Dear Friends,
Here it is almost December!
This is the last update for 2019.
Thanks so much to Adam Malus for this beautiful seasonal pic of Belle Island.
And thanks so very much all of you for your continued interest in our various projects.
Citizens really can make a difference!
1) Tannery Travails. What do you think?
2) Exciting Launch of N. America’s First Electric Ferry –
The Amherst Islander II
3) High Lake Levels – Latest Info
4) Global Climate Strike, Fri, Nov 29
5) Outdoors at CRCA
6) Housing and Homelessness Update
7) Building High Rises with Wood?
8) North King’s Town Plan Update
9) Temporary Sidewalk at Third Crossing
10) Ship Speed Limits Can Reduce Climate Impacts
11) Asian Carp and Sea Lamprey Updates
12) News from the Phoebe
13) No Parking on Streets after Dec 1
14) Transit + Sally Ann for Food Bank
15) Fun Raffle for Summer Cruise on 1000 ft. Great Lakes Freighter
16) Nan Yeoman’s Event includes Turtle Pics
17) Sad Demise of our Turtle Projects
1) Tannery Travails. What do you think?
Developer Jay Patry is planning to develop the old Davis Tannery site between Belle Park and the Rowing Club. The current plan is for 1500 units and includes a “wrap” design surrounding interior parking. Kingston has a housing crisis and some development of this brownfield site makes sense. The question is – What sort of development? Our major concern is with the shoreline and the potential obliteration of essential turtle habitat. Mitigation measures are often unsatisfactory. We are also concerned about filling in the wetlands. Please consider coming to one of the Open Houses being organized by Patry Inc.
Received from Patry Inc. Nov 22:
“Dear Resident:
NEIGHBOURHOOD OPEN HOUSE TO PRESENT AN UPDATE ON THE PROPOSED DEVELOPMENT FOR THE FORMER DAVIS TANNERY LANDS
On behalf of our client, Patry Inc. Developments, IBI Group submitted formal planning applications in January 2018 to the City of Kingston for the remediation and redevelopment of the former Davis Tannery Lands. A Statutory Public Meeting was held in March 2018.
In order to present the latest updates on the project to the public, IBI Group and Patry Inc are holding two Neighbourhood Open Houses, and you are invited.
The project team is hosting these drop-in sessions to provide an update on this exciting proposal for a “Complete Community” and to gather input from citizens and stakeholders…
The proposed development includes new residential and commercial uses on the subject lands, as well as large public park spaces. Applications for Draft Plan of Subdivision, Official Plan and Zoning By-law Amendments have been submitted to the City of Kingston. In addition to the above applications, an application has also been submitted to create a special policy area within the City’s Community Improvement Plan to assist with the clean-up of the contamination on the property. This Notice is being sent out to all property owners within 240 m of the subject lands.
We look forward to seeing you”.
Where: Memorial Hall, City Hall,
216 Ontario St.
When: Thurs, Dec 5, 4:30 – 6:30 pm, and/or
Where: Royal Canadian Legion, Branch 560
When: Tues, Dec 10, 6:30 – 8:30
More info?Mark Touw, Planner with IBI Group, 613-531-4440, x 63301, Mark.Touw@IBIGroup.com, or
Nathan Richard, Patry Inc Developments, 343-363-1708, NRichard@sphericalworx.com.
2) Exciting Launch: NA’s First Electric Ferry, the Amherst Islander II
https://www.youtube.com/embed/WpjattQDSqc?rel=0
3) High Lake Levels – Latest Info
(Apologies for being long & convoluted -but different perspectives)
Received from the Chamber of Marine Commerce Nov 22, 26 and 27
Schumer, shippers battle over Lake Ontario flood prevention, Buffalo News (Buffalo, New York), November 27, 2019. Amid fears that Lake Ontario will overflow its banks and destroy millions of dollars of property again next year, Senate Minority Leader Charles E. Schumer and the shipping industry are clashing over whether more water should be released from the lake. Schumer, a New York Democrat, thinks water flows through the St. Lawrence Seaway should be pushed higher than ever in hopes of preventing spring flooding. But the shipping industry fears that such a move could lead to an early shutdown of the Seaway this year and the loss of millions of dollars of business. In the middle stands the binational body that manages the waters shared by the U.S. and Canada, the International Joint Commission – which seems reluctant to release more water from the lake. “It is important to note that the current strategy is removing a large amount of water from Lake Ontario and that it would be difficult to remove significantly more water before next spring than the current outflow strategy will accomplish,” the IJC said in a statement. Bruce Burrows, president at the Chamber of Marine Commerce, is quoted.
