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HomeMy WebLinkAboutLakeshore Advance, 2013-09-11, Page 5Wednesdaji, September f1:2013 • Lakeshore Advance •55 opinion www. fakeshareadvance.fM 1 letter to the editor Aiming at maintaining normal lake bevels I recently attended the successful Town hall meet- ing on the Great Lakes Water Levels hosted by the Huron -Bruce Federal Liberal Association.' The meeting took place on Saturday, August 24 at the Kincardine Public Hall and was free to all. Homeowners, cottagers, business people and boaters from along the Huron shore attended. 'lhe meeting, which was moderated by Dr. Bokhout, was very successful because it provided important up-to-date information about the declining water levels on the lakes, mainly because of climate change, and the negative hnpact that that will have on the 5.1 trillion dollar economy of the Great Lake basin. The prindpal speaker was David Sweetnam, Execu- tive Director of Georgian Bay Forever, a not for profit charitable organization fostering research and educa- tion dedicated to preserving the aquatic ecosystem of Georgian Bay and the Great Lake Basin. The other speakers were Roland Bowe, representing the Goderich Port Management Assodatlon, Bill McKeag, the Kincardine 1 larbour Master, and Jim Cooper, the Commodore of the Kincardine Yacht Club. David Sweetnam had some very disturbing facts for those present to ponder. First, he said that climate change and erosion are mainly responsible for the declining water levels across the Basin (Lake Michigan and Lake I luron are the same in every respect). Sec- ond, he noted that lake levels in 2013 were 25 inches lower than in 1964, the lowest level previously recorded, ever. Third, he said that the Great Lakes were the fourth biggest economic powerhouse in the world. Four, he said that dredging the St. Clair river and hard- ening the sides of the river had contributed to the low- ering of water levels In the lakes. Five, he noted that cli- mate change meant less net water supplies, less ice �iftcover, increasingly frequent extreme weather events, and increased evaporation. In particular, evaporation takes an enormous amount of Water -1 /2 of what flows out at Lake St.Clair is lost to evaporation. Six, he said that mitigation cannot be achieved at the St.Clair and Detroit Rivers alone but by also creating a system of baffles around Niagara Falls. So, David Sweetnam concluded on a rather optimistic note that we should make the large investments required for mitigation aimed at maintaining what have been normal lake lev- els over the decades. Roland Howe of the Goderich Port Management Corporation is positive about the Port's future. He said that Goderich has very deep water in the Port and is investing to increase its capacity by expanding the port. On the other hand, the Kincardine Harbour Mas- ter Mil McKeag and Jim Cooper of the Kincardine Yacht Club were greatly concerned about the low water levels because the Kincardine Marina faces an enormous hill ($75,000 per year) for dredging as a result of the low water levels. Loren Calder, Huron -Bruce From the Countryside Ninth in (/ series on Guiding Beacons of North Lambton Currently featured in Shine; Spotlight on women of Lambton exhibit at the La►nbto►r Heritage Museum As a long time museum employee, ! aol partieularly proud this week to feature two women historians as a friend 00(1 0 colleague. Both have contributed to the recording of history, the preservation of history and more importantly, to the cele- bration of history while working on 0 bet- ter future. Nola Mae Love was nominated by the St. Giles Presbyterian Book (:1ub, her daughter-in-law Janet Love and by her son, Donald Love. Donald, in his nomi- nation mentioned that his mother played the old pump organ for Sunday services in the Mary -Ellen Chapel at the former Peter Eisenbach Museum in Grand Bern!. in 1978, the chapel and the contents of the museum became part of the founda- tion collection of the Lambton heritage Museum. For many yea rs a ft er, Nola would play the organ on special event days. She was instrumental in archiving the contents of the Eisenbach collection for our curators and in giving advice on historical facts as well as people's stories. Nola always brought her smile and her great wit along on these visits. living to ninety-six, Nola was a contin- ual nulla%('llll'ilt to us all. As Janet says in her nomination, "Asa Guiding Beacon respecting the past, embracing the future and living for the future, Nola love had it all. She was an entertaining resource for the Lakeshore Advance and docuunenta- rians. She provided comfort to the needy, palliative care for her father and housed local teachers. Bus trips she organized enabled many seniors to remain nubile and social. 