Displaying items by tag: Foley Mountain

OTTAWA AND WESTPORT AREA, January 29, 2020 – The Rideau Valley Conservation Foundation (RVCF) is pleased to have received a $4,567 Greener Apron Grant through the Starbucks Foundation.

To help students access our outdoor education programs at Baxter and Foley Mountain Conservation Areas the Greener Apron Grant covers bus fees through the RVCF.

Starbucks Greener Apron is a community of passionate employees who are committed to serving the planet. From promoting environmentally conscious best practices in stores, to nominating local non-profits to apply for grant funding, Greener Apron partners are sustainability champions making a difference in their stores and communities, every day.

“Thanks to Starbucks employee Denise Pagliaro of Manotick for nominating us for this program,” says Diane Downey, Executive Director of RVCF, “we are delighted to welcome another exceptional partner in our campaign to make outdoor education programs accessible to all.”

“Our children have so many beautiful memories thanks to the Rideau Valley Conversation Foundation – it was my pleasure to nominate them,” notes Denise.

The Greener Apron grant will cover transportation costs for 1200 children; that’s 20 school buses with two classes of thirty students each.

The programs are run by the RVCA certified outdoor education teachers at Baxter and Foley Mountain conservation areas. They welcome more than 10,000 elementary and secondary school students to their curriculum-based programs every year for hands-on experiences in nature, from catching frogs to snowshoeing.

There’s a growing body of evidence that learning through outdoor active play has positive effects on a child's physical, emotional, and intellectual health. More and more, children suffer from “nature deficit disorder” – a lack of connection with the natural world.

With support from the Greener Apron grant and other donors, the RVCA is fostering a new generation of confident explorers, nature-lovers and environmental stewards.

For more information about the RVCA’s educational programs, visit www.rvca.ca/outdoor-education. To support the Foundation’s conservation efforts, visit www.rvcf.ca.

WESTPORT, Sept. 20, 2022 – Cooler nights and shorter days are once again painting our forests the vibrant reds and golds that can only mean one thing: Fall has arrived. 

And what better place to embrace your autumnal awe than at Foley Mountain Conservation Area in Westport? With stunning views from Spy Rock Lookout as well as 10 kilometres of trails through forests and wetlands, visitors have endless opportunities to immerse themselves in the season’s wonder.

But as the park’s busiest season ramps up, visitors are wise to plan ahead. To avoid big crowds and make the most of your trip, consider: 

• Choosing an off-peak time, like weekdays or early mornings
• Parking further down the park road and hiking back to Spy Rock. The colours are worth it!
• Bringing change for the parking machine, or purchasing ahead with code 5204 on paybyphone.com
• Planning to spend the day and explore the entire park – even some of the more remote trails.

“This is such a spectacular time of year to be outdoors, especially in a forest like ours,” said Foley Mountain site supervisor Rebecca Whitman. “We are thrilled to see a renewed interest in getting outside and embracing nature, but it does mean visitors need to be more prepared during busy times of the year.”

Whitman recommended trying trails beyond the Spy Rock lookout to get your fall colour fix.  The Orange Maple Trail, for example, starts at the interpretive centre and offers a spectacular show in the fall with its many towering maple, ash and poplar trees along its 2.3 km loop. Hikers can even follow it back to Spy Rock for a peek at the views before they head home. 

The White Pine Trail is a great option for hikers looking for more of a challenge. Parking at the group camping site, they can connect to White Pine using the Blue Trail. From there, they’ll find towering white pines and stunted oak trees high on the ridge, mixed with excellent fall foliage as they pick their way back down the mountain.

"It's a beautiful part of the park to go into," said Whitman.

Foley's colours usually peak around Thanksgiving, give or take a week.  Please bring a mask for crowded areas and follow all directional signage on the trails. If you are feeling ill or have been told to isolate, please stay home.

For more information about visiting Foley Mountain in the fall visit www.rvca.ca/foley-fall-colours or email . You can also follow us on Facebook at @FoleyMountain or @RideauValleyConservationAuthority. You can also follow @RideauValleyCA on Twitter and Instagram.

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WESTPORT, Sept 1, 2023 – Want to own a unique piece of Foley Mountain memorabilia? How about 500 pieces? This fall, Foley Mountain fans can bring the famous Spy Rock lookout home with them in the form of a custom jigsaw puzzle. 

The non-profit Friends of Foley Mountain group is selling the 500-piece commemorative puzzle to mark 50 years since Foley Mountain officially opened as a public conservation area. The puzzle features the iconic view of Westport from the top of Spy Rock.  