No early closure of Seaway, IJC says, Brockville Recorder and Times (Brockville, Ontario), November 26, 2019. The International Joint Commission (IJC) has no plans to shut the St. Lawrence Seaway early, soothing fears of a shipping industry that was sounding dire warnings of the economic impact of a December shutdown. But the commission is keeping open its option of extending the Seaway’s winter closure in the spring to drain more water from Lake Ontario, according to Sarah Lobrichon, who speaks for the IJC. “The options for increasing the flow would provide limited additional relief – on the order of two to four centimetres – and would have considerable negative impacts on other interests, including flooding downstream,” she said in an email. “No adjustments in the flow rate will determine whether or not it floods next year.” Bruce Burrows, president at the Chamber of Marine Commerce, is quoted.
Fight over water levels pits flooded communities against shipping industry, CBC, November 24, 2019. Residents who live on the Canadian shores of Lake Ontario and the St. Lawrence River are demanding more action to lower water levels as they brace once again for spring flooding. The water flows out of the Great Lakes along the river and through a system of dams south of Cornwall, Ontario, that are controlled by the International Joint Commission (IJC). This spring, for more than 70 days, summer residences and businesses on the waterfront suffered unprecedented flooding — two years after an earlier record-breaking flood in 2017. On Friday, the IJC gave the International Lake Ontario-St. Lawrence River Board the ability to be more flexible with flow rates through June 2020. Another consideration is marine traffic, which continues through to the end of December — but will have to halt earlier if the flow rates make the river too fast. The Chamber of Marine Commerce warns an early shutdown could cost the Canadian and U.S. economies $250 million a week.
Protesters blame newGreat Lakesplan for floods on Lake Ontario, Ottawa River, Ottawa Citizen (Ottawa, Ontario), November 24, 2019 (also appeared in the Ottawa Sun). Water levels on Lake Ontario and the St. Lawrence River urgently need to be lowered to avoid widespread flooding in 2020, a spirited band of shoreline citizens demanded Saturday. About 150 protesters gathered at the Laurier Avenue offices of the International Joint Commission, which manages the level and health of the Great Lakes, then marched to Parliament Hill to appeal to the prime minister. Among them was a solid contingent of residents from along the Ottawa River, who believe that the IJC’s Plan 2014 contributed to catastrophic flooding on the tributary river in 2017 and 2019. Several said water regulators were trying to keep the water high on the St. Lawrence system to please shipping companies, while holding back flow on the discharging Ottawa to keep Montreal safe. Plan 2014 was intended to return Lake Ontario to a more natural state by allowing water levels to rise and fall to the betterment of about 64,000 acres of coastal wetlands. It went into effect in 2016, and its main control point is the Moses-Saunders Dam at Cornwall. The commission says that a combination of massive snow melt, record rainfall and climate change contributed to the historic floods in 2017 and 2019 and that no regulation plan could have prevented them. Because the two floods were so close together, however, residents and politicians are beginning to question Plan 2014.
