Spring Bay wind farm to grow by three more mills

A total of 10 turbines envisioned for site

by Jim Moodie

SPRING BAY-This summer, the pair of 100-metre wind turbines at Spring Bay will gain a trio of pals as Schneider Power begins the next phase of its wind farm project.

"At this point, we are building another three turbines," said Dena Fehir, head of public relations for Schneider. "The planning stages are complete, so we're just waiting for the frost to disappear and the half-load season to end. You probably won't see crews there until June."

Ms. Fehir added that "there will also be a new project manager coming on at the end of this month," although she wasn't in a position to name the individual at this point.

Additional turbines could come in subsequent phases of construction at the 400-acre Spring Bay site. "Once transmission restrictions are lifted, there is the potential to build five more," communicated Ms. Fehir.

That scale of farm would still be considerably smaller than most others in the country, but Schneider president Thomas Schneider has indicated that he has no plans to expand the development beyond this relatively modest target.

"I'm not a fan of mega wind parks; I like smaller-scale projects," he told the Expositor earlier this year. His goal, he stressed, "is to implement the development in a way that complements the environment."

The next batch of towers will be more powerful than the initial pair, although not that much bigger in profile. "They'll be the same hub height," explained Mr. Schneider. "But the towers will be a little wider and the blades will be bigger."

While the current towers are 800-kilowatt machines, the new crop will have over twice that capacity, at two megawatts each.

The Spring Bay wind farm-which took shape in the fall of 2006, with a commissioning ceremony occurring last year-represents the Toronto-based company's first project in Canada to commence hydro generation.

In February of last year, the company inked a 20-year power purchase agreement with green retailer Bullfrog Power, through which electricity produced at the Spring Bay site is supplied to the grid on behalf of Bullfrog's customers.

Islanders who choose to sign up with Bullfrog cannot count on their juice coming directly from the wind turbines, or any other alternative energy source, for that matter, as all power created in the province goes into the same pool. But in opting to go with the green retailer, they are assured that the volume of energy they consume is matched by an equal output of renewable energy.

The existing Schneider turbines are capable of producing three million kWh of emission-free power annually, and were expected, in their first year alone, to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by more than 2,100 tonnes.

Lockeyer brothers key contributors

as Sudbury midgets win national gold

by Jim Moodie

ARNPRIOR-The Lockeyer brothers of Manitoulin helped make history on the weekend as their Sudbury Nickel Capital Wolves became the first Central Region team to capture the National Midget Championship since the event debuted 30 years ago.

Justin Lockeyer had a goal and assist, while older bro Devin chipped in with a helper, as the Wolves rallied to beat the West Region's Winnipeg Thrashers in the closely contested final on Sunday in Arnprior.

"It doesn't get any better than this," said a weary Devin Lockeyer on Monday evening after rolling back onto Manitoulin with his brother. "We had a lot of adversity all week, with sewage backing up in our hotel, a lot of guys being sick, and the roof of the arena getting a leak in the big rainstorm on Saturday. But as our coach said, we battled through it."

Justin had to battle through a blow to the head, which he incurred during round-robin play. "I got tripped up and flew into the boards," he said. He was taken to a hospital and assessed to have suffered a concussion.

The earliest he could return, according to medical staff, was for a game on Sunday-the final one of the tournament. "We had to keep winning for him to be able to play," said brother Devin.

Fortunately, the team did keep winning, and Justin was cleared to skate in the gold-medal outing and contribute to the victory.

The Thrashers were a formidable opponent, having gone undefeated through the round-robin portion of the tournament-including a 5-4 win over the Wolves, although Justin noted that it "was really a tie, because we pulled our goalie to go for the win and they got an empty-netter"-and thumped the Quebec entry 4-1 to earn a berth in the final.

Sudbury secured its own place in the gold-medal game after handily dispatching the Calgary Buffaloes of the Pacific Region 5-2 in the semis, but it was clear that they would have to come up with a huge effort to best the Winnipeg side, which fought back from a 2-0 deficit to build a 3-2 lead over the Wolves after two periods.

