LAST CALL – Amazing turtle workshops with the Ontario Turtle Conservation Centre, Apr 16 & 17 at the H’Art Centre in downtown Kingston. Spaces still available for 6:30 pm, Tues evening.
More info? www.friendsofinnerharbour.com/about/monthly updates. See April 2019
AND thanks so much Hilbert for the great Belle Park Osprey pic – So wonderful they have returned once again. Scroll down for pic at end.
1) Turtle Update: Great news on By-Catch Issue + VOLUNTEERING?
2) Cigarette butt problem – new initiative
3) Belle Park Survey – Your thoughts? Deadline April 12
4) Tannery Update – City Council Motion, April 16
5) Climate Change Survey – Deadline April 18
6) Belle Island Spring Clean-Up, Sat, April 27
7) Earth Day Kingston Celebration, April 27
8) Jane’s Walks 2019 – Fri-Sun, May 3-5
9) Great Indigenous Newsletter
10) Mayor’s Task Force on Housing
11) Breakwater Park National Award of Excellence
12) Turtle Nest Protectors: Turtles Kingston with Lee Valley
13) Household Hazardous Waste
14) Trump Reversal
15) Butterfly seeds from David Suzuki Foundation
16) WONDERFUL TREE VIDEO – TAKE THE TIME!
17) Possible idea for the Great Cataraqui River?
1) Turtle Update: Great News on By-Catch Issue + VOLUNTEERING?
VOLUNTEERS NEEDED FOR THIS SEASON to monitor turtles!!! No experience necessary!
Contact Mary at inverarymary@yahoo.com or phone 613-544-1246 if you would like to find out more to see if you might be interested.
Mabyn Armstrong of Turtles Kingston has been a huge positive force on the by-catch issue.
She sent the following:
“We have a very promising update about Turtles as ‘By-Catch’ in the Commercial Fishing Industry in and around the Kingston area. Since the issue was brought to our attention last June by a member of our Facebook Community, Turtles Kingston and Friends of Kingston Inner Harbour have been strategizing solutions with the Lake Ontario Management Unit of the Ontario at that time under the jurisdiction of the ‘Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry ‘ and since April 1st, under the jurisdiction of the ‘Ministry of Environment, Conservation and Parks.
The concerned Facebook supporter had messaged us stating she had found a very large dead Snapping Turtle on an abandoned wharf where John Counter Blvd (Elliott Ave.) meets the St Lawrence River. It was determined that the turtle had drowned in the Commercial Fishing Nets installed at that location. The day after receiving that call, Turtles Kingston and Friends of Kingston Inner Harbour representatives inspected the area and found 11 more turtle carcases, all having drowned in the fishing nets strung across the river. This led Turtles Kingston into researching the issue of ‘Turtles as By-Catch’. The following day, Turtles Kingston placed an ‘urgent’ call to the MNRF ‘Hotline’ which later opened the door to the dialogue established with the Ontario Lake Management Unit at Glenora. Both organizations worked with the Lake Ontario Management Unit representatives over the last several months and are very pleased with the outcome of those exchanges. Effective May 1st, the Ontario Management Unit of the Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry (now under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Environment, Conservation and Parks) have applied ‘conditions’ on the commercial fishing licences. What was before listed only as ‘voluntary best practices’ would now be subject to the enforcement of the new regulations on the Commercial Licences. Those regulations should have a measurable positive impact on the turtle mortality rate in the commercial fishing industry. In addition, the data will help profile the status of the turtle populations in Lake Ontario.
If deemed necessary, there are other measures that will be implemented if it is found that there is a ‘no compliance’ issue with the Commercial fishermen.
Onwards and upwards!
2) Cigarette butt problem – new initiative
THE SINGLE MOST DISGARDED PIECE OF GARBAGE IN THE INNER HARBOUR! It is great that the city has a plan to start dealing with this big problem. Hopefully in a few years, these receptacles will also be placed in the park at some of the park benches where this problem is really badl
For a start, the city will be installing 20 receptacles designed to collect cigarette butts so they can be recycled.
“We are working to keep the downtown and transit hubs clean. This is about encouraging people to dispose of cigarette butts in a tidy and environmentally friendly way,” says Troy Stubinski, manager, public works operations.
The City and Downtown Kingston! have partnered on a number of efforts to keep the downtown tidy as part of the “Keep it Clean” initiative.
The Terracycle cigarette disposal receptacles will be placed at transit hubs and certain Express Route stops and gathering places in the downtown. Once collected, the remaining tobacco will be composted and the butts will be recycled into a variety of industrial products, such as plastic pallets.
Find out more about Terracycle’s cigarette waste recycling program.