Seaway shipping stoppages in December would cost economy $250 million/per week, Chamber of Marine Commerce (Ottawa, Ontario), November 22, 2019 (also appeared at MarineLink). Closing the St. Lawrence Seaway in December to accommodate higher water outflow at the Moses-Saunders dam would cost the Canadian and U.S. economies $250 million/per week* — impacting farmers’ grain exports, manufacturing plant operations and disrupting deliveries of fuel, construction materials and road salt for winter safety to cites throughout the region. The Chamber of Marine Commerce is issuing today’s comments to provide a wider context of the economic repercussions related to calls to increase the water outflow at Moses-Saunders dam to levels that would be unsafe for navigation and halt shipping on the St. Lawrence Seaway during December. Increasing outflows above the safe navigation limit to the highest levels possible would lower Lake Ontario levels less than 4 centimetres a week. In a closure situation, it would take more than two weeks to clear ship traffic and removal of buoys duties before outflows begin. Ice conditions could also prohibit maximum levels. This negligible reduction would come at a huge cost to commercial navigation. Chamber of Marine Commerce President Bruce Burrows, Wade Sobkowich, Executive Director of the Western Grain Elevator Association (WGEA) and Ian Hamilton, President and CEO of the Hamilton-Oshawa Port Authority, are quoted.
The updates above give us an actual sense of the problems.
Conversely here is the Ontario Ministry’s take from the Great Lakes and Water Policy section of the Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry
Personally I find this embarrassingly uninformative!
Today, the government released the Report prepared by Ontario’s Special Advisor on Flooding, Mr. Doug McNeil, to the public. The Report is titled ‘Independent Review of the 2019 Flood Events in Ontario’ and is available at the following link: Ontario.ca/floodreport. In addition to the Report, Ontario has issued a News Release.
Increasing resiliency to flooding is a shared responsibility – all levels of government, agencies and property owners have an important role to play. We look forward to continuing to work with our partners in considering the Report’s recommendations…mnrwaterpolicy@ontario.ca
And then there is this from the Conservation Authorities desperately in need of government funding that has been cut. Make of it what you will!
| NEWMARKET (November 28, 2019) Conservation Ontario is pleased
that the report released today by the Province’s Special Advisor on
Flooding recognizes the critical role that conservation authorities
(CAs) play in Ontario’s flood management. Flood management in Ontario is a shared responsibility among municipalities, emergency management officials, the Province and conservation authorities. This report recognizes the value of the conservation authority model and recommends that the Province ‘consult with the conservation authorities on their application of the natural hazards-based approach and risk-based approach to managing flooding’. “A quick scan of the 66 recommendations shows us that Mr. McNeil appreciates the collaborative nature of flood management in Ontario,” said Kim Gavine, General Manager of Conservation Ontario which represents the 36 conservation authorities. “We’ve worked well with the Province, to date, and we look forward to continuing to develop improvements.’ “We’re very pleased to see that he appreciates the collaborative approach, however, maintaining and making improvements in Ontario’s flood management programs requires resources that include appropriate policy and program support,” Ms Gavine said. “For example, the 50 per cent reduction to conservation authorities’ provincial transfer payments for the natural hazards program affected all CAs and erode our ability to effectively address issues raised by the Flood Advisor.” Following up from a difficult spring flood season that stretched into the summer months, the Province appointed Doug McNeil as Special Advisor on Flooding to conduct an independent review of flood management and the 2019 flood events in Ontario and provide advice to the Minister of Natural Resources and Forestry. Mr. McNeil examined Ontario’s current flood management framework, exploring the various roles of agencies, such as conservation authorities, who are involved in reducing flood risk, as well as reviewing the policies and technical guidance which makes up the policy framework for flood management in Ontario. “The mandate of conservation authorities is the conservation, restoration, development and management of natural resources,” Ms. Gavine said. “Using a watershed-based approach has effectively protected Ontarians for years and helped to avoid many more millions of dollars in damages and business disruptions. It also helps to build resiliency in local watersheds helping our communities to adapt to the growing impacts of climate change more easily.” In addition to operating $3.8 billion worth of flood control infrastructure, CAs also bring added protection and benefits through various watershed management programs and activities such as: watershed scale monitoring, data collection/management and modelling, watershed scale studies, plans, assessments and/or strategies as well as watershed-wide actions including stewardship, communication, outreach and education activities. Conservation authorities are recommending to the Province that these kinds of ‘foundational watershed management’ activities be captured in the Conservation Authorities Act regulations which are currently being developed. Conservation Ontario will be working with the conservation authorities to review the report in more detail and look forward to continue to collaborate with the Province to reduce the risk of flooding in Ontario. More Info? Kim Gavine, General Manager, Conservation Ontario 905.895.0716 ext 231 Jane Lewington, Marketing & Communications Specialist 905.895.0716 ext 222 |
4) Global Climate Strike, City Hall, Fri, Nov 29
Kingston’s Fridays-for-Future Joins Global Climate Strike on November 29
What: Continuing Call to Action as the Climate Crisis
Intensifies (F4F) will join with people around the world to demand
immediate action to stop climate change.
