Daily Archives: September 23, 2010

Our precious and ever-so-fragile Great Lakes from space. Photo courtesy of Kevin McMahon, producer of the 2009 documentary film 'Waterlife'.

A Commentary by Doug Draper

What kind of shape do you think we are going to find our Great Lakes after a couple of decades of Ontario falling behind New York and other states across the binational border in protecting them?

Well, here is one possibility. We could be back to where we were in the 1970s when Lake Erie was on the verge of choking to death from phosphorus and other sewage, and the waters of all five Great Lakes were flush with pollutants from countless effluent pipes and leaking waste dumps.

According to a new report, called ‘Redefining Conservation’ and released this September 22 by Ontario’s independent environment commissioner Gord Miller, the quality of our Great Lakes waters is declining toward 1970 lows because the province and municipalities are falling behind their American neighbours in curbing sewage and other pollutants to the lakes. Continue reading →

Niagara At Large is posting the following for readers in our greater Niagara region who may have concerns about plans to ship radioactive waste through the Great Lakes and Welland Canal.

The call from Ontario NDP leader Andrea Horwath to the province’s premier, Dalton McGuinty to halt these shipments is just the latest of many calls of concern around this from bodies on the Canadian and American sides of our Great Lakes region.

Following the posting of Horwath’s open message to Ontario’s premier, Niagara At Large is posting a recent piece by Great Lakes United, a U.S./Canada coalition of lakes conservationists with a head office in Buffalo, N.Y., raising concerns about these planned shipments of radioactive waste.

Don’t float nuke boat: Horwath to McGuinty

QUEEN’S PARK – NDP Leader Andrea Horwath is calling on the McGuinty government to halt planned shipments of radioactive waste through the Great Lakes.

A ship carries commercial cargo through the Welland Canal where there are plans to ship radioactive waste through the canal and lower Great Lakes. File photo by Doug Draper

Bruce Power is proposing to ship 16 radioactive nuclear steam generators from Owen Sound to Sweden for dismantling and recycling.

“Seventy Great Lakes mayors, dozens of environmental groups, and First Nations communities oppose this plan, which was not part of Bruce Power’s initial proposal and exceeds by 50 times international limits for radioactivity on a single ship,” said Horwath, citing the growing grassroots opposition.

“Why isn’t the McGuinty government taking action to prevent this unprecedented and unnecessary threat?” she asked Premier Dalton McGuinty during this morning’s Question Period. Continue reading →

An Introductory  Note from Niagara At Large

 The day following last Christmas, Reilly Anzovino, daughter of Denise Kennedy and Tim Anzovino, and sister of Kain Anzovino, was involved in a tragic car accident on Highway 3 between her Ontario hometown of Fort Erie and neighbouring Port Colborne. She was ambulanced to an emergency room at a hospital in Welland and died.

Many, including Reilly’s family, believe she may have survived if the Niagara Health System, the board responsible for operating many of the hospitals across the Niagara region for the province, had not closed the emergency rooms at the Fort Erie and Port Colborne hospitals with the approval of the provincially appointed Local Health Integration Network earlier last year.

 A provincial coroner’s inquest into the circumstances surrounding Reilly’s death is pending and, in the meantime, members of Reilly’s family, including her teenage brother Kain, are trying their best to live on with her loss. Niagara At Large is pleased to post this piece by Reilly’s mother Denise has shared with us about the strength and courage Kain has summoned to move forward in honour of his sister.

By Denise Kennedy

It has been almost 37 years since the Ridgeway Crystal Beach High School has had a football team.  The Fort Erie High School Senior team folded and the players from FESS have to join forces with the “Blue Devils” this year.

Kain Anzovino proudly wears #25 in honour of his sister Reilly. Photo courtesy of Anzovino family.

Kain has played football since grade 9 for Fort Erie, as well as the Niagara Spears for the 2009 season.

“I wanted to dedicate my season to my sister Reilly,” Kain told his father and I. “When we lose someone that is close to us, it is difficult to go on sometimes. But Reilly wouldn’t want me to give up. She would be on the sidelines cheering us on with her friends and painted faces.” 

Kain and Reilly are only 17 months apart in age and grew up together very close. 

Kain has chosen #25 for his uniform this football season because Reilly was killed in a tragic automobile accident this past Christmas.  He wanted #26 because her birthday is January 26^th and the accident occurred on Boxing Day. But that number wasn’t one of the options. “#25 is still a good number and Christmas was Reilly’s favorite time of year because we always get together with many cousins and family members to celebrate,” said Kain. “Christmas will not be the same without Reilly now, she was a lot of fun.” Continue reading →

By Pamela Minns
 
The formation of a new organization called Niagara Heritage Alliance was announced recently. 

Architect Jill Taylor was keynote speaker at Niagara Heritage Alliance's inaugural conference.

It is a regional alliance of volunteer individuals and organizations from communities across the twelve municipalities in the Regional Municipality of Niagara, who are dedicated to heritage preservation and enhancement, and speak and act with a strong, unified voice when our heritage is threatened.
 
This past Saturday the beautiful setting of Navy Hall in Niagara on the Lake was alive with attendees to a conference organized by Niagara Heritage Alliance, the theme of which was “Our Heritage in Crisis:  Do you Care?”  The joyful sound of a piper echoed throughout the surrounding land and building welcoming the speakers and attendees. Continue reading →