Harbour Cleanup Makes Big Splash in Hamilton
Not so long ago swimming in Hamilton Harbour was unthinkable. Now, people are swimming in the harbour because environmentalists, steel mill executives and other citizens from different walks of life decided to work on a shared problem. They are using goodwill, personal experience and science and technical know-how rather than casting blame. They include the Bay Area Restoration Council (BARC), one of the key forces behind the ongoing clean-up of Hamilton Harbour.
Like many areas throughout the Great Lakes Basin, Hamilton Harbour absorbed wastes from municipal, industrial and farming activities for decades. Anti-pollution regulations and enhanced treatment facilities were put in place in the 1970s producing a first wave of progress.
The most recent status report on Hamilton Harbour indicates that by last year fish and wildlife habitat restoration had made "visible progress." With the construction of the carp barrier at Cootes Paradise, we have seen a tremendous improvement in fish populations as a direct result of fish habitat restoration," said Vic Cairns, manager of the Great Lakes Laboratory for Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences at Canada's Department of Fisheries and Oceans.
Technologies such as Hamilton-Wentworth's combined sewer overflow tanks retain sewage and storm water that mix together during heavy rains until it can be properly treated. As a result beaches are open again after half a century of being off limits to swimmers.
Louise Knox, coordinator of the Hamilton Harbour Remedial Action Plan (RAP), points out that while most of "the simple, visible things" have been accomplished, there is much more work to be done on "the really difficult contaminant-reduction issues."
But important strides have been made, bringing the harbour and its environs to a state of renewal that was unimaginable 25 years ago. The reason most frequently cited for the continuing success of the harbour's rehabilitation is that government, business and industry and the local community are working together to overcome the obstacles preventing a cleaner harbour.
When Environment Canada and Ontario's Ministry of the Environment launched the initiative to develop RAPs for Great Lakes trouble spots, they invited different interest groups to sit with federal, provincial and municipal representatives to draft the action plan. The thinking behind this multi-party planning process was that it would bring information to the table, based on local experiences and concerns, that scientists and policy-makers otherwise might not hear about.
It was also hoped that by looking at the issues from different perspectives it would be easier for people to recognize their own roles in creating the harbour's problems and, therefore, to see how they could participate in an improvement plan.
One of the group's first steps was to begin work on improving public access to the harbourfront. This was not necessarily a startup priority for government authorities but discussion among BARC members convinced them that raising public interest in the area would build concern for and commitment to the harbour's well-being in the long term.
Over the years, BARC has organized events and published information that reminds residents of the past glory of the harbour region. It has distributed colourful and imaginative brochures such as the Bay Area Access Map, encouraging residents to make use of what the harbour currently has to offer and raising excitement and expectations about the future as the clean-up continues.
Over time, there has been a growing trend to approach Hamilton Harbour as more that just a water quality challenge. Dr. Keith Rogers, Hamilton Harbour RAP coordinator from 1987-94, says, "While the initial focus was on the harbour itself, and rather specifically on water quality, I was pleased to see the development of the broader more inclusive view that draws together the concerns for the whole watershed". Dr. Rogers said that this "big picture" approach includes streams and associated ecosystems, regional development, air quality and human health issues.
The Hamilton Harbour cleanup and similar projects not only benefit the Great Lakes environment, fish and wildlife, they also have positive implications for both the physical and social aspects of human health. Reductions in levels of persistent contaminants in the environment also mean reductions in human exposure to these contaminants. An 80 percent drop in composite levels of seven persistent organochlorine pesticides in human breast milk in Canada since 1975 is just one example of how a cleaner environment means reduced risks to human health.
Activities such as habitat restoration, rehabilitation of degraded shorelines, and the development of nature trails may positively affect social health and well-being by fostering a greater appreciation of the Great Lakes and encouraging a return to the enjoyment of all that the Lakes have to offer.
As the work broadens from dealing with existing problems to include ways of preventing future ones, the relationships formed and the experiences of those working to better Hamilton Harbour are like money in the bank for the future. As port planner Jeff Brookfied points out, "The partnerships that have evolved are the true benefits. These partnerships will no doubt remain strong when the community confronts the next generation of problems."
Contact: Louise Knox, Environment Canada (905) 336-6465.
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