As published in The Erin Advocate
Some of my best friends are of the leafy, green persuasion. You know the type: perennial sun worshippers, on the tall side, firmly attached to the earth. I've never hugged one, but they do make for excellent company.
Until recently in our history, trees were seen mainly as obstacles to agriculture and as raw material for paper and lumber. Now, we sense more of a common cause among carbon based entities. When God told the first humans to "subdue" the earth (Genesis 1:28), that did not mean we should obliterate the very life forms She created to provide us with oxygen.
Greenery, unlike oil, is relatively easy to replenish. Do you see the newsprint you are holding as a product of dead trees, or as a renewable resource? We are lucky, too, to live in an area that has not been generally paved over.
"Erin is an emerald jewel in the heart of Ontario," said Bill Dinwoody, of the Recreation and Culture Committee, at a presentation to Town Council last month on trails and trees.
There is an effort to have the Town of Erin get more involved in tree planting. For the Town, the volume of trees is not the main issue. It is a matter of strategic planting on public land, and encouragement of planting on private land, to make the Town more attractive.
Of course there are other long-term benefits, like more shade, less erosion, better wildlife habitat, natural snow fencing and a place to hang your rope swing. Tree planting brings people together and erects living monuments to our shared values.
"The Town needs to take a leadership role," said trails enthusiast Steve Revell, who urged Council to consider a town-wide tree plan.
Credit Valley Conservation (CVC) has a broader mandate, since the sheer volume of trees is an important factor in the global effort to slow the rate of climate change.
"CVC is concerned that the potential impacts of climate change may adversely affect the watershed and has a number of initiatives in its strategic plan to both learn more about the potential impacts of climate change and to develop approaches to mitigate them," said a CVC report, done by Woodrising Consulting and ArborVitae Environmental Services.
Using scientific models, they estimated that the 16,844 hectares of forest in the Credit Valley watershed holds about 6.52 million tonnes of carbon, 48 percent in living biomass, 13 percent in dead wood and forest litter and 39 percent in the soil. CVC owns about eight percent of the forest lands.
"CVC recognizes that it can also play a role in efforts to reduce emissions of greenhouse gases (GHG) and to enhance the sequestration, or long-term removal, of GHG from the atmosphere. Forests and wetlands have the ability to act as carbon sinks, absorbing and storing carbon dioxide, the most widely known and ubiquitous GHG."
Rising atmospheric carbon dioxide levels are generally not causing forests to grow faster and increase their rates of carbon sequestration. All the more reason to reduce GHG emissions and plant as many trees as possible.
Since 1960, CVC, the Ministry of Natural Resources and partners such as the Boy Scouts, have planted 2,534 hectares of trees in our watershed, which are moving into a rapid growth phase. CVC plans to plant 57 hectares of trees annually until 2014, and 91 hectares annually from 2015 to 2030.
The portion of the sequestration caused by future plantings may be worth hundreds of thousands of dollars in the carbon market, an international mechanism intended to drive down industrial emissions through financial incentives.
New tree planting in the watershed is expected to sequester 5,459 tonnes of carbon per year. Unfortunately, about 7,500 tonnes is lost every year as 25-50 hectares of forest is chopped down to make way for new homes, businesses and roads. It is not happening in Erin, but it is not all that far away.
A recent CVC Fact Sheet describes the process: "Development removes all of the live biomass (organisms) and dead wood, causing the stored carbon to be emitted. Much of the carbon in the soil is emitted as well. Clearly, reducing forest loss is just as important as planting new trees."
January 26, 2011
January 19, 2011
Something special needed beside the Tim Horton's
As published in The Erin Advocate
With construction of the Tim Horton's progressing quickly at the north end of Erin village, I hope it is not too late to put in some suggestions for the lot next door, owned by developer Shane Baghai.
He invited suggestions from the public last month and ideas ranged from a pool to a grocery store. I thought back to the start of the Servicing and Settlement Master Plan (SSMP) in 2009, when people were asked what they thought was needed in Erin.
A Tim Horton's was one of the most common suggestions, along with more stores, affordable housing for seniors, better health services, more parks and trails, a pool and many other things – even a paintball arena. The SSMP study is not just about sewers. It is a formal Environmental Assessment of how Erin will evolve, and there will be more opportunities this year for public input.
With construction of the medical centre and the donut shop, Baghai has in short order fulfilled two items on Erin's wish list, while the SSMP chugs along at a snail's pace.
If the Town ever decides to build a sewer system, perhaps Baghai could be engaged to get the job done quickly. Actually, I take that suggestion back; public works should be publicly owned and operated, much as we may be tempted to privatize.
The Town needs to work with developers in a business-like fashion, seeking benefits for taxpayers, just as developers seek a good return on their investment. We cannot expect an entrepreneur to build a pool, with no chance of recouping their money. The Town couldn't afford to maintain a pool, even if were given to us.
So what are the realistic possibilities for this "third lot"? It should probably be a project that will not generate a large amount of traffic. There will already be vehicle issues with Tim Horton's, such as truckers wanting to stop on the shoulders on both sides of the road, no access via the stop light intersection and traffic on Thompson Crescent. That zone could not handle a fast food restaurant, for example, and many people would not want one in the village.
What I would really like to see is a development with some retail on the ground floor and apartments for seniors above – or even a retirement home. The need is great, but I am not hopeful, since the land is not designated for residential growth. There may be better sites, and the Town has frozen residential development while the SSMP is in progress. I don't know if Council could make an exception for a highly desirable project.
I have not spoken with the developer, but I think he would like something that could be built soon, produce a solid revenue stream and look classy. We are a small market, and any growth is projected to be moderate. And while competition is a good thing, I would rather see a new development draw revenue away from other towns, instead of drawing it away from existing Erin businesses. We would appreciate services that we currently have to drive elsewhere to obtain.
If it is to be a store, or group of stores, the SSMP participants suggested a need for clothing and sporting goods. How about electronics equipment? In the entertainment realm, perhaps a bowling alley or a laser-quest style facility. How about an artists' co-op, flea market or farmers' market?
Exactly what goes there depends on an assessment of the market by those putting their money at risk. The main question for the public is whether it will enhance the Town as a place to live and a place to visit.
I am hoping for something practical and distinctive, both in concept and physical appearance. Something that will build on Erin's charm, not dilute it. I do not want to see the town develop into a miniature version of the urban areas I moved here to get away from.
From what I have seen so far, Mr. Baghai has the imagination and drive to make something special happen.
With construction of the Tim Horton's progressing quickly at the north end of Erin village, I hope it is not too late to put in some suggestions for the lot next door, owned by developer Shane Baghai.
He invited suggestions from the public last month and ideas ranged from a pool to a grocery store. I thought back to the start of the Servicing and Settlement Master Plan (SSMP) in 2009, when people were asked what they thought was needed in Erin.
A Tim Horton's was one of the most common suggestions, along with more stores, affordable housing for seniors, better health services, more parks and trails, a pool and many other things – even a paintball arena. The SSMP study is not just about sewers. It is a formal Environmental Assessment of how Erin will evolve, and there will be more opportunities this year for public input.
With construction of the medical centre and the donut shop, Baghai has in short order fulfilled two items on Erin's wish list, while the SSMP chugs along at a snail's pace.
If the Town ever decides to build a sewer system, perhaps Baghai could be engaged to get the job done quickly. Actually, I take that suggestion back; public works should be publicly owned and operated, much as we may be tempted to privatize.
The Town needs to work with developers in a business-like fashion, seeking benefits for taxpayers, just as developers seek a good return on their investment. We cannot expect an entrepreneur to build a pool, with no chance of recouping their money. The Town couldn't afford to maintain a pool, even if were given to us.
So what are the realistic possibilities for this "third lot"? It should probably be a project that will not generate a large amount of traffic. There will already be vehicle issues with Tim Horton's, such as truckers wanting to stop on the shoulders on both sides of the road, no access via the stop light intersection and traffic on Thompson Crescent. That zone could not handle a fast food restaurant, for example, and many people would not want one in the village.
What I would really like to see is a development with some retail on the ground floor and apartments for seniors above – or even a retirement home. The need is great, but I am not hopeful, since the land is not designated for residential growth. There may be better sites, and the Town has frozen residential development while the SSMP is in progress. I don't know if Council could make an exception for a highly desirable project.
I have not spoken with the developer, but I think he would like something that could be built soon, produce a solid revenue stream and look classy. We are a small market, and any growth is projected to be moderate. And while competition is a good thing, I would rather see a new development draw revenue away from other towns, instead of drawing it away from existing Erin businesses. We would appreciate services that we currently have to drive elsewhere to obtain.
If it is to be a store, or group of stores, the SSMP participants suggested a need for clothing and sporting goods. How about electronics equipment? In the entertainment realm, perhaps a bowling alley or a laser-quest style facility. How about an artists' co-op, flea market or farmers' market?
Exactly what goes there depends on an assessment of the market by those putting their money at risk. The main question for the public is whether it will enhance the Town as a place to live and a place to visit.
I am hoping for something practical and distinctive, both in concept and physical appearance. Something that will build on Erin's charm, not dilute it. I do not want to see the town develop into a miniature version of the urban areas I moved here to get away from.
From what I have seen so far, Mr. Baghai has the imagination and drive to make something special happen.
January 12, 2011
Try not to worry about things that might happen
As published in The Erin Advocate
I had a good time at the Mayor's Levee on New Year's Day, skating at Centre 2000. It was a nice family event, with little kids learning to skate, budding hockey tykes showing off their skills, parents chatting while keeping an eye on their broods and old folks proving that they can still get around on the ice.
A "levee" can mean any sort of reception, but it was originally an assembly of men hosted by the British monarch. Mayor Lou Maieron was on duty to greet the masses, and showed a good example by wearing a helmet, instead of a crown.
I've been skating on Monday mornings at the arena this winter, and I've taken to wearing a helmet as well, after a friend of mine fell and suffered a serious head injury. After a year, she is still struggling to make a full recovery.
My caution was reinforced at the levee when I saw a gentleman stumble and crash head-first into the boards. He ended up with a cut over his eye that took four stitches to close.
I'm not old yet (at least I don't think I am), and if I keep my body and brain active, I may be able to put off that stage for a good long while. The aches and pains are increasing, but they seem to rotate to different areas, instead of striking all at once. As my mother is fond of saying, "Getting old is not for sissies."
I went to visit her in Cambridge after the levee. Last spring, at the age of 80, she was golfing and swimming, after recovering from her second major cancer surgery. It was a short reprieve, however. Now it is in her bones and she can barely stand up.
We are at the stage where survival is estimated in months and relief measured in doses of morphine. It is a stark reminder that the advances of medicine may improve our quality of life for a certain time, but cannot save us from the inevitable.
She has made a transition, from strong and independent to frail and vulnerable, while maintaining a positive attitude, which is quite an accomplishment. Her faith in God is strong, and I think she wants to teach by example that suffering is to be expected, and accepted without a big fuss.
She will not be impressed if she reads this, only because these things are so apparent that to write them down shows an excess of sentimentality. The need to write things down can be a curse. Or perhaps it is a form of therapy, an attempt to impose some order on a confusing array of thoughts.
Anyhow, we had a good Christmas. She was able to come to the table and enjoy dinner in the company of her children, grandchildren and of course my father, who has devoted himself to her care without a big fuss.
A few days later, my sister and I were sitting at their kitchen table, working on things like the medication schedule and the power of attorney document, and my father seemed concerned about us.
