If you want to enjoy a day of fun and adventure with your furry friend — as well as support the restoration of a historical part of Niagara-on-the-Lake for all to enjoy — the Paws on the Trail dog walk this fall is the place to be.

This year’s Paws on the Trail, a dog walk fundraiser held every year to support the rehabiliation of the Upper Canada Heritage Trail, is set for Saturday, Sept. 7 at Veterans Memorial Park.

The dog walk starts at 10 a.m., with registration beginning at 9 a.m. at 370 King St., and can be completed in any distance from 2K to 4k along the trail and off the roads.

Tickets are on sale now at $30 plus tax per person, allowing you to bring up to two furry friends, on-leash, for the walk.

The first 60 people to register for Paws on the Trail will receive a special participation medal for their pup, and there’ll be plenty more to enjoy during the walk, including a doggie kissing booth, swag bags and puppy products for purchase.

All the revenue, plus donations made at the event, will go toward the work of the town’s heritage trail committee in restoring the town’s old rail line into a 10-kilometre multi-use trail for the public.

This trail follows the historic rail line of the old Erie and Ontario Railway, which connected steamship passengers coming from Toronto to Niagara Falls, Buffalo and beyond for almost 100 years, before it was discontinued in the late 1950s.

Specifically, the restoration project involves making the trail more accessible after years of disrepair, foliage overgrowth and erosion.

The team behind the restoration says work on the second of four work phases for the trail will be finished this year.

This second phase, supported by a $60,000 government grant, goes from East-West Line to Line 3.

To date, the heritage trail committee, which was established in 2017, has raised nearly $200,000 since fundraising began.

To register for Paws on the Trail, or more information, visit heritagetrail.ca or look up “Paws on the Trail 2024” on eventbrite.ca.