Dear Friends of Kingston Inner Harbour
Thanks so much Sam Cheng for this great photo of a Pileated Woodpecker in Belle Park – even with its tongue sticking out! Shared on Facebook.
And there is a new fun video on Netflix about Woody Woodpecker based on the Pileated Woodpecker.
I had fun watching it with my grandchildren.
Before we get started here is a very useful one-minute video from the Ottawa Fire Department about how to survive if you fall through the ice.
https://twitter.com/OttFire/status/1749843599708110971
LOCAL NEWS AND EVENTS
1. City Council Endorses Tax Increase
2. New ABLE Program for Kingston Police to Improve Traditional Police Culture
3. Medical Officer of Health Gives Update on Community Health
4. Kingston Chamber of Commerce Announces Transit Pass Program for Employees of Member Businesses
5. Kingston to Build Nearly 900 Houses in 3 years with Federal Funding
6. Mental Health is Taking a Toll Kingston Police Services Board Hears
7. Oglaza Provides Updates on KFL&A Public Health Merger, Strategic Plan
8. Friends of Kingston Inner Harbour’s Upcoming Meeting with Consultants re the proposed federal $70,000,000 clean-up – Feb 9, 2024
9. Update from No Clearcuts Kingston re Ontario Municipal Board hearing on Tannery Development
10. Update from 350kingston.org re Council voting AGAINST reducing their Carbon Footprint
11. Re-imagining Water Electrolyser Cell Design for On Site Hydrogen Production
FROM FARTHER AFIELD
12. Unusually Slow Start to Great Lakes Ice Season Concerns Environmentalists
13. Microplastics are irreversibly polluting the Great Lakes
FOR FUN AND GENERAL INTEREST
14. David Crombie and the Great Lakes Waterfront Trail.
15. Motorized Skis for Skiing on Land?
16. Flexible Solar Cells to Continuously Power TV Remotes etc and Replace Batteries
17. Baby Translator?
18. Making your own Soap?
19. Evening of Poetry, Language, and Culture with Sadiqa-de-Meijer
20. Ginawaydaganuc Village
LOCAL NEWS AND EVENTS
NOTE: Articles # 1-7 here are from the Kingstonist.
Recently they have eliminated the possibility of copying and pasting.
In future, I will have to look at more alternative original sources.
Do consider subscribing directly to The Kingstonist! The fee is really minimal.
1. City Council Endorses Tax Increase
Received from the Kingstonist, Jan 18, 2024 – Dylan Chenier
“For 2024, Paterson and City staff have recommended a $477 million Municipal Operating Budget to cover gross operating expenditures, excluding utilities, alongside $131 million to cover capital expenses. In total, the 2024 budget is expected to result in a 3.5 per cent increase in the municipal property tax rate, with 1.0 reserved for capital purposes.”
Full article? https://www.kingstonist.com/news/kingston-city-council-wraps-up-2024-budget-talks/
2. New ABLE program for Kingston Police to Improve Traditional Police Culture
Received from Kingstonist Jan 21, 2024 – Michelle Dorey-Forestell
“The goal of ABLE is the creation of a police culture in which officers routinely intervene in the conduct of other officers (even superiors) and accept interventions as necessary to prevent misconduct, avoid police mistakes, and promote officer health and wellness. Implementation support is provided at no cost to law enforcement agencies, but those agencies must commit to creating a culture of active bystandership and peer intervention through policy, training, support, and accountability.
Fraser explained that the program explores the science of why people do the things they do, and he referenced the Nuremberg Trials in the 1940s, during which Adolf Eichmann, one of the main architects of the Holocaust, transferred his own personal responsibility to his superiors when he and others were “just following orders.” This is an example of the type of behaviour the ABLE program aims to eliminate.
