Co-op cattle sale cancelled this year

by Jim Moodie

LITTLE CURRENT-The annual cattle sale at the Manitoulin Livestock Co-operative facility in Little Current won't be happening this fall for the first time in over 60 years.

"We discussed it at our last board meeting, and due to severe wind damage and safety issues, we decided we can't carry on this year," said Hugh Moggy, secretary of the co-op.

"It wasn't an easy decision," Mr. Moggy noted, pointing out that "there has been a sale there since 1944, and it's never been missed."

The co-op has had little choice but to cancel the sale this year, however, given the destruction wrought by the July 17 storm, which not only flipped the 'pie shed' on its roof but also smashed up cattle pens and the bleachers that accommodate prospective buyers.

"The ring itself will be okay, but the stand around the ring was damaged," said Mr. Moggy, "and there's the safety issue associated with that." As well, the co-op secretary estimated that 30 pens would have to be rebuilt, and "we decided that we didn't have the time to rebuild what was damaged" by sale time.

The co-op board is optimistic that funding can be acquired to repair the facility in time for next year's sale. "There was work done five years ago, and at that time we got some money from FedNor to fix up some pens and the unloading shoot," noted Mr. Moggy. "That was $30,000, but it would be more to repair the stands and pens (damaged in the recent storm)."

In the interim, Mr. Moggy said a number of options are being considered for cattle farmers, including "maybe arranging a Manitoulin cattle sale at one of the sales barns down south. Were enough farmers interested, we would help to arrange for a facility and coordinate how the cattle get there."

Only about 30 percent of local cattle sales have typically occurred through the co-op auction, Mr. Moggy noted, so farmers are accustomed to trucking their cattle off Island, or selling them through the Little Current Sales Barn.

The status of the latter is a bit uncertain, however. The sales barn has been closed since the death of long-time operator Jack Orford, but "we're working on trying to get it open again," said Ed Steeves, husband of Mr. Orford's daughter Norma-Jean.

Meanwhile, "we're still doing the trucking part, hauling cattle off the Island," Mr. Steeves noted.

The sales barn incurred "minimal damage" during the July 17 storm. "A bit of tin came off, but we weren't hit too bad," noted Mr. Steeves.

The bigger challenge for the sales barn will be meeting government standards for the operation of such facilities, he suggested.

Mr. Moggy said that the sales barn "is a facility that's needed," and it would be sad if it was no longer able to operate.

The challenges currently facing the co-op and the sales barn may prompt renewed discussions about "a long-term solution for marketing livestock," Mr. Moggy noted. "We've talked about putting up a facility that would accommodate four or five sales per year, and you'd set it up as a special corporation, so that it would leased out to the co-op or Orford. That way one or the other are not responsible for maintaining the facility, just for leasing it."

Mr. Moggy said that "at one time we talked with Jack Orford and almost had a deal together to build one facility," but the plan never went forward.

Green Bay farmer Keith Harfield has also been active in attempting to find a solution to cattle farmers' woes, and has been working with Mary Ellen Norry Carr of the Ministry of Agriculture to set up a marketing program.

"We are looking to set up a group that is interested in funding and organizing the livestock marketing program, and I have six people in mind (to whom) we are giving some consideration in operating it (a cattle sale)," Mr. Harfield told the Recorder last week. He envisions a sale "with an auctioneer, upgraded food booths, and a morning and afternoon auction that will benefit everyone."

The co-op will continue to explore ways to finance the repair of its facility. "It isn't just one individual who benefits from it, so we think we can get funding, although my experience with applying for funding is that it takes six months," said Mr. Moggy.

As for insurance, the co-op secretary said, "we have lots of liability insurance, but at the time of our last meeting we didn't know" if the organization is also covered for the type of damage caused by the storm.

"I feel bad that we're not operating the sale this year," said Mr. Moggy. "But we hope to be operating again next year."

WEATHER REVIEW

8 Ontario tornadoes to date

by Jim Moodie

ONTARIO-Manitoulin hasn't been the only region to have experienced waves of dizzying heat and havoc-wreaking storms in recent weeks. The latest monthly weather report issued by Environment Canada describes July in Ontario as "a month of extremes."

