Be a Trailblazer: Support The Friends of Algonquin Park in Your Year-End Charitable Giving

© Tina McAuley

Be a Trailblazer: Support The Friends of Algonquin Park in Your Year-End Charitable Giving

As Canada’s oldest provincial park, Algonquin Park offers a wide range of opportunities for hikers, paddlers, campers or those who simply enjoy being outdoors. Over the past four decades, The Friends of Algonquin Park, a charitable organization, has been supporting the park’s programs and facilities. Among its many activities, The Friends of Algonquin Park has played a major role in the development of the park’s interpretive hiking trails. From coordinating the Adopt-A-Trail volunteer program to publishing educational trail guides and funding the creation of new trails, The Friends has provided unparalleled hiking experiences for park visitors.

The Friends of Algonquin Park’s 2024 end-of-year fundraising campaign is inviting individual and corporate tax-deductible donations to support the development of the park’s newest trail.

With Ontario Parks' approval and community partners' support, The Friends of Algonquin Park is developing a 2.5-kilometre-long interpretive trail that will visit many scenic lookouts. Required is the construction of an innovative floating boardwalk, the establishment of numerous footbridges to protect environmentally sensitive areas, and the building of two significant sets of stairs. All these measures will not only provide for a more enjoyable recreational experience but also, more importantly, will help to protect Algonquin Park’s ecological integrity. As with the other interpretive trails, the new trail will feature an educational trail guide, allowing visitors to better appreciate Algonquin Park’s natural and cultural heritage during their hike.

“Algonquin Park’s hiking trails, known as interpretive trails for their educational trail guides and signage, are extremely popular with visitors,” said Lee Pauzé, Executive Director of The Friends of Algonquin Park. Indeed, surveys have shown that 94 per cent of Algonquin Park visitors believe that access to hiking trails was an extremely important part of their park visit.

It has been nearly a quarter century since the last interpretive hiking trail was opened. At that time The Friends supported the building of the three-kilometre-long Big Pines Trail that highlights the history and ecology of Ontario’s provincial tree, the White Pine. Before that, The Friends funded the spectacular 10-kilometre-long Centennial Ridges Trail that opened in 1993 to celebrate Algonquin Park’s centennial and the establishment of Ontario's provincial park system.

“The construction of a new interpretive hiking trail doesn’t just happen,” said Linda Leckie, Chair of The Friends of Algonquin Park. “Our staff, along with many dedicated volunteers, have been working diligently to create this exciting recreational and educational opportunity for Algonquin Park visitors. Now financial support to help fund this project is needed.”

Please remember The Friends of Algonquin Park in your holiday charitable gift plans! Your year-end, tax-deductible donation will make a difference. Donations can be made at algonquinpark.on.ca or by calling The Friends of Algonquin Park at 613-637-2828.

From The Friends of Algonquin Park family to yours, we wish you a safe, happy, and healthy holiday season!