Here’s some news from our friends at Niagara Peninsula Conservation Authority:

     As the trees begin donning their fall colours, the Niagara Peninsula Conservation Authority is busy preparing for its long-standing classic Niagara tradition with the 37th annual Ball’s Falls Thanksgiving Festival weekend. The Festival will take place from October 7 to 10 at the beautiful Ball’s Falls Conservation Area in Jordan. This event is truly a favourite family tradition where visitors converge from far and wide to enjoy the many aspects of this fun festival.
     The festivities begin on Friday, October 7 and run through to Monday, Oct. 10 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily. Admission is $6.00 per adult; children under 14 years of age are free when accompanied by an adult. Friday, Oct. 7 is Seniors Day with admission only $4.00 for seniors.
     The Ball’s Falls Thanksgiving Festival features the exceptional work of over 100 artisans offering beautiful items for sale, a host of daily live entertainment, children’s activities and numerous heritage displays. Visitors can explore the rich natural and cultural heritage of the area including the many historical features such as the Ball family home, the historical Church, a visit through the operating Grist Mill and a peek inside the Blacksmith shop.
     Be sure to visit the Seeds in Disguise exhibit sponsored by Stokes Seeds in the Centre for Conservation sponsored by Stokes Seeds. Again this year, wineries of the Twenty Valley will offer an assortment of wines for sampling. This is a great way for visitors to learn about the unique growing region while sampling some of Niagara’s finest vintages.
     A courtesy shuttle service from the parking lot into the park area is available for those who wish to use it and visitors will be able to utilize a courtesy parcel checking service that will be conveniently available at the NPCA Information Tent.   Handicap parking is available and visitors are reminded that the NO PETS POLICY at Special Events is in effect for the duration of the festival.
     DIRECTIONS:  Ball’s Falls Conservation Area is located south of Vineland on Regional Road 24. To avoid the traffic congestion along Victoria Ave., visitors are encouraged to use the alternate routes as follows:  From Toronto; Follow QEW Niagara to Exit 64 (Ontario St. Beamsville) Take Ontario St. to Regional Road 81 (King St.) Turn LEFT and follow to Regional Road 24 (Victoria Ave.) Turn RIGHT onto Victoria Ave. and follow to 8th Ave. Turn LEFT onto 8th Ave. then turn LEFT onto 21st St. and LEFT at 7th Ave. to enter Parking Area; From Niagara Falls/ Buffalo: Follow QEW to Exit 55 (Jordan Rd.) Follow Jordan Road to Regional Road 81and follow signs to Ball’s Falls Parking; or access via Hwy 20 to Victoria Ave. Southbound – Follow Directional signs to new park access entrance.

Escarpment Views will host a Customer Appreciation Day for advertisers and subscribers on Sat. Oct. 1 at Orchard House near the Niagara Escarpment in the country north of Georgetown. Weather permitting, we will lead a short hike or walk through part of the nearby Niagara Escarpment, followed by a buffet supper.
     If you are an advertiser or subscriber, we invite you to contact us for directions and time details. We look forward to welcoming you to Orchard House!

Cover of Lucky Lou Gets Game by Sarah Yates

     Before I review Sarah Yates’ latest book, I feel I have to declare my bias. I have been friends with Sarah ever since the early 1980s, when we both lived in Toronto and were members of the Periodical Writers’ Association of Canada (PWAC). I met Sarah when I was a new member, when she delivered PWAC papers to me. I have a vivid memory of her appearing at my door on a hot pink girl’s bicycle, wearing a hot pink helmet, her lovely long fingernails likely painted hot pink to match. She was impressive at first sight.
     Moving about 25 years ahead, we’re still friends although we have both moved away from Toronto. Sarah hired me to do some media relations for her previous children’s books, and she hired me again this year when she published her latest work of fiction. So my review of her book can hardly be objective. But I can give an idea of what it’s about, and give my response to it.
    Lucky Lou Gets Game is a young adult novel about a teenaged girl who has cerebral palsy (cp), gets around in a wheelchair, communicates vocally with a “cp drawl,” and through a computer or by means of alphabet board, both used with one foot.
     If it seems that this girl, Lou, is severely restricted by her physical circumstances, this book shows how this isn’t true. Without denying the limits and challenges faces by Lou, Sarah shows just how ordinary her life is. Yet of course a book about ordinary life wouldn’t make very interesting reading.
     Sarah has written about one dramatic summer in the life of a teenager with a disability. This is the summer when Lou gets involved in community activism over the right to have a wheelchair ramp built up to her house despite opposing neighbours who fear the loss of property values. This is the summer when Lou gets to play baseball with her peers and a group of able-bodied helpers. And this is the summer when Lou gets to experience the company of boys, and one special boy in particular.
     I started to read the book out of obligation to a friend. I soon became eager to read on to find out what happens next. While almost any young girl could enjoy this book, anyone with a disability or concerned about disability issues will likely devour it. There are just not that many books published featuring protagonists with disabilities. And having a protagonist with a disability who plays a leading, active role in her own life and in her community is rare.
     This is the very reason that Sarah has written a total of four books with young main characters who have a disability. As the mother of a child with cp, Sarah couldn’t find books that mirrored her daughter Gemma’s situation, so she began writing them.
     The book focuses on what Lou can do and achieve and not on what could hold her back. This has been Sarah’s attitude througout Gemma’s life. Ironically, instead of creating a role model for her daughter to follow, in Lucky Lou Gets Game Sarah has written a character based very much on Gemma’s leading example of a role model.
     Whatever your level of ability, this is a fun YA novel to enjoy. For how to get a copy, check out Gemma B. Publishing.

