Garnet Pottruff stands among the trees and blowing grass and sees the farmhouse where he grew up.

The sturdy brick foundation of his family home remains on part of the Eramosa Karst land, just off Upper Mount Albion Road. And a short run from the home, the fit 84-year-old remembers hiding with his friends in the now provincially protected caves.

"There used to be three springs there," he said. "We used to drink the water. It was pure and cold."

It was a moment of reverie for Mr. Pottruff, after joining his son and about 100 people to celebrate the official opening of the Eramosa Karst Conservation Area last week.

An information kiosk with interpretive panels, washrooms, landscaping and fencing is expected to be completed this summer, as well as parking off of Mount Albion, tree planting and an amphitheatre.

"This is just beautiful," said Mr. Pottruff. "It's just tremendous knowing this land will be preserved."

Of the 180.5 acres of karst lands officially transferred from the province to the Hamilton Conservation Authority in October 2006, about 160 acres used to be owned by the Pottruff family.

This type of public land makes large cities into welcoming communities, said Ben Vanderbrug, founding general manager of the HCA.

"I am more convinced than ever the success of urban communities is because of having open space," he said.

Looking around the Hamilton area, he said "we have only scratched the surface. There are many blank spots the HCA should look at."

The karst is the first major conservation area the HCA has created in more than 20 years. Since its formation 50 years ago as the Spencer Creek Conservation Authority, its goal, he said, has been to acquire 225 acres of land per year. This year, the HCA's business plan reinforced that direction.

"It has taken its mandate of open space very seriously," said Mr. Vanderbrug.

Chris Firth-Eagland, chair of the HCA, said the ceremony means more land for public use.

"This is truly a cooperative effort," he said. "We are the new kids on the block and have gained some good neighbours."

He ticked off the Stoney Creek Lions Club, area schools, Friends of the Eramosa Karst and the Heritage Green Community Trust, which have assisted the association.

To maintain and operate the Eramosa Karst Conservation Area as a place for exploration, education and peaceful contemplation, the Heritage Green Community Trust presented the HCA with $750,000 Friday, the final payment of the trust's $1.5 million donation, the largest the HCA has ever received.

"This is to provide accessible green space for this community," said Doug Duke, chair of the trust.

The 13,000-year-old karst contains about 16 different karst features, including a 335-metre-long cave, the 10th longest in Ontario, dry valleys, soil pipes, sinking streams and overflow sinks.

The event also celebrated the East Mountain Trail Loop, a 10-kilometre multi-use pathway with Aldo DeSantis, president of Multi-Area Developments Inc. presenting the Hamilton Conservation Foundation with $50,000, the final installment to his $100,000 pledge toward constructing the East Mountain Trail Loop.

The HCF has raised $350,000 for the project, more than half of its $660,000 cost.

The $3.5 million joint project between the city and the HCA, is part of the Red Hill Valley Open Space Replacement Strategy to compensate the community for the 70 hectares of natural space lost to the Red Hill Valley Parkway. The loop will link 155 hectares of land to more than 240 hectares of open space in Stoney Creek and the East Hamilton Mountain. The HCA is committed to constructing three kilometres, while the city is scheduled to construct seven kilometres.

Matt Casey, chair of the Hamilton Conservation Foundation, said he hopes construction on the HCA's section can begin in the fall of 2009.

The initial section will start at Felker's Falls and run west along the escarpment through Paramount Park to connect to the existing Red Hill Valley Trail by Upper Mount Albion Road and Old Mud Street. This section needs a development permit from the Niagara Escarpment Commission.

The second phase, which will need funding approval from city council, is set to begin next year and will start at Upper Mount Albion south of Highland Road and run east through the karst before turning northeast to following an existing corridor between two subdivisions to Valley Park.

The third phase is planned for 2010 and will connect the section between Valley Park and Felker's Falls.

A fourth phase is expected to cost about $2 million and provide a connection over the Lincoln Alexander Expressway by 2014.

The Eramosa Karst is Hamilton Conservation Authority's newest conservation area and some residents' oldest playground.

Located in upper Stoney Creek, it extends from Highland Road to south of Rymal Road and from Upper Mount Albion Road to Second Road West.

The Ministry of Natural Resources designated the lands as an area of natural and scientific interest in 2003, because it is believed to have the largest number of unique karst features in any single area in Ontario, including . sinking streams, overflow sinks, dry valleys and a 335-metre-long cave. In addition, an inventory of the property in 2000 and 2001 found 94 species of vascular plants, three species of reptiles and amphibians, 34 species of nesting birds, five species of mammals and 14 species of butterflies.

At 180 acres, the Eramosa Karst is a mix of open land and woodlands of various ages, including sugar maple forests and shrub thickets. There are also old farm fields.

Garnet Pottruff, who grew up on the Eramosa Karst lands, remembers his time there as if it were yesterday.

"Around the cave, there was a big bush, a maple bush and my next-door neighbour and I used to run through there and play with our dogs every Saturday afternoon," said the 84-year-old. "We would run through there with our dogs every day after school too, that was our pastime. Those were beautiful times back on the farm."

The farm was in Pottruff ownership for three or four generations and specialized in beef and dairy cattle.

"We also had grain, hay, chickens and pigs, it was just a general farm," said Mr. Pottruff. "In addition to the cave, there was also three ever-flowing springs on the farm. I suppose my family might have come up from the states in the 1800s and that's why they picked the farm, because it had these three ever-flowing springs. It was great for pasturing cattle and everything."

Growing up with three older brothers, Mr. Pottruff says theywere never short of things to do.

"We did a lot of exploring. We knew the lands like the back of our hand," he said. "It was probably some of the happiest years of my life."

Bill Uhler, who grew up on the same farm after the Pottruff's sold it in the 1940s, also remembers his time on the land fondly.

"I played in the caves and all that, 60 years ago or more, but it seems like only yesterday," said the 68-year-old. "I remember everything."

The Uhler farm specialized in beef cattle and the family also had hay, chickens and pigs.

Before his dad sold the farm in 1970, Mr. Uhler built a house next-door to the property in 1968. He still lives there.

"What's neat is I played in the caves and in the bush, when I was younger and my kids got to do the same. It's a beautiful area, with many things to discover."

The area brings the total lands owned or managed by the HCA and held in public trust to more than 10,700 acres.

And Mr. Pottruff and Mr. Uhler couldn't be happier about the acquisition.

"We're just delighted that it's being designated a karst conservation area," said Mr. Pottruff.

"I'll tell you one thing, the conservation guys that have worked on it for the last two years are great people," added Mr. Uhler. "I think the whole thing is great, because there's a lot of memories there and that's never going to change.

"I can walk back there 10 years from now and see it the way that it's always been. It's kind of like a key to the past, I guess, for me."