"Try not to worry about things that might happen," he said.
That sounds like a good New Year's resolution, one that might make the other resolutions easier to achieve.
I had a good time at the Mayor's Levee on New Year's Day, skating at Centre 2000. It was a nice family event, with little kids learning to skate, budding hockey tykes showing off their skills, parents chatting while keeping an eye on their broods and old folks proving that they can still get around on the ice.
A "levee" can mean any sort of reception, but it was originally an assembly of men hosted by the British monarch. Mayor Lou Maieron was on duty to greet the masses, and showed a good example by wearing a helmet, instead of a crown.
I've been skating on Monday mornings at the arena this winter, and I've taken to wearing a helmet as well, after a friend of mine fell and suffered a serious head injury. After a year, she is still struggling to make a full recovery.
My caution was reinforced at the levee when I saw a gentleman stumble and crash head-first into the boards. He ended up with a cut over his eye that took four stitches to close.
I'm not old yet (at least I don't think I am), and if I keep my body and brain active, I may be able to put off that stage for a good long while. The aches and pains are increasing, but they seem to rotate to different areas, instead of striking all at once. As my mother is fond of saying, "Getting old is not for sissies."
I went to visit her in Cambridge after the levee. Last spring, at the age of 80, she was golfing and swimming, after recovering from her second major cancer surgery. It was a short reprieve, however. Now it is in her bones and she can barely stand up.
We are at the stage where survival is estimated in months and relief measured in doses of morphine. It is a stark reminder that the advances of medicine may improve our quality of life for a certain time, but cannot save us from the inevitable.
She has made a transition, from strong and independent to frail and vulnerable, while maintaining a positive attitude, which is quite an accomplishment. Her faith in God is strong, and I think she wants to teach by example that suffering is to be expected, and accepted without a big fuss.
She will not be impressed if she reads this, only because these things are so apparent that to write them down shows an excess of sentimentality. The need to write things down can be a curse. Or perhaps it is a form of therapy, an attempt to impose some order on a confusing array of thoughts.
Anyhow, we had a good Christmas. She was able to come to the table and enjoy dinner in the company of her children, grandchildren and of course my father, who has devoted himself to her care without a big fuss.
A few days later, my sister and I were sitting at their kitchen table, working on things like the medication schedule and the power of attorney document, and my father seemed concerned about us.
"Try not to worry about things that might happen," he said.
That sounds like a good New Year's resolution, one that might make the other resolutions easier to achieve.
December 29, 2010
Dams should be part of Erin's business plan
As published in The Erin Advocate
If the dams in Erin village are going to stay in place for many decades to come, as it appears they will, they should become part of a plan to attract more visitors to the area. The West Credit River is a treasure that could be made more scenic, and more accessible to the public.
The Church Street Dam has ugly slabs of concrete at odd angles (some of them crumbling), broken safety railings, a heavy-duty guard rail and a steel girder sticking out of the water. The Town eventually needs to fix it up or tear it down.
With more frequent and severe weather events anticipated as a result of climate change, there will be extra strain on dams, so they cannot simply be ignored. I asked Bob Morris of Credit Valley Conservation (CVC) how important the village dams are for stormwater management.
"Not likely any significant role, especially if floods threaten structural integrity," he said. The goal is to control stormwater before it reaches the river. "Dams that trap sediment actually create sediment problems upstream and more erosion problems downstream."
The public land between the Church Street Dam and the Valu-Mart parking lot has potential as a park – an idea that has been around for years. It is an inexpensive project that the Town could undertake at any time, requiring some benches, waste containers and a sign. The trees could be thinned out to create a fantastic view of the river.
If the dam were eventually taken down, it could be replaced with stepped rocky ledges, which would still hold the water back somewhat, but create a series of pools that would also be quite attractive.
Whether the dam is there or not, the park could be an important hub in a network of trails that would bring more visitors to the village. There could be a route from that park upstream to Dundas Street, to the park on Carberry Street, across the south dam of Stanley Park and on up to the Trans-Canada Trail (Elora-Cataract).
Another trail could go from the Church Street Dam, possibly using part of the roadway to the old village landfill site, taking hikers up to the Height-of-Land Trail, south to the water tower and back down to William Street.
Obviously there are privately-owned lands involved. But if the Bruce Trail Association has built 1,000 kilometres of trails between Tobermory and Niagara-on-the-Lake by making deals with landowners, and acquiring land when it could, surely Erin can develop a few kilometres of trails.
CVC may be interested in acquiring more riverfront land, as it has done extensively in Caledon. There is possible funding for this sort of effort, but only if there is a plan. A committee of citizens will be working on that in the coming year.
Perhaps the most significant parcel of riverfront land for the long-term future of downtown Erin is the Mundell lumber yard. Owner Dana Mundell would like to move his lumber operation to the north end of the village and develop the vacated strip, anchored by the Planing Mill at the south, and the Grist Mill at Daniel Street. The Town, however, will not allow development there until a sewer system is built.
It is a long-term project, but the possibilities are exciting. There could be a boardwalk along the river leading to McMillan Park and a bridge over the river to the Woollen Mills Trail. There could be a cycling route, bypassing the Main Street traffic. There could be a pedestrian area, with a series of shops and restaurants facing the river.
Other towns have restored historic mills, making them successful as educational sites and commercial ventures. The belt-driven Planing Mill, with its ornate 19th century woodworking machines, is particularly important, since it dates back to 1838.
It is the last such mill in the Credit Valley watershed which can still be operated. People would line up and pay good money to see it in action. Perhaps it is pre-mature to put too many public expectations on the site, which is still part of a private business, but it has the potential to become a more prominent part of Erin's identity.
The mill is powered by water from the Charles Street Dam, through a flume that passes under Main Street. The same water could also generate electricity on a small scale. There are various arguments in favour of preserving this dam, which gave the village its start, but the existence of a functional mill is certainly the strongest.
If the dams in Erin village are going to stay in place for many decades to come, as it appears they will, they should become part of a plan to attract more visitors to the area. The West Credit River is a treasure that could be made more scenic, and more accessible to the public.
The Church Street Dam has ugly slabs of concrete at odd angles (some of them crumbling), broken safety railings, a heavy-duty guard rail and a steel girder sticking out of the water. The Town eventually needs to fix it up or tear it down.
With more frequent and severe weather events anticipated as a result of climate change, there will be extra strain on dams, so they cannot simply be ignored. I asked Bob Morris of Credit Valley Conservation (CVC) how important the village dams are for stormwater management.
"Not likely any significant role, especially if floods threaten structural integrity," he said. The goal is to control stormwater before it reaches the river. "Dams that trap sediment actually create sediment problems upstream and more erosion problems downstream."
The public land between the Church Street Dam and the Valu-Mart parking lot has potential as a park – an idea that has been around for years. It is an inexpensive project that the Town could undertake at any time, requiring some benches, waste containers and a sign. The trees could be thinned out to create a fantastic view of the river.
If the dam were eventually taken down, it could be replaced with stepped rocky ledges, which would still hold the water back somewhat, but create a series of pools that would also be quite attractive.
Whether the dam is there or not, the park could be an important hub in a network of trails that would bring more visitors to the village. There could be a route from that park upstream to Dundas Street, to the park on Carberry Street, across the south dam of Stanley Park and on up to the Trans-Canada Trail (Elora-Cataract).
Another trail could go from the Church Street Dam, possibly using part of the roadway to the old village landfill site, taking hikers up to the Height-of-Land Trail, south to the water tower and back down to William Street.
Obviously there are privately-owned lands involved. But if the Bruce Trail Association has built 1,000 kilometres of trails between Tobermory and Niagara-on-the-Lake by making deals with landowners, and acquiring land when it could, surely Erin can develop a few kilometres of trails.
CVC may be interested in acquiring more riverfront land, as it has done extensively in Caledon. There is possible funding for this sort of effort, but only if there is a plan. A committee of citizens will be working on that in the coming year.
Perhaps the most significant parcel of riverfront land for the long-term future of downtown Erin is the Mundell lumber yard. Owner Dana Mundell would like to move his lumber operation to the north end of the village and develop the vacated strip, anchored by the Planing Mill at the south, and the Grist Mill at Daniel Street. The Town, however, will not allow development there until a sewer system is built.
It is a long-term project, but the possibilities are exciting. There could be a boardwalk along the river leading to McMillan Park and a bridge over the river to the Woollen Mills Trail. There could be a cycling route, bypassing the Main Street traffic. There could be a pedestrian area, with a series of shops and restaurants facing the river.
Other towns have restored historic mills, making them successful as educational sites and commercial ventures. The belt-driven Planing Mill, with its ornate 19th century woodworking machines, is particularly important, since it dates back to 1838.
It is the last such mill in the Credit Valley watershed which can still be operated. People would line up and pay good money to see it in action. Perhaps it is pre-mature to put too many public expectations on the site, which is still part of a private business, but it has the potential to become a more prominent part of Erin's identity.
The mill is powered by water from the Charles Street Dam, through a flume that passes under Main Street. The same water could also generate electricity on a small scale. There are various arguments in favour of preserving this dam, which gave the village its start, but the existence of a functional mill is certainly the strongest.
December 22, 2010
Expensive upgrades could reduce impact of dams
As published in The Erin Advocate
When I think of dams, I think of farms. They do not look much alike, but they are both drastic human interventions in the environment, redirecting the power of nature to serve our needs. Dams and their mill ponds are often quite scenic, but unlike farms, they have become industrial relics.
There are more than 500 dams in the Credit River watershed, including several in the Erin-Hillsburgh area. Most were built in the mid-1800s as European settlers made a furious effort to tame the Ontario wilderness, building mills to saw up trees as they cleared the land and grinding grain from the new farms.
Many dams are still worth preserving, for historical, cultural and environmental reasons. But are we willing to pay millions of dollars in the long term to maintain and rebuild structures that have lost their original economic purpose? Will our descendants see the value in them 100 or 200 years from now?
The best options for Erin dams will have to be determined by dam owners, the local community and technical studies. What follows is simply a look at what changes may be possible to improve safety and water quality.
With the provincial government considering expensive new regulations for maintaining dams, I called Bob Morris, an aquatic biologist and Manager of Natural Heritage at Credit Valley Conservation (CVC), to get some background.
CVC has no direct authority over normal dam operations. The Ministry of Natural Resources (MNR) is responsible for dams, but does not currently keep track of their maintenance. The CVC and MNR get involved when permits are needed for repairs or alterations. Dam owners are liable when a dam fails and causes damage to other landowners downstream or to the river environment.
"It is assumed that dam owners would take necessary precautions to prevent such an event but regulations are not likely to be applied until such a failure," said Morris.
"Dam owners must apply for a permit to repair or alter a dam and only then does MNR become aware of any safety issues. It would be unlawful to flush sediments downstream. Owners are responsible for maintenance, operations and surveillance of their dams."
The Charles Street and Church Street dams in Erin village were identified in 1997 as "structurally inadequate" by modern standards, but the CVC would not offer an opinion on their current safety or need for repair. The Church Street structure has some areas of crumbling concrete, but to an amateur observer it appears to be solid.
CVC can provide maintenance advice to dam owners to reduce damage to the environment and improve safety. Possible changes include fish ladders or rocky ramps, designed to enable migration of local fish species.
Ponds typically have higher water temperatures, which can be detrimental to the environment downstream. This can be offset by a "bottom draw", a separate pipe which in the summer would discharge some of the cooler water at the bottom of a deep pond.