There was no panic in the dressing room, though. "Our coach just reminded us how third periods had been our best all year, and told us to leave it all on the ice," said Devin.

Early in the third, the Wolves exploded for a pair of power-play goals, scored just 20 seconds apart, to regain the lead. First Mathieu Lecours found the back of the Thrashers' net (assisted by Devin Stillar and Lenny Talirico), and then Justin Lockeyer buried a wraparound effort (with helpers coming from Craigh Laliberte and brother Devin).

Denis Restoule registered the eventual game winner when he scored less than two minutes later for the Wolves, although the outcome wasn't decided until the very end, as the Thrashers tallied at the period's midpoint to come within a goal and it took a huge save by the Wolves goalie and an empty-netter to seal the 6-4 victory.

With the win, the Wolves ended the West Region's dominance at the national championship, as teams from Manitoba and Saskatchewan had won the last four gold medals and had not lost in 32 games prior to Sunday's final.

The rink was packed with fans all week, said the Lockeyers, including a crew from an Arnprior public school that was cheering on the Sudbury entry. "Each team was given an elementary school" to represent, noted Devin, and the team visited the students to talk with their newfound fans, few of whom knew much about Sudbury. "Ninety percent of the questions were about the Big Nickel," laughed Justin.

The stands were also bristling with scouts, and TSN was on hand to film the action. Devin noted that, following the final game, they caught the highlights on the sports channel and were tickled to see that "one of our players, Devin Stiller, was the highlight of the night."

Devin Lockeyer, now 17, started this past season with the Manitoulin Islanders junior squad before opting to join Justin on the Wolves. He said he was approached by a few junior teams during the nationals and will have some options about where to play next year.

Justin, who turns 16 in July, could theoretically join Devin on the Islanders' roster next year, but is awaiting the outcome of the OHL draft before making his next move. He said the most likely scenario is that he continues to play midget hockey, but for a team in the Toronto area where he would gain more exposure, although he didn't entirely rule out the possibility of a stint with the Islanders.

For Sudbury, it was the second midget medal in 11 years, as the 1998 edition of the Wolves had garnered a silver when they were the tournament's host team. But it was the first time that Sudbury-or any other team representing the Central Region, for that matter-had tasted gold.

Wolves coach Peter Michelutti Jr. described the game as a "hard-fought battle between two great teams," praising the Thrashers as "a class act" and a team "that never stopped working." Of his own club, Coach Michelutti said, "Fortunately we found a way to come back and keep skating."

The victory, he said, "shows all the dedication, all the hard work, all the personal sacrifices that these young men have given to this team. They deserve it so much and we are so very proud of them."

Kagawong fisherman loses life

by Jim Moodie

KAGAWONG-A fisherman was swept to his death at the mouth of the Kagawong River on the weekend, making for the second such fatality to occur at this spot in a dozen years.

On Sunday at 11:20 am, members of the OPP's Underwater Search and Recovery Unit retrieved the body of Sergio Girimonte, 38, of Brampton, who had lost his footing in the river's icy current the previous morning while fishing in hip waders for rainbow trout and disappeared beneath the choppy surface of Mudge Bay.

According to police, Mr. Girimonte had travelled to Manitoulin along with a brother and male cousin for a fishing holiday. The trio was staying at a local resort.

On Saturday morning at 7:45 am, Mr. Girimonte was wading in the river near its outlet when "he was swept away by the powerful current," according to the police report.

A search was immediately set in motion, with members of the OPP, the Canadian Coast Guard and the North Shore Search and Rescue Team arriving to take part in the effort. On Saturday afternoon, three rescue boats could be seen bobbing in the water near the river's mouth, while a diver surfaced from time to time to consult with those on board the vessels, but by dark no trace of the missing angler had been turned up.

At daybreak on Sunday morning, the Underwater Search and Recovery Unit of the OPP arrived to add another component to the search, and by 11:20 am, the tragic outcome of the incident was confirmed, as Mr. Girimonte's lifeless body was recovered from the depths of the bay.

Manitoulin coroner Dr. Shelagh McRae was present on Sunday to conduct an initial examination, but an official determination of the cause of death awaits the result of a post mortem, which was to have occurred on Monday in Sudbury.