In the severe weather category, the report notes that "July was a very active month...with reports ranging from funnel clouds (as occurred on Lake Manitou on the final day of June) and tornadoes (as seemed to have occurred here on July 17) to widespread damaging wind gusts and heavy rainfall."

Officially, scientists are still describing the powerful winds that ripped through Manitoulin on July 17 as microbursts, which are defined as sudden, violent downdrafts of air over a small area, but given the scope of the storm-which tore a path of destruction as far east as Mattawa, as well as south to Peterborough-some observers feel the blow at least deserves the appellation 'macroburst.'

Extreme weather activity "began early in the month, with damaging storms on July 3 and 4 in portions of southern and eastern Ontario," the Environment Canada review notes. "This culminated with the confirmation of a tornado in the Cobden area."

Hands down, though, the most dramatic day for intense storm activity in the province was July 17, the same day that Islanders ducked for cover as massive trees crashed to the ground and power lines flapped from busted poles.

On that date, "a cold front moving down from Northwestern Ontario kicked off three distinct bands of severe weather," Environment Canada notes. Beginning in the morning, north of Lake Superior, "a large complex of thunderstorms created damaging winds, hail and heavy rain as it tracked eastwards. Before this area exited Ontario, it created a damage path near Kirkland Lake and eastwards toward Larder Lake."

By late afternoon, another group of thunderheads gathered to the west of Manitoulin. "Between approximately 4 pm and 7 pm this area of thunderstorms raced eastwards, generating sporadic strong wind gusts called microbursts," according to the weather review. "The speed of some of these wind gusts was between 120 and 160 kilometres per hour and damage was reported in a large number of localities from Manitoulin Island to south of Sudbury, through North Bay and into the Mattawa and Deep River areas."

From there, the storm continued east through Quebec, leaving a path of intermittent destruction that ended up being 600 kilometres in total, according to Environment Canada, with a series of thunderstorms additionally striking portions of southern Ontario. "Most notably, two tornadoes touched down in the Newmarket area and extensive damage occurred in and around Peterborough due to strong wind gusts."

With the recently confirmed twister in Cobden, as well as the Newmarket pair and one that struck the Kakabeka Falls area on June 21, the Ontario tornado tally for 2006 stood at eight by the beginning of this month. While that may seem like a lot, Environment Canada notes that "Ontario is normally hit by 14 tornadoes during the summer weather season."

Still, Environment Canada investigators take their time in assessing such extreme winds, so others tornadoes may yet be confirmed. In the aftermath of the July 17 storm, the department dispatched investigators to four locations in Ontario, including Manitoulin.

Speaking last month in regard to the destruction wrought in North Bay, investigator Geoff Coulson told CTV News that, while scientists were reluctant to term the storm a tornado, "these wind gusts were probably rivaling the wind speeds that we would find at the low end of the tornado scale. Some of the damage that we saw would be consistent of wind speeds between 120 and 150 kilometres an hour."

If a wind-measuring device on board a boat near Manitoulin is accurate, however, the wind speed in this area on July 17 was much higher. Hugh Livingston, a skipper anchored at the Benjamin Islands that day, clocked the wind at a staggering 221 kilometres per hour (120 knots) on his anemometer.

Yet as punishing as the barrage of microbursts and tornados was at mid-month, the storm gods had not entirely spent their fury. "Hot, humid air lingered over southern Ontario at the end of the month," Environment Canada reports, "and acted as the fuel to drive intense thunderstorms in that part of the province."

Nor did the spate of storms abate as this month began. The Kawarthas region near Peterborough, clobbered once already during the July 17 tempest, got hit hard again on August 2, when violent thunderstorms and high winds (clocked at as much as 120 kilometres per hour) swept across the province.

The Minden area was most affected (with some 23,000 hydro customers losing power), while other areas of cottage country such as Orillia and Huntsville were similarly blasted.

At Camp Pinecrest near Bala, campers and staff were forced to shelter overnight in the dining hall after the storm felled trees and downed power lines across the camp property. The same YMCA camp was ravaged in 1987 when a tornado toppled massive pines, trashed a fleet of cedar canoes, and left one boy seriously injured from a lightning strike.