Other pond problems include sediment build-up, high levels of nutrients and low levels of dissolved oxygen, leading to algae growth. Dredging and disposing of sediment is very expensive, and does not provide a long-term solution.
"CVC promotes the development of wetland communities in impoundments to improve some water quality parameters and habitat values," said Morris. "Dredging is generally discouraged."
Other possible changes include lowering a dam, which would leave the sediment in place and result in more wetland vegetation. Bypass channels can be used to divert a portion of the river flow around a dam, or even around a whole pond. Rocks can be used to build up the stream bed near a dam, or create a stepped series of riffles and pools.
If it is determined that a dam should be removed, the largest environmental concern is to avoid releasing sediment downstream during the project.
"Full removal of the dam and sediment would achieve full stream and valley restoration, that is best in many situations, but not always feasible in terms of economics and landowner objectives," said Morris. "The main issue seems to be public acceptance of losing a cultural feature and open water body that is different from a stream. Cost is also a big issue – but so are repairs or liability costs after a failure."
Could our dams be part of a plan to bring more tourists to the area? Are they essential for stormwater management? More on these issues next week.
When I think of dams, I think of farms. They do not look much alike, but they are both drastic human interventions in the environment, redirecting the power of nature to serve our needs. Dams and their mill ponds are often quite scenic, but unlike farms, they have become industrial relics.
There are more than 500 dams in the Credit River watershed, including several in the Erin-Hillsburgh area. Most were built in the mid-1800s as European settlers made a furious effort to tame the Ontario wilderness, building mills to saw up trees as they cleared the land and grinding grain from the new farms.
Many dams are still worth preserving, for historical, cultural and environmental reasons. But are we willing to pay millions of dollars in the long term to maintain and rebuild structures that have lost their original economic purpose? Will our descendants see the value in them 100 or 200 years from now?
The best options for Erin dams will have to be determined by dam owners, the local community and technical studies. What follows is simply a look at what changes may be possible to improve safety and water quality.
With the provincial government considering expensive new regulations for maintaining dams, I called Bob Morris, an aquatic biologist and Manager of Natural Heritage at Credit Valley Conservation (CVC), to get some background.
CVC has no direct authority over normal dam operations. The Ministry of Natural Resources (MNR) is responsible for dams, but does not currently keep track of their maintenance. The CVC and MNR get involved when permits are needed for repairs or alterations. Dam owners are liable when a dam fails and causes damage to other landowners downstream or to the river environment.
"It is assumed that dam owners would take necessary precautions to prevent such an event but regulations are not likely to be applied until such a failure," said Morris.
"Dam owners must apply for a permit to repair or alter a dam and only then does MNR become aware of any safety issues. It would be unlawful to flush sediments downstream. Owners are responsible for maintenance, operations and surveillance of their dams."
The Charles Street and Church Street dams in Erin village were identified in 1997 as "structurally inadequate" by modern standards, but the CVC would not offer an opinion on their current safety or need for repair. The Church Street structure has some areas of crumbling concrete, but to an amateur observer it appears to be solid.
CVC can provide maintenance advice to dam owners to reduce damage to the environment and improve safety. Possible changes include fish ladders or rocky ramps, designed to enable migration of local fish species.
Ponds typically have higher water temperatures, which can be detrimental to the environment downstream. This can be offset by a "bottom draw", a separate pipe which in the summer would discharge some of the cooler water at the bottom of a deep pond.
Other pond problems include sediment build-up, high levels of nutrients and low levels of dissolved oxygen, leading to algae growth. Dredging and disposing of sediment is very expensive, and does not provide a long-term solution.
"CVC promotes the development of wetland communities in impoundments to improve some water quality parameters and habitat values," said Morris. "Dredging is generally discouraged."
Other possible changes include lowering a dam, which would leave the sediment in place and result in more wetland vegetation. Bypass channels can be used to divert a portion of the river flow around a dam, or even around a whole pond. Rocks can be used to build up the stream bed near a dam, or create a stepped series of riffles and pools.
If it is determined that a dam should be removed, the largest environmental concern is to avoid releasing sediment downstream during the project.
"Full removal of the dam and sediment would achieve full stream and valley restoration, that is best in many situations, but not always feasible in terms of economics and landowner objectives," said Morris. "The main issue seems to be public acceptance of losing a cultural feature and open water body that is different from a stream. Cost is also a big issue – but so are repairs or liability costs after a failure."
Could our dams be part of a plan to bring more tourists to the area? Are they essential for stormwater management? More on these issues next week.
December 15, 2010
New dam regulations too expensive for Erin
As published in The Erin Advocate
The Town of Erin could be forced to remove the Church Street Dam on the West Credit River if it cannot afford the cost of maintaining it under new regulations now being proposed.
The Ministry of Natural Resources (MNR) is responsible for Ontario dams, but no requirements now exist to ensure safe management of the structures, which can deteriorate and become prone to failure.
If the proposed changes to the Lakes and River Improvement Act become law, dam owners could bear the cost of inspections, a long-term safety review and various plans for operation, maintenance and upgrades. Costs could range from $105,000 to $240,00 per dam – not including the capital costs of actual upgrades.
"These requirements will require significant staff resources that we do not have," said Water Superintendent Frank Smedley, who alerted Council to the proposed changes in a recent report.
"The initial, capital and ongoing cost will also be significant and may impact the tax rate. It is likely the Hulls Dam will need rebuilding due to being in poor condition. The cost is likely to be substantial. Decommissioning this structure may be the best option."
The Town owns the dam, near the end of Church Street West (also known as Hulls Dam), and has partial ownership of the Station Road Dam near the Hillsburgh Fire Hall, according to Smedley's report. There are also several privately-owned dams in the Hillsburgh area, in Stanley Park and at Charles Street in Erin village.
Smedley said it may be also be difficult to get approval to decommission a dam through the Environmental Assessment process, since it would change the existing ecosystem, create flooding risks and result in "significant negative implications to the surrounding properties".
Henry Trout built the Charles Street Dam in 1826 and operated a sawmill there, which was purchased by Daniel McMillan in 1829. McMillan built a series of mills, including the 1838 Oat Mill (now the Planing Mill) that helped drive the early growth of the village. In 1845, McMillan built a second sawmill, at the Church Street Dam he had constructed, then in 1849 used water diverted from that pond to power his Grist Mill on the other side of Main Street.
These two dams are significant artifacts of Erin history, and the ponds have become a key part of our environment and heritage. The loss of either would be a major disappointment to many residents.
Dana Mundell owns the Charles Street Dam mechanism, while the Town owns the bridge, and the road bed which helps hold back the water. He also owns the Grist Mill and the Planing Mill, which is still in operable condition, as well as water rights, granted by the Crown to mill owners for power generation.
While he wants to preserve the Charles Street Dam, Mundell is not prepared to spend huge sums on plans and maintenance programs. He has seen provincial dam initiatives come and go over the years, and he doubts that this one will have much impact.
"The dam is safe," he said. "I'm not going to lose any sleep over it. It held in Hurricane Hazel."
In 1954, Hazel blasted the Toronto area, killing 81 people. It destroyed a dam on the Humber River, washed out some 50 bridges in the region and swept dwellings into Lake Ontario. It spurred a major effort to improve storm water control.
Some minor concrete work was done on the Charles Street Dam a few years ago. The dam is lowered occasionally to flush out algae and improve water quality in the pond. If a major storm is expected, the pond level is lowered in advance to help absorb the flow.
In comments submitted to the MNR, Smedley said the proposed system "will create extreme financial hardships", and urged the government to set up initial and ongoing funding for small municipalities and private dam owners.
"These dams were typically installed many years ago and contributed to the growth and prosperity of our province as a whole. Now that these structures do not generate taxable revenue, the province which benefited from them in the past should pay for a significant percentage of their remediation."
He said communities downstream should support upgrades in Erin, since they benefit from the storm water control the dams provide, and urged the ministry to consult with the local stake holders before any new dam requirements become law.
So what should be done with Erin's dams? I will have more information in the coming weeks on their environmental impact and their role in the local economy.
The Town of Erin could be forced to remove the Church Street Dam on the West Credit River if it cannot afford the cost of maintaining it under new regulations now being proposed.
The Ministry of Natural Resources (MNR) is responsible for Ontario dams, but no requirements now exist to ensure safe management of the structures, which can deteriorate and become prone to failure.
If the proposed changes to the Lakes and River Improvement Act become law, dam owners could bear the cost of inspections, a long-term safety review and various plans for operation, maintenance and upgrades. Costs could range from $105,000 to $240,00 per dam – not including the capital costs of actual upgrades.
"These requirements will require significant staff resources that we do not have," said Water Superintendent Frank Smedley, who alerted Council to the proposed changes in a recent report.
"The initial, capital and ongoing cost will also be significant and may impact the tax rate. It is likely the Hulls Dam will need rebuilding due to being in poor condition. The cost is likely to be substantial. Decommissioning this structure may be the best option."
The Town owns the dam, near the end of Church Street West (also known as Hulls Dam), and has partial ownership of the Station Road Dam near the Hillsburgh Fire Hall, according to Smedley's report. There are also several privately-owned dams in the Hillsburgh area, in Stanley Park and at Charles Street in Erin village.
Smedley said it may be also be difficult to get approval to decommission a dam through the Environmental Assessment process, since it would change the existing ecosystem, create flooding risks and result in "significant negative implications to the surrounding properties".
Henry Trout built the Charles Street Dam in 1826 and operated a sawmill there, which was purchased by Daniel McMillan in 1829. McMillan built a series of mills, including the 1838 Oat Mill (now the Planing Mill) that helped drive the early growth of the village. In 1845, McMillan built a second sawmill, at the Church Street Dam he had constructed, then in 1849 used water diverted from that pond to power his Grist Mill on the other side of Main Street.
These two dams are significant artifacts of Erin history, and the ponds have become a key part of our environment and heritage. The loss of either would be a major disappointment to many residents.
Dana Mundell owns the Charles Street Dam mechanism, while the Town owns the bridge, and the road bed which helps hold back the water. He also owns the Grist Mill and the Planing Mill, which is still in operable condition, as well as water rights, granted by the Crown to mill owners for power generation.
While he wants to preserve the Charles Street Dam, Mundell is not prepared to spend huge sums on plans and maintenance programs. He has seen provincial dam initiatives come and go over the years, and he doubts that this one will have much impact.
"The dam is safe," he said. "I'm not going to lose any sleep over it. It held in Hurricane Hazel."
In 1954, Hazel blasted the Toronto area, killing 81 people. It destroyed a dam on the Humber River, washed out some 50 bridges in the region and swept dwellings into Lake Ontario. It spurred a major effort to improve storm water control.
Some minor concrete work was done on the Charles Street Dam a few years ago. The dam is lowered occasionally to flush out algae and improve water quality in the pond. If a major storm is expected, the pond level is lowered in advance to help absorb the flow.
In comments submitted to the MNR, Smedley said the proposed system "will create extreme financial hardships", and urged the government to set up initial and ongoing funding for small municipalities and private dam owners.
"These dams were typically installed many years ago and contributed to the growth and prosperity of our province as a whole. Now that these structures do not generate taxable revenue, the province which benefited from them in the past should pay for a significant percentage of their remediation."
He said communities downstream should support upgrades in Erin, since they benefit from the storm water control the dams provide, and urged the ministry to consult with the local stake holders before any new dam requirements become law.
