The Stewards want to make sure there will always be someone to ensure the future of Eagles Nest is taken care of.
The Stewards of Eagles Nest spoke to Bancroft council Tuesday afternoon. They are going into their second year of caring for the park. Of the many things that were worked on last year was the work they did with youth to teach them about the park and how to maintain and develop it. “If we can train them and give them the knowledge on the trails then that’s a generation that will carry this knowledge and enthusiasm forward,” Chair of Stewards Dora Yateman told My Bancroft Now after the council meeting.
Along with working with youth, Yateman said that they have a long list of other improvements they hope to get done at the park. “We realize it’s a gem in the North,” she said. They hope to fix the signs along the trail that need repairing as well as install markers to help if people get lost. She says that was requested by Bancroft’s Fire Chief Pat Hoover. Yateman mentioned that they will also be talking to the Hastings Trail Committee to work on improving trail safety and identification. She says a part of that will be continuing their “Work Bees” program with volunteers to work on cleaning up the trail.
Vice Chair of the Stewards Steve Wilkins was the one to present to council Tuesday. He said it’s important to the Stewards to continue to work with the Algonquin community to continue to tell their story. That started with installing storyboards throughout the trail this year. Yateman and Wilkins both agreed that cooperating with that community needs to continue.
They are also hoping to expand onto a nearby trail. Yateman says there’s a trail right behind Loyalist College that they are in the process of having assessed. If it’s deemed good to use, they hope to expand the Eagles Nest hiking trail.
At the end of his presentation, Wilkins expressed that they need to continue to work with the Town, council and the Algonquin community. Fostering positive relationships is the intent of the Stewards, Wilkins said.