New bridge deck expected in 2008

Patching of rough surface undertaken in meantime

by Jim Moodie

LITTLE CURRENT-While the tourist traffic streaming onto the Island this summer via the swing bridge has been a boon to local businesses and those collecting voluntary tolls, there's been a structural toll on the already-ailing deck of the span.

Regular travellers of the pivoting wonder will have noticed a loosening of planks, deepening of ruts, and the disappearance of pavement (such as it still existed) as the season progressed.

"I think we've been taking the asphalt off a little bit at a time as we drive over," quipped Northeastern Manitoulin and the Islands Councillor Al MacNevin last week, during a town council meeting in Birch Island.

In fact, the patchy pavement that still remained on the old planks was scraped off a couple of weeks ago by Belanger Construction, which has the contract for bridge maintenance through the Ministry of Transportation (MTO). And last week a crew was back to lay new asphalt on the approaches. A pile of wood, meanwhile, was stacked up on the south side of the bridge in preparation for the re-planking of some areas.

"This is a temporary, remedial measure to improve the ride and tide us over until we have a permanent solution," explained Marcel Quenville of the MTO last week. "We're surface-treating the approaches and putting wood decking at both ends for the transition from asphalt to the deck."

But the ministry doesn't want "to spend a lot of money right now," he noted, "since there is a permanent deck coming."

A complete overhaul of the driving surface, along with repainting of the upper section of the bridge, is in the works for 2008. And a consultant is currently drawing up the best plan for a new deck, said Mr. Quenville. "We're in the design mode right now."

Pending that major makeover, though, something needs to be done to address the increasingly bumpy, and potentially dangerous, situation. Two weeks ago one of the steel plates that keeps the planks from shifting around came loose and embedded itself in a woman's vehicle.

"A lady caught her tire on it and it came up into the floor behind her front seat and punctured the floor," said Mr. Quenville, adding that a request for compensation "has been forwarded to the ministry's claims office."

The rectangular plates "keep the decking tight so it doesn't rattle," explained the MTO manager, "but some are getting loose so we'll have to re-torque the bolts or do something."

The last major work on the deck occurred over 20 years ago, and it wasn't terribly successful. Shortly after the MTO acquired the bridge from the CPR in 1983, "we redid the deck, but the asphalt we put down never got a proper bond because the lumber was creosoted," noted Mr. Quenville. "So it never penetrated properly, and the asphalt was just sliding around on that stuff."

Describing this as "a lesson learned," Mr. Quenville said the next deck surface will be a more modern and long-lasting variety. But being neither an engineer himself nor privy to the plan being designed at the moment, he couldn't specify what type of surface will be put in place of the old one.

"There are so many materials they can use now," he said. "I'm not sure what the final design will be. I do know we have to be cautious of the weight we put on there-not because of what the structure can bear, because it's over-designed for loads, but because of the balance needed when it swings and catches at the ends."

While there is no precise schedule set at the moment for the deck replacement, the MTO official expects it should commence soon. "It's time," he said. But because the bridge will continue to swing until the end of the boating season, "it may have to be a winter project," he added.

Concerns about the ailing deck had been expressed at a meeting of the McGregor Bay Association on July 22, at which Councillor MacNevin was present on behalf of the Northeast Town. "There were questions about the bridge and repair plans," he told council members last week. "I explained that it's a provincial responsibility and that there's a plan afoot to resurface the bridge."

Last Tuesday, bridge worker Ron Lewis could be found sweeping up gravel that had accumulated in the crevices and ruts of the deck. (Apparently car tires track pebbles onto the planks, much the way that sand gets tracked onto the floor of a home via shoe treads.) While tending to this buildup of gravel, Mr. Lewis pointed out a few of the larger divots in the worn and weathered planks.

Although the bumpy ride across the bridge is brief, and most drivers will either straddle the dips or test out their shock absorbers while crossing the span, the MTO is eager to improve the situation before another car gets a steel plate wedged in its undercarriage or incurs some other kind of damage.

