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Friends of
Bon Echo Park
16151 Hwy 41 RR 1
Cloyne, ON K0H 1K0
Derek Maggs
Executive Director
(613) 336-0830
Fax - (613) 336-2712
e-mail: logistics
@bonechofriends.ca
E. Helen Yanch
Operations Manager
Greystones Gift &
Book Shop
(613) 336-9863
(May to Thanksgiving)
(613)
336-0830
(October to April)
Fax - (613) 336-2712
e-mail: greystones
@bonechofriends.ca
DIRECTORS
President -
Dave Deacon
Vice-President -
Ernest Lapchinski
Secretary -
Phylilis Mills
Treasurer -
Don Patry
Red Emond
Bill Campbell
Mary Kelly
Pat Nobbs
Jane Potyok
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For most of us the rocks of Bon Echo Park represent an exotic and awe inspiring landscape but for multi-award winning geologist Dr. David Pearson, founder of Science North and Professor of Earth Sciences at Laurentian University in Sudbury, they tell a story of the formation of the earth that goes back billions of years.
Close to 50 guests gathered at the Barrie Hall in Cloyne on September 11 to hear that story explained by Pearson, who traveled five hours from his home in Sudbury specifically to give the talk and to visit Bon Echo park courtesy of the Friends of Bon Echo.
To the professional geologist, the sinuous patterns and layers apparent in the Mazinaw Rock faces demonstrate the fact that the rocks are roughly one billion years old and, in fact, are what remain of the Grenville Mountains, a mountain range that once stood as tall if not taller than the Himalayas and which formed when the super continent Laurentia was slammed into by South America. These continental collisions took place as the result of the ocean floors sliding underneath the edges of certain continents. Pearson stressed the fact that the Grenvilles were the “longest mountain bolt that the planet has ever seen”. Their roots are the rocks that we now know and call the Canadian Shield.
Over time the tall peaks of the Grenvilles eroded away and the hot slushy material found 100km below the earth’s surface also pushed up the roots of the Grenville Mountains exposing the rock that now surrounds us today. “We are looking at rocks that were subjected to temperatures of 1200 degrees centigrade and to pressures that you would experience at 20km beneath the surface. We have to realize that these rocks were at one time plastic and were pressure cooked.”
Another part of the story, which accounts for the formation of the east/west bays found in Mazinaw Lake as well as myriad other lakes on the shield, concerns the breaking up of the super continent Rodinia that existed one billion to 800 million years ago. At that time convection currents moving underneath the continent caused its break up and the east/west fractures and faults which resulted account for so many of the east/west bays that we know today.
The third part of the story, which accounts for the length of Mazinaw Lake, resulted from the break up of the last super continent Pangaea, which split apart 180 million years ago into the continents we now know as North America and Africa. The pulling apart of Pangaea caused north/south stress patterns resulting in the length of Mazinaw Lake following a north/south orientation.
The final part of the story is the part that caused the extreme depth of Mazinaw Lake, 475 feet in some spots. This event occurred 25,000-125,000 years ago when most of North America was covered by a sheet of ice 2km thick. As the ice sheet melted and retreated from the cliffs of Mazinaw Rock, huge icebergs the size of city blocks fell off the cliff, were embedded in the sediment below and created incredibly deep pot holes, which account for the lake’s extreme depth.
Pearson included in his talk various maps, diagrams and photos which helped listeners visualize these incredible stories.
What is important is that after hearing his explanation, one can experience Bon Echo Park in a different way and with new understanding. In Dr. Pearson's words “What people see in a landscape depends on their personal area of expertise.” By generously sharing his expertise, he has no doubt enriched how many of us will now view the magical landscape that is Bon
Echo.Reprinted from The Frontenac News with permission
Photo: courtesy of Dave Deacon
Wanderer Wanderings On Friday evening, October 15th, our tour boat, The Wanderer, tired of being tied up at the wharf in the lagoon and decided it was time for a midnight cruise. Mazinaw Lake is known for its windy spells and volunteered to help. Rather than loosening the ropes it decided to take part of the dock with it. And so began a captain-less cruise without lights that was to take it 5 km down the lake.
There are many places the boat could have landed or accidents it could have caused. Fortunately there are few watercraft on Mazinaw in mid-October as the phantom cruiser made its way through the moonless night. There are plenty of rocky shorelines it could have hit or a dam at the bottom end of the lake that it could have tried to jump. It could have gone undiscovered for a few days if no one noticed it had left the dock. However, it landed in one of the safest spots possible… at a cottage on the opposite shore nestled on one of the few beaches around. The pontoons eased up against the soft sand and the wind caressed the boat snugly against the shore until help could come. And help came in the form its older brother, The Mugwump ferry. The Mugwump pulled it out from shore so that the motor could be started and The Wanderer returned to its own dockside, its wanderings over.
The Universe and Bon Echo
 2009 is the International Year of Astronomy. The Friends highlighted this year at their 21st Annual General Meeting by featuring astronomer Terence Dickinson, editor of SkyNews and best-selling author to present and show over 100 pictures of space, many taken by astronauts and Mr. Dickinson. The meeting was open to the public resulting in a full house at the Barrie Township Hall. He projected a night photograph taken from space showing the amount of light pollution which hampers viewing the night sky. It became evident that the northern segment of Ontario’s Land O’Lakes is possibly the best area in southern Ontario to view the heavens. Following the intriguing presentation the group went outside to look through his telescope at the craters on the moon and the moons and rings of Jupiter.
The Friends have worked hard to promote both Park and Friends activities in the local area and on the web. A number of press releases highlighted the eight artists showcasing their work in the Colin Edwards Memorial Art Gallery. The Friends website posted the weekly Natural Heritage Education (NHE) programs taking place in the Park to enable area residents and visitors to bring their families to the daily activities. Local area Corporate Members strongly supported the promotion of the Bon Art Exhibition and Sale in July.
The Friends continue to support the NHE program at Bon Echo. Funding by the Friends provides an additional 6-7 NHE staff effectively doubling the number of personnel presenting programs to Park visitors. Over 60,000 people are involved in NHE activities each summer whether in the amphitheatre, on the interpretive boat tours, hikes or the ever popular daily children’s programs. The Friends also funded amphitheatre programs including singer David Archibald and astronomer Terence Dickinson and special presentations such as Sciensational Sssnakes!!.
Two bursary awards of $500 each were presented to Bon Echo student staff Sonya Krause of Toronto and Richard Downing of Foxboro. Students eligible to apply are graduating students of the North Addington Education Centre in Cloyne and/or Park staff. All applicants must be studying in a post-secondary program consistent with the goals of the Friends of Bon Echo and must submit an essay describing how their chosen program will assist them in promoting the understanding, and preservation of our natural and cultural heritage. This year’s winning essays may be found on the Friends website: <www.mazinaw.on.ca/fobecho>.
Numerous volunteers contribute their time and talent to ensure the success of the Friends of Bon Echo. The Art Exhibition and Sale, the South Beach Barbecues, operation of the tours boats and the Greystones Gift and Book Shop rely on the commitment of volunteers. The 2009 raffle features a 16’ Paluski canoe donated by Bon Echo Canoe and an original oil painting, “Bon Echo Rock”, donated by Denbigh artist, Harold Kaufmann. Tickets are on sale (3 for $5 or $2 each) at the Greystones Gift & Book Shop and Hook’s RONA until October 10th when the draw will take place at 4PM. The Friends appreciate the many people who offer support by buying tickets. |
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