One of our readers, Alexander Forbes of Caledon East, has written a letter to the editor of The Toronto Star about the Ontario Progressive Conservative Party. In it, he writes that the party “appears to be avoiding media and public scrutiny.” He also points out that “when asked by the Escarpment Views magazine to respond to five questions selected from reader contributions, they were the only political party that did not provide a direct answer.”
     This is true. Our Autumn issue contains an election feature of questions by readers and answers by the political parties. The Liberals, NDP and the Greens provided detailed answers. The PCs didn’t.
     I was surprised and annoyed. We’ve had several Conservative MPPs advertise in the magazine, so it was odd that the party seemed to dismiss us in a way I felt to be rude.
     We’re interested in our readers responses to this. What are your thoughts?

     Locke Street Festival at the base of the Niagara Escarpment in Hamilton, the “mountain” to locals, was a great place for us to give out copies of Escarpment Views on Sunday. So great that Mike and I left with not one copy left over. Not just the current Autumn issue, but every single back issue we brought, was taken. I’m talking about hundreds of copies. Possibly close to 2,000. And we could have given away more.

People taking free copies of Escarpment Views at Locke Street Festival

     I knew that the festival draws crowds. I think I read that there were 15,000 visitors in 2009. So we packed the car as full as possible with boxes of magazines.
I did not expect we would be cleaned out.
I did not expect to sell so many subscriptions.
I did not expect to meet people from Georgetown who came because of the ad in the magazine.
I did not expect to see current subscribers picking up back issues they hadn’t received.
I didn’t expect to hear that one lady uses our centre photos for meditation.
I didn’t expect to be questioned about our mandate and then to see the person get teary-eyed and wish us well because we have the best intention.
I didn’t expect the long day, from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m., during which we stood most of the time, to fly by as quickly as it did.
     Mike roamed the street taking photos and came across Andrea Horwath, leader of the NDP and a previous advertiser of ours, out campaigning. He gave her a copy of the Autumn issue because it contains an election feature of questions by readers and answers by the political parties. To Mike’s delight, Andrea had the magazine in her hands for a while as she spoke to people.

NDP leader Andrea Horwath campaigning with a copy of Escarpment Views.

    There were lots of people wearing Green Party buttons at the festival, and suddenly one of their candidates appeared at our table saying “I heard you have an election article?” I was happy to give him a copy.
    I have to mention Goodness Me, a natural food store, for excellent public relations in inviting us to use their washroom, handing out gift bags with neat samples of products, snacks and lotions, and selling delicious, wholesome ready-made wraps and big bottles of water at reasonable prices. I’ll be back at this friendly store.
    And I think we’ll definitely be back at the Locke Street Festival next year.

     Despite the bad weather forecast, we had a good time at the Lakeside Park Carousel with the Friends of the Carousel and Patrick Wentzel of the National Carousel Association, introducing Escarpment Views to people and celebrating the launch of our Autumn issue. Thanks go to the City of St. Catharines for making all the arrangements to keep us organized and dry despite (only!) one late downpour.
     Next up: the Locke Street Festival in Hamilton on Sept. 10, this Saturday, where we’ll be opposite Starbucks, giving away free copies of the magazine and signing up subscribers. Crowds of people traditionally attend this festival , so come out for a full day of fun and make a point of saying hi to us!