Stewardship committee backs crane hunt

by Jim Moodie

MANITOULIN-As the familiar jangling cry of sandhill cranes again fills the air over Manitoulin and numerous examples of the leggy carbo-lover can be spied in Island grain fields, the case is being built for a hunt of the stork-like species.

While native to the area, cranes are only recently enjoying a resurgence on Manitoulin and the North Shore, after having their numbers severely depleted by the early 1900s through a combination of commercial hunting and habitat loss.

"Obviously the crane population, at one time, was almost endangered in our area," said Mark Laberge, chairman of the Manitoulin Area Stewardship Council. "They protected it (through the 1918 Migratory Bird Treaty Act) and the population has come back. It's a real success story."

The downside, he said, is that cranes "really enjoy agricultural crops." And their numbers, in part because of this readily available diet, are ballooning. According to Bird Studies Canada, the population of sandhills has jumped from "only a few dozen pairs in the 1930s to more than 30,000 individuals in the early 2,000s." And their breeding range has expanded "from northern Michigan across most of Ontario."

The stewardship council for Manitoulin, which includes representation from a broad spectrum of interests, including farmers, feels it makes sense to institute a fall gun hunt for the species, similar to the season for geese or ducks.

"Anybody who travels Manitoulin and the North Shore has seen the population growing and growing, and can't understand why there is no season," said Mr. Laberge.

In the past, appeals for a hunt were rejected by the Canadian Wildlife Service (which has jurisdiction over the species, since cranes are governed through the federal Migratory Bird Act) on the grounds that "they had no scientific proof to base their decisions on," noted Mr. Laberge.

To address that lack of data, the Ontario Federation of Hunters and Anglers (OFAH) decided last year to finance a study through the Long Point Waterfowl and Wetland Research Fund. "We got funding from our zones and the provincial Fish and Wildlife Fund to support some research by a grad student of Dr. Scott Petrie, a real authority in bird circles," said OFAH biologist Jeremy Holden.

The main goal of the study has been to provide a population assessment and "build the case for a sustainable hunt," said Mr. Holden. But researchers are also examining migratory patterns through the satellite tracking of birds affixed with radio transmitters (you can even follow their movements online, via a 'Crane Tracker' website) and analyzing activity within agricultural fields during the fall staging period. As well, a survey of landowner opinions regarding sandhill cranes has been conducted.

While the fieldwork is ongoing, an interim report-titled Sandhill Crane Research and Recommendations for the Establishment of a Hunting Season-was provided to members of the Manitoulin Area Stewardship Council in late January by OFAH fish and wildlife specialist Robert Pineo, and the preliminary data makes a strong argument in favour of a hunt.

Researchers counted in excess of 5,200 cranes in the study area-which didn't include Manitoulin but encompassed nearby St. Joseph Island and Iron Bridge-an amount they deem to be the "highest ever formally recorded in Ontario" and estimate to be 15 percent of the species' total population in North America.

Corn was determined to be the "most important crop to cranes," and one that appears to be ever more abundant, due to longer, warmer growing seasons and many farmers opting to sow more of this plant.

Of landowners surveyed within the region, 95 percent reported crane use of their fields, while over half (53 percent) "had experienced crop damage from cranes," according to the report. Most farmers have encountered problems within the past 10 years, and the average amount of damage reported by farmers was $2,933.

"The numbers are astonishing when you read this stuff," said Mr. Laberge. "These people are saying, yes, we need a season. It's required to keep the population in check. They're causing a disproportionate amount of damage."

The stewardship council chair pointed out that, unlike other pests that wait for harvest time before looking for agricultural snacks, cranes "will land in standing grain before it's cut." Not only that, "they'll be there in the spring, when the grain is just starting to come up, and pick that bald."

But apart from the costs incurred by farmers due to crop loss, Mr. Laberge also feels the birds themselves will suffer if their numbers continue to swell. "If we don't do something, they could end up with diseases," he said.

Cranes are legally hunted in both Saskatchewan and Alberta, as well as many of the prairie states in the US, and apparently make decent eating. Mr. Laberge said he can "speak from experience," as he's sampled some sandhill crane meat. "It's very good if prepared properly, and similar to geese."