So what should be done with Erin's dams? I will have more information in the coming weeks on their environmental impact and their role in the local economy.
December 08, 2010
Active Transportation Plan will get assets moving
As published in The Erin Advocate
Gill Penalosa cut to the heart of the matter last week, in a discussion of Erin's future transportation needs: How do we really want to live? Are we content with a car-dominated culture, or are we prepared to demand an infrastructure that values walking, cycling and other modes of human-powered locomotion?
"It's not about the money, it's about having the vision," said Penalosa, an internationally renowned liveable city advisor, speaking at a series of workshops throughout Wellington County. An audience that included business people, environmentalists, trails enthusiasts and town councillors attended the session at Centre 2000, part of an initiative to develop a Wellington Active Transportation Plan.
"It's time to build alliances, to get everybody working together – it might not be easy," said Penalosa. "We've got to develop a sense of urgency. We have to make the best quality of life – the general interest must prevail. We need to make walking and cycling a normal part of life."
Penalosa is the Executive Director of 8-80cities, a Toronto-based non-profit group that promotes healthy, people-oriented communities. Their name is based on the strategy of designing public areas that are not only safe and comfortable for able-bodied adults, but also for eight-year-olds and 80-year-olds. Check out www.8-80cities.org.
An Active Transportation Plan (a process that is already well-advanced in nearby regions) provides a guide for future development that could, for example, require adequate bike lanes when roads come up for reconstruction. It a joint initiative of the County, local municipalities and the Health Unit, which is concerned about rates of obesity, heart disease and other consequences of inadequate levels of physical activity.
Wellington-Dufferin-Guelph Public Health already sponsors the "WDG in motion" initiative, with a mandate to “create a culture of physical activity” in the region, according to their website, www.wdginmotion.ca. If you have ideas for the Active Transportation Plan, you can write to Karen Armstrong, In Motion Coordinator at the Health Unit: karen.armstrong@wdghu.org. A consultant will be hired next year to work on the project.
It will be on a broad scaler than other related efforts, such as a Trails Master Plan for Erin, which is also being discussed. As with all such plans, they should not be used as an excuse for doing nothing until the plan is complete. If there is a consensus on the need for a certain project, it should proceed. The bias needs to be in favour of action.
Here are some of the ideas being floated to create a better environment for pedestrians and cyclists. The fact that some have been floating about for decades, but never achieved, does not make them less worthy of consideration.
• A bypass to take traffic, especially trucks, away from the downtown core of Erin village. This was mentioned by many participants at the workshop as a major factor in improving safety and quality of life in the village.
• Cross-walks or traffic lights to improve safety and discourage vehicle traffic.
• Improved off-street parking and elimination of some on-street parking to create a bike lane, with a concrete curb or barrier between the cars and the bikes.
• Improved trails, including a bridge over the river to link McMillan Park with the Woollen Mills Trail, a loop route on the water tower hill, a link from Stanley Park to Elora-Cataract rail trail, a loop including the rail trail in Hillsburgh and improved access to Barbour Field.
• Pedestrian-based areas of retail stores, restaurants and offices close to the downtown cores. Any significant redevelopment would require a sewage system.
• Bike lanes on selected rural roads to create a network among various destinations. Increased construction costs would be offset by the fact that wider roads last longer.
• A boardwalk along downtown sections of the river. The fact that some of this land is now privately owned would make such a project more complicated, but not impossible.
• Better bicycle parking areas in public places and at schools.
• Bus service to neighbouring municipalities.
• More parks and renewal of existing parks to make them more appealing to the public.
• More closures of downtown streets to vehicle traffic for special events on weekends.
• More local employment to reduce the rate of long-distance commuting.
Of course, in a town where the majority of residents live outside the urban areas and work elsewhere, cars and trucks will remain a necessity for many people. But we can still give higher priority to "active" transportation, and enjoy a better quality of life as a result.
Gill Penalosa cut to the heart of the matter last week, in a discussion of Erin's future transportation needs: How do we really want to live? Are we content with a car-dominated culture, or are we prepared to demand an infrastructure that values walking, cycling and other modes of human-powered locomotion?
"It's not about the money, it's about having the vision," said Penalosa, an internationally renowned liveable city advisor, speaking at a series of workshops throughout Wellington County. An audience that included business people, environmentalists, trails enthusiasts and town councillors attended the session at Centre 2000, part of an initiative to develop a Wellington Active Transportation Plan.
"It's time to build alliances, to get everybody working together – it might not be easy," said Penalosa. "We've got to develop a sense of urgency. We have to make the best quality of life – the general interest must prevail. We need to make walking and cycling a normal part of life."
Penalosa is the Executive Director of 8-80cities, a Toronto-based non-profit group that promotes healthy, people-oriented communities. Their name is based on the strategy of designing public areas that are not only safe and comfortable for able-bodied adults, but also for eight-year-olds and 80-year-olds. Check out www.8-80cities.org.
An Active Transportation Plan (a process that is already well-advanced in nearby regions) provides a guide for future development that could, for example, require adequate bike lanes when roads come up for reconstruction. It a joint initiative of the County, local municipalities and the Health Unit, which is concerned about rates of obesity, heart disease and other consequences of inadequate levels of physical activity.
Wellington-Dufferin-Guelph Public Health already sponsors the "WDG in motion" initiative, with a mandate to “create a culture of physical activity” in the region, according to their website, www.wdginmotion.ca. If you have ideas for the Active Transportation Plan, you can write to Karen Armstrong, In Motion Coordinator at the Health Unit: karen.armstrong@wdghu.org. A consultant will be hired next year to work on the project.
It will be on a broad scaler than other related efforts, such as a Trails Master Plan for Erin, which is also being discussed. As with all such plans, they should not be used as an excuse for doing nothing until the plan is complete. If there is a consensus on the need for a certain project, it should proceed. The bias needs to be in favour of action.
Here are some of the ideas being floated to create a better environment for pedestrians and cyclists. The fact that some have been floating about for decades, but never achieved, does not make them less worthy of consideration.
• A bypass to take traffic, especially trucks, away from the downtown core of Erin village. This was mentioned by many participants at the workshop as a major factor in improving safety and quality of life in the village.
• Cross-walks or traffic lights to improve safety and discourage vehicle traffic.
• Improved off-street parking and elimination of some on-street parking to create a bike lane, with a concrete curb or barrier between the cars and the bikes.
• Improved trails, including a bridge over the river to link McMillan Park with the Woollen Mills Trail, a loop route on the water tower hill, a link from Stanley Park to Elora-Cataract rail trail, a loop including the rail trail in Hillsburgh and improved access to Barbour Field.
• Pedestrian-based areas of retail stores, restaurants and offices close to the downtown cores. Any significant redevelopment would require a sewage system.
• Bike lanes on selected rural roads to create a network among various destinations. Increased construction costs would be offset by the fact that wider roads last longer.
• A boardwalk along downtown sections of the river. The fact that some of this land is now privately owned would make such a project more complicated, but not impossible.
• Better bicycle parking areas in public places and at schools.
• Bus service to neighbouring municipalities.
• More parks and renewal of existing parks to make them more appealing to the public.
• More closures of downtown streets to vehicle traffic for special events on weekends.
• More local employment to reduce the rate of long-distance commuting.
Of course, in a town where the majority of residents live outside the urban areas and work elsewhere, cars and trucks will remain a necessity for many people. But we can still give higher priority to "active" transportation, and enjoy a better quality of life as a result.
December 01, 2010
Pantomime offers escape to land of silly surprises
As published in The Erin Advocate
If you are in the mood for grim tragedy, elegant plot progression or even subtle character development (and who isn't, sometimes), you should resist the urge to attend the current production at Century Church Theatre in Hillsburgh.
But (one of my favourite words), if you fancy a little escape to a land of heroes in peril, bad guys being like totally bad, buffoons falling down, cross-dressers cavorting, stunning surprises, silly songs, cunning disguises, men in tights and contrived happy endings, then come on down, or up, whichever you prefer.
The advice should be taken as biased, since I am in the cast of the pantomime Babes in the Wood, written by Bev Nicholas and directed by Martyn Worsnop, which takes a few liberties with the tale of Robin Hood. I play good King Richard, coming back from the Crusades to restore order at the bottom of page 42, kiss Maid Marion on page 45 and join the finale on page 48.
It is a small part, suitably proportioned to my available time and acting ability. Although I studied theatre at university, I didn't have the confidence to pursue it as a career and the newspaper business offered better prospects for steady pay. Now after thirty years, my involvement with drama normally extends only to the low-stress role of usher.
The Century Church panto has become a popular pre-Christmas tradition over the past six years. Shows continue this Friday night through Sunday afternoon. Tickets are available at local library branches or through the box office at 519-855-4586.
In preparation for my part I did a bit of research, though I use the term loosely since Wikipedia was involved. It seems Richard the Lionheart, crowned in 1189, does not meet today's high standards for a good leader of England.
He imposed a crippling tax to finance his war against the Muslims. He sold off public posts, like that of the Sheriff of Nottingham. Like most of the ruling class, he spoke only French, and during his ten-year reign spent only six months on English soil.
Though he was a skilled military commander, he failed to capture Jerusalem and was himself captured by his Christian enemies. His subjects were taxed again to raise the ransom, 65,000 pounds of silver, more than twice the Crown's annual income at the time.
For more in-depth research, I watched Robin Hood: Men in Tights, the Mel Brooks spoof on the legend. At the end, I was surprised to see Sir Patrick Stewart (Captain Jean-Luc Picard on Star Trek) playing the part of King Richard, reciting some of the same lines I had just learned. Borrowing is an important part of the panto tradition.
Some of the silly comedy that we see on-screen today has its roots in British pantomime, a family entertainment that evolved in the 19th century. It grew out of "Commedia dell’arte", a type of street theatre which came from Italy in the 16th century, featuring music, dance, buffoonery and set character types.
Pantomimes always have a melodramatic villain, a principal boy hero (played by a female) and a flamboyant dame (played by a male). The humour is a little on the saucy side, but never too rude for children in the audience.
Children are an important part of the cast, in this case as villagers, or merry men (and women). Getting kids involved in drama is a huge benefit for them. They learn how to have fun in a very disciplined way, helping create something of value. They have others counting on them to do their best, to make the show work.
They feel what it is like to take a good risk, to make mistakes and carry on, to make allowance for other people's mistakes, to be vulnerable with everybody looking at you and to discover that fear can be channelled into positive energy. After all, as Shakespeare reminds us in As You Like It, "All the world's a stage, And all the men and women merely players."
I am always amazed that shows come together as well as they do, considering the complexity of the undertaking – so many personalities, so many other commitments, so many lines and lyrics. It takes dedicated leadership, a network of folks hooked on the theatre lifestyle, a supportive community and the synergy created by "amateur" enterprise, that is, doing it for love instead of money.
If you are in the mood for grim tragedy, elegant plot progression or even subtle character development (and who isn't, sometimes), you should resist the urge to attend the current production at Century Church Theatre in Hillsburgh.
But (one of my favourite words), if you fancy a little escape to a land of heroes in peril, bad guys being like totally bad, buffoons falling down, cross-dressers cavorting, stunning surprises, silly songs, cunning disguises, men in tights and contrived happy endings, then come on down, or up, whichever you prefer.
The advice should be taken as biased, since I am in the cast of the pantomime Babes in the Wood, written by Bev Nicholas and directed by Martyn Worsnop, which takes a few liberties with the tale of Robin Hood. I play good King Richard, coming back from the Crusades to restore order at the bottom of page 42, kiss Maid Marion on page 45 and join the finale on page 48.
