C/O Stepan Unar, Unsplash
Man arrested following an attack on Caleb’s Walk
CW: assault
Hamilton is home to a number of hiking trails and waterfalls, providing community members with the opportunity to head outdoors and enjoy nature views. As a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, outdoor activities have also garnered rising popularity as people search for activities and recreation to entertain themselves with.
However, heavily wooded areas in Hamilton have also been susceptible to dangerous activity in the last several years. Given the popularity of hiking among the student body, students at McMaster University should remain aware of the potential dangers associated with visiting trails.
Most recently on Sept. 30, 2021, an individual was assaulted while walking alone on Caleb’s Walk trail. Caleb’s Walk is one of the many trails of the Cootes Paradise sanctuary and is located next to the Westdale neighbourhood, off of Dalewood Crescent and Oak Knoll Drive.
Hamilton Police Service released a request for assistance in identifying the assault suspect the next day, detailing suspect descriptions and asking residents to review their video surveillance footage.
On Oct. 5, 28-year-old Tony Robert Gordon was arrested for the assault. Gordon is facing charges of assault causing bodily harm, four counts of failing to comply with probation and drug possession.
According to HPS, the assault was a random attack of violence.
Gordon is facing charges of assault causing bodily harm, four counts of failing to comply with probation and drug possession. According to HPS, the assault was a random attack of violence.
Unfortunately, this assault was not the only one that has taken place in Hamilton trails. In April of 2019, a woman was struck with an object and sexually assaulted on another Hamilton trail, Bruce Trail.
Bruce Trail is Canada’s oldest and longest trail, running 900 km from Niagara to Tobermory, passing Hamilton in-between.
The victim was assaulted while walking from the Dundurn stairs down the Bruce Trail when she stopped after hearing someone call out to her.
The HPS did not release any further updates to this investigation nor was an arrest announced.
Also on Bruce Trail, an arrest was made in 2017 after an individual walking alone was approached by a man with a knife and forced into a quiet area.
The suspect was arrested in this case and HPS charged 28-year-old Shane Stevens with sexual assault with a weapon and two times of breach of probation.
With the Cootes Paradise area in close proximity to McMaster University, hiking on trails has been a popular outdoor activity for many students. However, the danger associated with walking alone on Hamilton trails has not been foreign to students.
A number of recreational trails are also available within the McMaster Forest. McMaster has noted that such trails, however, are mainly unmaintained.
Random assaults, such as the ones mentioned above, are unfortunate occurrences that most do not expect when visiting trails. It is important that students remain vigilant as they visit trails and take the necessary precautions to keep themselves safe.
By: Alannah DeAngelis, Contributor
Dates can be a fun way to get to know your partner better and try new things together. Between school, catching up on all your Netflix shows and hanging out with your friends, it can be tough to make time for date nights. Try out these five date ideas where you can stay on campus and avoid breaking the bank!
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Planetarium Show
The W. J. McCallion Planetarium, in the basement of BSB, is an out-of-this world date idea! Shows run Wednesday nights and there is a new theme each week. Learn about outer space, stars, planets, comets and more. For more information, check out the McMaster Planetarium website.
Cost: $7 per person.
Photo by Matty Flader / Photo Reporter
Video Game Room in Lyons New Media Centre
Get your game on in the Video Games room on the 4th floor of Mills to find out which of you is the “Mario Kart” champion! There are five game consoles that you can choose from: Wii, Xbox One, Xbox 360, PS3 and PS4. They offer many games to play, all of which are available to rent for free. Bookings for this space can be made for up to 2 hours per day for all McMaster students.
Cost: Free! Just bring your student card to rent the controllers and games.
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McMaster Museum of Art
Check out some cool art with your partner at the McMaster Museum of Art right on campus. The museum is recognized internationally for its European paintings, drawings and prints. It is also known for its specialist collection of early 20th century German prints. This highly notable museum is just steps away from the Student Centre.
Cost: Pay what you can (suggested donation is $2).
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Trivia Night at the Phoenix
Test your knowledge at the Phoenix Bar and Grill’s Trivia Night, which happens every Tuesday at 7 p.m.. The theme changes each week, so you are sure to never be bored. Top teams will win gift cards to the Phoenix; perfect to use for another date night!
Cost: Free when you purchase food or drinks.
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Hike at Cootes
McMaster is surrounded by beautiful hiking trails with breathtaking views. Go for a hike at Cootes (start at the trail behind the Alpine tower) and explore what nature has to offer in McMaster’s backyard. Notably, the Sassafrass trail includes a lookout platform onto Lake Ontario. Who knows, maybe you will even see some deer along the way!
Cost: Free!
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As the mid-March snow melts away, a new initiative is warming up in Westdale. King Street West café My Dog Joe has launched a monthly hike series to bring the community together and teach a little local ecology and history.
“As a business owner, the main idea for me is to drive business and our brand,” said Jeff Groat, manager of My Dog Joe. “The main idea is to hang out, have some breakfast or coffee. People can get a coffee to go if they want of course. And then we’ll walk.”
Groat explained that his wife originally came up with the idea after seeing some of the experience-based opportunities AirBnB was offering. He then approached former colleague and McMaster graduate student Reyna Matties about leading the hikes.
“The focus of the hikes are to have fun and get out in the community but also to learn about the local ecology and history,” Matties explained. She added that her background in conservation biology and ecology means she can tell hikers about the local environment, including the area’s ecosystem or natural history.
“[The hikes] are themed [based on ecosystem]… there’s lots of really diverse areas here and one of the things I’m hoping to show is the diversity of ecosystems that are local and also accessible by walking or biking or different types of transport,” she added.
The first hike, held on March 25, explores the Chedoke Stairs and Radial Trail area near the Chedoke golf course. The course runs just over 6 kilometres, and Matties hopes to show off different parts of the Niagara Escarpment, providing noteworthy details about the ecology and history of the area.
@MyDogJoeCoffee looking bright and friendly this morning:) pic.twitter.com/0tTXgDghFQ
— Coffeecology (@coffeecology) April 15, 2016
“[We’ll do] a bit of geology and then also a bit of history of the Chedoke Radial Trail that formed on a previous railway,” Matties said. “Hamilton has a few different trails that are railways converted into trails which is unique and we can bike on them or hike and it provides an awesome opportunity to explore the escarpment.”
Groat is also excited to get a new perspective on the city, especially as spring blooms in Hamilton.
“I love that there’s all this nature and it’s so close by and more or less intact, especially in the Cootes Paradise area,” Groat said. “And you know, it’s our neighbourhood. We do business here, customers live here, so I think it would be nice for us to celebrate that a bit and be good neighbours and you know, take part in the neighbourhood.”
Groat is looking forward to learning more about the Hamilton environment, but he is also excited to see who is interested in the hikes.
“Hamilton’s a cool place, and it’s nice to just meet people and chat. I like that part of this business here. I work behind the counter a couple of days a week, I see the same people all the time,” he added.
Groat concluded that while only three hikes are currently planned, there is a possibility that more will follow throughout the summer based on the success of the first few.
“Really it’s about meeting people, having something to do on a Saturday morning.”
