Cross-Country Skiing

🍔🍦 DANFORTH BURGER & ICE CREAM WALK! 🍦🍔 A Summer Evening Stroll, One of Toronto's Most Underrated Burgers & Giant Ice Cream Scoops Sometimes the best events are the simplest ones. Join us for a relaxed summer evening walk along the Danforth as we make our way from Main Street Station to Broadview Station, enjoying one of Toronto's most vibrant neighbourhoods along the way. This isn't about rushing from place to place. It's about getting outside, enjoying the evening, meeting new people, and sharing a couple of local favourites that many Torontonians still haven't discovered. Our first stop will be Square Boy, a true Danforth institution that serves some of the most underrated burgers in Toronto. No fancy gimmicks. No social media hype. Just great burgers that locals have loved for decades. 🍔 They are soo goo that they ONLY TAKE CASH! After we've eaten, we'll walk across the street to Kawartha Dairy for dessert. If you've never been before, prepare yourself. The scoops are legendary. Seriously. Most first-time visitors cannot believe how much ice cream they give you. 🍦😄 Afterward, we'll continue our walk west along the Danforth toward Broadview Station, enjoying the neighbourhood, conversation, and hopefully a beautiful summer evening. 📲 **Join Our WhatsApp Group:**[ Click here to join](https://chat.whatsapp.com/DRFTkxRlHS4B3IL1lMleUd) \*\*\* 🚶‍♂️ What We'll Do We'll begin at Main Street Station and start our walk along the Danforth. Along the way we'll: 🍔 Stop at Square Boy for burgers and fries 🍦 Visit Kawartha Dairy for ice cream 🚶 Continue walking west through the Danforth 😊 Enjoy good conversation and meet new people 🚇 Finish near Broadview Station You are welcome to leave at any time. \*\*\* ☀️ Weather & Expectations This event will happen in most summer weather conditions. If there is severe weather, heavy thunderstorms, or conditions that would make the walk unsafe, the event may be cancelled. Please dress appropriately for the weather and bring water if it's a hot evening. This is a social walk, not a historical tour. \*\*\* 🧢 Meetup Details 📍 Meetup Location: Outside Main Street Subway Station 🫎 I'll be wearing my Moose Hat ⏰ Meetup Time: 6:30 PM I will only wait 5 minutes. Early is on time. On time is late. We will leave promptly and won't be able to spend time tracking people down. 🏁 End Point: Broadview Subway Station \*\*\* 🎟️ Meetup Fee: $5 cash in person or e-transfer to 📧 \*\*[mathewmaclean@hotmail.com**](http://mathewmaclean@hotmail.com%2A%2A/) This fee helps support the group and allows us to continue organizing events like this. Thank you for supporting community! 💖 \*\*\* 🎒 What to Bring 💧 Water 👟 Comfortable walking shoes 💳 Money for food and ice cream 😄 A good appetite \*\*\* 🌈 Who Is This For? This group is open to anyone who wants to be social and make friends — whether single or not. We also host: 🎬 Movies 🚶 Walks & hikes 🎭 Arts & culture outings 🍽️ Restaurant gatherings There's always something happening. \*\*\* REMEMBER: You're welcome to just show up on the day if you're unsure about your schedule. And as always, sometimes plans change and events may need to be cancelled — please keep an eye on updates. \*\*\* 👤 Organizer: Mathew Questions? Post on the event wall or email 📧 [torontomoviesandoutings@hotmail.com](mailto:torontomoviesandoutings@hotmail.com) Come for the burger. Stay for the giant ice cream. Leave wondering how anyone finishes those scoops. 🍔🍦✨