Full article? https://www.kingstonist.com/news/kingston-police-accepted-into-trailblazing-able-project-board-hears/
3. Medical Officer of Health Gives Update on Community Health
Received from the Kingstonist, Jan 25, 2024 – Michelle Dorey-Forestell
NOTE: It is no longer possible for me to copy and paste these articles. Do subscribe directly!
https://www.kingstonist.com/news/medical-officer-of-health-gives-update-on-community-health/
4. Kingston Chamber of Commerce Announces Transit Pass Program for Employees of Member Businesses
Received from the Kingstonist, Jan 23, 2024 – Jessica Foley
https://www.kingstonist.com/news/kingston-chamber-of-commerce-announces-transit-pass-program-for-employees-of-member-businesses/
5. Kingston to Build Nearly 900 Houses in 3 years with Federal Funding
Received from the Kingstonist, Jan 23, 2024 – Jessica Foley
https://www.kingstonist.com/news/kingston-to-build-nearly-900-houses-in-3-years-with-federal-funding/
6. Mental Health is Taking a Toll Kingston Police Services Board Hears
Received from the Kingstonist, Jan 23, 2024 – Jessica Foley
https://www.kingstonist.com/news/mental-health-crisis-is-taking-a-toll-kingston-police-services-board-hears/
7. Oglaza Provides Updates on KFL&A Public Health Merger, Strategic Plan
Received from the Kingstonist, Jan 28, 2024 – Michelle Dorey Forestell
https://www.kingstonist.com/news/oglaza-provides-updates-on-kfla-public-health-merger-strategic-plan/
8. Friends of Kingston Inner Harbour’s Upcoming Meeting with Consultants re the proposed federal $70,000,000 clean-up – Feb 9, 2024
We have gathered together a wonderful group of experts including two Professors Emeritus from Queen’s Earth Sciences – Dr. Dugald Carmichael, and Dr. Robert Dalrymple as well as Prof Emeritus from Queen’s Environmental Science, Dr. Peter Hodson, as well as Joyce Hostyn, Master Gardener, and lead of Little Forests Kingston, and Kathleen O’Hara of No Clearcuts Kingston to speak to the second iteration of Golder Consultants (now WSP) Sediment Remediation Plan.
We received the report December 21, 2024. The Zoom meeting will take place on Friday, Feb 9, 2024. Other groups that will offer suggestions at other meetings include the Kingston Field Naturalists, River First YGK, and the Belle Island Caretakers’ Circle. There may also be others we are not aware of.
If you have any issues you would like our group to raise, please contact Mary at inverarymary@yahoo.com, or 613-544-1246.
9. Update from No Clearcuts Kingston re Ontario Municipal Board hearing on Tannery Development
First, a repeat of the notice re their fun event at the RCHA.
No Clearcuts Kingston (NCK) is holding a rally to save Kingston’s trees! Sunday, February 4, from 2 to 5 pm, at the RCHA on Ontario St.
This is the day before the Ontario Land Tribunal (OLT) hearing begins re: the developer’s appeal AGAINST City Council’s opposition to the Tannery forest 2,000-tree clearcut.
It will be an historic event! People can find out how to watch the OLT hearing; hear the great evidence of NCK’s Expert Witnesses; learn about other trees threatened in Kingston.
It will also be NCK’s thank you to its many supporters and donors, with live music by Savannah Shea, Frank Ryan, Greg Tilson (from The Gertrudes), and friends.
NCK won the support of City Council when it refused to approve the proposed clearcut and mega-development! We can win again! Contact: noclearcuts2023@gmail.com
If you cannot come to the rally to learn more about the OLT hearing, here is some important information:
If you are registered as a Participant, you can use the link – https://meet.goto.com/996288525
After joining, you should clearly identify yourself (First Name Last Name – Participant) and have your microphone and video camera turned off.
If you are not a registered Participant, you may still watch the proceedings on YouTube through the stream at http://www.youtube.com/@ontariolandtribunal/stream
p.s. Through the individual donation campaign managed by the Small Change Fund, a fun musical event, and an amazing gala at Queen’s, the NCK has raised almost all of the money needed to pay expert witnesses for their work to date.