It is a small part, suitably proportioned to my available time and acting ability. Although I studied theatre at university, I didn't have the confidence to pursue it as a career and the newspaper business offered better prospects for steady pay. Now after thirty years, my involvement with drama normally extends only to the low-stress role of usher.
The Century Church panto has become a popular pre-Christmas tradition over the past six years. Shows continue this Friday night through Sunday afternoon. Tickets are available at local library branches or through the box office at 519-855-4586.
In preparation for my part I did a bit of research, though I use the term loosely since Wikipedia was involved. It seems Richard the Lionheart, crowned in 1189, does not meet today's high standards for a good leader of England.
He imposed a crippling tax to finance his war against the Muslims. He sold off public posts, like that of the Sheriff of Nottingham. Like most of the ruling class, he spoke only French, and during his ten-year reign spent only six months on English soil.
Though he was a skilled military commander, he failed to capture Jerusalem and was himself captured by his Christian enemies. His subjects were taxed again to raise the ransom, 65,000 pounds of silver, more than twice the Crown's annual income at the time.
For more in-depth research, I watched Robin Hood: Men in Tights, the Mel Brooks spoof on the legend. At the end, I was surprised to see Sir Patrick Stewart (Captain Jean-Luc Picard on Star Trek) playing the part of King Richard, reciting some of the same lines I had just learned. Borrowing is an important part of the panto tradition.
Some of the silly comedy that we see on-screen today has its roots in British pantomime, a family entertainment that evolved in the 19th century. It grew out of "Commedia dell’arte", a type of street theatre which came from Italy in the 16th century, featuring music, dance, buffoonery and set character types.
Pantomimes always have a melodramatic villain, a principal boy hero (played by a female) and a flamboyant dame (played by a male). The humour is a little on the saucy side, but never too rude for children in the audience.
Children are an important part of the cast, in this case as villagers, or merry men (and women). Getting kids involved in drama is a huge benefit for them. They learn how to have fun in a very disciplined way, helping create something of value. They have others counting on them to do their best, to make the show work.
They feel what it is like to take a good risk, to make mistakes and carry on, to make allowance for other people's mistakes, to be vulnerable with everybody looking at you and to discover that fear can be channelled into positive energy. After all, as Shakespeare reminds us in As You Like It, "All the world's a stage, And all the men and women merely players."
I am always amazed that shows come together as well as they do, considering the complexity of the undertaking – so many personalities, so many other commitments, so many lines and lyrics. It takes dedicated leadership, a network of folks hooked on the theatre lifestyle, a supportive community and the synergy created by "amateur" enterprise, that is, doing it for love instead of money.
November 24, 2010
Christmas bells call for peace and generousity
As published in The Erin Advocate
And in despair I bowed my head;
“There is no peace on earth,” I said:
“For hate is strong,
And mocks the song
Of peace on earth, good-will to men!”
That is an excerpt from I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day. It is one of my favourite carols, partly because it acknowledges that things are not always joyful as we put up our holiday trees. The words are from the poem Christmas Bells by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, who at the time was grieving the loss of his wife in a fire, and the wounding of his son in the American Civil War.
Our country has been at war for almost a decade. I am proud of our soldiers, and I feel a stab of pain when any one of them is wounded or killed. But are Canadians able to feel the full measure of pain from the thousands of lives lost in this war? Does it only hit hard when a loved one is the victim? Do we feel anger, now that the Prime Minister has broken his commitment to bring the troops home in 2011? Or are we just numb – too tired after dealing with jobs and family matters to think about war and peace?
So at Christmas, comforting words flow over us once again, even though we know that peace on earth and good-will to men (and women) can be hard to find. It gets complicated when we hear that the more accurate translation of that passage is, "Peace among men with whom God is pleased." Are we among the favoured ones?
Christmas is a time of heightened expectations. There are many happy gatherings, but for some people it is a stressful and potentially depressing time, making obvious the gap between hopes and reality. Communities instinctively take notice that there are families who do not have enough money to celebrate the season well, and so we rally to help them.
It will never be enough, but it is still good to make charitable donations of time and money. Actions are always more helpful than words, and there is a natural instinct to take action locally – helping people with whom we share a bond, even if we do not know them personally.
For example, East Wellington Community Services (EWCS) makes a special effort to help its food bank clients at Christmas. People can make donations of cash, food and toys for the Christmas hampers. If you would like to sponsor a family, or find out more about how you could help EWCS make a difference, call Gillian Riseborough at 519-833-9696 or visit www.ewag.ca.
Our televisions deliver to us a deluge of opportunities for Christmas giving, much of it based in Toronto. People in the Town of Erin often do not feel they have much in common even with Guelph and the rest of Wellington County, and are not aware of organizations with a mandate to help the whole region.
For example, the Children's Foundation of Guelph and Wellington gives grants of up to $400 to low-income families to help cover the costs of kids' participation in sports, cultural and recreational activities. They support more than 12,000 children through school-based breakfast, snack and lunch programs.
At Christmas, they run Adopt-A-Family, which provided gifts to 600 families last year. Donors (individuals or groups) get a wish list from the adopted family. The families are referred by social service agencies or schools and have to qualify for the assistance. Donors buy presents and deliver them to the Foundation, which operates a wrapping warehouse at this time of year. For more information, call 519-826-9551 or visit www.childrensfoundation.org.
Christmas charity – how much, and how far it is spread – is a very personal matter, which depends one how you perceive yourself in relation to your neighbour. For some, it is simply a habit that makes them feel good. For others it is a matter of social conscience, or of religious devotion and tradition.
Longfellow lived in a more religious era, but even in the 1860s, Christmas was becoming a secular event. His famous Christmas song is no hymn. It makes no mention of Jesus Christ – nor of praise, thanks or salvation. It ends with a simple, optimistic message from the church bells, one in which we may take comfort, if we choose.
Then pealed the bells more loud and deep:
“God is not dead; nor doth he sleep!
The Wrong shall fail,
The Right prevail,
With peace on earth, good-will to men!”
And in despair I bowed my head;
“There is no peace on earth,” I said:
“For hate is strong,
And mocks the song
Of peace on earth, good-will to men!”
That is an excerpt from I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day. It is one of my favourite carols, partly because it acknowledges that things are not always joyful as we put up our holiday trees. The words are from the poem Christmas Bells by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, who at the time was grieving the loss of his wife in a fire, and the wounding of his son in the American Civil War.
Our country has been at war for almost a decade. I am proud of our soldiers, and I feel a stab of pain when any one of them is wounded or killed. But are Canadians able to feel the full measure of pain from the thousands of lives lost in this war? Does it only hit hard when a loved one is the victim? Do we feel anger, now that the Prime Minister has broken his commitment to bring the troops home in 2011? Or are we just numb – too tired after dealing with jobs and family matters to think about war and peace?
So at Christmas, comforting words flow over us once again, even though we know that peace on earth and good-will to men (and women) can be hard to find. It gets complicated when we hear that the more accurate translation of that passage is, "Peace among men with whom God is pleased." Are we among the favoured ones?
Christmas is a time of heightened expectations. There are many happy gatherings, but for some people it is a stressful and potentially depressing time, making obvious the gap between hopes and reality. Communities instinctively take notice that there are families who do not have enough money to celebrate the season well, and so we rally to help them.
It will never be enough, but it is still good to make charitable donations of time and money. Actions are always more helpful than words, and there is a natural instinct to take action locally – helping people with whom we share a bond, even if we do not know them personally.
For example, East Wellington Community Services (EWCS) makes a special effort to help its food bank clients at Christmas. People can make donations of cash, food and toys for the Christmas hampers. If you would like to sponsor a family, or find out more about how you could help EWCS make a difference, call Gillian Riseborough at 519-833-9696 or visit www.ewag.ca.
Our televisions deliver to us a deluge of opportunities for Christmas giving, much of it based in Toronto. People in the Town of Erin often do not feel they have much in common even with Guelph and the rest of Wellington County, and are not aware of organizations with a mandate to help the whole region.
For example, the Children's Foundation of Guelph and Wellington gives grants of up to $400 to low-income families to help cover the costs of kids' participation in sports, cultural and recreational activities. They support more than 12,000 children through school-based breakfast, snack and lunch programs.
At Christmas, they run Adopt-A-Family, which provided gifts to 600 families last year. Donors (individuals or groups) get a wish list from the adopted family. The families are referred by social service agencies or schools and have to qualify for the assistance. Donors buy presents and deliver them to the Foundation, which operates a wrapping warehouse at this time of year. For more information, call 519-826-9551 or visit www.childrensfoundation.org.
Christmas charity – how much, and how far it is spread – is a very personal matter, which depends one how you perceive yourself in relation to your neighbour. For some, it is simply a habit that makes them feel good. For others it is a matter of social conscience, or of religious devotion and tradition.
Longfellow lived in a more religious era, but even in the 1860s, Christmas was becoming a secular event. His famous Christmas song is no hymn. It makes no mention of Jesus Christ – nor of praise, thanks or salvation. It ends with a simple, optimistic message from the church bells, one in which we may take comfort, if we choose.
Then pealed the bells more loud and deep:
“God is not dead; nor doth he sleep!
The Wrong shall fail,
The Right prevail,
With peace on earth, good-will to men!”
November 17, 2010
Duct tape adventures in wastewater management
As published in The Erin Advocate
When water goes down the household drains, I just want it to go away – preferably far away. I do not want to see it, hear it, smell it or touch it. Unfortunately, I've had to do all those things this fall.
It started with a soggy spot at the end of the septic bed, and proceeded to the guessing game that septic system owners must eventually face: Are my weeping bed tiles disintegrating? Are they clogged with crud from my septic tank? Have the roots from nearby trees grown into the pipes and choked them? Has the layer of biofilm (smelly black gunk) under the pipes gotten so dense that the water has to drain up instead of down?
With the expensive possibility of having to replace the entire system looming, I asked the inevitable bottom line question: What is the least amount of money I need to spend to get this system working again?
The tank is about 33 years of age, but I get it pumped every three years and it still works properly. Since I was unsure about the condition of the septic bed, I decided against a system that would regularly pump air into the pipes and possibly rejuvenate their ability to process wastewater.
I got some helpful advice from Dave Doan at SepTech Wastewater Systems in Hillsburgh. We decided the best first step would be to pump out the bed, which could solve the problem, at least for the short term. That's when the fun started.
I had to get access to the drain pipe, downstream of the septic tank. To save myself some money, I said I would do the digging on my own, since the pipe appeared to be only about 18 inches underground. When I started digging, however, I found that the pipe took a sharp turn downward, through some dense clay.
Many hours later, I finally had the pipe exposed at the bottom of a three and a half foot deep hole, dug wide enough for someone to get in and work.
I found too that the drain pipe had for some time been separated at one of the joints, leaving a large gap. Standing in the hole, I wondered why the ground was totally dry.
Then, someone flushed a toilet. I was suddenly flooded with a realization: the tightly packed soil I had just dug out had formed part of the drainway. I jammed the pipes together, wrapped the joint in plastic bags and sealed it up with duct tape until a proper repair could be done.
The next day, a whole truckload of gunk was pumped out of the septic bed and the drain was fixed – complete with a new access pipe so I could add hydrogen peroxide to the drainage bed. It breaks down to oxygen and water, putting dissolved oxygen into the system to help the digestive process. The wet spot on the lawn dried up, and everything was fine.
