With its abundant lakes, parks and trails, it’s not hard to find a place to do something outdoorsy in the Waverley/Fall River area.
“There are a couple (of) just beautiful provincial parks and beaches here,” says area councillor Barry Dalrymple.
The Oakfield Provincial Park is one of two provincial parks in the area. It has a boat launch, a beach and some nearby walking trails.
The Laurie Provincial Park is another option for people, although the facility is undergoing a major redevelopment this year. The camping portion of the park is closed for the year. Renovations include a new washroom and shower building. There will also be minor renovations to the day use part of the park where people picnic or swim.
“For the most part, people will still probably be able to access the day use portion of the park for most of the summer, but there may be times when it’s not available because of other construction,” says Harold Carroll, the director of parks and recreation for the department of natural resources.
During the winter months, the Ashburn Golf Club is the perfect place for a hike or a toboggan ride.
“They totally welcome and allow the public to use the entire golf grounds all winter long,” says HRM recreation coordinator Teri Peace. “It’s such a huge plus for the community. All the families go tobogganing or sliding there in the wintertime because there are… these incredible hills and it’s all beautiful open space.”
She says you’ll even see people snowshoeing, cross-country skiing or walking their dogs.
The Charles L. McDonald Sportspark has a number of trails open year-round and is a popular attraction. The trails wind along Lake Thomas.
“A lot of the local sports teams use it as a training area for running,” says Peace. “There’s (even) some cyclers and in the winter, you see cross country skiers in there.”
Also on Lake Thomas is the CHEEMA Aquatic Club. The club is well known for the top-level paddlers it has produced, such as local resident Karen Furneaux.