Killing of cranes is already occurring on Manitoulin, as landowners can qualify for a permit through the Canadian Wildlife Service to cull a few-or engage others to do so on their behalf-if the birds are deemed to be causing significant damage.

Scott Willis of Spring Bay said he has "been a beneficiary" of such a licence, which he describes as a "scare/kill permit." A tag of this type is "good for a year until you get your harvest off, and you can take 10 birds a week," he noted.

The preference of the federal wildlife service is that landowners scare the birds off, but if necessary, they can also be shot, said Mr. Willis. If killed, though, the shooters are expected "to leave the carcass displayed in the field with the wings spread out, to scare away other birds, or bury them."

This, to Mr. Laberge, runs contrary to the whole principle of hunting, which is "to not waste anything." The nuisance permit, in his view, "is very restrictive, and a direct contradiction of wildlife laws."

Those permitted to kill cranes at present are not allowed to use decoys or a blind, and while some permit holders will peel the breast meat off the carcass before leaving it in the field, as is required, Mr. Laberge feels much of the harvest is going to waste.

If, that is, a blind-denied hunter can even manage to bring one of these big, wary birds down. "It's quite a challenge to get them," said Mr. Willis. "You can't decoy, so you're just out there with a shotgun. It's why it often ends up being a scare instead of a kill."

To Mr. Holden of the OFAH, the fact that some landowners are already eligible for permits to control the population "at a nuisance level" implies that "there's obviously some justification there for a hunt."

But under the current scenario, nobody is really benefiting from the controlled culling, as it's neither an enjoyable sporting opportunity nor an economic boost.

"If there is an opportunity for a sustainable hunt, and all the socioeconomic benefits that would come with it, it seems silly to issue these kill permits when there are hunters that would be willing to take advantage of the opportunity," argued Mr. Holden.

The OFAH has submitted a request to the Canadian Wildlife Service to authorize a crane hunt for Northern Ontario, and the Manitoulin Area Stewardship Council has endorsed that appeal.

"We're not really lobbying for it," said Mr. Laberge. "But what we have done is to write a letter of support to the Canadian Wildlife Service."

If a hunt is okayed, it won't likely happen soon, however. "It's a fairly lengthy process that would have to be undertaken by the CWS," said Mr. Holden. "We're definitely in the early phases, so I wouldn't expect a hunt for this fall."

EDITORIAL

Island volunteers can never be thanked too much

A couple of weeks ago, this writer had the privilege of attending an anniversary party marking a milestone in a particular Island person's professional career.

The party was a surprise event and the person on the receiving end did an excellent job of responding to the pleasant things said about him in the course of the evening, mostly dealing with his professional life.

But there was an exception, for this person had spent several terms as a member of the old Manitoulin Board of Education and when he came to reminisce about that aspect of his voluntary life, it was clear that this experience had really meant something quite special to him; that he was quite proud of having been able to serve his community in this way.

This was not an exceptional moment.

Those people (and there are so very many of them in our area) who spend a great deal of their time-without dreaming of compensation -working for the betterment of their particular community usually if not always think about these efforts as among the best times of their lives.

They are our volunteers and, for them, the doing is its own reward.

As recently as last Wednesday, for example, an interested group of people from the Northeast Town met to talk about the possibility of a gym facility operating on an as-yet-undefined  basis.

Before the meeting was over, a keen group of interested people had volunteered to begin to meet to determine the feasibility of such a venture.

They are volunteers.

A few weeks before that, the Manitoulin Islanders unior A hockey club held a general meeting to, among other things, seek replacement members for the hockey team's over-worked board of directors.

Within a short time, hands had been raised and the torch had been passed.

These are more volunteers.

When the sirens sound and we catch a glimpse of a fire engine or a tanker truck going down one of our town streets or rural side roads, often in the small hours of the morning, we should not forget that the people who diligently show up for fire practices, and turn out to the beeping of their pagers for actual fires, are our neighbours who step up and take on this task because they've been asked to help out or because they think it's simply a good fit for their natural skills and abilities.