A few weeks later, though, I heard strange gurgling sounds through the kitchen sink. When we used water in any part of the house, it started filling up the kitchen sink. The laundry drain was backed up, and when I tried to let some water out of it, I got a solid spray in the face. I thought the whole septic system may have failed and backed up, but when I went outside and lifted the septic tank lid, the water level was normal.
That meant there had to be a blockage in the pipe between the house and the septic tank, which led me to the big threaded clean-out plug in my crawlspace. But before you can attack the clog, you have to get rid of all the water in your drains. That means unscrewing the plug just enough to let the smelly water pour into buckets. If you have poured Drano into the system, in a futile attempt to clear the clog, then you have to haul out smelly, caustic water.
Running a bucket brigade to get wastewater out of your basement may seem like an unpleasant job, but trust me, it can be much worse. If you are ever in this situation, do not be tempted to loosen the plug just a bit more, to speed up the process.
When the plug popped out of the drain pipe, it only took a few seconds to force it back on. But with a 3.5-inch pipe under pressure from the whole house, that was enough time to create an unforgettable mess. The type of mess that requires not only a Shop-Vac, but a small shovel.
Moving right along...the water was eventually out of the pipe and I had access to the clogged drain, but my plumbing snake was not long enough to reach the clog. So, naturally, I got three broomsticks and attached them together with duct tape. That made a ramrod that would go all the way from the basement to the septic tank.
The clog didn't stand a chance and soon the drain was draining like it should. We put a proper snake through it a couple of days later just to be sure, but the adventure was all over, except for the cleanup.
And the moral of these two stories? It is pretty obvious. Before you start any household project, always have plenty of duct tape on hand.
When water goes down the household drains, I just want it to go away – preferably far away. I do not want to see it, hear it, smell it or touch it. Unfortunately, I've had to do all those things this fall.
It started with a soggy spot at the end of the septic bed, and proceeded to the guessing game that septic system owners must eventually face: Are my weeping bed tiles disintegrating? Are they clogged with crud from my septic tank? Have the roots from nearby trees grown into the pipes and choked them? Has the layer of biofilm (smelly black gunk) under the pipes gotten so dense that the water has to drain up instead of down?
With the expensive possibility of having to replace the entire system looming, I asked the inevitable bottom line question: What is the least amount of money I need to spend to get this system working again?
The tank is about 33 years of age, but I get it pumped every three years and it still works properly. Since I was unsure about the condition of the septic bed, I decided against a system that would regularly pump air into the pipes and possibly rejuvenate their ability to process wastewater.
I got some helpful advice from Dave Doan at SepTech Wastewater Systems in Hillsburgh. We decided the best first step would be to pump out the bed, which could solve the problem, at least for the short term. That's when the fun started.
I had to get access to the drain pipe, downstream of the septic tank. To save myself some money, I said I would do the digging on my own, since the pipe appeared to be only about 18 inches underground. When I started digging, however, I found that the pipe took a sharp turn downward, through some dense clay.
Many hours later, I finally had the pipe exposed at the bottom of a three and a half foot deep hole, dug wide enough for someone to get in and work.
I found too that the drain pipe had for some time been separated at one of the joints, leaving a large gap. Standing in the hole, I wondered why the ground was totally dry.
Then, someone flushed a toilet. I was suddenly flooded with a realization: the tightly packed soil I had just dug out had formed part of the drainway. I jammed the pipes together, wrapped the joint in plastic bags and sealed it up with duct tape until a proper repair could be done.
The next day, a whole truckload of gunk was pumped out of the septic bed and the drain was fixed – complete with a new access pipe so I could add hydrogen peroxide to the drainage bed. It breaks down to oxygen and water, putting dissolved oxygen into the system to help the digestive process. The wet spot on the lawn dried up, and everything was fine.
A few weeks later, though, I heard strange gurgling sounds through the kitchen sink. When we used water in any part of the house, it started filling up the kitchen sink. The laundry drain was backed up, and when I tried to let some water out of it, I got a solid spray in the face. I thought the whole septic system may have failed and backed up, but when I went outside and lifted the septic tank lid, the water level was normal.
That meant there had to be a blockage in the pipe between the house and the septic tank, which led me to the big threaded clean-out plug in my crawlspace. But before you can attack the clog, you have to get rid of all the water in your drains. That means unscrewing the plug just enough to let the smelly water pour into buckets. If you have poured Drano into the system, in a futile attempt to clear the clog, then you have to haul out smelly, caustic water.
Running a bucket brigade to get wastewater out of your basement may seem like an unpleasant job, but trust me, it can be much worse. If you are ever in this situation, do not be tempted to loosen the plug just a bit more, to speed up the process.
When the plug popped out of the drain pipe, it only took a few seconds to force it back on. But with a 3.5-inch pipe under pressure from the whole house, that was enough time to create an unforgettable mess. The type of mess that requires not only a Shop-Vac, but a small shovel.
Moving right along...the water was eventually out of the pipe and I had access to the clogged drain, but my plumbing snake was not long enough to reach the clog. So, naturally, I got three broomsticks and attached them together with duct tape. That made a ramrod that would go all the way from the basement to the septic tank.
The clog didn't stand a chance and soon the drain was draining like it should. We put a proper snake through it a couple of days later just to be sure, but the adventure was all over, except for the cleanup.
And the moral of these two stories? It is pretty obvious. Before you start any household project, always have plenty of duct tape on hand.
November 10, 2010
Climate change facts are hard to pin down
As published in The Erin Advocate
Just after writing about the benefits of tree planting in the effort to ease the impacts of climate change, I read about a study from the University of Guelph suggesting that tree planting is not going to be as much help as expected.
Understanding climate change science these days is like trying to nail Jello to a wall – there are just too many people with an interest in keeping it slippery.
Researchers went to 2,300 sites on six continents to study the yearly growth rings on 86 types of trees. Higher carbon levels in recent decades have been thought to boost tree growth, which would capture more carbon and slow the rate of global warming. It appears that in 80 per cent of the world's trees, it is not happening.
"We can’t look to forests to offset emissions from burning fossil fuels,” said co-author Ze’ev Gedalof, Associate Professor of Geography at Guelph. “There might be a very slight increase in the total rate of growth in trees, but they’re not going to be these vacuum cleaners that will magically suck up the CO2 that we’re emitting.”
As often happens, some scientists say the results are inconclusive and oversimplified. And as usual, there's a strong political message: Don't be complacent about climate change, just because we're planting lots of trees – we still need to reduce the carbon footprint created by our factories, vehicles and lifestyles.
Trees have many benefits for water, wildlife and the human environment, even if the carbon sink turns out to be smaller than expected. Our tax dollars support a lot of tree planting by Credit Valley Conservation and Wellington County – one million trees have been planted since 2004 under Wellington's Green Legacy Program, making it the largest municipal tree planting program in North America.
Forest now covers about 17 per cent of Wellington, but Environment Canada says 30 per cent is needed to maintain a healthy water system. Another 50 million trees are needed, so Rob Johnson, Green Legacy Tree Nursery Manager, is not content with the current rate of 156,000 trees a year. “If each resident planted just ten trees, almost one million trees would go into Wellington County annually,” he said.
When it comes to public policy on climate change, there's a huge public relations battle going on. Scientists appear truly baffled that people do not take their warnings seriously. The public is glad to enjoy the benefits of new technology, but is suspicious of scientists – perhaps seeing them as manipulative, or too idealistic.
The conflict swirls on many fronts, including the "Degrees of Change" chart and analysis published by Canada's National Round Table on the Environment and the Economy, and the Royal Canadian Geographical Society. It outlines various impacts of climate change, but says they won't be too bad, and that there will be benefits.
I am not knowledgeable enough to say they are wrong, but I do not trust the study's main sponsor, Suncor Energy (Petro-Canada/Sunoco), a major oil sands and greenhouse gas producer. The chart has become a target.
“It is full of bad science and utterly downplays the serious impacts of climate change” said U of T climate scientist Danny Harvey, quoted on stephenleahy.net. “How can we (Canada) talk about profiting from climate change when most of the world will suffer devastating impacts, in part because of our emissions? It is disgusting.”
I also do not trust the Canadian government, which has dedicated itself to doing as little as possible on climate change. It has banned its own scientists from speaking freely to the media, even about climate change research that they have already published. The federal scientists' union says they face "dwindling resources and confusing policy decisions," and they've started a website, www.publicscience.ca, to make their work better known.
Virtually all climate change scientists agree that human industry is making things worse, yet there was not enough support in the US Congress to legislate emissions reductions – even before the recent elections that brought more climate change deniers into power. Stephen Harper can relax now – there is no longer any chance of the US slapping restrictions on Canadian oil sands.
California has a greenhouse gas reduction law. Two oil companies spent $10.5 million supporting a proposition to suspend that law until unemployment declines to 5.5 per cent for 12 months. Voters rejected the proposition, perhaps moved along by the $31 million spent by environmental groups and other businesses to defend the law.
So the expensive fighting carries on, with the environmental movement winning the occasional battle, but remaining a long way from winning the war.
Just after writing about the benefits of tree planting in the effort to ease the impacts of climate change, I read about a study from the University of Guelph suggesting that tree planting is not going to be as much help as expected.
Understanding climate change science these days is like trying to nail Jello to a wall – there are just too many people with an interest in keeping it slippery.
Researchers went to 2,300 sites on six continents to study the yearly growth rings on 86 types of trees. Higher carbon levels in recent decades have been thought to boost tree growth, which would capture more carbon and slow the rate of global warming. It appears that in 80 per cent of the world's trees, it is not happening.
"We can’t look to forests to offset emissions from burning fossil fuels,” said co-author Ze’ev Gedalof, Associate Professor of Geography at Guelph. “There might be a very slight increase in the total rate of growth in trees, but they’re not going to be these vacuum cleaners that will magically suck up the CO2 that we’re emitting.”
As often happens, some scientists say the results are inconclusive and oversimplified. And as usual, there's a strong political message: Don't be complacent about climate change, just because we're planting lots of trees – we still need to reduce the carbon footprint created by our factories, vehicles and lifestyles.
Trees have many benefits for water, wildlife and the human environment, even if the carbon sink turns out to be smaller than expected. Our tax dollars support a lot of tree planting by Credit Valley Conservation and Wellington County – one million trees have been planted since 2004 under Wellington's Green Legacy Program, making it the largest municipal tree planting program in North America.
Forest now covers about 17 per cent of Wellington, but Environment Canada says 30 per cent is needed to maintain a healthy water system. Another 50 million trees are needed, so Rob Johnson, Green Legacy Tree Nursery Manager, is not content with the current rate of 156,000 trees a year. “If each resident planted just ten trees, almost one million trees would go into Wellington County annually,” he said.
When it comes to public policy on climate change, there's a huge public relations battle going on. Scientists appear truly baffled that people do not take their warnings seriously. The public is glad to enjoy the benefits of new technology, but is suspicious of scientists – perhaps seeing them as manipulative, or too idealistic.
The conflict swirls on many fronts, including the "Degrees of Change" chart and analysis published by Canada's National Round Table on the Environment and the Economy, and the Royal Canadian Geographical Society. It outlines various impacts of climate change, but says they won't be too bad, and that there will be benefits.
I am not knowledgeable enough to say they are wrong, but I do not trust the study's main sponsor, Suncor Energy (Petro-Canada/Sunoco), a major oil sands and greenhouse gas producer. The chart has become a target.