However, funds are still needed to cover participation at the hearing. Tens of thousands of dollars will be needed for NCK experts to fully participate in the lengthy hearing.
Tax-receipted donations greatly appreciated. Here is the link
https://smallchangefund.ca/project/stop-the-chop-save-our-urban-forest-and-wetland/
10. Update from 350kingston.org re Council voting AGAINST reducing their Carbon Footprint
Received from Jude Larkin Jan 25, 2024
Kingston’s Corporate Carbon Emissions Reduction Target Will Stay at 30% by 2030
“You have probably heard the news: On Tuesday, Jan 23, Kingston City Council voted not to Increase the Corporate Carbon Target of 30% by 2030 to 40-50%. The City is not on track to meet even the 30% target and wants to wait for several reports from Facilities and Transit before revisiting the issue in 2025. Aric McBay, Bob MacInnes, Maurice Breslow and Sarah Gordon gave passionate speeches to city council in favour of switching to a 50% target. Many members of the public were there, wearing the Later is Too Late masks and overflowing council chambers. Let’s keep encouraging the City to adopt a science based target and policies to achieve it as soon as possible.
Please email us if you would like to be involved in this issue – 350kingston@gmail.com
11. Re-imagining Water Electrolyser Cell Design for On Site Hydrogen Production
Received from Switch Ontario, Jan 28, 2024
What: In person & Zoom meeting about breakthrough innovation in cell design architecture that provides unprecedented operational flexibility to capture the entire output of intermittent renewable energy using significantly smaller or fewer units than a traditional electrolyser solution.
Background: Canada is a well-established global leader for innovative hydrogen solutions, with contributions from Ballard Power, Hydrogenics and Stuart Energy, to mention the few. Next Hydrogen development team targeted the cost of hydrogen generation from electricity sources, including renewable energy at scale. They realized that while some of the world’s brightest minds with strong capital resources were focused on improving cell materials and components, advances in the cell design architecture had garnered very little attention. Traditional designs are purpose-built to work with steady electricity input and hence, have low operational flexibility. This has its limitations especially when connected with renewable energy resources where availability and pricing vary during the course of the day due to demand.
Who: Raveel Afzaal, President, CEO and Director of Next Hydrogen. RAVEEL AFZAAL brings deep capital markets expertise through a distinguished career in equity research over the past decade with a focus on Sustainability and Industrial Technologies. Prior to joining Next Hydrogen, he was an equity research analyst covering the Canadian Sustainability and Special Situations verticals for Canaccord Genuity. During his equity research career, Raveel was ranked in Brendan Wood surveys based on Buy Side nominations as well as by Thomson Reuters for estimates accuracy. Prior to joining equity research, Raveel worked in venture capital with XPV Capital. He graduated with a Bachelor of Mathematics and a Bachelor of Arts (Economics) from the University of Waterloo. He is also a CFA charter holder.
When: Friday, Feb 2, 2024. 8 am EST
Where: Seeway Coworker Place, 310 Bagot St., Kingston, ON
Also via Zoom: https://queensu.zoom.us/j/96892053564?pwd=TzFaK3VwZ1kwanFTWkhpV0JFL0pXZz09
Meeting ID: 968 9205 3564
Passcode: 120373
FROM FARTHER AFIELD
12. Unusually Slow Start to Great Lakes Ice Season Concerns Environmentalists
https://www.msn.com/en-us/weather/topstories/alarmingly-slow-seasonal-trend-in-great-lakes-has-experts-concerned-they-don-t-freeze-overnight/ar-AA1n1WMo
‘Alarmingly slow’ seasonal trend in Great Lakes has experts concerned: ‘They don’t freeze overnight’, MSN, January 15, 2024. The Great Lakes are experiencing their slowest start to the winter season, alarming environmentalists. Although the five lakes don’t hit peak ice concentration until February to March, experts are concerned by their unusually slow start to the ice season. According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, the Great Lakes region’s ice coverage as of January 1 was less than 1%, its slowest ice formation in over 50 years.