“The science is clear. The earth is warming due to human activities. We know what needs to be done”
Where: Springer Market Square Ampitheatre, Kingston City Hall
When: Noon to 2:00 pm on Friday November 29, 2019
Theme: People Most Vulnerable to Climate Change
Who: Fridays for Future (F4F), 350 Kingston and partnering organizations. Speakers and live music. Free hot drinks available to all.
More Info?
Aidan Tomkinson 613-449-0928 aidantomkinson@gmail.com
Gavin Hutchison 613-530-1285 (cell) Gavinh@pandavoice.com
5) Great Outdoor Events at Little Cataraqui Creek Conservation Area
(1641 Perth Rd., Glenburnie ON (north of HWY 401 on Division St., Kingston
Forest Therapy Walk, Sat, Nov 30
Forest Therapy Walk, Sun, Dec 8
Outdoor Holiday Party for the Animals, Dec 15
Forest Therapy Walk, Thurs, Dec 19
Also – Raise a glass to support Nature! Thurs, Dec 12 at the Spearhead Brewery $20 per person
More Info? Contact Krista Fazackerley – kfazackerley@crca.ca
6) Housing and Homelessness Plan Mid-Point Update
What: Residents are invited to come to two Open Houses to discuss the Mid-point Update on the City of Kingston and County of Frontenac’s 10-year Housing & Homelessness Plan, originally completed in 2014.
“Relevant policies and funding have evolved over the past five years –
and so have the housing pressures experienced by area residents. This
mid-point update is an opportunity for the City and the County to take
stock and adjust to meet the needs of our clients as effectively as
possible,” says Ruth Noordegraf, Director, Housing and Social Services.
The City and the County have worked with service providers, community
members, Acacia Consulting and Research and Focus Consulting Inc. to
complete the Five-Year Review/Update of the Plan.
When: Thurs, Nov 28, 3-5 pm and 6-8 pm
Where: Rideau Heights Community Centre, 85 MacCauley St., Kingston.
More Info? A summary slide-deck and the full five-year review Environmental Scan and Needs Assessment is available at www.CityofKingston.ca/Housing It features highlights and graphs while the document goes into more depth and discussion about the subject areas below:
a) The housing market including housing starts and new construction.
b) The rental market including net migration, vacancy rate, per-unit costs and rental demand.
c) Housing needs including demographics and need by household type and area.
d) Urban and rural homelessness counts and shelter-use.
7) Building High Rises with Wood?
https://www.archdaily.com/926684/timber-tutorial-how-to-build-taller-with-wood?utm_medium=email&utm_source=ArchDaily%20List&kth=1,232,598
8) North King’s Town Plan Update
From PAIGE AGNEW’S Blog, Received Nov 22
North King’s Town (NKT) Secondary Plan
The North King’s Town Secondary Plan for
the Inner Harbour and Old Industrial Areas of the city just north of
the downtown involves the completion of a number of technical studies.
Work has already been undertaken for NKT on a draft land use and density
plan and a draft cultural heritage study, as well as some of the
required transportation modelling for the NKT transportation plan. Some
of the early results from the NKT transportation work were used to
remove the southern portion of the proposed Wellington Street Extension
from the recent update to the City’s Development Charges By-Law.
The staff and consulting team that is working on the NKT transportation
model is also the same team that is responsible for the work being done
for the Williamsville transportation model. Re-focusing our efforts on
Williamsville in the short term to meet the timelines associated with
the interim control by-law will unfortunately mean that the
transportation work, and subsequently the revised land use plan, for the
NKT Secondary Plan will be on hold for a little while. However, work
will continue on finalizing
9) Temporary Sidewalk at 3rd Crossing
Received, Nov 19
“As work continues on the west shore we want to thank you for all your
patience. As you may have noticed crews are finalizing the installation
of the west side noise fence at the back of the properties north of John
Counter Boulevard and will complete that work shortly. Once that work
is finalized, crews will then begin installing a temporary pedestrian
sidewalk.
