In a post on October 25th, 2019 we shared with you some comments by shoreline resident Sid Huff on his experience installing shoreline protection under the new guidelines. Sid has kindly updated us on his progress and here are his comments.

I’m very happy to tell you that our contractor finished the wall construction a few weeks ago. We had assumed that he would be doing it during the winter months, but that didn’t turn out to be the case.

Each of us received an interim invoice from the contractor to cover the cost of the steel, back in October 2019 – roughly half of the total that we had agreed with him. So at that point, we were hopeful that he would commence the work fairly soon after that. However, apparently there were some extended difficulties in getting the steel beams and panels manufactured and delivered, though I don’t have much information on that. From what I can tell, it wasn’t the contractor’s fault, and perhaps not the steel producer’s fault either. It might have had something to do with tariffs between the US and Canada, or with the supply chain of materials to the steel manufacturer, some other reason.

The steel was finally produced and delivered to the contractor in March 2020 and stored on an empty lot near Sararas Road. (Some of the steel was destined for a similar job the contractor had secured near that location.) The contractor did finally start on our structure in early April and actually finished it up fairly quickly, within about three weeks. (There were a number of days during that period when the contractor couldn’t work on our structure, because the wind and the waves were too high.) I and my two neighbors have now received our final invoices. There were no issues here, the contractor charged us precisely what we had agreed upon (on a handshake only) back in the summer of 2019. And from my relatively untutored eye, the wall itself appears to be very well made and fully up to the task of protecting our bank from further erosion.

Personally, my wife and I are extremely happy that this is finally done. It’s a lot easier to sleep soundly at night when the wind is howling in from the west and the waves are substantial, knowing that they are not doing further erosion damage at the base of our bank. While the financial cost has been considerable, looking back on it at this point, it is fully worth it.

The HCWP has 17 different categories including: erosion control, watercourse fencing, tree planting, cover crops, wetland creation, septic systems, manure storage decommissioning, well decommissioning, well casing improvements, forest management plans, and community projects.
The HCWP funded septic system upgrades last year (2019) for the first time. The 50 per cent grant up to $2,000 per septic project is available again this year. “Faulty septic systems can be a source of pollution,” Hocking said. “We’re happy we were able to help fund repair or replacement of 19 septic systems.” This has an immediate benefit for the protection and improvement of water quality, he said.
Kate Monk, of Ausable Bayfield Conservation Authority, has been working on the county program since it began in 2004 and she said the improvements are encouraging. “The projects make a difference at the site and downstream,” she said.

Details of the project and how to apply for a grant can be found HERE

This document gives you the procedure on how to obtain a refund on any unused Municipality of Bluewater Garbage Bag Tags. Garbage Bag Tag Return

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Effective June 1, 2020, the new automated system will come into effect. The new wheelie bins are being delivered to households now. Each property will receive one small refuse and one small recycling bin. If you see one at a neighbour, who is not able to get to their property, could you move them from the roadside and onto their property. Bag tags will no longer be required and any unused ones can be returned for a refund.
Please click 2020 Collection Dates for the latest pick up schedule.

The Lake Huron Centre for Coastal Conservation is launching the second year of its Summer Coastal Webinar Series this Wednesday.

“All the topics will be covered in a one-hour webinar, so one webinar per topic and they run every two weeks from May until August and these topics have been the questions that we’ve received the most often, things like invasive species, species at risk, lake levels, coastal processes,” says Stewardship Coordinator, Hannah Cann.

She says this year’s webinar series presented through the Green Ribbon Champion program and is sponsored Nuclear Waste Management Organization and the Coast Watchers Citizen Science program, sponsored in 2020 by Bruce Power and the TD Friends of the Environment Foundation.

The first webinar runs from 2 p.m. to 3 p.m. Wednesday, May 20th. A complete schedule of the webinars can be found on the Lake Huron Centre for Coastal Conservation website.
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