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Tony Steer has a solution to the problem of sludge build-up
along the lakefront and he's prepared to pay to clean it up.
The Point Clark resident told Huron-Kinloss council Feb. 2 that
the shoreline immediately north of Amberley Beach is unusable
because of sludge deposits and weeds growing in the shallows.
The sludge is due to groynes in the area that act as a
collection system for effluent, he said. "They block water flow
and wave action creating stagnant water and biological
contamination of the shoreline."
A groyne is a wall or breakwater built out from a shore to
control erosion. "They were built in the 1960s as boat launches
when the lake water level was low," said mayor Mitch Twolan.
"They currently serve no useful purpose and are causing
significant problems along the shore," said Steer. His proposal
is to remove the groynes and put the shore back to its natural
state, thereby restoring the beach area. He has contacted
coastal engineers at Conestoga Rovers, and the Department of
Fisheries and Oceans which are in favour of removing the groynes.
"The Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources and the Saugeen
Valley Conservation Authority are also willing to co-operate,"
he said.
Steer said he has contacted the landowners near his property and
they are prepared to pay to have the groynes removed. However,
he has not spoken to those north of that area. "I was hoping
council could assist with this," he said.
Any financial assistance would also be appreciated, Steer said,
estimating the project at $65,000 to remove 13 groynes. The
larger groynes will cost about $8,000 each, while the smaller
ones will cost about $3,000 each. "We would start at the south
end and move north toward the lighthouse, until we hit
resistance (from landowners) or we run out of money," he said.
"Whether we blast them or remove them, the only difference is
what we do with the rocks when we pull them out." (next column)
07/02/2009 07:20 PM
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Steer said the process is at a standstill until April
when the ice and snow are gone so Conestoga Rovers can get the
information required by the Department of Fisheries and Oceans to
approve the project.
"I agree with you, the groynes shouldn't be there," said Twolan.
Steer said he attended a meeting of the Point Clark Beach Association
and listened to about two hours of whining about the groynes but nobody
wants to do anything about them.
"Funding is the problem," said administrator Mary Rose Walden, "in order
to get this project under way."
Steer agreed, saying he paid $4,000 to have Conestoga Rovers do the
preliminary work. "Now, we need to get the other landowners onside to
pay for the removal of the groynes," he said.
"Are you looking for money from the township?" asked Twolan.
"Phase 1 of the proposal will be for the first half of the groynes,"
said Steer. "Those are my neighbours, I've talked to them and they'll
pay their share. I'm concerned about remainder of the properties. I
don't know those landowners and I don't know if they'll fork over the
cash for removal of the groynes."
Twolan said the township can help by providing a landowners' registry
for those properties. "We'll work with you but we can't commit any money
until we look at the 2009 budget," he said.
Steer appreciated council's support. ""Nothing can proceed with the
removal of the groynes until July 1 anyway," he said.
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