Within the next week, either at the end of this week or early next week,
weather dependent, crews will be installing a temporary asphalt
sidewalk along the noise fence for access into and out of the west shore
neighbourhoods, including Riverpark neighbourhood and Skyline Living
apartments. Installation should take about two days. The temporary
sidewalk will follow the noise fence and then reach out to connect with
Montreal Street. Please see attached for a draft image of where the
sidewalk will be located. Residents are encouraged to use the sidewalk
and to not walk along or cross John Counter Boulevard. The City does not
allow or will not help residents cross the road illegally. The
temporary sidewalk will be installed using asphalt.
The City’s Public Works department will snow plow the sidewalk for resident use.
Signs will be installed at the John Counter Boulevard and Montreal
Street intersection indicating the installation and encouraging
residents to use the temporary sidewalk.
The temporary sidewalk will be in place until new permanent sidewalks
are created along John Counter Boulevard – anticipating 2023″
More Info? Contact: thirdcrossing@cityofkingston.ca
10) Speed Limits for Ships Can Reduce Climate Impacts
Received from the Chamber of Marine Commerce Wed, Dec 13
Climate change: Speed limits for ships can have ‘massive’ benefits, BBC
News (United Kingdom), November 11, 2019. Cutting the speed of ships
has huge benefits for humans, nature and the climate, according to a new
report. A 20% reduction would cut greenhouse gases but also curb
pollutants that damage human health such as black carbon and nitrogen
oxides. This speed limit would cut underwater noise by 66% and reduce
the chances of whale collisions by 78%. Ships, of all sorts and sizes,
transport around 80% of the world’s goods by volume. However, they are
also responsible for a significant portion of global greenhouse
emissions thanks to the burning of fuel. Shipping generates roughly 3%
of the global total of warming gases. The report found that cutting
ship speed by 20% would cut sulphur and nitrogen oxides by around
24%. There are also significant reductions in black carbon, which are
tiny black particles contained in the smoke from ship exhausts. The
study also says that a 20% cut in speed would reduce noise pollution by
two thirds – while the same speed limitation would re duce the chances
of a ship colliding with a whale by 78%.
11) Asian Carp and Sea Lamprey Updates
Received from Chamber of Marine Commerce, Wed, Dec 13
Michigan DNR letter pledges $8M to Asian carp barrier at Brandon Road Lock and Dam in Illinois, Dearborn
Press and Guide (Southgate, Michigan), November 12, 2019. Michigan
Department of Natural Resources Director Dan Eichinger recently
confirmed the commitment of $8 million in state funds for the
preconstruction, engineering and design phase of a multifaceted barrier
system to prevent invasive Asian carp from entering the Great
Lakes. Although no live invasive carp were found in the recent
sampling, the results showed far more invasive carp eDNA than had
previously been discovered in these waters, prompting the Illinois
Department of Natural Resources along with partner agencies to undertake
additional surveillance for the presence of invasive carp.
Sea lamprey numbers declining in Lakes Michigan, Ontario, report shows, FOX 2 Detroit (Detroit, Michigan), November 12, 2019 (also appeared at CBS 3 Duluth and at KBJR 6). A
new report on an invasive species of the Great Lakes reveals mainly
good news in the fight to wrest control over the waterways from the sea
lamprey. Populations of the eel-like organism remain at near-historic
lows for most of the Great Lakes, with the exceptions of some areas. On
Tuesday, the commission reported that Lakes Ontario and Michigan saw
lamprey numbers below the target number, Lake Huron was at or just above
the target, and Lakes Superior and Erie came in above target but
numbers were “holding steady.”
