Dear Friends of Kingston Inner Harbour,
Finally spring is here. Time to celebrate!
WATCH OUT FOR HATCHLINGS IN DOUG FLUHRER PARK – TIS THE SEASON!
Last April we saw a couple of dead hatchlings on the Wellington St. right-of-way and on the trail in Doug Fluhrer Park. When it is starting to get warm they come out from overwintering underground. Do keep your eyes open. The hatchlings are the size of a quarter and will be struggling to reach the shoreline. If you see one, take a pic if you can and do contact harbourturtles@gmail.com.
We would love to hear from you!
Almost hard to remember that earlier this month the shoreline was frozen.
Nicole Watson’s great pic of Inner Harbour Otters taken right off the shore at the Woolen Mill. April 4!
1) Update on April 17 meeting re 9 North St.
2) PLAY STREET EVENT, Charles St., Sun, April 29
3) And the journey continues, Tues, May 1
4) TURTLES AND PADDLERS EVENT – THANKS TO TRAILHEAD GRANT!! Tues, May 2
5) JANES’S WALKS! Fri, May 4 – Sun, May 6. TWO FKIH TOURS, Sat, May 5
6) TRAIL CLEAN-UP – Sun, May 6
7) Calliope Collective Info Night, Wed, May 9, for Amazing Summer Solstice Event
8) IMPORTANT TURTLE INFO MEETING for all interested – Thurs, May 10.
9) Public Meetings for Active Transportation Draft Report, May 9 and May 14
10) COMMUNITY FOUNDATION GRANT ACCEPTANCE!! May 14
11) Cataraqui Region Conservation Authority Native Plant Sale, Sat May 19
12) WORLD TURTLE DAY, Wed, May 23
13) WWF Canada grant: TURTLE AWARENESS EVENTS – Sun, May 27, Sun, June 3
14) Incredible video – imagine our turtles experiencing this
15) Those large leafed trees along the trail near Quattrocchi’s?
16) Fun terminology info: Pier, Wharf, Jetty, Quay or Breakwater Groyne?
17) Link to be more informed about city stuff
18) Report from Frontenac Heritage Foundation on OMB hearings re Capital Theatre proposal
19) Re-branding the city
20) Amazing Earth Day Celebration in Belle Park last weekend
21) Wonderful West-End Waterfront Activity
22) For Policy Wonks – Changes to OMB
23) This could be our turtle theme song!
1) Update on April 17 meeting re 9 North St.
In attendance were Hank and Nate Doornekamp as well as Julie Salter-Keane and Peter Huigenbos from the city and about 15 interested citizens from a variety of different community groups. Thanks so very much to those who came. Nate showed the design and those present were free to ask questions. From my personal perspective, the design is great – as always with Doornekamp projects! The roof will be raised a bit to allow for enough head-space. With that increased height, the relative height of the chimney will be lessened. This was a concern for Jennifer McKendry, architectural historian. Concerns were also raised concerning the disability parking, the landscaping and use of the Wellington St. Extension right-of-way. We learned that the disability parking is mandated and all of the downstairs apartments will be wheelchair accessible so that’s really nice. I said I would prefer a more naturalized landscaping in keeping with the park, such as lilacs and day lilies. Both Sue Bazely and Jennifer McKendry said they preferred the more “industrial” look. In the end it is the Doornekamps’ decision. As for the road, we were told they will pave a “driveway” on the WSE right of way that will go to the two disability parking spaces on the north side of the building. They will be responsible for the upkeep. The public will have access to it. As yet, there has been no official application to Planning. Stay tuned…,
On another note, I am inquiring with the city about the basic lack of disability parking in the park and the problem with the pathway down from North St being steep for wheelchairs. Again stay tuned…..
2) PLAY STREET EVENT, Charles St., Sun, April 29
What: As part of Kingston Gets Active Month, this event is in partnership with the Skeleton Park Arts Festival and CaIvary United Church. It is not only for children and youth, but for all ages to get outside and play! Feel free to share with other community members as well.