They are still more volunteers.

The list is, literally, endless: to take a copy of the Big Red Manitoulin telephone book and to look at the names (assuming we knew something about every citizen), there are very, very few people who do not volunteer in some capacity, or who have not done so in their younger lives.

This is National Volunteer Week and we are pleased to thank and congratulate everyone who helps out in any way at all.

Most of you who read this are now or have been volunteers.

In a word, "thanks!"

Letters to the Editor

Conservationists should pay their fair share of taxes

Leave farmers alone to do what they do best

To the Expositor:

I have a question for Mr. Barnett of the EBC regarding his statement in the April 23rd Expositor saying the EBC does not require services for their properties hence need not pay taxes. Who, Mr. Bartlett, do you think is going to pay for the roads and their maintenance, for garbage disposal and to make use of when they come to play on your land you are saving from all the terrible people on the Manitoulin? It is not fair. You should be paying your fair share not allowing it to be downloaded onto the backs of the other residents of Manitoulin.

On another subject, while I have your attention, I just want to say something to the people who have for years treated farmers and their families as just that "dirt farmers". With what is taking place in the world today farmers may finally get the respect they deserve. I should mention though the farmer only produces the food, the price you pay has been added on farther down the line. 80¢/lb beef does not translate into a profit at the farm gate and with inflate taxes, fuel prices and supply prices does not begin to cover costs.

However farming is what we do and could do if rules and regulations made by people out to save the land from our destruction would just leave us alone and let us do what we do best. At least people are going to see that the food on the grocery shelf did not just grow there. So if you ate today you should thank a farmer.

Judy Wood

Green Bay

Misconceptions swirl around Escarpment Biosphere Conservancy

Non-governmental group is not to be feared

To the Expositor:

We would like to address some of the incorrect notions about the Escarpment Biosphere Conservancy that have appeared in recent editions of the Expositor.

The EBC is a charity, which buys or is given land for conservation and owns 1,500 acres on the Island. (About equal to one largish farm.) None was purchased with government funding. We are not controlled by, or part of, the MNR or any other government department. We raise our money through donors and benefactors.

Most EBC land is low assessment (bogs and off roads, not suited for farming or homes) and has no buildings. The total assessment is small and total taxes foregone over the entire Island are equal to that of a modest farm. Where EBC owns land with buildings, full taxes are paid. (About $2,500 a year.) The tax foregone might be $1,500 or about 12 cents per Islander per year.

In return all Islanders have access to the land. Given the skyrocketing price of land on Manitoulin, even the most optimistic projections would not see our land base doubling in the next 10 years. And we have directed our manager to participate in a lobby of the provincial government to compensate municipalities for any revenue lost to them by the conservation designation. Apparently this is under consideration.

Who are we? We are not "freeloaders." EBC directors are working, taxpaying people who have spent most of their lives in, and raised their children in, the communities where they work. Some are professionals, some are businesspersons, some are farmers, some are retired-and most are landowners. We are very involved in the community in a variety of ways trying to do our bit to leave a healthier place behind than might otherwise happen.

Why do we believe in a land trust? We believe that "people pressures" are rapidly changing our Island. We cannot prevent change but hope to preserve some of what we value. Not everyone can afford land. This will be even more true of the next generations. And it is a way of doing what we believe in that is not government, just people. We hope that by preserving some key features there will be a place for our children and their children to experience Manitoulin nature as we do. Rather than "freeloading," we are using our time and our savings to create a gift to future generations. 

This is not to say that we have all the answers. We believe Manitoulin farm families have created and preserved a unique and beautiful farm community here despite all odds. Our farms are our greatest resource. We believe that much government policy has and continues to be very unfavourable to family farms. Both of us are members of the farming community, strong supporters of the local food market, and would like to do what we can to help make life easier for our farmers.

Lastly we would like to reassure all landowners that they have no need to fear us as neighbours. We are not government. We're not a watchdog agency. We never advocate trespassing on other people's land. And we have never and will never try to influence their right to use their own property. In fact, we make rather good neighbours because we encourage only quiet recreation and our presence usually increases the value of neighbouring lands.