12) News from the Phoebe
https://steamlaunch.wordpress.com/2019/11/20/phoebe-shelter-re-purposing-project-started/
13) No Parking on Streets after Dec 1
Received Nov 28, 2019
Starting Sunday, Dec. 1, parking is prohibited on all City streets from 1
a.m. to 7 a.m. – and from 12 a.m. to 7 a.m. on the streets that
surround Kingston General Hospital. The
overnight Winter Parking Bylaw ensures that vehicles are kept off
streets so that snowplows can effectively respond to winter weather
events.
“This bylaw is in place to help with winter maintenance. We are able to
plow roads much more effectively during the overnight hours when there
are no cars parked on streets,” says Bill Linnen, Director, Public Works
Services. “Many streets are narrow and challenging to plow, and
illegally parked cars can limit our snow removal efforts.”
Vehicle-owners who disobey the bylaw will receive a fine of up to $30
and vehicles found in contravention of the bylaw are subject to a tow.
The overnight Winter Parking Bylaw remains in effect until the end of March, 2020.
14) Transit + Sally Ann for Food Bank
Received Nov 25, 2019
“For the fourth year in a row, Kingston Transit
will support The Salvation Army Community and Family Services’ annual
holiday food drive with a ‘Stuff the Bus’ event at Grant’s No Frills on
Saturday, Nov. 30.
Kingston Transit staff and members of the
Salvation Army will be on-hand in the No Frills parking lot at 1162
Division St. from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. to fill a Kingston Transit bus with non-perishable food and personal hygiene items. Monetary donations will also be accepted.
“As another holiday season approaches, we are teaming up with The
Salvation Army Community and Family Services,” says Jeremy DaCosta,
Director, Transit Services. “As always, our goal on November 30 is to
encourage No Frills’ shoppers and members of our community to give hope
to those in need this holiday season by ‘stuffing our bus’ with as many
non-perishable food items as they can. Parents are welcome to bring
their kids to the event so they can sit in the driver’s seat!”
The Salvation Army welcomes the continued support from Kingston
Transit and their riders. It is anticipated there will be a significant
need this year and the Salvation Army’s goal is to see that no one in
the Kingston area goes without adequate food.
In 2018, the Salvation Army served over 12,000 individuals and over 6,500 families with food, clothing and practical assistance.
Through community meal programs, the Food Bank provides over 16,000 nutritious meals to those in need.
Plan your bus trip with Google Transit: www.kingstontransit.ca/tripplanner“
15) Household Hazardous Waste Facility to Close for the Season
Received Nov 25, 2019
The last drop-off days for the year at the Household Hazardous Waste facility at the Kingston Area Recycling Centre (KARC), 196 Lappan’s Lane, are:
Thursday, Nov. 28 (8 a.m. to 5 p.m.)
See www.makethedrop.ca or www.regeneration.ca for a list of retailers who accept certain hazardous waste items year-round.
Before heading out to the Household Hazardous Waste facility:
Check your household for hazardous waste items like: pesticides,
batteries (single-use, rechargeable and automotive), solvents, pool
chemicals, paint thinners, removers or strippers, paint, paint thinners,
oven cleaners, bleach, drain cleaners, ammonia, motor oil and motor oil
containers, antifreeze, propane cylinders and compact fluorescent light
bulbs. See a full list at www.CityofKingston.ca/HHW.
Bring proof of residency. The City reports households that visit the facility from Kingston,
as well as from adjacent municipalities. Proof of residency (i.e.,
driver’s licence, health card, etc.) is required upon delivery of
household hazardous waste.
Over the winter, store hazardous materials in original containers in a cool, dry place, safely away from food, children or pets.
Never put hazardous waste in the garbage or down the drain. 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.
Medications, batteries and compact fluorescent bulbs can be disposed of as follows:
Medications: return unused or expired medications and sharps for free to participating pharmacies in Kingston. For a list of collection locations near you, please visit www.healthsteward.ca/returns/ontario.
Batteries: Drop off batteries (single-use and rechargeable only) any
time at: City Hall, 216 Ontario St.; INVISTA Centre, 1350 Gardiners Rd.;
or the main office at KARC.
Compact fluorescent bulbs: These are accepted year-round in the main office at KARC.
