Once a staple of the H. R. Frink Conservation Area and Outdoor Education Centre, the Hi-Lo Boardwalk is back.
The new boardwalk was officially unveiled Tuesday at the conservation area, an event years in the making.
The original structure, built in the 1990s, was used by local school boards and homeschoolers as an avenue for students to travel through, and learn about, a wide range of habitats and ecosystems including succession field, field to forest ecotone, mixed forest, and shrubby swamp.
It was removed seven years ago due to safety concerns and unrepairable damage.
Quinte Conservation then began a years-long fundraising campaign to rebuild the boardwalk.
Funds were raised through the 2022 Fall Festival, paid parking revenue, a donation line item and the 2023 Adopt an Acre campaign.
A generous $130,000 grant from the John M. and Bernice Parrott Foundation completed the fundraising effort, and ground on the new structure was broken in December 2024.
Hi-Lo Boardwalk at the Frink Centre. (Photo: Alana Cameron)
Quinte Conservation CAO Brad McNevin says with the facility being used by so many school groups, the new 63-metre structure will help youth learn about a wide range of habitats and ecosystems.
Audio Player“We have a complete loop-around trail and you know it’s all about getting kids into the forest and we’re happy to be able to provide this opportunity to the Frink Centre and ability for people to better utilize this important gem that we have right in the City of Belleville.”
Visitors will have direct access from the Quill to the Drumlin trails.
Parrott Foundation President Lyle Vanclief says the board was pleased to support the project.
Audio Player“Well, Mr. and Mrs. Parrott were always great supporters of the work of the Quinte Conservation, of any conservation, and the motto of the Parrott Foundation too is to improve the quality of life in the people in the Quinte area and certainly education of the young people, and all of us, for facilities where we can walk and be quiet.”
Quinte Conservation Forester Tim Trustham says the Frink Centre is intergenerational – parents went there as children and now their kids are learning at the conservation area.
He says there are even bigger plans for this area that is so important to outdoor learning.
And while they aren’t ready to reveal full details, Trustham says there is s a 10-year vision to improve the facility which could include purchasing more property to expand it.
Audio Player“And then there’s infrastructure needs here, obviously there’s lots and lots of infrastructure that is dated and needs renewal, periodically. We would like to expand on that vision. It just takes time and, of course, capital.”
The new boardwalk was built with longevity and conservation in mind.
The structure is built higher, making it better equipped to withstand seasonal fluctuations in water and ice, while the foundation supports an increased weight-bearing capacity.
It rests on helical piles which have a minimal footprint on the surrounding swamp and ecosystem —ensuring its resilience and presence can be enjoyed for generations to come.
From left to right: Paul Carr, Belleville councillor; Bea Heissler, retired H.R. Frink educator; Brad McNevin, Quinte Conservation CAO; Peter Rhebergen, Ducon; Kathryn Brown, Belleville councillor; Douglas Moses, John M. and Bernice Parrott Foundation; Lyle Vanclief, John M. and Bernice Parrott Foundation; Terry Murphy, retired Quinte Conservation GM. (Photo: Alana Cameron/Quinte News)
Helical piles that hold up the Hi-Lo Boardwalk at the Frink Centre. (Photo: Alana Cameron)
