Another municipal election in LaPeche

I thought I'd take the liberty of providing a few snapshots of the highs and lows of environmental issues facing Wakefield in the upcoming election on Nov. 5/17.

LaPeche finally fixed the so-called problem of getting approval to work around an ecologically significant spawning ground near the road cave in at the south end of the village near Rockhurst. Bravo, it only took almost 3 years? Living along Riverside I can say the whole road is dangerous to drive. What little road bank barriers there, are old and crumbling. I wouldn't want to test them. While the road cannot be properly fixed, (and some of us like this as it keeps the cars down) there should be riverside barriers where they are needed as Chelsea has begun to do. It is a big job and will require much fill in material as was done at the Rockhurst cave in.

 The annual practice of cutting the brush under the Hydro wires is a tragedy for the young trees that are trying to restock the bank with vegetation. Its getting better but workers need to be more discernible when cutting young trees where they are most needed to stabilize the bank and road. There are current spots where bikers are at real risk of slipping off the highway edge and into ponds or the river.

The municipality finally used some common sense and outlawed parking along side Mollo's which was a total traffic hazard for vehicles trying to turn onto Riverside when there was opposing traffic. They need to go further and outlaw parking at the far end of Riverside by the intersection of Rockhurst. I'm glad that LaPeche doesn't use salt on Riverside as Chelsea does. Being beside a river should make it mandatory that nothing be added to the road that could leech into the river, including salt or nutrients.

LaPeche has made it mandatory for new green bins which I opposed because I don't wanna pay the $100 and I don't need em". The Mayor was nice enough to call me back and say that a bylaw is a bylaw or a sub bylaw for smaller bins. I don't think our recycling program is working as well as it should but I think there is interest to improve. When I recently tried to put out a big box of old mercury batteries I'd collected over the years into the annual toxic waste pick up, I was told that the batteries were not considered toxic waste and need to thrown into the normal garbage. I'm sorry, but that's wrong.

I don't see our Council talking much about climate change and how we can be more proactive with adaptation measures. This will come as the issue gets bigger.

I like Friends of the Gatineau but I don't think they or the Municipality is doing enough to limit the motorboat traffic speed or dangerous practices, bank erosion and information campaigns about what we can do to better protect our banks (trees are made beaver proof) and shoreline. Same thing with ensuring the river is as clean as possible, more can be done.

For the future, lots of talk about a new boardwalk as part of a Canada 150 grant, but nothing has happened yet. Would have been nice to see something started to keep our interest going. Wakefield has lost its steam train and probably needs to harmonize with Chelsea in ripping out the old track for the rails to trails program. We need to generate a tourism that is sustainable and green. We need to get on board.

Current Council Grade:  C+ (they talk a lot but they don't walk it)