Queers in Nature: Sweet Lil Sit Spot at the Guelph Arboretum

Queer Nature Pals! Happy Pride! Happy Summer Solstice! Let's bask in all this June-y goodness together at the Arboretum. Bring a chair and/ or blanket, snacks, or anything you'd like for a low-key & low-pressure sit down in the grass amongst the trees with us. We may also go for an optional mosey around the trails depending on group interest/ energy that evening.

Our main goal with Queers in Nature is to bring folks from the LGBTQIA+ community together in the outdoors to foster a deeper individual connection with our natural world while simultaneously growing stronger community bonds.

We will meet at 6:00pm (*please arrive on time friends!) at the Hales-Mckay shelter (glass structure beside the main parking lot at the Guelph Arboretum, click here for exact location. We will mosey to our sit spot, and depending on group interest/ energy levels we may wander a little bit along the trails (wander distance will be less than 2km).

The Arboretum at the University of Guelph resides within the Dish with One Spoon territory on the treaty lands and territory of the Mississaugas of the Credit. It is located within the Between the Lakes Purchase (Treaty 3).

COVID Policy

If you have been feeling unwell prior to attending this event, please stay home.

Though this is an outdoor event, we are still mindful of the ways that illness spreads when folks gather together and want everyone to feel safe attending. We STRONGLY encourage those who are carpooling to wear masks while travelling together.

We also ask that all attendees do a rapid test before attending, as well as stay up to date on their vaccines and boosters. We hike together for our mental and physical well-being, so let's be mindful of keeping our extended communities safe too!

Accessibility

This event is considered low impact. We will be moving over relatively level terrain along a well-used trail. The path itself has many wide sections with minimal elevation changes. That being said, trail conditions can be variable, especially with the added element of *hand sparkles* WEATHER!!! Will there be rain? Maybe! Will there be mud? Almost certainly!

• This trailhead is accessible by public transit (Bus route 15 at the East Ring Rd/ Arboretum stop - this is an approximately 15 min/ 1.2km walk to our meeting place. there is also a bus terminal at the university, which is a 25 minute/ ~2km walk to our meeting spot).
  
• Carpools are also be available from within Guelph. Please reach out to Queers in Nature admin if transportation is a barrier for you and we will HAPPILY try to assist in coordinating rides! There is a parking lot with ample space located beside our meeting point (Accessible off of college rd near Victoria rd).
  
• Please keep an eye on the weather. Depending on the weather we experience leading up to the event, the trails/ grounds may be wet, muddy, or slippery and more difficult for some attendees. In the case of extreme winds or not so lovely weather, the event may be cancelled or postponed. If this is the case, you will be notified via email and we will also post on updates on our instagram page (@queerz.in.nature).
  

• We ask that all participants are dressed appropriately for the weather.
  
• We ask that all participants help to make this an accessible event by not wearing scents/perfumes and please refrain from consuming drugs or alcohol during or before the event.
  

• There are no washroom facilities located along the trail. Please use the washroom prior to arriving, and be prepared to make a stop along the trail (in the woods) if necessary.
  

• While kiddos are welcome on this hike, this event is catered towards adults.
  

• Some snacks *may* be provided but we ask that everyone bring adequate water and snacks for themselves. There are no water refill stations on the hike.
  

• We will almost certainly encounter bugs (mosquitos, ticks, other creepy crawlies). There may also be plants that cause rashes (poison ivy, etc). Please be aware of your surroundings and take necessary precautions.

There are risks involved in these hikes.

By signing up for this event, you are agreeing that you will be responsible for your own care and safety, and to be mindful and respectful with regard to the care and safety of other participants. Queers in Nature is a volunteer-led group, and we are not liable for anything that may occur to participants during or surrounding this event.

We are so excited to see you out in nature!

Event Venue

Hales-McKay Shelter, 250 Arboretum Road, Guelph, Canada