Where: Charles St. between Bagot and Rideau
When: Sunday, April 29, 3:00-5:00pm,
Where: Charles Street between Bagot and Rideau
More info about play-streets? https://kingstongetsactive.ca/
https://www.facebook.com/
3) And the journey continues….
What: This continuous monthly open mic poetry reading series debuted in May 2009 as ‘poetry @ the artel’. Its name changed in 2015, and the series continued uninterrupted. This poetry series provides an open, inviting, and encouraging space where the diversity of work, style, and voice is always welcome. Prose or even music is welcome as well, but still with , the ‘6 minute’ rule. A message from Bruce:
“To all those of you who have attended this monthly reading series as either a reader or a guest over the past now nearly 9 years, I do especially want to let you know that it is each of you who has made this the wonderful and beautiful event that it is. To each of you, a heartfelt thank you 🙂
Where: Participants now meet monthly at The Elm Café, 303 Montreal Street (corner Mtl & Charles).
When: Tues, May 1, 7:00-9:00 Always the 1st Tuesday night of each month.
Additional Notes:
Following their normal 5pm close, the store will re-open their doors at 6:30, and a barista will be on hand throughout the evening to offer espresso drinks, tea, and bottled or canned drinks, along with a limited selection of baked goods and other fare.
Admission – Free
6-minute max time at the mic
4) TURTLES AND PADDLERS EVENT – THANKS TO TRAILHEAD GRANT! Tues, May 2
What: Cataraqui Canoe Club get-together including FKIH turtle display table and shoreline walk with Kenny Ruelland from Reptile and Amphibian Advocacy.
Where: Cataraqui Canoe Club
When, Wed, May 2, 6 pm
NOTES: We are most grateful to Trailhead for this generous donation for the fun idea of including paddlers in our outreach to inform community members of all stripes about our amazing turtles.
Also, Kenny knows of a turtle hibernaculum on the shore close to the canoe club.
Come and find out where it is!
5) JANES’S WALKS! Fri, May 4 – Sun, May 6.
TWO FKIH TOURS, Sat, May 5
Of special interest: Roger Healey will be leading a bicycle tour of the K&P Trail on Sat, May 5 at noon meeting at the entrance to Belle Park – followed by lunch at the Legion!
Mary Farrar will be leading a walking tour of the Inner Harbour: Past, Present and Future starting in the Anglin Parking lot just north of OHIP at 4 pm, also on Sat May 5. All welcome.
More info on all the tours? https://janeswalkkingston.
5) TRAIL CLEAN-UP – Sun, May 6
What: Cleaning up the trail from River St. to Quattrocchi’s. Thanks so much again to Kendra and Company for their valiant efforts to organize this. So very much appreciated – as always. Tons of amazing goodies from Bread and Butter Bakery and fruit from Quattrocchi’s as well as coffee from Kendra and friends.
Where: Meeting at Rideau and River Sts.
When: Starting at 9 am.
All welcome!
NOTE: Thanks so much to Sustainable Kingston, the Kingston Rowing Club and others who worked hard last week during Pitch-In to clean up Doug Fluhrer Park and the shoreline. Great job!
7) Calliope Collective Info Night for Amazing Summer Solstice Event, Wed, May 9
Where: Next Church, 89 Colborne St. Kingston
When: May 9 at 7 pm (for Solstice Event happening June 20)
More Info: https://www.facebook.com/
8) IMPORTANT TURTLE INFO MEETING – for all interested
What: Sharing info about what we citizen scientist volunteers will be doing this summer. Volunteer opportunities for those interested. Info about this past winter activities and exciting future research possibilities.
Where: Frontenac Village Condo Party Room. (To get there, go as far north as possible on King St until you reach the cul-de-sac entry to the parking garage of Frontenac Village. Signs will be there showing the way.)