1 ler community spirit was evi- dent in her contribution of 300 quilts and as a leader in spearheading the building of the medical centre. Nola was accept- ing of changes in life, culture and tech- nologies and spent her last days reading the news to her sight -impaired neigh - hour. " Nola also inspired our other fea- tured wotnan today. Lynda 1 iilltllan Rapley was a great friend of Nola's and asked to be included together in this column. As editor of the Lakeshore Advance, she does have influ- ence and obviously learned well from Nola. As her nominators, Patricia and William Billington said, "The upbeat approach used by Lynda is a great role model not only for young women but �, all She is a cheerleader for the Lamb - ton Shores community her reporting on festivities and the local political scene is appreciated and keeps ratepayers Weil aware of the happenings in our community." I remember Lynda, in her cub reporter days, attending Bosanquet Council meet- ings and from the outset it was apparent she had a sense for history and perspec- tive. 1 ler ability to engage people and in10rin 111t'tn has always been asset. Whether authoring Trading Places, a his- tory of Grated Bend and researching, recording and attending the ipperwash Crisis and Inquiry or the Chilcott court case on the Gibb family Grand Bend Beach decision, Lynda has employed a talent for detail. 1 ler persistence on mat- ters of public record is well known and documented. With Nola, she shares the traits of an open heart and an open mind and we are pleased that each has been recognized for their contributions to our wonderful community. Partners in Learning Begins with a Bang! Lakeshore Advance September 9th saw an enthusiastic group gathered for 1111' alllltlal Open 1 louse that announces the beginning of another year for Partners in Learning. Attendees learned about the Fall courses on offer and experi- enced an animated, and at tithes amusing, mini Socrates Cafe where the topic of dis- cussion was "Will Prince George ever be King of Canada?" White boards were avail- able for continents and suggestions an(1 the Blackboard Project sponsored by the Art (:entre was enjoyed by all. "What is Partners in (.earning?" you may ask. We are it group of 'mature' people who would like to know 010re about all kinds of things. Our sessions of discovery are easy- going, round the table gatherings. We share our knowledge on a great variety of sub- jects about which most of us begin by knowing nothing. A little bit of computer browsing, book reading and questioning soon fixes that! Each member is asked to work up 20 minutes of facts and stories about their chosen subject, presenting it to the group and initiating a discussion that runs the gamut from argument to hilarity. We also plan field trips to local places of interest. We all know how important physical exercise is for well being and a healthy life, brain exercise is just as important for sound mental health. We are not 'intellectuals; just it group of people who have become friends through a journey of discovery and learning. Fall topics are: 'Megaliths and Monoliths; "Ihe Entertainers: "the Roaring Twenties' and 'Socrates Ga.: live week sessions are held Mondays at Pine Dale beginning Sept. 1(i from 10 to noon and 2-4 pm. if you can't he at the ( )pen 1 louse call 519 238-1114 or look at www.partnersinlearning.ca for information. Lambton County Library Calendar of Events for Sept. 2013 Lambton County libraries would like to invite you to celebrate Culture Days by attending their Open 1 louses on Saturday, September 28. More than Just books, your local library now offers Meader lending, multi -media resources, online services and Internet access. Get your new library and keychain card, freshly redesigned, so you can access eMagazines, eBooks, online encyclopedias and more, wherever you go. Its all free at your library. (:all your local library for their hours of opening or visit www.lclibrary.ca. Get good grades this year with the help of Lnmbton.County Library and 1lomework Help eResources. Many online research and reference databases are available for all levels of education at the library's website at www.lclibrary.ca. included are Britannica Online Culture Grams, A to 'l. World Culture, World 1 Iistory in Context, Grriinek's Animal Life, and'Ibday's Science. Got a question? Chat live with askON's expert staff and get the answers you need. After posting your question, a librarian, not an automated search engine, searches for your information. Although a popular tool for students, askON can be used by anyone who needs assistance. Fh1(1 the askON link in the eLibrary slider at www. Iclibrary.ca. New preschool sessions begin the week of September 16 at most Lambton libraries. 'Tales for 'Pots is a 30 minute program designed for children ages three and under and their caregivers. Story Hour is a one hour program for three to five -year-olds and their caregivers. included are songs, stories, fingerplays, activities, and crafts developed to stimulate and create an early interest in reading. Sessions are generally six weeks in length. Please pre -register for all programs except those specified as a "drop-in" by contacting the individual library. Programs are free unless otherwise noted. Visit www.lclibrary.ca for further details. If living outside of Wyoming's local calling area, call the toll-free number 1-1166-324- (i912 with any questions or concerns.