Thanks to the City of St. Catharines for helping to spread the word about our launch of the Autumn issue at Lakeside Park on Sunday. You can read their news item from their homepage. We’re hoping for good weather so we’ll have lots of people enjoying the park, going for free rides on the antique carousel, picking up free copies of the Autumn issue with the cover story about the carousel, meeting author & photographer Patrick Wentzel & learning about the Friends of the Carousel & programs offered by St. Catharines. Photo of our Autumn cover is below. Attention on St. Catharines/Port Dalhousie this weekend!
We’re still looking for memories of your previous rides on the carousel.

Escarpment Views Autumn 2011 cover story: Lakeside Park Carousel

     We’ve been busy delivering the Autumn issue to our advertisers, and now that we’re back from four days on Manitoulin Island, we’ve learned that more organizations will participate in our Sept. 4 celebration of the antique Lakeside Park Carousel in Port Dalhousie.
     The person who brought the carousel to our attention, Patrick Wentzel of the U.S. National Carousel Association, will be at the launch with a display, photos and information. Patrick wrote and took most of the photographs for the article on the carousel, which is our cover story for the Autumn issue.
     The City of St. Catharines, which is making the special launch event possible, will have an information table promoting their programs and services associated with the carousel.
     The volunteer community group the Friends of the Carousel will also have displays of the important restoration work they do. Friends will be happy to point out and explain some of the unique features of the carousel and to answer questions.
     Free rides on the carousel will be available during our launch party from noon to 5 p.m. on Sun. Sept. 4, but at only 5¢ a ride at other times, the carousel will never break the bank! The day is shaping up to be an interesting afternoon that will bring together people who appreciate the carousel. We’re looking forward to meeting St. Catharines residents and introducing them to Escarpment Views and the treasure that is the Lakeside Park Carousel.
     To get to Lakeside Park, take QEW to Ontario St. in St. Catharines, then follow Ontario St. to Lakeport Rd. and go to the lake. We’ll all be there with banners!
     Do you have a memory or info about the carousel? Share it by leaving a comment!

     Do you know the Lakeside Park Carousel in Port Dalhousie, close to St. Catharines? If you don’t, you should check it out. We have a great opportunity for you to do that, on Sunday Sept. 4 from noon to 5 p.m. when we’re launching the Autumn issue in Lakeside Park and providing free rides on the Carousel!
     Thanks to the City of St. Catharines, Escarpment Views is sponsoring a courtesy ride on Sept. 4. We’ll be giving out free copies of the Autumn issue which has a feature on the Carousel as the cover story. You’ll be able to take a free ride on a wonderful antique carousel and read about its history and what makes it special.
     The Friends of the Carousel, a local community group, will also be there to answer your questions and perhaps point out some little-known things about it.
     Bring family, friends, kids and a picnic, and enjoy a fun afternoon by Lake Ontario, St. Catharines. To get to Lakeside Park, take QEW to Ontario St. in St. Catharines, and follow Ontario St. to Lakeport Road. Then head to the lake!

Le Tour de Terra Cotta, 2010. Photo by Mike Davis

Here’s a guest post about an Escarpment bike race day. Escarpment Views will be in the vendor expo area giving out free copies!

Ontario’s Largest Non O-Cup Road Race – Exciting new additions this year!
     The 7th Annual Le Tour de Terra Cotta rides August 1, 2011. 600 riders are expected over five events and throngs of spectators will line the course making the day feel like a stage of a prestigious European road race.  
    New this year is the second largest guaranteed cash purse for a road race in Canada for the 104km signature race designed for elite riders, overall individual top prize of $1000, male and female equivalents. Cash prizes three deep by age category, ten deep overall.  Additional events include youth race & time trial, adult 26km &, and a brand new 52km distance for resolute riders looking to complete 6 laps.
     Event features full road closure – no yellow line rule, the safest course by far and coveted by cyclists, mechanical, medical support, race kits, technical T-shirts for early registrants, escort vehicles, electronic timing, feed station & lunch for adult registrants. pectator will enjoy the concession, licensed patio, kid’s activities, vendor expo area and prize draws. Photos and event videos are planned to be available in the weeks following the event.
     Desjardins Financial Security (DFS) is Platinum Sponsor. Gold Sponsor, Dimpflmeier Bakery. Silver Sponsor, James Dick Construction. Bronze sponsor, Cavalier Transportation of Bolton.
     Visit www.letourdeterracotta.com for technical guide & info. Contact Info@letourdeterracotta.com Registration opens at 7 a.m. – space limited, plan to arrive early for ease of parking. Road closures in effect race day. On-line registration available at www.ontariocycling.org.