This limited-edition puzzle will be available for sale this fall at Westport retailers Lower Mountain Mercantile, Village Green and Rosie Yumski's. It will also be sold at special events in the village throughout the fall. 

The puzzle includes 500 jigsaw pieces and measures 20.5 x 15 inches when complete. Packaged in a compact cardboard box, the puzzles will make perfect stocking stuffers for every Foley Mountain fan this winter.

Proceeds will raise critical funds for Foley Mountain’s outdoor education programs as well as future capital projects at the site. 

“This is a unique way to support our treasured mountain,” said Rob Struthers, president of Friends of Foley Mountain. “We hope residents and visitors will jump at this chance to take a piece of Foley Mountain home with them.”

The 833-acre conservation area is located in Rideau Lakes Township just east of the Village of Westport. It is operated by the Rideau Valley Conservation Authority and offers a range of outdoor education programs for schools, families and community groups. It also offers 10 kilometres of trails, a swimming area on Upper Rideau Lake and group camping. The conservation area officially opened to the public in June 1973 and is celebrating its 50^th anniversary this year. 

To learn more about Foley Mountain visit www.rvca.ca/conservation-areas. To learn more about the Friends of Foley Mountain visit www.friendsoffoley.ca. 

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WESTPORT, Sept. 29, 2023 – Foley Mountain Conservation Area officially marked its 50^th anniversary with a community reception on Friday, Sept. 22 – in the very same spot it celebrated its official opening in 1973. 

Past and present RVCA staff and board members, special guests, local residents and community partners gathered at the Interpretive Centre to reminisce about the conservation area’s long history in the community.

The 833-acre site, owned and operated by the Rideau Valley Conservation Authority (RVCA), was acquired in 1970 thanks to a donation from prominent Westport resident Harold Foley, who wished to see the property remain natural. Other land donations, purchases, land swaps and leases over the years completed the largely forested property. Today it boasts 10 kilometres of public trails, a swimming area, a group camping site and, of course, the famous Spy Rock lookout overlooking the village of Westport. 

Since 1974, Foley Mountain has also developed a suite of popular outdoor education programs, which have inspired multiple generations of school children to better appreciate the natural world. The program began by offering school field trips and overnight camping, followed by the addition of popular day camps and forest school programs in more recent years. 

The celebration on Sept. 22 focused on the site’s many successes and partnerships over the years, including support from the Friends of Foley Mountain, which was founded in 1996 to support the conservation area in the face of provincial cutbacks. It has since leveraged more than $300,000 in fundraising toward accessible infrastructure, bus and tuition subsidies and programming. 

“50 years is an incredible milestone for an organization,” said Steve Clark, MPP for Leeds-Grenville-Thousand Islands and Rideau Lakes, while addressing the crowd. “You can’t get to this level of success without tremendous staff, tremendous board members and tremendous volunteers. And that’s one of the real things that I think separates this area from many others, the fact that so many people work together.”

Rideau Lakes Mayor Arie Hoogenboom and Westport Mayor Robin Jones also offered their congratulations and noted the central role Foley Mountain plays in both their communities. 

RVCA general manager Sommer Casgrain-Robertson said Foley Mountain wouldn’t be the success it is today without the support of the watershed’s 18 member municipalities, which have consistently recognized the value of conservation areas for their residents. 

“We are so grateful for the ongoing support from Rideau Lakes, Westport and our other municipalities that enables Foley Mountain to continue to serve the community,” Casgrain-Robertson said. “This support has also played a critical role in protecting these lands for a healthier watershed today and into the future.”

Learn more about Foley Mountain and plan your visit at www.rvca.ca/conservation-areas.

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RIDEAU LAKES, Oct. 5, 2023 – Mill Pond Conservation Area will close in mid-October while forestry operations are completed on the property. 

The 1,300-acre conservation area on Briton-Houghton Bay Road is owned and operated by the Rideau Valley Conservation Authority (RVCA). It includes a red pine plantation which requires routine maintenance. For public safety, the entire property will be closed to the public while this work is carried out. 

The work will take between seven and 10 days to complete, and will likely begin the week of Oct. 16. Dates will be confirmed closer to the time at www.rvca.ca and on our social media channels: 

       Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/RideauValleyConservationAuthority 

       Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rideauvalleyca/

       Twitter: https://twitter.com/RideauValleyCA 

For more information contact RVCA at  or 613-692-3571. To learn more about Mill Pond Conservation Area visit https://www.rvca.ca/conservation-areas/no-fee-required/mill-pond-ca.

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