Times Advocate, 1999-06-16, Page 3Wednesday, June 16, 1999
Exec Times-Advocato
3
Community chips in to clean .up spill
Clean up crews pump Dombind from the Parkhill Creek Monday afternoon.The spill originated at the
McGillivray Twp. municipal sheds June 8, ry - , , � F fs; t a _ _ _} � �� �� 2 e-1,46
By Kate Plonk
TIMES -ADVOCATE STAFF
MCGILLIVRAY TWP. -- The community has rallied
together to contain and clean up a Dombind spill in
McGillivray Twp. on the Parkhill (Mud) Creek.
On June 13,.a quantity of concentrated Dombind
spilled at the township sheds, according to township
road superintendent Bruce Karr.
Sta. < believed they had the spill contained on site but
by Friday morning, the Dombind showed up in the
Morley Robinson Drain. Karr told the T -A they
dan_ i'ned off the drain at Parkhill Cr. and were pump-
ing the liquid out of the drain by 2:30 p.m. Friday.
Robinson Drainage immediately came to help withthe
project.
Saturday, Ministry of the Environment officials visited
the site and were "satisfied" with the way the clean-up
was progressing, Karr said.
But by Sunday, the substance was found in Parkhill
Cr. at West Corner Drive between Godkin Rd. and
Charlton Rd. Karr said pumps were very quickly set up
to remove the Dombind from the watercourse.
During the night, Karr called in farmers with pump-
ing and hauling equipment to remove the polluted
water.
"The farming community really pulled together,"
Karr said appreciatively. "very time I've asked for
something, people have been right there."
Karr confirmed a dead calf was founts in the creek
and the carcass has been sent to the University of
Guelph for an autopsy to determine the cause of death.
Karr saideverything he has read about Dombind says
it wouldn't harm livestock or people.
Aquatic life is not so fortunate. Dombind eat* up oxy-
gen, suffocating aquatic life. As part of the clean up
effort, clean water is being added to the watercourses
and the water is being aerated to add oxygen.
The substance pumped from the river is being spread
on the township's roads.- Dombind is used by
McGillivray and several other municipalities as a dust
suppressant. It is a byproduct from the pulp and paper
industry composed of fibre and sap.
Karr said he doesn't believe Dombind is harmful even
if taken internally but is concerned with the health of
the aquatic ecosystem in light of the way Dombind con-
sumes oxygen.
Local teacher and
paraprofessio'.zsal
honoured last week
MITCHELL -- Donna Garvey, a teacher at South
Huron District High School, and Lisa Laycox,' a teach-
ing assistant at Huron Centennial Public School, have
been recognized for their exceptional work with spe-
cial needs children.
Last .week at k ceremony in Mitchell, the two were
honoured .by; the Huron -Perth chapter of the Council
for Exceptional Children (CEC). CEC is a professionals
advocate and educational group dedicated to further-
ing special needs learning children.
Overall eight teachers and eight paraprofessionals
from both public and separate school districts in Perth
and Huron counties were recognized for their work.
"We just wanted to recognize the outstanding work
they do on a daily basis with the special needs chil-
dren," said Denise Drinkwalter, CEC Huron -Perth
chapter president. "They often go above and beyond,
the call of duty with the children and their school.".
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