But even a stopgap solution is limited by the amount of time work crews can spend on the structure before its services are required. "There's so much traffic right now, both vehicle and marine," noted Mr. Quenville. "We don't want to do anything that causes delays."

Even in the slowest of times, a resurfacing project is apt to cause some inconvenience, he noted, because apart from being the only route on and off the Island by car, "it's a single lane."

Still, an overhaul of the deck will likely be welcomed by Islanders and visitors alike, even if a few longer waits are endured before that work is complete. After all, it's the gateway to the Island, the introductory experience for many encountering Manitoulin for the first time, and a smooth segue is preferable to a rocky one.

The good news is that, in its function as a moveable land link, the venerable structure has been performing quite admirably over the summer months.

"It runs so well," remarked Mr. Quenville. "It has a lot of historic charm, but it's been wonderful ever since we adapted the old technology to the new. It's very quiet and smooth now when it turns."

Soon the experience for motorists should be smoother, too. But it might not happen immediately. "The project is under way to design the new deck," said Mr. Quenville. "It's a matter of when the design is complete and we find the suitable material."

Cattle sale nixed again

by Alicia McCutcheon

MANITOULIN-What was at one time the biggest cattle sale in the province will not be happening for the second year in a row due to the state of the facilities and a lack of money to repair them, said Manitoulin Co-op board chair Hugh Moggy.

The Little Current stockyards took a beating during the big storm of July, 2006 and the estimates are high when it comes to getting them back into shape.

Mr. Moggy explained that the scales are also in need of replacing and figures the cost of them alone to be anywhere from $50,000 - $75,000, but he remains hopeful for the future.

"Hopefully we can provide that service again somewhere down the road," he said.

Cottagers, MNR_battle Bay of Islands blaze

by Lindsay Kelly

BAY OF ISLANDS-A Bay of Islands fire was stopped mid-blaze thanks to a joint effort by the Bay of Islands Cottagers' Association and the Ministry of Natural Resources (MNR) last weekend.

On August 4, boaters sailing near an island-called Skippy Dippy Island by those who frequent the area-noticed flames amongst a copse of trees at the east end of the island and immediately set to work putting the fire out.

A short time later, MNR water bombers soared overhead to ensure the flames stayed extinguished. As cottager Tony Whyatt noted, the two groups worked in tandem to save the island's foliage.

"Boaters came with the pumps on their boats and attacked the fire with their pumps," he explained. "By the time the water bombers showed up, to quite a degree, it was under control."

MNR fire information officer Lindsay Munroe confirmed that the MNR received a report of a fire at "about 2:40 on the afternoon of the fourth" and "sent air attack" to deal with the flames.

MNR records indicate that the fire was declared fully extinguished at 3:30 pm on August 6, after the blaze had burned 0.1 hectares, an area Ms. Munroe describes as "quite small." "No cause has been determined," she added. "That is still under investigation."

Skippy Dippy Island is Crown land, and it's a popular spot with picnickers and boaters. A fireplace is located at the east end of the island where the fire started, and cottagers suspect that may be the source of the blaze.

The water bombers were dispatched quickly to the site of the fire thanks to the quick actions of Jeff Wallace, who contacted the MNR with the GPS coordinates of the island from his boat.

"The fire was really accelerating on the east side and spreading rapidly," he said. "Everybody just came pouring out of their cottages and got in their boats after they saw the fire."

He estimates the fire was extinguished roughly 15 minutes after cottagers arrived, while the MNR arrived about 30 minutes after the fire was first spotted to make three passes over the site. It was exciting for everyone to see the water bombers scoop water adjacent to where the boaters lingered.

"It was spectacular," Mr. Wallace said. "They did a great job; they were right on target."

This kind of incident brings together the entire community, and proves that the system rigged up by the cottagers is successful, he added.

The Bay of Islands Cottagers' Association set up their amateur fire brigade 15 years ago after Mr. Whyatt's cottage caught fire. A strong wind in early November caught a pile of burning scrap wood and swept flames across the yard, Mr. Whyatt explained. The fire then travelled underground for about 30 to 40 feet before hitting the house, which burned to the ground.

