Daily Archives: March 25, 2010

By Doug Draper

Of all the threats to a Great Lakes ecosystem so vital to our lives and the economic welfare of our communities across the greater Niagara region, few continue to wreak more havoc than the invasion of alien species in and around our lake waters.

Sea lamprey - an invasive species in our Great Lakes - suck the living fluids from a lake trout. Photo courtesy of U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

From the sea lamprey that threatened to wipe out the recreational and commercial fishery in the last half of the 20th century, to the Asian carp now on the verge of finishing off a fishery worth hundreds of thousands of jobs and many billions of dollars to the economies of the United States and Canada, the number of invasive species now populating or on the verge of populating the Great Lakes basin now total more than 180.

It has already been well documented how many hundreds of millions of dollars annually just one alien creature like the zebra mussel can do. This Asian creature, that caught a free ride to the Great Lakes in the ballast waters of ocean vessels in the 1980s, has clogged industrial and municipal water lines, and vacuumed up no end of plankton and other aquatic life that make up a critical part of the foodchain for native fish and birds in the lakes basin.

Yet governments on both sides of the Canada/U.S. border seem reluctant to take all the actions necessary to combat the invaders already in our lakes and prevent others like the Asian carp – possibly the greatest threat to the survival of our native fishery to date – from getting in. Samples of DNA from these voracious fish have already been detected in the southern most waters of Lake Michigan, indicating that they may have already broken through from the upper Mississippi River watershed.

Niagara At Large is sharing a media released, dated March 24, by the Canada/U.S. not-for-profit coalition, Great Lakes United, on the subject of invasive species and the pressing need to bring their numbers under control before it is too late. You can read the release by clicking ‘keep reading’ at the end of this sentence. Continue reading →

By Randy Busbridge

What is going on with the Niagara-on-the-lake Sewage Lagoons?

For several years, nearby residents have been complaining about unpleasant odours. And it’s no secret that the Wastewater Treatment Plant (WWTP) is nearing capacity. 

Niagara region's sewage lagoons in Niagara-on-the-Lake - an odorous and unwanted neighbour for at least some residents in the community.

A servicing study completed by Niagara Region in July 2008 confirmed that the facility will reach its limit by 2013. It also confirmed that the WWTP is challenged to consistently meet Ministry of the Environment targets, and stated that options needed to be identified as soon as possible.

Unfortunately, by then Project Niagara had come along with its proposal to locate a summer music festival on the site of the current WWTP. This controversial proposal has served to muddy the waters, confusing and slowing down the decision making process. This is not good because time is on no one’s side. Continue reading →

By Pamela J.Minns

Nestled away in our small village of Beaverdams is one of our heritage jewels called the Beaverdams Methodist Church.

A wooden structure built 1832, the building and graveyard were designated under Part IV of the Ontario Heritage Act in 1994. It has been recognized by the Province of Ontario through the Archaeological & Historic Sites Board of Ontario on June 20th, 1965 during the church’s 133rd anniversary.

The Ontario Government was represented by Wm. Armstrong of the Historic Sites Board and the Hon. James N.Allan whose ancestors are buried in the Beaverdams churchyard. Continue reading →

The Rotary Clubs of Lincoln and Niagara-on-the-Lake will be hosting their third children’s charity concert, “Hearts Gathering Children” on Sunday, April 11th, 2009, 2 pm at Bethany Community Church, 1388 Third St., St. Catharines.

Greg Keelor and Jim Cuddy of Blue Rodeo fame to perform.

Eight local groups of children from across the Niagara Region will be performing to raise funds for “Adrie’s House of Hope”, a project initiated by the Rotary Clubs of Lincoln and Niagara-on-the-Lake.

This year a special set will be courtesy of Jim Cuddy and Greg Keelor of Blue Rodeo who will perform acoustic versions of some of their best-known songs

Funds raised will lend support to orphaned children in South Africa.  As part of 6 homes currently built at Ikhalayathemba Village (near Cape Town, South Africa), Adrie’s House provides a loving environment for HIV+ children and AIDS orphans, as well as abandoned, abused and neglected children from the surrounding township.  Continue reading →