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March
22, 1999
A VERY GOOD FRIDAY
70th
anniversary of Red Hill as a park
The
Easter holiday is a traditional time in Hamilton for a spring
outing to Albion Falls and the Red Hill Valley. This year
marks the 70th anniverary of the 1929 purchase of the upper
part of the Valley (called King's Forest Park). This acquisition
was one of the accomplishments of Thomas B. McQuesten, one
of the community's most far-sighted leaders, whose home
is preserved as a museum beside Hamilton City Hall.
Originally
well beyond the built-up area of the city, the valley parkland
quickly became a favourite, particularly with the children
of east Hamilton. There are few east-end seniors who don't
recall rising early on Good Friday, packing a lunch, and
walking to the valley for a day of adventure. A 1962 Hamilton
Parks Board report stated that it was not unusual for 5000
children to be found in Red Hill on Good Friday.
To
help mark the 70th anniversary of the park, Friends of
Red Hill Valley will be offering some additional attractions
in the form of activity centres located throughout the upper
portion of the valley. Each will provide information on
a specific aspect of the valley. One will focus on the history
of Albion Falls. Another will display some of the fish found
in the creek, while a third will help visitors identify
the trees and the role of the valley forest. At one location
artists will provide instruction in sketching, while at
another there will be demonstrations of cordage making,
hand-drill firemaking and other skills used by the native
and pioneer inhabitants of the valley. At other sites, ecological
features of the creek will be explained, as well as the
threat posed to the valley by the proposed expressway. There
may even be an Easter Bunny wandering the trails, distributing
goodies to the younger visitors.
Those
looking for a guided introduction to the valley should gather
at 10 am on Good Friday in the parking lot of Rosedale Arena
(south end of Cochrane Road at Greenhill). This will be
the starting point for 1-2 hour nature walks along the valley
trails, led by local naturalists.
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