"That was a signal to members to set up a fire network to deal with future fires," Mr. Whyatt said. "Now various people have pumps."

Mr. Whyatt said this fire marks the first time the crew has had the opportunity to put their plan into action, and while it was successful this time, the incident should also act as a warning to campers and picnickers to be cautious when using fire. "It's the dry season, and everything is very dry, so everything can catch light no problem."

The Bay of Islands fire was the third to occur in the Manitoulin area this summer, the last of which hit the area in July. Manitoulin and the North Shore have been lucky, however, when compared with areas like Sault Ste. Marie, which is currently battling 12 different bush fires.

The majority of the fires across the North are caused by lightning due to "lightning storms with very little rain," Ms. Munroe noted. "It's stretching our crews when there are so many lightning fires, so we certainly want to minimize the human-caused fires."

The MNR cautions that before burning, people should check with their municipality's burning regulations. Fires should never be left unattended, and people should ensure fires are fully extinguished before leaving the site. "We can't emphasize that enough," Ms. Munroe said.

Ministry of Natural Resources water bombers were called in to help extinguish a fire in the Bay of Islands last week.

photo by Charlie Wallace

EDITORIAL

Muskoka example stokes case for Island steamboat resurgence

A visit to Gravenhurst this past weekend provided an interesting counterpoint, and perhaps, rallying point, for those considering a retro cruise option on Manitoulin.

In this relatively prosperous Muskoka town, a certain "Steamship Festival" was in full swing, a two-day affair (August 10-11 this year) with activities spread along the community's main drag but obviously referencing its oldest marine attraction-the refurbished Segwun steamer.

That ship, once thought to be an expendable wreck by many in the area, is now the centre of a revamped harbour that includes museums, restaurants, boutiques, and towering condominiums.

Having been fully refitted, the ship takes passengers on tours of Lake Muskoka, some spanning two days (with an overnight stop at a Muskoka hotel), and earns its keep through fares paid by its apparently plentiful patrons.

But just as importantly, it remains as a key symbol of this community's identity and history, much the way the swing bridge or Strawberry Lighthouse will be forever tied with Little Current, and we would be loathe to see either altered or, God forbid, scrapped.

This summer the Expositor has embarked upon a series of stories celebrating local man-made wonders. And while a couple of the edifices that made our shortlist-and indeed, our final list-are of a recent vintage, such as the new wind towers in Spring Bay and the recently completed roundhouse in Sheguiandah, it's no surprise that most are quite long in the tooth.

Whether it's a lighthouse approaching its 135th birthday, as is the case with the Mississagi tower, or a courthouse, like Gore Bay's, presiding over decades of law and order, these tend to be the structures that both define us and draw the most interest from visitors.

What's interesting in the case of Gravenhurst is that the Segwun, its historical centrepiece, has become pretty much a lone artifact amid a major marine makeover that features numerous modern amenities.

It's also the case that the town, having been reclassified as a part of Northern Ontario in 2000, qualified for a $4.9 million outlay from the Northern Ontario Heritage Fund Corporation (NOHFC) to help realize its sweeping Muskoka Wharf facelift.

That leg up still rankles for many of us in the more economically challenged corners of the North, where municipal coffers will never be as deep as those in the forested playgrounds closer to Toronto.

A development of the scope of Gravenhurst's is neither likely, nor particularly longed for, in this area of Northern Ontario. Our very allure depends upon our relative lack of congestion, franchise restaurants, and light pollution, after all.

But at the same time, we can surely aspire to a certain level of development, and reasonably expect that the NOHFC, along with FedNor, will back us in those projects that have merit, both in terms of heritage and economic value.

At the moment, an historically significant steamship is sitting idle in Manitowaning, and the very same marine engineer, John Coulter, who brought the Segwun back from the brink of scuttling, believes this ship could not only be easily restored but become a viable commercial enterprise.

We trust that the NOHFC will at least commit funds to a study of the Norisle's potential as a cruise boat-a project which, if realized, would not just revitalize its home port, but benefit the whole of Manitoulin and a few neighbouring North Channel communities as well.

