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Home My WebLink AboutThe Goderich Signal-Star, 2009-10-07, Page 4Page 4 - Goderich Signal -Star, Wednesday, October 7, 2009 Authority says land should settle on its own G.rard Cross - signal -star staff Let nature take its course. That is the advice being given to the Town of Goderich regarding the state of their lake bluffs by the Maitland Valley Conservation Authority. At issue is the treatment of lake bank prop- erties and the instability of the bluffs, and it has one seasonal Goderich resident very con- cerned. Former policy analyst on the Toronto Wa- terfront project, Gord Garland, has been airing his concerns to Goderich Council regarding the stability of the lake banks, particularly with the removal of vegetation along the bluffs and a retaining wall behind the Goderich Elevators. "What's holding up that section is basically rotted from the inside out," he said of the old retaining wall. "If a portion gave way, it would collapse toward the elevators." Water resources engineer for the MVCA, Steve Jackson, said while it is true the retain- ing wall is deteriorating, it has also outlived its use. "When you look at the angle of that slope, the only reason that wall was there was for the rail cars," he said. 'There really isn't al' urpose in my mind for that retaining wall." Not satisfied with the answers he was get- ting from the town and the MVCA, Garland offered his services as an environmental con- sultant to address the lakefront problem. However, as Jackson puts it, the erosion problem is not limited to Goderich. It encom- passes the entire Lake Huron shoreline. "The entire lake shore is unstable;" he said. "It is our opinion the Town of Goderich is not elevating that risk by their actions." Garland, however, said he feels closer inspection and a bet - ...For a Successful Job Search REE One Day Workshop in... ✓ Resume Preparation ✓ Interview Techniques 1 Centre for Employment and Learning. Goderich 519-524-2515 Clinton 519-482-1700 Sea forth 519-527-0305 PLOYMENT NTARIO Employment Ontario programs are funded in part by the Govemment of Canada. Would you like your child to learn French? Join us at St. Mary s School, in Goderich for a French Early Years Program! Wednesdays beginning October 7th 10:00 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. Each Wednesday we will have play time followed by circle time. A Frenchspeaking staff will lead the group in activities, songs and stories in French. This program is great for families who would kke to expose their children to French as a second language or a great way to prepare for the French Immersion school program. Call 519-482-8505 Bonjour oU$T'T ter understanding of Lakeshore dynamics could prevent further loss. To that end, the conservation authority is al- ready working on just that - revamping their 100 -year erosion mapping for the first time in 20 years. On August 22, the MVCA unveiled the most recent changes to the 100 -year ero- sion plan, including new minimum setbacks and tougher restrictions for lake bluff con- struction. This year, the town was awarded $675,000 through the Recreation in Canada (RINC) fund, which will see washroom and bandstand upgrades at Lions Harbour Park. The town has sought the advice of geotech- nical engineers Atkinson Davies to ensure the construction is as environmentally -sound as possible, and to ensure no further erosion is triggered by the building. On recommendation of the MVCA, the town is to "keep doing what it is doing," according to clerk -administrator Larry McCabe. Rather than spend tens or hundreds of thou- sands on extensive reinforcement, letting the bluffs continue with their natural progression ensures the land settles on its own, he added. While the town has topped trees off to allow a better vista, there have been no healthy trees removed from town -owned parts of the bluffs_ in recent years. Private property, however is a different matter. Other than the MVCA guide- lines, there are no limitations on what private property owners can do to their lakefront prop- erties. Property owners along bluffs can play a role in protecting the land, Jackson said, by keeping natural vegetation in place and mak- ing sure water is not flowing directly over the bank. Structures to hold the banks in rarely work in the long-term Jackson said, as nature will just find a way around it. "We try to get away from retaining struc- tures as much as possible," he said. "The ben- efit of that is in the long term, you're not fight- ing mother nature" However, Jackson stressed the entire shore- line is unstable and the best thing for it is to leave things alone. "Our policies aren't meant to be restrictive," he. said. "A lot of times there are alternatives" One thing, however, is certain. "All the slopes are unstable," he said. "There is going to be movement." CIB awards town five bloom rating From page 1 However, she said the success of the town is also owed greatly to the residents who work hard to keep their own properties vibrant and bloom - filled all summer long. "I think every resident in Goderich does their part," she said. "Goderich has so much pride in its community it echoes through residential homes. "It's incredible that way. All the home gardens are in wonderful shape." Catching the judges' eyes most were the Lion's garden on the Har- bour Park hill and the ever -popular waterfront. Peet said the climate this year proved to be something of an obstacle for local green thumbs, as there was plenty of rain but no heat. "For sure, the climate was a huge challenge because it was cool," she said. "That has an effect on the qual- ity of your blooms and how much fo- liage can keep growing." However, she said the town did ex- ceptionally well in the competition, and the CIB committee is already looking forward to 2010. "Absolutely, we were already won- dering what we can do next year," she said. Adding to the list of Goder- Stratford antique show Western Ontario's premier show OCT. 17 & 18 Saturday 10 am - 5 pm Sunday 11 am - 5 pm Admission $6.00 Free parking Stratford Rotary Complex 353 McCarthy Street, Stratford, N5A 7S7 WEB Celebrate Stratford's first annual Heritage Weekend - the city is abuzz with activities and events. Show features 50 top dealers from across Ontario! Full range of antiques and collectibles, a Targe selection of furniture, jewellery, linens, folk art, fine art, glass, china & more. Newl Antiques Identification clinic. Bring your treasures for appraisal by noted Roadshow experts. $10 per item. Details at: antiqueshowscanada.com Discounts and information at •ntiqueshowscanada.com ich accolades was a win in the heri- tage category. Peet said a passionate heritage committee was crucial to the victory. "They've been working so hard to maintain the historical landmarks in town," she said. "It's definitely a double win." Peet added her thanks to the town staff and council for their support, as well as business -sponsored initiatives like Tim Hortons' Pitch -in campaign and Home Hardware's Curb Appeal program. Goderich received a five -bloom rat- ing, scoring 918 points out of 1,000. FOSTER FAMILIES NEEDED FOR SCHOOL Huron -Perth AGED CHILDREN! thickertsAidSociiity Help Children from Your Community For Information Call the Huron -Perth Children's Aid Society Huron County: Deanie Jardine at 519-524-7356 or 1-800-265-5198 Perth County: Vy Waller at 519-271-5290 or 1800-668-5094 Decorative and Functional Ironwork Featuring Unique, Custom Made - Railings" Gates* Furniture* Garden Accessories _ HAVE YOUR OWN IDEAS MADE INTO REALITY! 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