# In Search of the Kirtland's Warbler **Friday, July 3** **Time:** 8:30 a.m. – 3:30 p.m. **Cost:** $99 per person Join me for a special birding adventure in search of one of North America's rarest and most sought-after songbirds, the **Kirtland's Warbler**. Once on the brink of extinction, this remarkable warbler has made an incredible comeback thanks to decades of conservation efforts. Today, a small breeding population can be found just over an hour north of the city, giving Ontario birders a unique opportunity to see this legendary species without travelling to Michigan. Our morning will be dedicated to searching for Kirtland's Warblers, while also enjoying many of the other birds that call this unique habitat home. July is an excellent time to find singing males, and we'll take our time exploring the area while enjoying whatever nature has to offer. Along the way we may also encounter species such as Clay-colored Sparrow, Brown Thrasher, Eastern Towhee, and several warbler species. This outing is suitable for birders of all experience levels. Whether you're hoping to add a lifer to your list or simply enjoy a relaxing day outdoors with fellow nature enthusiasts, this promises to be a memorable adventure. **What's Included** * Transportation from our meeting location * Guided birding throughout the day * Small group experience * Plenty of opportunities for photography and learning **Please Bring** * Binoculars (if you have them) * Camera (optional) * Lunch and snacks * Water * Sunscreen, insect repellent, and weather-appropriate clothing * Comfortable walking shoes As always, wildlife can never be guaranteed, but we'll be visiting one of the best locations in Ontario for this rare and beautiful bird. I look forward to sharing another great day in nature with you! **Murray**

REBOOT - Exercise! Fun! Food! Drinks! This meetup has it all! This ultimate frisbee meetup is a great way to make friends and get great exercise at the same time! What is ultimate frisbee? It's like soccer with a frisbee but with end zones like football. Come out and learn the ropes and have a good time. All skill levels welcome. And after frisbee is food and drinks! This meetup runs every week from May through September. This event is co-hosted with the group 30MidtownSingles. https://www.meetup.com/30smidtownsingles/events/ A 1 time per season charge of $2 is collected for equipment costs (Cones & Pinneys). Schedule: 6:30-7:15 Practice 7:15-8:30 Games 9:00 Food and Drinks at a nearby pub! (TBD)

For EXPERIENCED campers and hikers only. People with camping gear preferred. If you have camped before and would like to explore back country camping, this is your chance. More details can be found on https://www.ontarioparks.ca/park/lakesuperior/camping Plan: The plan is to carpool and drive to Lake Superior on Saturday early morning. Stop in Sudbury for brunch and supplies. Camp in the backcountry near Sinclair Clove. Exact location on the website is Sinclair North - back country and the fees is $11/ adult per night. Hike all day Sunday and return on Monday. There will be a hike from the parking lot to the back country camp site carrying all the supplies and camping gear. This is my first time doing this location and I am excited, so i am keeping an open mind. We can do a zoom call Friday, July 3rd afternoon to plan logistics. I will share the link once i have a few people signed up. Cheers!

**Please note the only way to register for this adventure is on [our website.](https://www.wildernessunion.com/adventures/weekend-backcountry-getaway)** **A beginner-friendly, paddle-in camping adventure through the Algonquin Highlands.** St. Nora Lake sits in the heart of Algonquin Highlands, tucked away from the car-accessible campgrounds and the crowds that come with them. It is just as beautiful as its more famous neighbours in the park, and a lot easier to get into. The adventure starts with a canoe lesson on the water before we paddle a short 2.5km to a spacious group campsite on the lake. Along the way you will pass classic Canadian Shield scenery: sandy beaches, granite rock faces, and pine-fringed shores. No portages, no prior experience required. Once you are set up, the rest of the weekend is yours to shape. Swim off the rocks, read in a hammock, or pick up real campsite skills like hanging your food away from bears and building a proper fire. That night, the campfire and a clear sky full of stars will give you some amazing views. On day two, we take the canoes back out to explore the lake more fully, poking around the shoreline and finding the corners of it that most people never see. This is a two-day getaway built for people who want real backcountry experience without a gruelling multi-day commitment. We handle the gear, the food, and the logistics. You show up, load the canoe, and go. Group sizes are kept small on purpose so the site stays quiet and the experience stays personal. By the time you paddle back out on Sunday, you will have put some genuine distance between yourself and the city. That tends to matter more than people expect. What's included * Professional & certified guides * ‍All camp meals, cooking equipment and mess kits * ‍Tents * Canoe rentals Sleeping bags and sleep pads can be rented from WU for a small fee. Whether you’re a seasoned camper or it’s your first time in a tent, this adventure has something for everyone. **Highlights** **Canoe-in seclusion:** Your campsite is only accessible by water. No road noise, no neighbouring RVs, just a lake, a fire ring, and genuine quiet. **The paddle in:** A short, flatwater crossing past a small island, through some of the most beautiful Canadian Shield scenery in the province **Learn to camp:** Our guides cover the essentials: hanging your food away from bears, building a fire, and setting up a site that works. **Event cost: $349+HST - optional transport available.** **Register [here.](https://www.wildernessunion.com/adventures/weekend-backcountry-getaway)** **About Wilderness Union** Wilderness Union is deliberate about building an outdoors community that connects you to the life-changing magic of the outdoors and helps you find your people. Members range from 20-40 years old. The group is a mix of GTA locals and newcomers to Toronto from within Canada and abroad. Attendance numbers on Meetup don't reflect our actual event attendance - we typically have 15-20 community members at each event. Large enough that there's someone new to meet but small enough that it's not overwhelming! ***Learn more at our website [www.wildernessunion.com](https://www.wildernessunion.com/)***