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

Islanders were helpful to visitors in a time of need

Travellers will return to Island in the future

To the Expositor:

We are writing this letter to share an experience we had while vacationing on your Island. I won't go into great detail other than to say our mode of transportation was a motorcycle.

We got into an accident in Gore Bay where my wife injured muscles in her right leg and shoulder, and muscles of the left arm. Not realizing how bad her injuries were, we went to have supper at the Twin Bluffs Restaurant. This is where and when the pain was realized. The waitress served us our meal, as well as graciously gave my wife an ice pack to put over the sore areas. Within an hour we decided we needed the nearest hospital. With another new ice pack, the waitress (great girl) sent us off with directions to Mindemoya Hospital, about a half-hour's drive.

We found our way there, had a short wait, and my wife was seen by the on-call doctor and given enough prescriptions to get us back home to our own doctor. The time was then 10:30 pm.

It was recommended we try the Mindemoya Motel, but the owner, Nick, had just rented out his last room five minutes we arrived via a telephone call! Knowing the situation we were in, he made numerous calls to other motels to find us a room, with no luck. He saw my wife pacing back and forth in the motel office trying to ease/release the pain and taking the prescription pills.

To make this story shorter, what happened was that we spent the night sleeping on two sofabed-type beds in the other half of the office. It felt good to lie down, even though I had a restless sleep, my wife said. He even lent my wife his sandals to go outside down to the bathroom/laundry room. Earlier I had helped my wife take off her runners.

The owner of the Mindemoya Motel, Nick, went out of his way to help us, strangers, in our time of pain and in need of a place to sleep. He is a good man with a big heart and he did not want any payment for what he was able to offer us. We thanked him over and over.

We felt we had to share our experience with you. From the waitress, to the nurse, to the doctor, to Nick at the Mindemoya Motel, a big thank you-all your help was greatly appreciated.

Later, after some healing has taken place, we are planning another trip to Manitoulin Island, of course. And where will we spend a night for sure? Nick's Mindemoya Motel!

Pete and Joyce Scheeringa

Harriston

Letter writer should not spread conspiracy theories

There are more important things to worry about

To the Expositor:

In the latest installment of his elaborate conspiracy theory ("Landowner suspects links between trail group and government," August 8), Mike Bauer demonstrates once again that if you are determined enough, you can always dig up something to feed your obsession.

Observe how he fingers Mr. Barnett of the EBC for the ghastly crime of "mentioning the MNR several times." It's clear that any reply to such charges will only furnish more grist for Mr. Bauer's rumour mill. So I will confine myself to the question he put to me directly: "Will the parcels of land purchased by the EBC be removed from the tax rolls?"

That's a bit like asking me, "Will UFOs land in Rockville?" I have no idea why Mr. Bauer thinks it possible for a parcel of land to be "removed from the tax rolls." But if he has a real question about the rules governing property taxation, he should take it to someone who might know the answer. He might start with the local office charged with applying those rules. I believe it's just up the street from the Expositor office.

Mr. Bauer's latest letter prompted a question of my own: why go to such lengths to manufacture shadowy problems, when we Islanders already have plenty of real problems to deal with? You can read about some of them in the Expositor: for instance, climate change, which is clearly related to chronic drought and other problems for our farmers. Then there's the deterioration of the entire Great Lakes ecosystem, and "peak oil," a global problem which will surely trigger a cascade of local effects. Tied in with that is a host of more obscure problems, such as corporate domination of food systems. Not all of these are obvious, but they all have real effects on us.

We need made-on-Manitoulin solutions to these problems, and some of us are finding them. For instance, supporting local organic food growers through the farmers' markets and other initiatives-this addresses all of the problems I've mentioned above. And every one of us can do something to conserve energy and curb our fossil-fuel addiction. Though there's no guarantee of success, there are plenty of other things we can do toward meeting the real challenges before us. What we don't have is infinite time to get our act together. Then why waste our time on conspiracy theories?