When: Thursday, May 10, 7 pm
9) Public Meetings for Active Transportation Master Plan Draft Report, May 9 and May 14
What: Walk ‘n’ Roll Kingston ATMP is guided by a high-level vision that reflects the City’s goals and priorities for achieving a 20 per cent active transportation mode share. Ian Semple, Manager of the City’s Transportation Services Department, states that after 18 months of review, analysis and public engagement, the City’s first Active Transportation Master Plan (ATMP) entitled ‘Walk ‘n Roll’ will be presented to the Environment, Infrastructure, and Transportation Policies Committee (EITP) on June 11, 2018.
Two Open Houses are also scheduled:
a) Wed, May 9, 4:30-7:30, Invista Centre, 1350 Gardiners Rd, Rm A/B (presentations at 5 & 6)
b) Mon, May 14, 4:30-7:30, Portsmouth Olympic Harbour, 53 Yonge St. (presentations at 5 & 6)
The draft recommended ATMP will be posted on the City’s website by May 4. CityofKingston.ca/WalkRoll
More info: Ian Semple – isemple@cityofkingston.ca
10) COMMUNITY FOUNDATION GRANT ACCEPTANCE!! May 14
What: Grant Awards Ceremony where FKIH will be receiving a substantial grant. Yey!
Details must be kept secret until then. All welcome!
Where: Portsmouth Health Centre
When: Monday, May 14, 5:00 – 6:30 pm
11) Cataraqui Region Conservation Authority Native Plant Sale
Where: Lemoine’s Point
When: Sat, May 19, 9 am
More Info: https://www.facebook.com/
12) WORLD TURTLE DAY , Wed May 23
Exciting event in partnership with Ollin. Planning in process…. So far….
Opening Ceremony, Traditional Turtle Story Sharing, Educational Displays and Information about Turtles, Arts, Crafts, Games, & Face Painting, Turtle and Earth Songs in English, Spanish, and Nahuatl!
Come learn, drum, dance, sing, and create in celebration and awareness of turtles.
More details coming in mid-May update!
Info also to be posted on the calendar of the webpage – www.friendsofinnerharbour.com
Want to get involved or support?
Contact Yessica: 613-770-4522, OllinKingston@gmail.com
13) WWF Canada grant received for TURTLE AWARENESS EVENTS – May 27 and June 3
http://www.thewhig.com/2018/
Thanks so much Meghan Balogh for the great feature!
Here are two coming up:
What: Shoreline walk with Kenny Ruelland hoping to see turtles nesting, Indigenous Traditional Knowledge Keeper + displays of turtle artifacts, take home info, turtle craft for kids. All welcome!
Where: Doug Fluhrer Park
When: Sun, May 27 and Sun, June 3, 1-6 pm
All welcome! Rain or shine!
14) Incredible video – Imagine our turtles experiencing this!
How birds get oxygen inside their eggs
https://www.facebook.com/
15) Those trees along the trail near Quattrocchi’s?
Many thanks to local tree expert, Simon Smith, for the following – if you, like me, were wondering what kind of large leafed trees these were – possibly Sycamore?:
“Plane trees. You can tell because the seed balls on Sycamore are always single and on Plane often double. Plane tree is almost native – 1/2 American Sycamore, 1/2 Oriental Plane (native from the Balkans through the Caucasus.”
16) Fun terminology info: Pier, Wharf, Jetty, Quay or Breakwater Groyne?
A pier is built on piles extending out from shore
A wharf is built on piles parallel to the shore
A jetty is built on fill extending out from shore
A quay built on fill parallel to the shore.
So Molly Brant Point is a jetty if it is true that it was built on a couple of sunken barges.
And now Dave Love has just pointed out – Yes it is a jetty if you can dock against it. Or it’s a groyne if it’s there to limit erosion! Live and learn!