**Please note the only way to register for this adventure is on [our website.](https://www.wildernessunion.com/adventures/up-the-oxtongue)** **Join us for this gorgeous 16 km paddle up the Oxtongue River to the base of Ragged Falls.** The Oxtongue River is a major waterway that flows out of Algonquin Park, and if you follow it upstream by canoe, it'll take you right to the base of Ragged Falls: one of the most powerful waterfalls in the Muskoka watershed. Tom Thomson and the Group of Seven, struck by its natural beauty, paddled and painted these same shores. You'll soon see why. We launch from Algonquin Outfitters on Oxtongue Lake and paddle roughly 8 km northeast through open lake water before the shoreline closes in and the river takes over. The current is gentle enough that the upstream paddle feels easy. The downstream return feels even easier. The round trip is about 16 km, with time at the falls included for lunch and swimming. When you arrive, you can take in the falls from the water, then pull your canoe up and hike 300 meters to the top. The view from the rocks above is worth every stroke it took to get there. Back at the bottom, the pool at the base of the falls is one of the better swimming holes in the area. No canoe experience required. If you can hold a paddle, you can do this trip. This trip includes canoe rentals, PFDs, paddles and safety kits. **Highlights** **Algonquin Exploration:** The Oxtongue flows straight out of Algonquin Park, with this paddle taking you right to its edge. **Ragged Falls:** The first major waterfall in the Muskoka watershed. View it from the water or hike 300 meters to the top and stand on the rocks while the river rushes around you **Stunning Summer Scenery:** Forested riverbanks, open water, and the kind of quiet you only get when the only sound is your paddle **Event cost: $100+HST (for explorer members) - $60 optional transport available.** **Register [here.](https://www.wildernessunion.com/adventures/up-the-oxtongue)** **About Wilderness Union** Wilderness Union is deliberate about building an outdoors community that connects you to the life-changing magic of the outdoors and helps you find your people. Members range from 20-40 years old. The group is a mix of GTA locals and newcomers to Toronto from within Canada and abroad. Attendance numbers on Meetup don't reflect our actual event attendance - we typically have 15-20 community members at each event. Large enough that there's someone new to meet but small enough that it's not overwhelming! ***Learn more at our website [www.wildernessunion.com](https://www.wildernessunion.com/)***

**Please note the only way to register for this adventure is on [our website.](https://www.wildernessunion.com/adventures/boots-bruce-trail)** ***Join us for this serene and moderately challenging stretch of the famous Bruce Trail.*** This part of the Bruce Trail will take us through lively forests, along Grindstone Creek, and past the dramatic drop of Smokey Hollow Waterfall. Starting at the concrete tunnel under Highway 6 near Waterdown, the trail drops you immediately into deep forests that will make you forget how close you are to the city. Rolling climbs, creek crossings, and rooted terrain keep you on your toes until you hit Smokey Hollow Waterfall: a wide curtain of water spilling over a limestone shelf into a shaded gorge. Beyond the falls, you'll have the trail largely to yourselves as you explore deeper into nature with your fellow adventurers. From there, the path opens into a long gradual climb before flattening out into honest, easy walking to King Road. **Total distance is 17.4 km out-and-back, with 485 metres of elevation gain. This is a solid step up from a beginner day hike but still doable for people with a good fitness level. You'll leave it feeling that sweet satisfaction of accomplishment.** **Highlights** **Smokey Hollow Waterfall:** Expect a wide curtain of water spilling over a limestone shelf into a shaded gorge. It's the natural midpoint of the hike and worth every climb to get there. **Grindstone Creek:** The trail runs alongside the creek for much of the first half, weaving through shaded forest with the sound of water keeping you company**.** **Secluded Nature Close to the City:** Just outside Burlington and about an hour from Toronto, you’ll step onto the trail and be immediately swallowed by nature with nothing around you but trees and creeks. **Event cost: $60+HST (for explorer members) - $30 optional transport available.** **Register [here.](https://www.wildernessunion.com/adventures/boots-bruce-trail)** **About Wilderness Union** Wilderness Union is deliberate about building an outdoors community that connects you to the life-changing magic of the outdoors and helps you find your people. Members range from 20-40 years old. The group is a mix of GTA locals and newcomers to Toronto from within Canada and abroad. Attendance numbers on Meetup don't reflect our actual event attendance - we typically have 15-20 community members at each event. Large enough that there's someone new to meet but small enough that it's not overwhelming! ***Learn more at our website [www.wildernessunion.com](https://www.wildernessunion.com/)***

