Petition Girl
May 8, 2008
CITY HALL GETS LOTS OF PETITIONS.
BUT NONE QUITE LIKE THIS.
A 10-YEAR-OLD KINGSTON GIRL IS APPEALING TO CITY COUNCIL FOR HELP TO CLEAN-UP HER NEIGHBOURHOOD CREEK.
THE RECENT "PITCH-IN DAY" DIDN'T DO THE TRICK.
SO SHE'S BEEN LOBBYING POLITICIANS.
AND, THEY'RE LISTENING.
THE STORY FROM NEWSWATCH'S ASHLEY MOLNAR.
IT'S A SMALL RIVER THAT RUNS THROUGH THE NEIGHBOURHOODS OF KINGSTON'S WEST END. IT ALSO COLLECTS RAIN WATER OFF THE STREETS, AND DRAINS IT INTO THIS MAN-MADE POND NEAR BAYRIDGE AND WOODBINE. RESIDENTS WHO LIVE AROUND IT ENJOY THE PICTURESQUE VIEW, AND CHILDREN LOVE TO PLAY NEARBY. UNFORTUNATELY, IT'S BECOME A DUMPING GROUND FOR LITTER. DISCARDED CUPS, TIRES AND PLAIN OLD TRASH.... AND NOW, THE ONLY THINGS ATTRACTED TO THIS WET LAND ARE THE FLIES. -ALISON DODWELL : "IT'S LIKE TRASHED. THERE'S A LOT OF GARBAGE, SOME OF THE WATER IS EVEN A BLACK COLOUR AND IT'S REALLY GROSS.") 10 YEAR OLD ALLISON DODWELL SAYS SOMETHING NEEDS TO BE DONE. -DODWELL : "ME AND MY FRIENDS, ONE DAY WE WERE BACK THERE AND WE THOUGHT 'WE NEED TO DO SOMETHING ABOUT THIS.' SO I JUST HAPPEN TO THINK, IF WE'RE GOING TO SAY WE NEED TO DO SOMETHING, WHY NOT DO IT.') THE GRADE FIVE STUDENT IS TAKING UP HER BEEF WITH CITY COUNCIL. SHE WROTE A LETTER TO THE MAYOR, ALONG WITH A SIGNED PETITION. THE PICK UP WILL RUN FROM ONE UNTIL THREE ON THE 18TH -- THAT'S A SUNDAY. ALISION AND HER CLASSMATES WILL BE GATHERING ON THE BRIDGE THAT CONNECTS KATHERINE CRESCENT AND WISE STREET. MAYOR HARVEY ROSEN ALSO READ DODWELL'S LETTER AT COUNCIL'S LAST MEETING. HER CONCERN FOR THE ENVIRONMENT SEEMS TO HAVE A STRUCK A CHORD AT CITY HALL, WHERE PETITIONS ARE A DIME A DOZEN. MARK GERRETSEN: "I THINK IT'S REALLY ADMIRABLE TO SEE SOMETHING LIKE THAT COME FORWARD FROM SOMEBODY OF SUCH A YOUNG AGE. AND NOT ONLY THAT THEY'RE SO INTERESTED, BUT THAT THIS INDIVIDUAL HAS TAKEN THE TIME TO FIGURE OUT AND INQUIRE HOW TO DO SOMETHING ABOUT THIS.") THE LOCAL CONSERVATION AUTHORITY SAYS LITTERING IN WETLANDS IS A GROWING PROBLEM, NOT JUST IN THIS NEIGHBOURHOOD, AND SHOULD BE OF CONCERN TO EVERYONE. -CAROLYN BONTA, BIOLOGIST : "IF THERE IS AN OVER ABUNDANCE OF LITTER THERE ARE TWO WAYS IT CAN AFFECT. IF CAN AFFECT THROUGH LEACHING OF CHEMICALS, FOR EXAMPLE IF PLASTICS ARE DUMPED. THE OTHER ASPECT IS WITH WILD LIFE. PLASTICS, IF A WILD LIFE SWALLOWS PLASTIC, GETS IN THERE SYSTEM, CLOGS UP INTESTINES , IT COULD KILL THEM") WHILE THERE ARE STRICT LAWS THAT PROTECT CONSERVATION AREAS....THE CREEK BEHIND DODWELL'S BACKYARD IS THE CITY'S RESPONSIBILITY. -GERRETSEN: "THE PETITION WILL BE FORWARDED ALONG TO THE PROPER COMMITTEE AND OR STAFF DEPARTMENT WITHIN THE CITY. AND FROM THERE IT WILL BE DECIDED WHAT TO DO WITH THE PETITION ESSENTIALLY.") "DODWELL SAYS SHE PLANS ON CLEANING UP WITH OR WITH OUT THE HELP OF THE CITY. SHE'S ASKING NEIGHBOURHOOD RESIDENTS TO JOIN HER ON MAY 18TH, AND PUT THE TRASH IN THE TRASH BINS WHERE IT BELONGS. ASHLEY MOLNAR, CKWS NEWSWATCH, KINGSTON.")
