deer's presence. I managed to get them to stay still with me for a few minutes, while the doe wandered to the Trail's edge to browse. Shortly after, two more deer crossed the trail with her. One of the dogs was sensing something was up, so we began to move. The deer instantly scrambled off silently into the bush. As we passed where they had left the Trail, I could see that same sentinel doe standing about 50m deep into the trees, freezing until we passed.

The Trail offers opportunities for fitness-minded individuals and nature lovers alike.