🍂 **Fall Walk: Rouge National Urban Park** 🌳 is Canada's only Urban Park and is one of our most popular hikes that we do as it's really the only hiking trail in Toronto that you can get to by TTC. Once you are on the trail you will not believe that you are still in the City. Not only will we be walking up and hills but I will take you to one of the best lookout points in the Valley. You don't want to miss an afternoon of hiking. This trail can be a bit challenging (with some ups and downs), so it may not be the best choice for beginners. But if you’re up for it, you’ll feel proud of yourself at the end — and you’ll have shared the experience with a great group of people. After the hike, we’ll enjoy a **group picnic** (30–40 mins). Please bring something small to share — nothing too big so it’s easy to carry! 🥪🍎 *** ### Meetup Details 📍 **Meetup Location (TTC):** On the platform for the **85B bus** at Don Mills Station. Look for me in my Moose Hat 🦌. 🕙 **Meetup Time:** 10:00am (I’ll wait until the bus comes, but remember: *Early is on time, on time is late*.) 🚌 **Bus Leaves:** 10:13am sharp. If you miss it, you won’t be able to join us. 🚗 **By Car:** * Parking is **not available** where we are meeting. If driving, please park at the **Toronto Zoo** (paid parking) and walk to the **Park’s Welcome Centre (the house)**. * Car Meetup Time: 11:00am (we might be a few minutes late arriving). 👟 **Hike Length:** \~2 hours 30 minutes + short break 🧺 **Picnic:** 30–40 minutes after the hike 💲 **Fee:** $5 cash 💵 or e-transfer 📲 to **mathewmaclean@hotmail.com** *** ### What to Bring * Water 💧 * Good walking shoes 👟 * A snack 🍫 * Picnic item to share 🥗 📍 **End Spot:** Park’s Welcome Centre *** ✨ This group is open to anyone who wants to be social, make friends, and enjoy nature. We also run events like movies, hikes, arts & culture, and restaurants. 📱 **Don’t forget to join our WhatsApp group** – [CLICK HERE!](https://chat.whatsapp.com/H59mSCbsAi018gYANrKAnc?mode=ac_t) 🔔 Reminder: You can just show up on the day if you’re not sure ahead of time. ⚠️ Sometimes things happen and I may need to cancel — please keep an eye out for updates. 👤 Organized by Mathew. For questions, post on the wall or email **torontomoviesandoutings@hotmail.com**