“It is full of bad science and utterly downplays the serious impacts of climate change” said U of T climate scientist Danny Harvey, quoted on stephenleahy.net. “How can we (Canada) talk about profiting from climate change when most of the world will suffer devastating impacts, in part because of our emissions? It is disgusting.”
I also do not trust the Canadian government, which has dedicated itself to doing as little as possible on climate change. It has banned its own scientists from speaking freely to the media, even about climate change research that they have already published. The federal scientists' union says they face "dwindling resources and confusing policy decisions," and they've started a website, www.publicscience.ca, to make their work better known.
Virtually all climate change scientists agree that human industry is making things worse, yet there was not enough support in the US Congress to legislate emissions reductions – even before the recent elections that brought more climate change deniers into power. Stephen Harper can relax now – there is no longer any chance of the US slapping restrictions on Canadian oil sands.
California has a greenhouse gas reduction law. Two oil companies spent $10.5 million supporting a proposition to suspend that law until unemployment declines to 5.5 per cent for 12 months. Voters rejected the proposition, perhaps moved along by the $31 million spent by environmental groups and other businesses to defend the law.
So the expensive fighting carries on, with the environmental movement winning the occasional battle, but remaining a long way from winning the war.
November 03, 2010
Water recognized as a sacred source of life
As published in The Erin Advocate
Just a few days after seeing a presentation on the sacredness of water, my roof sprang a leak, delivering a steady drip into my front hallway. So I ended up on the roof at night with my flashlight, in the middle of a thunderstorm, attaching an extension to a downspout that would direct the deluge away from some damaged shingles. I can assure you that I was not thinking about the sacredness of water.
The presentation had been by Anthony Templer, an Elder from the Peel Aboriginal Network, at the annual meeting of Wellington Water Watchers, the group that has led the local fight against bottled water and high-volume water taking by Nestlé.
After a cleansing ceremony and a drum song, his message was blunt: there's a crisis looming as the world runs low on clean water. Ontarians are often wasteful of water because it appears to be so abundant. Maybe we would be more interested in conservation if we had to carry it long distances in buckets, as millions of people do in other countries.
"Something has to be done immediately for the water and the land," he said. "Don't forget what you inherited from your parents and their parents. It's all up to you. For the sacredness of water you have to be grateful. We need to be stewards of it. We listen to the water and it tells us that it is sick."
He said inadequate protection and wasteful attitudes will lead to a water crisis in which many people will die.
"Eventually, we won't be able to drink it. We have to be on fire on this issue. It's a passion – not an aggression – and it catches on. Be honest all day. Then you can respect the sacredness of water. Because before it was water, it was spirit."
For those who consider water sacred, the buying and selling of it as a commodity is offensive, and it creates various dilemmas. We pay money to have municipalities purify water and deliver it to our taps, but some people find it unacceptable that private firms like Nestlé make a profit by taking an essentially free resource and selling it in environmentally-offensive plastic bottles.
At the recent all-candidates' meeting in Erin, some wanted to see a heavy license fee put on water taking, partly to preserve the water and partly to generate income for the Town. The province has the authority in this matter, but has given no sign it is interested in high fees, and Water Watchers has no official position on them. The issue is complex, because once water is taxed as a resource (like oil), it becomes more of a commodity – one that the Americans could claim is tradable under the North American Free Trade Agreement.
Wellington Water Watchers is a grassroots group of people from Guelph and Wellington, committed to protecting local water resources and to educating the public about threats to the watershed. They've distributed more than 13,000 reusable water bottles and brought their promotion of tap water to 30,000 area students – aiming for 50,000 soon. Check out www.wellingtonwaterwatchers.ca.
They keep a close eye on water taking by Nestlé, which runs tanker trucks day and night from a well in Hillsburgh to a plant in Aberfoyle. The firm is entitled to take up to 1.1 million litres per day, but normally takes considerably less. Although the well has not caused measurable harm to the local water supply, Water Watchers is still concerned about the long-term impact.
The Peel Aboriginal Network is a social and cultural organization that promotes awareness of Aboriginal values and traditions. Check out www.peelaboriginalnetwork.org. Templer said we need to be more than just thankful for water, but to be thankful to the water.
Water is important in the Judeo-Christian tradition, starting with the Spirt of God hovering over the dark waters even before the creation of light, at the opening of the Book of Genesis. Most spiritual traditions throughout the world recognize a special significance in water, for its role in creation, purification, rebirth, healing and fertility.
"Water, the first living spirit on this earth, gives life to all creation," says the Indigenous Environmental Network, on its website, www.ienearth.org. "Our knowledge, laws and ways of life teach us to be responsible at all times in caring for this sacred gift that connects all life.
"All people deserve the right to a clean and accessible water source. However, throughout the world people are struggling for this basic human right. World trade agreements, industries, and corporations want to view water as a commodity, an item that can be traded and sold to the highest bidder, rather than acknowledge that water is a common and basic need for all life."
Just a few days after seeing a presentation on the sacredness of water, my roof sprang a leak, delivering a steady drip into my front hallway. So I ended up on the roof at night with my flashlight, in the middle of a thunderstorm, attaching an extension to a downspout that would direct the deluge away from some damaged shingles. I can assure you that I was not thinking about the sacredness of water.
The presentation had been by Anthony Templer, an Elder from the Peel Aboriginal Network, at the annual meeting of Wellington Water Watchers, the group that has led the local fight against bottled water and high-volume water taking by Nestlé.
After a cleansing ceremony and a drum song, his message was blunt: there's a crisis looming as the world runs low on clean water. Ontarians are often wasteful of water because it appears to be so abundant. Maybe we would be more interested in conservation if we had to carry it long distances in buckets, as millions of people do in other countries.
"Something has to be done immediately for the water and the land," he said. "Don't forget what you inherited from your parents and their parents. It's all up to you. For the sacredness of water you have to be grateful. We need to be stewards of it. We listen to the water and it tells us that it is sick."
He said inadequate protection and wasteful attitudes will lead to a water crisis in which many people will die.
"Eventually, we won't be able to drink it. We have to be on fire on this issue. It's a passion – not an aggression – and it catches on. Be honest all day. Then you can respect the sacredness of water. Because before it was water, it was spirit."
For those who consider water sacred, the buying and selling of it as a commodity is offensive, and it creates various dilemmas. We pay money to have municipalities purify water and deliver it to our taps, but some people find it unacceptable that private firms like Nestlé make a profit by taking an essentially free resource and selling it in environmentally-offensive plastic bottles.
At the recent all-candidates' meeting in Erin, some wanted to see a heavy license fee put on water taking, partly to preserve the water and partly to generate income for the Town. The province has the authority in this matter, but has given no sign it is interested in high fees, and Water Watchers has no official position on them. The issue is complex, because once water is taxed as a resource (like oil), it becomes more of a commodity – one that the Americans could claim is tradable under the North American Free Trade Agreement.
Wellington Water Watchers is a grassroots group of people from Guelph and Wellington, committed to protecting local water resources and to educating the public about threats to the watershed. They've distributed more than 13,000 reusable water bottles and brought their promotion of tap water to 30,000 area students – aiming for 50,000 soon. Check out www.wellingtonwaterwatchers.ca.
They keep a close eye on water taking by Nestlé, which runs tanker trucks day and night from a well in Hillsburgh to a plant in Aberfoyle. The firm is entitled to take up to 1.1 million litres per day, but normally takes considerably less. Although the well has not caused measurable harm to the local water supply, Water Watchers is still concerned about the long-term impact.
The Peel Aboriginal Network is a social and cultural organization that promotes awareness of Aboriginal values and traditions. Check out www.peelaboriginalnetwork.org. Templer said we need to be more than just thankful for water, but to be thankful to the water.
Water is important in the Judeo-Christian tradition, starting with the Spirt of God hovering over the dark waters even before the creation of light, at the opening of the Book of Genesis. Most spiritual traditions throughout the world recognize a special significance in water, for its role in creation, purification, rebirth, healing and fertility.
"Water, the first living spirit on this earth, gives life to all creation," says the Indigenous Environmental Network, on its website, www.ienearth.org. "Our knowledge, laws and ways of life teach us to be responsible at all times in caring for this sacred gift that connects all life.
"All people deserve the right to a clean and accessible water source. However, throughout the world people are struggling for this basic human right. World trade agreements, industries, and corporations want to view water as a commodity, an item that can be traded and sold to the highest bidder, rather than acknowledge that water is a common and basic need for all life."
October 27, 2010
Looking for good news on climate change
As published in The Erin Advocate
It seems like everywhere you turn these days, someone is cranking the alarm, telling us that life as we know it will be ending sooner instead of later. In this era of instant news and short attention spans, it is hard to maintain a focus on complex disasters like climate change. They say it's happening fast, but it seems so slow.
Depressing news seems to trigger either a hope reflex or a total tune-out. People will seek a quick bite of "It's not going to be that bad", or settle for a forkful of "Why the heck should I care?"
I went looking for some good news on climate change, but the pickin's were slim. I heard climate change expert Don MacIver speak in Alton, at an evening sponsored by Caledon's Green T Environmental Awareness and Credit Valley Conservation (CVC).
MacIver has the ultimate credentials. He is a farmer, the mayor of Amaranth Township (near Shelburne) and a climate change scientist with Environment Canada. As a researcher with the United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, he shared the 2007 Nobel Peace Prize with Al Gore.
"The atmosphere is unforgiving," he said. "It doesn't even know we exist. But we have tickled it. We need to find out how we're going to adapt to these changes. Damaging storms will be more common and more severe."
We will need stronger buildings, bridges, roads and drainage systems, and they will have to be replaced more often. Municipalities will need plans to deal with more frequent flooding and heat waves, and be prepared for more freezing rain instead of snow.
Most municipalities are not even able to maintain existing infrastructure, so the situation seems bleak. Can we accept the idea that our standard of living has been unsustainably high, and that sacrifices will have to be made (higher taxes, lower expectations) if we want to preserve a portion of what we have had?
Canada's climate has changed significantly since the 1950s, accelerated by human activity. Temperatures have increased, especially in the winter and spring, with the annual average up 1.4 degrees. There will be more wildfires, more drought in the prairies and higher sea levels – though it will be a long time before we have a shorter drive to the ocean shore.
Since 1960, CVC and its partners have fought the change, planting 2,500 hectares of new forests in the watershed. They hope to capture an extra 5,400 tonnes of carbon per year, adding about .8 per cent to the 6.5 million tonnes our forests already store. As climate zones move north, they will have to plant the types of trees that now flourish in places like Pennsylvania.
The issues now revolve around mitigation, not on stopping or reversing climate change. "It is too late for that – we have to adapt," said MacIver, challenging people to be creative in their response to the crisis. "Climate change doesn't always have to be bad and disastrous."
The harsh realities will be in the news. More people (far away) will perish due to storms and floods. Aboriginal communities (far away) will have to abandon their traditional way of life. Entire species (far away) will be lost to extinction. Nations (far away) will go to war over scarce food and water.
On the bright side, we may get a 20 per cent longer golf season. As polar ice melts, Canada's economy may benefit from northern ports, Arctic tourism and access to more oil, gas and minerals. (No wonder the oil companies are in no rush to slow global warming.)
We live in a protected bubble here, overflowing with resources and suffering few natural disasters. But if the economies of our trading partners are devastated by climate change, our economy will be extremely vulnerable. When we get the inevitable "carbon tax", will we welcome a conserving lifestyle?
