Commons signs Trail Care taking agreement with GaLTT

GaLTT and Commons representatives celebrate the signing of a trail care-taking license on the Commons property. Left to Right: Bob Andrew, Hugh Skinner,  Barry Moerkerken, Cameron Murray, and Deb Ferens in front. The middle three represented GaLTT with Andrew and Ferens representing the Commons. Submitted photo

Heather Menzies

Gabriola Commons

Commemorating having signed a trail care-taking license agreement with GaLLT, the Commons has created its first-ever trail map. Celebrate by clipping it out, following it and entering what might become a deepening relationship with the Commons woods and meadows, and all the beings that live within this expanse of nature bordering the village core.

If entering via Huxley Park, take a left at the Huxley Skateboard sign, pass the first of the posted Commons trail maps, meander between some cedars and emerge into a meadow. If you go left, try to identify some of the 13 species of native berry that live in the meadow. If keeping straight on, you enter a rich mix of fir and cedar, with some alder interspersed. See if you can spot the two rare Cascara trees on the left; their bark has long been valued for its medicinal properties.

The right fork takes you slightly uphill through mostly fir trees, then curves left into another open space. Across it, the trail slopes downhill again and, at the left fork, curves around and brings you through a stretch of woods, with alder on the left and a lovely cedar grove on the right. The trail then veers right and over a board bridge, past more of the cedar grove and into an open area dotted with fir trees. Be mindful of the roots — the ankles, arch and toes of these precious trees—and veer to the right where the trail takes you out into open meadow with a stone labyrinth on one side. 

Take a moment to relax on one of the memorial benches overlooking it, savoring the bird and frog song coming from the pond and wetlands just beyond the fringe of fir trees. Then stand at the entrance to the labyrinth and, as the guidelines posted there suggest, set your ‘intention’ – perhaps to become involved in helping to maintain the Commons trails. Then do a walking meditation through the labyrinth’s ancient spirals.