Cave Springs Enhancement Project

Welcome to the NPCA's Get Involved portal!

An exciting project to enhance access to the Cave Springs Conservation Area, while maintaining important natural and cultural aspects of the site, is almost complete. Thanks to the watershed community for engaging in this important project!

In the past few years, the NPCA has seen a significant increase in visitors and a greater demand for access to its properties, including Cave Springs. This conservation area is particularly popular because it is nestled into the Niagara Escarpment, a critical regional geological feature that maintains local plant and animal biodiversity. The area also provides spectacular views of Lake Ontario and supports excellent passive recreation opportunities like hiking and birdwatching. Access to this area is by the Bruce Trail only. There are no parking or visitor amenities leading to unauthorized access and parking and unsafe use of the site.

In 2016, a Cave Springs Conservation Area management plan was drafted after an extensive public engagement exercise. Building on this work, a major deliverable of this new project is to review and update this management plan to ensure it is aligned with the NPCA’s strategic plan and other relevant policies. Please refer to the FAQs for details on past engagement activities, the key issues that arose, and how this project will address them.

The Cave Springs Enhancement Project will benefit the community for present and future generations by:

• protecting and highlighting the site's ecological and cultural significance
• providing important access to greenspace and opportunities for people to connect with nature, and
• showcasing the NPCA’s commitment to sustainable practices

The result of this project will include:

1. A completed Cave Springs Management Plan
2. Conservation Area enhancement (new parking area and improved accessible trail)
3. New trail system and wayfinding
4. New educational signage
5. Demolition of the Margaret Reed house and installation of interpretive features (see FAQs for details)

ABOUT THIS PAGE:

This portal will house important documents that all are welcome to review, a project timeline which outlines the steps of this process, and tools for providing feedback.

Through this Get Involved NPCA portal, our goal is to ensure the watershed community remains informed and given opportunities to provide their feedback and get involved. With the enhancement work underway, we welcome you to learn more about the updates that will be made to this cherished conservation area and stay tuned on potential closures and future project milestones.

HOW TO GET INVOLVED:

1. Learn about Cave Springs Conservation Area and the enhancement project by reviewing the documents available under Important Links and Documents.
2. Leave a comment or submit your feedback using the Guestbook. This feedback will be considered by staff throughout the project. (Closed in 2022)
3. Ask us a question through the 'Q&A' tool available below.