Yours truly for health and peace,

Roy Jeffery and Linda Willson

directors, EBC

School volunteers deserve a pat on the back

Dedication to kids should be recognized

To the Expositor:

As the school trustee representing Manitoulin Island I have sent a personal note to each and every person employed by the Rainbow District School Board and thanked them for their dedication to our kids.

The newspaper, also a large contributor to the success of getting the word out to parents/guardians, deserves a huge thank you for keeping our kids and their ongoing education in the news.

I know there is only so much room in the letters to the editor section, so I would like to use this opportunity to personally thank you, the parents/guardians and volunteers, for your devotion to not only your kids, but all of our kids. Parents who serve on school council, parents who come in to the school and read to our kids, parents who, on their own time, help supervise at lunchtime, parents who come in and share with our kids about careers, personal experiences and life happenings. Parents who coach, parents who drive, parents who buy all the unsold tickets, parents who worry for no reason, deliver the sold books, oranges, apples, magazines and whatever is being sold. Parents who call and suggest better ways of doing things, bus drivers, bus patrollers, bus monitors, mentors, newspaper writers, radio announcers, referees, and the list goes on. Thanks to you all! Without the volunteers we may as well shut things down. I think you agree, the only reason we, and those buildings called schools, are here is for the kids. It is all about the kids.

We have great kids! Yes, they will encounter problems but how would we make out in today's world? I think they are doing well. This week, Education Week, we all deserve a pat on the back: good job, well done.

Larry Killens

Manitoulin trustee

Rainbow District School Board

Jenn Ramsdin

Gunner's Gas Bar

Aundeck Omni Kaning

I'm your neighbour

If you happen to catch Jenn Ramsdin in the apparent act of talking to herself, don't worry, the Gunner's Gas Bar employee probably hasn't lost her mind.

More likely, this cheery young woman will be rehearsing lines for her next theatre school audition. That, or having a few words with the resident pooch.

Anyone who has stopped to fuel up at the Aundeck Omni Kaning (AOK) pumps-and/or grab a few snacks off the convenience store shelves-will have probably noticed a sleek brown lab nosing about, nostrils angling towards the box of pepperettes.

That would be Gunner, furry friend of business owner Cheyenne Corbiere, although some customers haven't quite figured out that it's the animal, not the entrepreneur, after whom the enterprise is named.

"A lot of people come in looking for the owner and ask, 'Where's Gunner?'" laughs Ms. Ramsdin. "I say, 'well, I can talk to him for you, but I'm not sure he'll understand.'"

The dog does provide good company, though, especially when business is slow. "He keeps me sane," says the 20-year-old. "On boring days I get to play with him and throw the ball around."

Usually, though, she's busy enough tending to two-footed types. The pumps at Gunner's aren't self-serve, so the clerk is constantly darting in and out of the store, filling tanks and ringing up purchases that range from chips and pop to 5-cent candy and (not for you, Gunner) jerky sticks.

Although born in Toronto, Ms. Ramsdin has called AOK home "pretty much my whole life," she says. Now, though, she's hoping to return to her urban birthplace to study theatre. "I have an audition at Humber College and have been practising my monologue," she says.

If she gets into the three-year program, it won't be her first stab at studying drama, or living in TO, as she previously completed a semester in theatre at George Brown College.

"It's just something I've always wanted to do," she says of acting. "I figure I'll do stage stuff and then maybe transition into film and television."

Meanwhile, she's looking forward to the hectic summer season at Gunner's, when visitors from off the Island add to the mix of local clientele. "It's nice to meet new people and tourists always seem to be friendly," she says. But she also enjoys the regulars. "You get to know everyone."

When not working or prepping for auditions, Ms. Ramsdin says she likes to "do crafts or read." She'll watch the odd game of baseball at AOK's diamond-a happening spot in the summer months-but doesn't don a glove herself. "I'm kind of a nerd-not really sporty," she explains.

Her other main pastime? "I rent a lot of movies," she says, emphasizing "a lot." Well, why not? One day she might be in one.

Patronizing local businesses like Gunner's Gas Bar provides lasting employment for people like Jenn Ramsdin.