Rick Meloen is a strong advocate for learning about the history of the town.

He has a lifetime of knowledge and experience with the inner workings of Niagara-on-the-Lake and on April 22, he’ll share some of what he’s gathered over the years during a Live & Learn session at the public library.

Titled “A Walk Through History: NOTL’s Upper Canada Heritage Trail,” Meloen’s talk will offer a brief history of the railroad to Niagara and the heritage rrail.

A lifelong resident of NOTL, Meloen is the chair of the heritage trail committee and a member of the Niagara Historical Society, where he volunteers as a tour guide.

“This will be a bit of history of when the railroad first came in 1854, right up to 1959 when the trains stopped coming to Niagara,” Meloen told The Lake Report.

His presentation will feature some “interesting tidbits” that perhaps some NOTLers didn’t know about, he said.

“There’s an interesting fellow who was involved with the railroad called Samuel Zimmerman, so without giving too much away I will be talking about him,” Meloen said.

“And, of course, I will be giving an overview of the trail, where we are now and where the trail construction is headed,” he continued. 

For him, the heritage trail is a way of preserving our town’s heritage, he said.

“It’s not only a trail for people to enjoy the outdoors and get their exercise, it’s also a way of preserving our history which means a lot to me,” Meloen said.

Registration for the April 22 session is open on the library website, notlpubliclibrary.org. It will begin at 6:30 p.m. at the NOTL Public Library.