The Citizen, 2016-05-05, Page 30PAGE 30. THE CITIZEN, THURSDAY, MAY 5, 2016.
Local students roll out Yellow Fish Road program
Street decoration
The Ausable Bayfield Conservation Authority, with the help of Trout Unlimited Canada and St.
Anne's Catholic Secondary, St. Joseph's and Clinton Public Schools, rolled out the Yellow Fish
Road program on Friday, painting the image of a yellow fish near storm drains throughout
Clinton. The program is meant to remind urban residents that storm drains are connected to
wildlife via our lakes, rivers and streams. Doing the honours were, back left, Jack Buckley and,
back right, Joey Hill, from St. Anne's and Jordan Kruse, front left, and Jake Cheyne, front right,
Of Clinton Public School. (Shawn Loughlin photo)
By Shawn Loughlin
The Citizen
Central Huron — more specifically,
Clinton — has become the latest
Huron County community to enroll
in the Yellow Fish Road program.
Denise Iszczuk, conservation
educator for the Ausable Bayfield
Conservation Authority, spoke to
Central Huron Council about the
program last week — even coming
prepared with a physical
demonstration.
The Yellow Fish Road program,
which was developed by Trout
Unlimited Canada, aims to paint a
yellow fish in front of storm drains
throughout any given community.
The idea behind the fish, Iszczuk
told council, is that seeing the yellow
fish will make residents think twice
before pouring something down a
storm drain that may harm the water
supply or the marine life connected
to local lakes and rivers.
"This environmental awareness
FREE community dinners
Mother's Day May 8 at 12 pm
Sunday, May 15 at 12 pm
Sunday, May 22 at 12 pm
speakers -
Gary Sharp...Port McNicholl, ON
Bryan Joyce...Thornhill, ON
questions?
Tim - 519-401-4063 or Dan - 519-440-9332
program helps Canadians
understand that storm drains are
doorways to our streams, rivers and
lakes," Iszczuk wrote in her letter to
council. "Preventing pollutants
from entering our storm drains is
critical to protecting water
quality, aquatic habitat and our
watersheds"
The program is important, she
said, because for most people it's
easy to forget that some pollutants
are invisible to the naked eye. She
demonstrated as much to council,
using a clear fish bowl containing a
sponge fish.
She asked one member of the
gallery to pour a vial of dirt into the
tank and asked another to pour in a
vial of soap. They both contaminate
the water, she said, but only one is
visible to the eye.
Yellow fish painted on the road
remind residents that storm drains in
Huron County's towns are connected
to the local rivers, Lake Huron and a
number of other points throughout
the watershed that affect animals,
humans and plant life throughout the
entire county.
The program is complemented by
yellow fish leaflets, distributed
throughout the community that
further explain the program and why
it's important.
Iszczuk said it was crucial that she
spoke to council at the special
council meeting held on April 25.
While the meeting had been set aside
for the election of a new West Ward
Councillor alone, if council didn't
approve the program by the
following Friday, the Authority
would miss its window of
opportunity.
Funding for the program was
secured by a student group at St.
Anne's Catholic Secondary School
in Clinton. When the Authority
received word that the group's
application was successful, they had
to move quickly to ensure they had
council's permission before going
ahead with the fish painting on April
29.
Councillors were in favour of the
program, speaking highly of the
work done by the Authority on
behalf of conservation. They were
also impressed that the initiative
came from area students.
Council approved the program,
and, on April 29, students
from St. Anne's, Clinton Public
School and St. Joseph's Catholic
School were on the streets of Clinton
painting yellow fish near storm
drains.
The program had been rolled out
in Brussels several years ago, and
executed by students at Brussels
Public School.
For more information on the
program, visit yellowfishroad.org
and for more information on the
Authority, visit abca.on.ca.
rrr
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