3) Belle Park Survey – Your thoughts?
https://getinvolved.cityofkingston.ca/belle-park?tool=survey_tool#tool_tab
https://getinvolved.cityofkingston.ca/belle-park/survey_tools/belle-park-site-plan
Deadline: April 12, 4 pm
4) Tannery Update. City Council Motion, April 16
Due to a number of concerns including lack of sufficient detail regarding turtles and turtle habitat in the Ecological Impact Statement prepared for Patry Inc + the subsequent letters of concern from both Parks Canada and the Cataraqui Region Conservation Authority, Councillor Lisa Osanic will be submitting the following motion at the Tuesday, April 16, 2019 City Council Meeting at City Hall.
“Whereas the Public Meeting for Application D35-009-2017 2 River St. and 50 Orchard St. was held at Planning Committee on March 8, 2018
Whereas many members of the public and the planning authorities, namely the Cataraqui Region Conservation Authority raised concerns about the documentation in relation to natural hazards and natural heritage submitted by the applicant as well as environmental concerns cited by Parks Canada
THAT staff be directed to have the Environmental Impact Assessment of the Davis Tannery by Ecological Services dated December 30, 2017 peer reviewed by a third party with costs paid by the applicant and that the peer reviewer consider the setbacks from the wetlands and shorelines, a compensation and mitigation strategy, shoreline and riparian buffer restoration, and locations and mitigation measures from stormwater outlets and the other concerns submitted by the Cataraqui Region Conservation Authority and Parks Canada with emphasis on how any loss of turtle nesting habitat can be best mitigated particularly near Block 103 as currently proposed where video footage from the Friends of Inner Harbour in 2018 has shown 80 Northern Map turtles basking in the sun.”
We are most grateful to City Council for considering these important issues – particularly in light of Council’s understanding of the need to act regarding the consequences of Climate Change.
5) Climate Change Survey – Deadline April 18
https://www.kingstonclimatehub.ca/. Deadline April 18.
The Kingston Climate Hub is part of Climate Reality Canada’s network that advances the goals of the Climate Reality Project, led by former U.S. Vice President and Nobel Laureate Al Gore.
“It is essential to ensure that the community is receiving accurate information about climate change and how it is impacting us here and now,” says Emily Ferguson, co-founder of the Kingston Climate Hub. “This is an opportunity to assess the level of climate change knowledge within the community and provide us with a roadmap on where we can have the greatest impact.”
The picture of climate change has become even more dire with yesterday’s release of a government report – authored by the ministries of Environment and Climate Change, Fisheries and Oceans and Natural Resources, with contributions from university experts – announcing that Canada is, on average, experiencing warming at twice the rate of the rest of the world, with Northern Canada heating up at almost three times the global average.
“Of course, we hope that most Kingstonians are in favour of taking climate action and that we get enough data from the survey to inform our work, which is to provide non-partisan climate information and to reach out to our community,” said Colleen Gareau, cofounder of the Hub.
6) Belle Island Spring Clean-Up, Sat, April 27
The Belle Island Caretakers’ Council is once again organizing a Spring Clean-Up of Belle Island.
All Welcome. Noon till 5 pm.
https://www.facebook.com/events/242081016721188/
7) Earth Day Kingston Celebration, April 27
https://www.facebook.com/events/835122143362354/
8) Jane’s Walks 2019 – Fri-Sun, May 3-5
Once more, a wonderfully diverse collection of free and informative walks in Kingston’s downtown in celebration of Jane Jacob’s, renowned community activist.
Our Inner Harbour: Past Present and Future walk will be Sat, May 4 at 10 am and the K&P Bicycle Tour will be Sat, May 4 at noon.
Details on the Jane’s Walk Kingston website.
https://janeswalkkingston.wordpress.com/
9) Great Indigenous Newsletter on what’s happening across the country.
Incredibly informative.
http://www.sakatay.ca/
10) Mayor’s Task Force on Housing
“Housing is a top priority in our community and is of great interest among residents. The project page for the Task Force provides an opportunity for Kingstonians to familiarize themselves with project materials and the mandate of the Task Force. Residents can stay up to date and learn more about opportunities to engage and provide input when the time comes,” says Mayor Bryan Paterson.
When the Task Force begins to seek public input, this new webpage will provide the details on when and how to engage with this project.
By the end of 2019, the Mayor’s Task Force on Housing will present a coordinated and practical set of recommendations designed to guide council as it makes decisions to address Kingston’s housing supply. These recommendations are to be informed by evidence and persuasive recommendations.
See it now at www.CityofKingston.ca/TaskForce
11) Breakwater Park National Award of Excellence
The City of Kingston’s Breakwater Park has won a Canadian Society of Landscape Architect’s (CSLA) 2019 National Award of Excellence in the category of medium-scale public landscapes designed by a landscape architect (1 to 5 hectares). The awards honour landscape architectural firms whose projects feature distinctive design and sustainable landscape management. Congrats all around!
“I’m very pleased that Breakwater Park is receiving due recognition at the national level. I remain proud that the federal government was a partner in this waterfront rejuvenation, which has been so clearly enjoyed by residents of all ages and will continue to be for generations to come,” says Mark Gerretsen, Member of Parliament for Kingston and the Islands.