17) Link to be more informed about city stuff
Sign up to receive all city news:
www.CityofKingston.ca/city-
Also from the city – “Want news on all the City’s public engagement opportunities? Stay up-to-date on active engagements by becoming part of the Community Engagement Network. If you haven’t already, please confirm we have the correct contact information for your community group using this link:https://getinvolved.
18) Report from Frontenac Heritage Foundation on OMB hearings re Capital Theatre proposal
“Hello Members and other interested folk!
The Tribunal Hearing on the Capitol project is Done!
I can now report to you that the OMB/Local Planning Appeal Tribunal hearing into the Capitol proposal is over. We certainly discovered that a ten-day hearing over three weeks is an exhausting endeavour. Following my report of the first week when our experts gave testimony, the second week involved the testimony of the experts retained by the developers. Our lawyer, in his cross examination of these witnesses, did a very good job. After their last witness, our side had a chance to call experts again, and our land use planner from Ottawa, Dennis Jacobs, took the stand. That left one day for closing arguments. The legal team – lawyer David Donnelly, and two committed articling students – worked so hard for us on this hearing, putting in very long days, and their efforts are to be commended. The Tribunal Chair, as I noted before, paid very close attention, and took many notes, so regardless of the resulting decision (which is not due for months) we feel that he gave us a fair hearing.
So, the bills are now coming in, and again, to those of you who contributed already, thank you. If you have been hesitating to donate because you think we may not need the money – now is the time! Please send your cheque to our address P.O. 27, Kingston, ON K7L 4V6. Donations in excess of the regular membership fee will go towards the OMB challenge. Please mark your cheque accordingly.
A special thank you to our members who also acted as participants in the hearing. Our community is very committed to protecting our historic core. As David Donnelly said in his closing argument, it was a first for him to have two former mayors speak out against a proposal.
The fact remains that the city planner summoned by subpoena stated that there are many more tall tower proposals pending in our historic core. The Planning staff seemingly do not care that there is an area in the core which has longstanding heritage zoning that is intended to protect it. This heritage area extends ½ block on either side of Princess Street, from Barrie all the way to the lake, and then extends south to wrap around Market Square Heritage District Plan, then meeting up with the Old Sydenham Heritage District Plan. As Michael McClelland of ERA said when he was in Kingston working on the update to the Market Square Plan, if you enlarge the Plan, where do you stop? (Market Square applies only to City Hall and the buildings fronting on the Square, and people wanted to make it larger.) One does not need to protect that area under the Ontario Heritage Act – one only needs to look at the existing zoning, and not be so ready to change it!”
19) Re-branding the city
An interesting initiative:
https://www.cityofkingston.ca/
20) Amazing Earth Day Celebration in Belle Park last weekend.
Congrats to all involved! www.earthdaykingston.ca
The 3rd Annual Family friendly community celebration honouring Mother Earth! By Ollin.ca with first year partnership of Kingston National Indigenous Peoples Day Committee and support from Canadian Mental Health Association, Kingston Community Health Centres Special Events, Sustainable Kingston and more!
Family friendly community celebration! international drumming performances, sacred fire with teachings, poets, community and vendor booths, educational and interactive activities plus more!
Vendors, info booths, interactive activities, volunteers, and sponsors.
More info? -Cell to call or text Yessica at 613 770 4522
21) Wonderful West-End Waterfront Activity
Congrats to Brad Brennan for his great work on this front for young rowers.
https://www.cityofkingston.ca/
22) For Policy Wonks – Changes to OMB
Bill 139 – The Building Better Communities and Conserving Watersheds Act, 2017.
https://www.cityofkingston.ca/
Also see Planner Paige Agnew’s Blog at: https://www.cityofkingston.ca/
23) This could be our turtle theme song!
Totally love it! https://www.facebook.com/
So there we are. This is what builds up when I don’t do a mid-month update!!!
As always, thanks so very much for your interest. So very much appreciated.
Cheers,
Mary Farrar, President, Friends of Kingston Inner Harbour