Accomplishments and Future Plans

For several years we outfitted and ran a cottage-rental within the park for  visitors, Jacques Family Cottage. It was very successful and eventually the operation was taken over by Ontario Parks and is still available to rent.

In 1993, as a way of celebrating the 100 anniversary of Ontario Provincial Parks, the Friends organized a relay run with three starting points such that everyone arrived at the same point in the park at close to the same time. Each section was about 33 km each and there were about 100 runners, joggers and bicyclists involved.

In line with our objectives, we have produced booklets, birding lists, activity booklets, trail guides and books on nature topics and the history of the park. We are currently working on a book on the dune system of the park.

We have purchased over 4,500 trees and with the help of park staff, environmental students from PECCI and Tree Stewardship have planted them in  three fields. It is a trial reforestation project to determine how best to re-plant fields. 2012 will be the fifth year of this 5 year commitment.

Over the years, the Friends of Sandbanks have purchased two beach wheelchairs, numerous park benches and bicycle racks, period costumes for  historic re-creations and special events, various amphitheatre equipment and  a newly designed trailhead sign for the Cedar Sands Trail. Repairs to the  trail stairs and two new lookouts were funded for the Cedar Sands Trail  through the Friends, partially from revenue collected from the filming of  the hit movie, Fly Away Home.

We have produced a spectacular DVD, entitled “Beyond the Beach,” an- easy chair look at the wonderful natural and cultural history of the Sandbanks Dunes. Funds were contributed by the Friends for the film projects “History Lives Here”, which include 2 minute short videos one on the history of the Dunes and one on Lakeshore Lodge. For many years, members of the Friends have participated with a booth at the Picton Fall Fair.

We have had the bike/walking trail that runs parallel to the main park Outlet Beach road, refurbished to encourage walkers and bicyclists to use it and avoid chancing the busy vehicle traffic. Lengthening of this pathway is an on-going project.

We support the Ontario Parks Bursary Fund for summer park staff to continue their education. As well the Friends participate in the Festival of Trees, supporting our local hospital. Each spring the Friends of Sandbanks are active in the Prince Edward County Trash Bash cleaning up the roadsides leading into the park.

2010 saw the commencement of our Dunes Trail, with stimulus funding from the Federal and Provincial governments.  The basic trail is now complete and interpretive panels will soon replace the trail guide.  We are planning to build a lookout to enhance the trail.