**THIS EVENT IS HOSTED BY JAMES.** **TO REGISTER GO TO: [Ontario Backcountry Camping | Meetup](https://www.meetup.com/ontariobackcountry/?eventOrigin=your_groups)** **\*\*\* UPDATE: This trip has been pushed back by a day - now starting Saturday and ending Monday due to the heat this week. Stay for one night or two, up to you. \*\*\*** This is a canoe camping trip to Barker Lake. We will be staying on crown land so camping is free. Barker Lake is about 3.5 hours from Toronto, north of Bon Echo Provincial Park. There are two easy portages along the way, Ashby Lake to King Lake (100m) and King Lake to Barker Lake (75m), both dry and well maintained with some rocks along the path. The parking and put-in is Ashby Lake boat launch, we will meet there at 12pm. The plan is to camp on King or Barker Lake. We can do a day trip into Barker if we decide to camp on King. If you like to fish, and you're not having any luck, it's easy enough to portage from one lake to another to try somewhere else. Ashby Lake is mostly shielded from the wind, has a few cottages and light boat traffic, but mostly wild shoreline along the canoe route. The paddle distance across Ashby Lake is about 4km to the first portage. For fishing, Ashby Lake has lake trout, northern pike, pumpkinseed, smallmouth bass, white sucker, and yellow perch. King Lake is a small lake with crown land along most of the shoreline. There are some campsites, and we can camp here if we find a nice site. It's a 1km paddle across King to the next portage. King Lake has rainbow trout and yellow perch. After the second portage is Barker Lake. There are a few campsites here; one is a nice island site which could be a good spot to camp, and most of the shoreline is crown land. Expect another 2km paddle if we camp here for a total trip distance of 7-8km including portages. Barker Lake has lake trout, pumpkinseed, white sucker, and yellow perch. Have a way to get here and a canoe or kayak, paddle board, paddle partner with a canoe, something of that sort. You are responsible for yourself and your own safety. **LOCATION: Ashby Lake** **784 Ashby Lake Rd · McArthurs Mills, ON**

Please join us the 3rd Wednesday of each month to learn more about the Columbus Ski Club and what we have to offer. Pizza, wings and a variety of appetizers provided. We are a non-profit organization founded in 1958 with over 800 members. The club has grown beyond the single mission of providing members with not only quality skiing events but also year round social and sport activities. Our gatherings are an opportunity for members and non-members to interact and learn about the many activities offered such as euchre, billiards, volleyball, pickleball, tennis, bowling, golf & softball leagues along with ski and non-ski trips. Our members also plan group activities such as visits to wine tastings, bike trips, comedy clubs, concerts, plays and local sports games, etc. CSC membership is not required to belong to the Meetup group. Membership is required in order to participate in most club activities (CSC member). However, anyone (21 and over) is welcome at our meeting gatherings which consist of checking out our current activities and socializing. The annual dues for club membership are $35 with the membership year from September 1st – August 31st. [https://www.columbusskiclub.org/content.aspx?page_id=60&club_id=686961](https://www.columbusskiclub.org/content.aspx?page_id=60&club_id=686961)

Please join us the 3rd Wednesday of each month to learn more about the Columbus Ski Club and what we have to offer. Pizza, wings and a variety of appetizers provided. We are a non-profit organization founded in 1958 with over 800 members. The club has grown beyond the single mission of providing members with not only quality skiing events but also year round social and sport activities. Our gatherings are an opportunity for members and non-members to interact and learn about the many activities offered such as euchre, billiards, volleyball, pickleball, tennis, bowling, golf & softball leagues along with ski and non-ski trips. Our members also plan group activities such as visits to wine tastings, bike trips, comedy clubs, concerts, plays and local sports games, etc. CSC membership is not required to belong to the Meetup group. Membership is required in order to participate in most club activities (CSC member). However, anyone (21 and over) is welcome at our meeting gatherings which consist of checking out our current activities and socializing. The annual dues for club membership are $35 with the membership year from September 1st – August 31st. [https://www.columbusskiclub.org/content.aspx?page_id=60&club_id=686961](https://www.columbusskiclub.org/content.aspx?page_id=60&club_id=686961)

This meeting will be a discussion about living your life with vision loss. For some, the incremental or sudden loss of vision is traumatic and hopeless. Our group assures those with vision loss that adjustment is possible and necessary. Through their lived experience, our participants support and encourage all. You can also join the meeting by Conference Call at (518) 263-8851.

Highlights and Hidden Gems in SQL Server 2025 With so much emphasis on cloud data platforms and AI these days, SQL people can feel left behind by all the marketing hype. SQL Server 2025 was officially released in November of 2025, though, and contains a ton of improvements that will make our SQL Server deployments a bit faster, better, and more secure. There are even more improvements tucked into the release that never made a marketing blog or press release that you'll likely be learning about for the first time in this session! Join this session to learn about what makes your high availability a little more available, your performance a bit more performant, and your database more developer and app-friendly. Come spend an hour with SQL people talking SQL Server 2025 – the good, the "not quite ready for prime time", and the hidden awesomeness.