Since the shock of the closure of Lobadanki Park beach, partly due to the weakening of the shoreline in that area, I have been wondering about the protection of the shoreline elsewhere in North Hatley.
Obviously, it is crucial to protect our ecosystem to ensure its sustainability. As I travel by boat on the river to the lake and back, I realize that the riparian zone of the Rivières Park seems neglected and fragile. In fact, if you travel on the Massawippi River between the train bridge and the dam, you will notice several areas that are largely bare. Docks, boats, concrete blocks, and terraces are ubiquitous along the riverbank.
I am neither a biologist nor an environmentalist, but I have good eyes. I notice that there is indeed deforestation of the riverbank at this location. Despite this, it does not make headlines like the closure of Lobadanaki Park.
Here are my questions regarding the protection of the riverbanks in North Hatley:
- How is the riparian zone dimension calculated?
- How wide is the riparian strip at Rivières Park?
- Where is the riparian strip at Rivers Park?
- Does the municipality ensure the protection of the riparian zone at Parc des Rivières?
- Does the municipality manage the riparian zone in order to protect the ecosystem of Parc des Rivières?
It seems clear to me that efforts to protect the shoreline in the Rivières park area are limited. Perhaps I am mistaken! Please correct me if I am wrong!
Not to mention all the gasoline that spills into the river since there are no longer any gas stations, boaters have to use gasoline cans. As a boater myself, I can assure you that gasoline is often spilled despite all the precautions we take. It’s shocking.
I understand that North Hatley needs to use the Parc des Rivières for commercial and recreational activities. However, shouldn’t we raise our hands and ask for better protection of this area to ensure its long-term sustainability?
Bleu Massawippi works to protect the ecosystem of Lake Massawippi by cleaning boats, diving to remove waste from the lake, and fighting invasive species.
Take the time to visit the Massawippi River between the train bridge and the dam to see the amount of waste in the water and to become aware of the deforestation of the riverbank in certain areas.
We are vigorously protecting the beach at Lobadanki Park, which is about 100 linear feet wide, by closing the park. This is entirely legitimate. Now we must continue our efforts elsewhere. The riparian strip at Rivers Park is at least 1,000 linear feet wide, and probably much more!
Why not reforest the banks around the North Hatley marina? Are we turning a blind eye and disregarding the rules protecting the riparian zone in this area in order to promote summer activities? I don’t know, but we should at least work together to revitalize our riverbanks by planting trees and shrubs before we lose our river, which is gradually filling up with sediment. In fact, the future master plan of the current municipal administration of North Hatley is moving in this direction:
Reference : https://www.northhatley.org/fr/comite-du-plan-directeur/
Everyone is concerned with protecting our ecosystem. The riparian zone is becoming increasingly fragile around the lake and river. We need to start raising awareness so that we don’t lose everything.
On that note, enjoy your visit to the Massawippi River between the train bridge and the dam. And I hope I’m wrong about the deforestation of the riverbanks in North Hatley.
