In Pippy Park
July 2002
sponsored by the College of the North Atlantic a member of the Pippy Park Promotions Committee

Did You Know?

Terry Reilly's Teddy Bear Picnic at the Arts & Culture Centre on June 21st was a huge success. The wonderful weather that day attracted what must have been one of the largest crowds of children and parents ever and they all had a wonderful time!

The Pippy Park Campground and R.V. Park has a new "Communication Centre". It is located near sites 25-27 on loop One and provides an internet telephone hook-up so that campers can plug in their laptops or computers and download their e-mail or access the internet. Don't Get Lost on Nagles Hill! Nagles Hill Road used to run from the bottom of the "toboggan hill" all the way up to the Three Pond Barrens. First the road was closed off at its beginning (formerly at Higgin's Line now Allandale Road) which was made into a cul-de-sac for parking, then it was closed off at the Mt. Scio Road extension and made into another long cul-de-sac. That portion was renamed Nagles Place. Now the top part of Nagles Hill Road above the Outer Ring Road overpass has been renamed as part of Allandale Road. All that is left of Nagles Hill Rd. now is the piece in the middle above Mt. Scio Road which also ends in a cul-de-sac just below the Outer Ring Road!

Visitors from "distant parts" visit the Trailer Park. Already we have seen a wide variety of campers in the Pippy Park R.V. Park. Even in May some of the first visitors of the season were from Alberta, British Columbia in Canada, Texas, Michigan, Kentucky and South Carolina in the U.S.A. and even as far away as Germany. By mid-June we had seen campers from virtually every Province in Canada and every State in the U.S.A. including Hawaii not to mention a visitor from Zurich, Switzerland. At the other extreme it is interesting to note just how many families from St. Johns' and surrounding towns spend time camping in Pippy Park. It certainly gives a change of scene without the long drive and its a great place to meet all these interesting visitors from away.

Walk the Trails! The City of St. John's Parks and Recreation Dept is organizing a series of conducted walks along various trails around the city. On July 2nd (if the weather is bad, July 4th) they will walk around the Long Pond trail starting at 6.p.m. at the Fluvarium parking lot. The walk will last for about 1 1/2 hours. On July 30th (if the weather is bad August 1st.) they will walk around Kent's Pond and Kenny's Pond meeting at the Confederation Bldg East Parking Lot at 6.p.m. and taking ablut 1 1/2 hours also. On August 27th(alternate August 29th ) they will walk the Rennies River Trail starting at 6 p.m. at the Memorial Stadium Parking lot. This walk will last about 2 hours. Call the Mews Centre at 576-8499 if you wish to join in any of these walks.

The Friends of Pippy Park will be conducting guided walks up the new Long Pond-Oxen Pond Walk during the "Pippy Park Days" August 3rd and 4th please call 738-3611 if you are interested.

THE FOXES OF PIPPY PARK

The Red Fox (Vulpes vulpes) is native to the Province and is found throughout the island of Newfoundland in a wide variety of habitats. In the past they have been considered occasional transients through Pippy Park, most likely seen on the more isolated parts of the Three Pond Barrens. Their colour varies from red to silver or black. They are active mostly at night, feeding on mice, rats, hares small birds berries, frogs and carrion. Their particular favorite food is birds eggs and the Pippy Park Golf courses have, over the years, recieved complaints from golfers of foxes stealing their golf balls. At one time a huge cache of golf balls was found near a foxes den. He or she had carefully hoarded these "eggs" for later consumption by his/her family! No doubt they were waiting for them to soften a little with age!

There are frequent reports of Foxes making their dens and raising their kits close to trails frequented by many people during the summertime. I suppose when the parents chose the site in early spring there were no people around. Now they have their young kits they should be avoided. All wild animals are extremely aggressive in defending their young from what they perceive as danger.

THE MOST SPECTACULAR WALK IN PIPPY PARK RELAXING AND ENJOYING THE VIEW

A new and challenging walkway has just been completed after many years of construction and it has opened up a whole new area of Pippy Park and made some really spectacular views accessible to walkers. The trail is officially known as the Long Pond - Oxen Pond Walk though it actually starts at the back of historic Shamrock Farm where it branches off from the Long Pond - Larkhall St. walk. It travels diagonally up the steep escarpment to the parking lot at the MUN Botanical Garden on Mt. Scio Rd.; a climb of over 100 metres (300 ft.).

THE START OF THE CLIMB

The quiet shady glades of the lower portions are sharply contrasted with the breathtaking wide open views of the entire city including Signal Hill and beyond from the top. It is a memorable experience. This trail has created a pedestrian connection between the Long Pond Marsh area and the West end of Mt. Scio Road which did not exist before. It has been a major undertaking for the Grand Concourse Authority to construct a stable walking surface diagonally up the side of this very steep hill. Dealing with the constant risk of washouts after heavy rain while maintaining the almost unbroken canopy of threes and shrubs which make this major engineering work virtually invisible is an incredible feat for which the Grand Concourse staff are to be congratulated.

LOOKING BACK AT THE HEALTH SCIENCES CENTRE

The athletes have already found a jog up and down this trail is an excellent workout while the rest of us will prefer a much more leisurely pace. Better still, start at Mt. Scio Road and be picked up by the Health Sciences Centre!