“Breakwater Park has proven to be a tremendous success since its reopening last summer. This park is an incredible asset situated on Kingston’s beautiful waterfront with features that the whole community can enjoy. We love Breakwater Park and it’s an honour to see it recognized with a national award,” says Bryan Paterson, Mayor of Kingston.
“The thousands of people who flocked to the new Breakwater Park and swimming pier show how important this space is to the community. Stunning architecture has elicited a profound response. This project changes the way other cities are looking at waterfronts and restoration projects. If they follow Breakwater Park’s example, the result will be healthier, more active communities and swimmable water for all,” says Mark Mattson, president, Swim Drink Fish.
The 15 winning projects from across Canada demonstrate excellent practice in a multidisciplinary approach in planning and design. In the award citation, the CSLA noted: “Breakwater Park is a project in three parts: the revitalization of an existing park, a redesign of shoreline infrastructure, and an expansion into a neighbouring terrain vague with a derelict post-industrial dock transformed into Canada’s first deep water urban swimming pier.”
Breakwater Park underwent extensive renovations, which were completed in 2018. The project was supported by approximately $900,000 in funding through the Canada 150 Community Infrastructure Program, delivered by the Federal Economic Development Agency for Southern Ontario (FedDev Ontario). The renovations were also funded with $500,000 by The W. Garfield Weston Foundation and Swim Drink Fish Canada.
Breakwater Park was identified as the highest priority for improvements in the City’s Waterfront Master Plan, which was awarded a CSLA Award of Excellence in 2017.
Learn more on the CSLA Awards of Excellence.
See Breakwater Park for yourself on the City’s live-stream webcam.
12) Turtle Nest Protectors: Turtles Kingston partners with Lee Valley
https://www.kingstonist.com/turtles-kingston-and-lee-valley-announce-turtle-nest-protection-program/
Great partnership here!
Also, FKIH is in partnership with the Limestone District School Board for Grade 7/8 students to create some of these as well. Totally wonderful to have such interest and collaboration!!!
More anon in the next update!
13) Household Hazardous Waste
The household hazardous waste facility opens for the season on Thursday, April 4. The facility, at the Kingston Area Recycling Centre (KARC) at 196 Lappan’s Lane, is open April through November:
8 a.m. to 5 p.m. every Thursday
8 a.m. to 4 p.m. every Saturday
Remember to bring your unwanted, partially-filled paint cans to the paint table – or browse the leftover paints for a colour that suits your project.
Please bring proof of residency (i.e. a driver’s licence) when dropping off household hazardous waste. For reporting purposes, the City of Kingston tracks whether facility visitors are from Kingston or another nearby community.
Certain household hazardous waste items can be dropped off at other locations.
Compact fluorescent light bulbs contain mercury and are hazardous waste. They can be brought to the household hazardous waste facility or the KARC administrative office.
Batteries may be dropped off at City Hall, 216 Ontario St.; the INVISTA Centre, 1350 Gardiners Rd.; KARC, 196 Lappan’s Lane; or see www.call2recycle.org or www.rawmaterials.com for battery recycling drop-off locations.
Expired or unused pharmaceuticals and your needles: www.healthsteward.ca/returns/ontario. If you find a needle, do not touch it. Contact KFL&A Public Health via the Street Health Centre at 613-549-1440 to report its location.
See www.makethedrop.ca or www.Regeneration.ca to find a list of retailers that take some household hazardous waste items.
About Household Hazardous Waste
Never put hazardous material in with regular garbage or recycling and never pour it down a drain or toilet. Store hazardous material in original containers in a cool, dry place safely away from food, children or pets until you can bring it to the household hazardous waste facility.
Look for warning labels and instructions on products and handle any potentially hazardous materials with care. Do not mix hazardous materials and, when possible, bring items in their original containers.
Don’t know where it goes? www.CityofKingston.ca/wastelookup.
Residents are reminded City bylaws prohibit the illegal disposal of waste and interfering with waste put out for disposal.
14) Trump Reversal
Thankfully Trump, in his normal erratic way, decided to reverse his decision to cut grants to the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative when he figured out that the Great Lakes States are swing states. Enough said.
15) Butterfly seeds from David Suzuki Foundation
Time to start thinking about spring plantings
https://store.davidsuzuki.org/collections/wildflower-seed-store/?utm_campaign=springSeedSales-secondPost-en-26mar2019&utm_source=facebook&utm_medium=page-link&fbclid=IwAR3mmM80TXxN3a_k0HHuvNzX9gFplwGdKNIG-ePo92Wzg9tdFql7zGpiMu09
16) WONDERFUL TREE VIDEO – TAKE THE TIME!
https://www.tvo.org/video/documentaries/call-of-the-forest-the-forgotten-wisdom-of-trees
17) Possible idea for the Great Cataraqui River?
https://www.newkingston.ca/ Riverlands More anon…..
Cheers,
Mary Farrar, President,
Friends of Kingston Inner Harbour