If farmers can deal with more drought and pests, maybe they can benefit from a longer growing season. If we can get used to hotter summers, maybe we will appreciate the money saved on winter heating.
Over a million people and a thousand stewardship groups are active in Canada, working to protect or restore forests and wetlands. Together with alternatives to fossil fuels, these efforts will be key to preserving a portion of our standard of living. The fact that Canada produces a small fraction of the world's greenhouse gases should not stop us from showing leadership in this area.
If the average citizen comes to feel personally threatened by changes in the climate, perhaps stewardship efforts will involve the majority of people – an act of communal defence on an increasingly inhospitable planet.
It seems like everywhere you turn these days, someone is cranking the alarm, telling us that life as we know it will be ending sooner instead of later. In this era of instant news and short attention spans, it is hard to maintain a focus on complex disasters like climate change. They say it's happening fast, but it seems so slow.
Depressing news seems to trigger either a hope reflex or a total tune-out. People will seek a quick bite of "It's not going to be that bad", or settle for a forkful of "Why the heck should I care?"
I went looking for some good news on climate change, but the pickin's were slim. I heard climate change expert Don MacIver speak in Alton, at an evening sponsored by Caledon's Green T Environmental Awareness and Credit Valley Conservation (CVC).
MacIver has the ultimate credentials. He is a farmer, the mayor of Amaranth Township (near Shelburne) and a climate change scientist with Environment Canada. As a researcher with the United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, he shared the 2007 Nobel Peace Prize with Al Gore.
"The atmosphere is unforgiving," he said. "It doesn't even know we exist. But we have tickled it. We need to find out how we're going to adapt to these changes. Damaging storms will be more common and more severe."
We will need stronger buildings, bridges, roads and drainage systems, and they will have to be replaced more often. Municipalities will need plans to deal with more frequent flooding and heat waves, and be prepared for more freezing rain instead of snow.
Most municipalities are not even able to maintain existing infrastructure, so the situation seems bleak. Can we accept the idea that our standard of living has been unsustainably high, and that sacrifices will have to be made (higher taxes, lower expectations) if we want to preserve a portion of what we have had?
Canada's climate has changed significantly since the 1950s, accelerated by human activity. Temperatures have increased, especially in the winter and spring, with the annual average up 1.4 degrees. There will be more wildfires, more drought in the prairies and higher sea levels – though it will be a long time before we have a shorter drive to the ocean shore.
Since 1960, CVC and its partners have fought the change, planting 2,500 hectares of new forests in the watershed. They hope to capture an extra 5,400 tonnes of carbon per year, adding about .8 per cent to the 6.5 million tonnes our forests already store. As climate zones move north, they will have to plant the types of trees that now flourish in places like Pennsylvania.
The issues now revolve around mitigation, not on stopping or reversing climate change. "It is too late for that – we have to adapt," said MacIver, challenging people to be creative in their response to the crisis. "Climate change doesn't always have to be bad and disastrous."
The harsh realities will be in the news. More people (far away) will perish due to storms and floods. Aboriginal communities (far away) will have to abandon their traditional way of life. Entire species (far away) will be lost to extinction. Nations (far away) will go to war over scarce food and water.
On the bright side, we may get a 20 per cent longer golf season. As polar ice melts, Canada's economy may benefit from northern ports, Arctic tourism and access to more oil, gas and minerals. (No wonder the oil companies are in no rush to slow global warming.)
We live in a protected bubble here, overflowing with resources and suffering few natural disasters. But if the economies of our trading partners are devastated by climate change, our economy will be extremely vulnerable. When we get the inevitable "carbon tax", will we welcome a conserving lifestyle?
If farmers can deal with more drought and pests, maybe they can benefit from a longer growing season. If we can get used to hotter summers, maybe we will appreciate the money saved on winter heating.
Over a million people and a thousand stewardship groups are active in Canada, working to protect or restore forests and wetlands. Together with alternatives to fossil fuels, these efforts will be key to preserving a portion of our standard of living. The fact that Canada produces a small fraction of the world's greenhouse gases should not stop us from showing leadership in this area.
If the average citizen comes to feel personally threatened by changes in the climate, perhaps stewardship efforts will involve the majority of people – an act of communal defence on an increasingly inhospitable planet.
October 20, 2010
Skateboard park more realistic than a pool
As published in The Erin Advocate
Election season always brings out a bit of wishful thinking about recreational facilities, so it was no surprise when council candidates were asked about the possibility of a swimming pool or an additional ice rink in the Town's future.
It is an important discussion to have from time to time, even if it is only a superficial stirring of the pot. And even if there is no hope of a pool, it is interesting to see how candidates respond. Here are excerpts from their answers, in the order they spoke, at the October 6 all-candidates meeting.
John Brennan: "I think it would be wonderful to have a swimming pool in town. It would be a recreational asset and a healthy exercise promoter. They are tremendously expensive to maintain. It would be difficult for us to do on our own, but certainly we should explore the possibility with the school board. For recreational spending, I think we should be spending at about 20 per cent of the operating budget. It's a healthy investment for the town. We need to expand wherever we can, but we need to seek grants and do it in a fiscally responsible manner."
Josie Wintersinger: "Yes, I would be in favour. There are lots of people, and particularly young children, who are not getting the exercise that they need. You also have an older population, and swimming is an activity that they can do. However, that is going to cost funds, and where are we going to get the funds from? I don't see, unless people are going to fundraise for it, how we're going to come up with the kind of money that you need. So in all due fairness, unless as taxpayers you want to contribute a little more, I don't see how it's possible."
Shawn Wilson: "I'd have to say no to a pool. There's one in Caledon. Mayfield has one, I don't think it gets used that much. It's a huge cost. It doesn't say much for our previous planning that now we have to put an addition on the arena for four change rooms. And now you want to put a pool in there? That's not common sense thinking. That's foolish thinking. That's a waste of money and time."
Craig Porterfield: "It would be a nice toy, but the maintenance costs for a pool are just too high. As far as an additional ice rink, I think that's unfeasible as well. You have to be able to be held responsible when spending tax dollars. Frankly, I think that there's too much money that goes towards sports now for a select few."
Barb Tocher: "We'd all love to have them, but can we afford them? We just do not have the critical mass to support a pool. I don't think we're at a time that we can afford that kind of a luxury. There will come a day when we will need a new arena facility with ice pads. We're not there yet. We're taking small steps. The skateboard park will run us about $100,000. How are we going to pay that? Corporate sponsorships, fundraising from the kids that are involved, the stakeholders are getting involved with the town, so they're coming to a partnership."
Deb Callaghan: "Much as I'd love to see a pool in the town, I don't think it's feasible. It's far too cost prohibitive. As far as the skating rinks – quite often the ice surface is empty, no one is using it, so there is no way I could ever support another ice surface."
The mayoral candidates were asked about a pool at the October 14 all-candidates meeting. Lou Maieron expressed his support for a pool, since "not everyone plays hockey". Rod Finnie said that instead of an expensive pool project, "we're looking at a splash pad".
On the issue of a skateboard/BMX park at Centre 2000, it is interesting that much progress has been made just before an election. I hope that the momentum continues after the election.
No opposition was expressed at a recent public meeting, and the Town has agreed to match funds raised one-to-one. Compared to pools and ice rinks, the 5,000 sq. ft. facility is relatively inexpensive ($85,000) and will require little maintenance.
Naturally, there is some risk of noise and rowdy behaviour, but let's face it, that risk exists in many areas. Nearby residents do have a valid concern about noise, so the Town should investigate a buffer of dense trees to reduce the impact.
With young people involved in the fundraising, the risk of vandalism should be diminished. It is a high-traffic area, with three security cameras nearby, so it should be possible to create a safe environment.
This project has been requested many times over the years by young people and their parents, and the time has come time for it to actually happen. When the fundraising starts, I hope that businesses, service clubs and members of the public will be supportive.
Election season always brings out a bit of wishful thinking about recreational facilities, so it was no surprise when council candidates were asked about the possibility of a swimming pool or an additional ice rink in the Town's future.
It is an important discussion to have from time to time, even if it is only a superficial stirring of the pot. And even if there is no hope of a pool, it is interesting to see how candidates respond. Here are excerpts from their answers, in the order they spoke, at the October 6 all-candidates meeting.
John Brennan: "I think it would be wonderful to have a swimming pool in town. It would be a recreational asset and a healthy exercise promoter. They are tremendously expensive to maintain. It would be difficult for us to do on our own, but certainly we should explore the possibility with the school board. For recreational spending, I think we should be spending at about 20 per cent of the operating budget. It's a healthy investment for the town. We need to expand wherever we can, but we need to seek grants and do it in a fiscally responsible manner."
Josie Wintersinger: "Yes, I would be in favour. There are lots of people, and particularly young children, who are not getting the exercise that they need. You also have an older population, and swimming is an activity that they can do. However, that is going to cost funds, and where are we going to get the funds from? I don't see, unless people are going to fundraise for it, how we're going to come up with the kind of money that you need. So in all due fairness, unless as taxpayers you want to contribute a little more, I don't see how it's possible."
Shawn Wilson: "I'd have to say no to a pool. There's one in Caledon. Mayfield has one, I don't think it gets used that much. It's a huge cost. It doesn't say much for our previous planning that now we have to put an addition on the arena for four change rooms. And now you want to put a pool in there? That's not common sense thinking. That's foolish thinking. That's a waste of money and time."
Craig Porterfield: "It would be a nice toy, but the maintenance costs for a pool are just too high. As far as an additional ice rink, I think that's unfeasible as well. You have to be able to be held responsible when spending tax dollars. Frankly, I think that there's too much money that goes towards sports now for a select few."
Barb Tocher: "We'd all love to have them, but can we afford them? We just do not have the critical mass to support a pool. I don't think we're at a time that we can afford that kind of a luxury. There will come a day when we will need a new arena facility with ice pads. We're not there yet. We're taking small steps. The skateboard park will run us about $100,000. How are we going to pay that? Corporate sponsorships, fundraising from the kids that are involved, the stakeholders are getting involved with the town, so they're coming to a partnership."
Deb Callaghan: "Much as I'd love to see a pool in the town, I don't think it's feasible. It's far too cost prohibitive. As far as the skating rinks – quite often the ice surface is empty, no one is using it, so there is no way I could ever support another ice surface."
The mayoral candidates were asked about a pool at the October 14 all-candidates meeting. Lou Maieron expressed his support for a pool, since "not everyone plays hockey". Rod Finnie said that instead of an expensive pool project, "we're looking at a splash pad".
On the issue of a skateboard/BMX park at Centre 2000, it is interesting that much progress has been made just before an election. I hope that the momentum continues after the election.
No opposition was expressed at a recent public meeting, and the Town has agreed to match funds raised one-to-one. Compared to pools and ice rinks, the 5,000 sq. ft. facility is relatively inexpensive ($85,000) and will require little maintenance.
Naturally, there is some risk of noise and rowdy behaviour, but let's face it, that risk exists in many areas. Nearby residents do have a valid concern about noise, so the Town should investigate a buffer of dense trees to reduce the impact.
With young people involved in the fundraising, the risk of vandalism should be diminished. It is a high-traffic area, with three security cameras nearby, so it should be possible to create a safe environment.
This project has been requested many times over the years by young people and their parents, and the time has come time for it to actually happen. When the fundraising starts, I hope that businesses, service clubs and members of the public will be supportive.
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