I think the answer is clear enough: conspiracy theories are addictive, just like gambling, alcohol and gas guzzling. Such addictions are difficult to overcome without help from one's neighbours. But, fortunately for Mr. Bauer and other sufferers, neighbourly help is one resource in which our Island is rich. Yes, a few of us are poisoning the land with pesticides, clearcutting it, ripping it up with bulldozers, selling it off in subdivisions, tearing around on screaming ATVs just for fun-and loudly defending their sacred right to do all that. But most of us are here to help each other live a viable and satisfying life together. You can read about this in the Expositor every week as well, if you haven't seen it with your own eyes as I have.

Most of us live here because we love the place, appreciate our neighbours, and help each other out. And I'm not only talking about our human neighbours: what would the Island be like without the aspen and cedar, the maple and ash, the squirrels and skunks, the chickadees and the blue jays, the worms and spiders and centipedes? Or the summer visitors, like the butterflies and bats and sandhill cranes? Of course they are not always perfect or predictable, and some can be a nuisance. I haven't hugged a porcupine lately, and when Brother Bear crossed my path last summer, I didn't offer to shake his paw. (I did mention him to my beekeeping human neighbour.) All things considered, though, I'll bet we are a bigger nuisance for our wild neighbours than they are for us.

Having such neighbours at all is a rare privilege in this increasingly paved-over world. We Islanders who value that privilege have to pay for it in part by getting along with others who can sometimes be annoying-the mice, deer, deer hunters, carousing campers, conspiracy theorists, even government agencies. I think that's a small price to pay.

So let's help each other deal with the real obstacles in front of us, including our addictions and obsessions. And let's quit rooting around for vague reasons to suspect each other's intentions. Life is simply too short for that.

Gary Fuhrman

Honora Bay

Theft of berries from elderly couple's garden bemoaned

We thought the only threat was from birds and animals

To the Expositor:

To the person or persons who helped themselves to the raspberries in my parents garden: I'm sorry that you are so destitute that you have been forced to steal from an elderly couple. As you were enjoying your free fruit, I hope you were thankful for the hours that an 81-year-old spent watering, pruning and staking his raspberry canes. If you had made your plight known, I'm sure my generous parents would gladly have shared their bounty with you. I guess I was mistaken to think that the only threat to their garden was from the winged and four-legged creatures.

Glena Roy

Little Current

Maureen Pearce

Santa Maria Trailer Resort,

Spring_Bay

I'm your neighbour

For Maureen Pearce, Manitoulin Island is a great place to live and work.

"I love it here," said Ms. Pearce, who works at the Santa Maria Trailer Resort in Spring Bay. She is originally from Toronto, but has lived on Manitoulin for about 10 years.

"My very first experience being on the Island came at the Haweater weekend celebrations in Little Current," Ms. Pearce explained. "The first four years or so on the Island I lived in Kagawong and worked in the area, and have been working at Santa Maria for about six years."

Ms. Pearce's duties are varied at Santa Maria. "I do a little bit of everything-running the office, cleaning, cooking-anything that needs to be done."

When asked what she most enjoys about working at Santa Maria, Ms. Pearce answered, "Everything! I really like talking to the seasonals, and visitors, and days like this (August 11, when the annual classic car show was held) where there are a lot of people around and everyone is pitching in and helping out."

"I've gotten to know the seasonal residents well over the years," said Ms. Pearce. "Especially the seasonal kids are great. They know me well enough that the young ones will come to me when they have a boo-boo or another problem, such as someone throwing sand at them at the playground. I'll tell whoever is throwing the sand to go play somewhere else until they can play properly and share with others."

"My favourite spot on the Island is the Cup and Saucer Trail," said Ms. Pearce. "Since I've lived on the Island I started to fish and hunt, and a group took me in and taught me how to do both."

Once a city dweller, Ms. Pearce is now hooked on the rural lifestyle and said she would "never move back to Toronto."

"I really enjoy living on Manitoulin here, and definitely enjoy working here," she said.

Frequenting Island businesses like the Santa Maria Trailor Resort creates lasting employment for Maureen Pearce.