13. Environmental group warns that microplastics are irreversibly polluting the Great Lakes,
https://www.9and10news.com/2024/01/25/environmental-group-warns-that-microplastics-are-irreversibly-polluting-the-great-lakes/
9&10 News, January 25, 2024. A Northern Michigan environmental group is warning against the prevalence of microplastics in the Great Lakes, encouraging state leaders to take action before it’s too late. On average, humans ingest between .1 and 5 grams of plastic per week through food, air and water, according to the Medical University of Vienna. Microplastics are a type of pollution created by the breakdown of plastic materials. Some smaller types of microplastics – nanoplastics – are small enough to enter human cells. Art Hirsch, a former environmental engineering consultant turned activist, presented data and issued warnings about the amount of plastic pollution in the Great Lakes.
FOR FUN AND GENERAL INTEREST
14. David Crombie and the Great Lakes Waterfront Trail.
Thanks so much James Brown for this
“FYI Some of you remember David Crombie and the Great lakes Waterfront Trail genesis.
A wonderful 10 minute video as he is still keeping the dream alive.
A concise summary of his main principles. This man had the wisdom and skill to make best friends with those that others would tend to alienate or demonize.
Ever, Jim Joan”
YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qD81Z8OBipA
15. Motorized Skis for Skiing on Land?
Received from futureexplored.freethink.com – Kristin Houser
https://www.youtube.com/shorts/9kyQUijafSQ
16. Flexible Solar Cells to Continuously Power TV Remotes etc and Replace Batteries
Flexible Solar Cells https://www.youtube.com/shorts/rOXI27TwJ84
17. Baby Translator?
https://www.freethink.com/robots-ai/ai-translates-baby-babble?utm_campaign=futureexplored&utm_source=rejoiner&utm_medium=email&utm_content=01%2F18%2F24+Future+Explored&rjnrid=gvoRYKw
18. Making your own Soap?
https://practicalselfreliance.com/?s=making+soap
19. Evening of Poetry, Language, and Culture with Sadiqa-de-Meijer
REGISTRATION REQUIRED Isobel Turner Llbrary 6 – 7:30 Monday, Feb 12
Visit https://calendar.kfpl.ca/event/9781937 or call 613-549-9999 to register
NOTE: Sadiqa, Kingston’s Poet Laureate, is a resident of Kingston’s Inner Harbour
20. Ginawaydaganuc Village
Received from Chuck Commanda, Jan 14, 2024
NOTE: In 2020, Chuck Commanda, Algonquin Traditional Knowledge Keeper, led the community build of a traditional Algonquin canoe with the Friends of Kingston Inner Harbour and sponsored by the City of Kingston. We are forever grateful to have shared this experience. The name of this wonderful new Indigenous initiative was chosen to honour William Commanda, Chuck’s grandfather. They are currently looking for support and donations. Your help would be appreciated.
https://ginawaydaganuc.ca/
“Ginawaydaganuc Village (GV) (est. 2022) is an Indigenous-led non-profit organization based in Almonte, Ontario, with a mission to construct an eco-sensitive, education and tourist centre rooted in our cultural heritage and guided by principles of self-sufficiency, sustainability, and community empowerment. GV is committed to providing job opportunities, housing solutions, economic development, cultural sharing and educational opportunities to help repair and prepare the way for the seven generations to come.
Ginawaydaganuc is an Algonquin word, the essence of which means ‘we/all things are connected’. The name was chosen to honour the late Algonquin Elder William Commanda. The Spirit of Ginawaydaganuc speaks to our intrinsic relationship to Mother Earth — her land, air and waters — as well as to the cosmos, and, of course, to each other. Ginawaydaganuc is the thread that connects ALL cultures, ALL peoples, and all things together. The concept of Ginawaydaganuc is intentionally woven into the development of this initiative through relationship building, healing through inclusivity, and environmentally conscious practices.”
Donations and support? https://ginawaydaganuc.ca/
So that’s it for now.
Cheers,
Mary Farrar, President,
Friends of Kingston Inner Harbour