15) Fun Raffle for Summer Cruise on 1000 ft. Freighter
Raffle offers vacation aboard a 1000-footGreat Lakesfreighter, The
Detroit News (Detroit, Michigan), November 22, 2019. For vacation next
summer, how about a leisurely Great Lakes cruise aboard a 1,000-foot
freighter? Seriously – this is a real thing you can do. But you can’t
buy a ticket; you have to win one in a charity raffle. Each year, a
fleet of U.S.-flagged freighters carry millions of tons of dry bulk
goods between ports on the Great Lakes. They primarily transport iron
ore for making steel, coal for power plants, limestone, cement, salt,
sand, and grain. Thirteen of these ships are more than three football
fields in length and the largest can carry more than 70,000 tons in a
single trip, according to the Lake Carriers Association. Port Huron
Lodge No. 2 of the International Ship Masters’ Association is selling
freighter cruise raffle tickets for $10 each. The winner will get a
round-trip freighter cruise for four adults aboard an Interlake
Steamship Company vessel during the 2020 sailing season. The trip
usually takes 4 to 7 days, depending on factors such as route, weather
conditions, and if there’s a problem loading or a traffic jam at the Soo
Locks. When available, cruises are aboard the 1,013.5-foot Paul R.
Tregurtha, which is the longest freighter operating on the Great Lakes.
More info? http://www.shipmaster.org/contact.html
16) Nan Yeoman’s Event Includes Turtle Pics
What: Gala event in support of the Community Foundation and the Kingston
School of Art. Each $100 ticket gives you a framed piece of Nan’s art,
chosen by you as your name is drawn. Enjoy a charcutere and wine
reception, with music by Dave Barton and Craig Jones. View the
documentary about Nan, “Under My Shell”. Make your own turtle print!
Where: Window Art Gallewry, Victoria and Princess Sts. Kingston
When: Thurs, Dec 5, 5:00-8:00 pm
More Info? https://www.instagram.com/p/B5bbaG1AxSH/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gLRiij-xaoo
17) Sad Demise of our Turtle Projects
Last year thanks to so many of you we raised $10,000 in donations. We
are truly most grateful! We also raised another $2000 from our great
fund-raiser “Drink Beer, Save Turtles” thanks so much to Spearhead
Brewery! And thanks to Dr. Stephen Lougheed of Queen’s University for
helping us gain our Canadian Animal Care Council permissions to be able
to officially handle turtles for research purposes. We are also
grateful to Freshwater Future for their grant of $2000 for our
radio-telemetry study.
Problems arose when the Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry took
until the end of August to issue the required permits and also required
us to purchase another four antennae for the project. In addition, our
project had to be extended into October to continue tracing the range of
the turtles with antennae attached. The results have been wonderfully
exciting. At this point we know more about the turtles than Parks
Canada or the CRCA and we are in the process of sharing these results
with those parties. However, all of this required more money than
expected and it has ended up that I have spent an additional $10,000 of
my own money. I cannot continue to do this. Funding is really hard to
find – particularly with the cutbacks of the Ford government, the focus
of the Community Foundation on community and mental health issues, and
the lack of long-term take-up from the science community. This is not
to find fault with anyone. It is just the way things have panned out.
Thanks so very much to Jean Clipsham who has volunteered to help Kenny
try to raise funds to continue and expand the turtle monitoring projects
and to help him get non-profit (and possibly charitable) status for his
Reptile and Amphibian Advocacy initiatives. If Kenny is successful,
the Friends of Kingston
Inner Harbour will be happy to help in a minimal way but as the cost is
approximately $25,000 per season to do this we simply don’t have the
money, the skills or the energy to handle this anymore. So the time has
come to focus our energies elsewhere. Thanks so very much to everyone
who has contributed to and been involved with our turtle projects over
the last four years. Knowledge about Inner Harbour turtles has really
been extended. We now have a great baseline of knowledge should anyone
be interested in building on it.
Wishing you all a wonderful holiday season filled with family, friends, connections, entertainments, fun and excesses of one sort or another.
Cheers,
Mary Farrar,
President,
Friends of Kingston Inner Harbour