In terms of heat and precipitation, July in Ontario was generally hotter than normal, while rain was mostly scarce. Sault Ste. Marie registered the warmest July since 1983, and Kenora marked its driest since 1985.

Yet single-day rainfalls in certain locations, such as North Bay on July 26, exceeded 50 millimetres. Such isolated deluges brought the monthly rainfall total above average for these spots, but had the concentrated drenchings not occurred, "these areas too would have had below-normal rainfall for the month," the report from Environment Canada points out.

EDITORIAL

Lions on right track with family-oriented Haweater

Being situated on the August long weekend has likely helped the Little Current Lions Haweater Weekend to be the Island's premier non-Native summer homecoming event, but it would be a far cry from the outstanding success it is without the hard work and annual diligence of the men and women of the Little Current Lions Club.

To be certain, these dedicated people have been so successful for so long that we are in danger of taking them far too much for granted.

This group of individuals has, year after year, delivered a wide range of activities and events that far transcend the long weekend twenty-something blowout that the August long weekend tends to be in many off-Island communities-but they also do not do it alone.

Many Lions would be quick to point out that volunteers from Lions Clubs in surrounding communities, like George Pennie of the Southeast Manitoulin Lions, play a vital role in making the weekend the success it is. Local social agencies, volunteer organizations, and fraternal groups like the Shriners and the Order of the Eastern Star, each take on a little bit to help out and to raise money for their charitable and community works.

The Haweater Weekend provides groups like minor hockey, figure skating, the Manitoulin Islanders and a host of others an opportunity to raise money for their worthy causes.

With events like the incredibly popular cardboard boat races, sponsored by the Little Current Yacht Club and the volleyball competition, the Northeast fire department water slide and the horse show, this year's Haweater has been more family entertainment oriented than ever, and it is a great track to be on.

To be certain the Saturday Hawfest bacchanal of beer and thumping music continues to be a great attraction to the younger adults-with the numbers in attendance once again rising-but drinking and partying is definitely taking a back seat to family-oriented fun.

The benefits of the weekend extend to many Island businesses, many of which frankly admit that this past weekend is what makes the summer for them, and in some instances makes it possible for them to survive from winter to winter.

The Little Current Lions Club members, each and every one of them, deserve our heartfelt gratitude. We should never take what they do for granted. Many are business people in their own right. People who give up the added profits of attending their own businesses, who give up precious family time on one of the most beautiful weekends of the year, to bring us all this precious gift we call Haweater Weekend. To each and every one of you, and to the countless volunteers and sponsors who aid and support your work, thank you. It can never be said enough.

Letters to the editor

Recent storm highlights power transmission shortcomings

Provincial grants exist to offset solar power costs

To the Expositor:

The recent storm on Manitoulin drives home the point to me about the serious drawbacks to hydro electrical power. We had a solar power system installed for our Lake Manitou cottage last year by James Murray of Independent Energy Systems. It has performed flawlessly ever since, including during the storm. We have normal use of all kinds of electric gadgets such as the microwave, TV, DVD, refrigerator, lights, computer, and vacuum, in both summer and winter. After the storm, all our neighbours were using their generators for days, but we just had full power as normal without any interruption.

The editorial of July 26 says, "nor could the extent of hydro outages likely have been mitigated by any reasonable action of man." I wonder about that. If more people used solar-powered systems, then the community as a whole would be less dependent on the fragile hydro lines criss-crossing the Island. Installing a solar power system either as the sole source of electric power, or as an auxiliary source for a backup (instead of buying a generator), seems to me to be an easy and reasonable action for many people.

It costs money to install the system. If you are already hooked up to the grid, there is a provincial grant to help with the expense. After that, your hydro bills are substantially lower and you have the safety of a backup system for electricity. If you are not hooked up to the grid, then the benefits are even better. Just imagine having NO HYDRO BILLS ever again.

Now if only there was a solar-powered way to clean up fallen trees.

Helen and Paul Francis

London, Ont.

Timely reason provided by storm for cell phone service update

Little Current dock upgrade provides newfound hospitality to boaters

To the Expositor:

The recent summer storm and its far-reaching consequences for Manitoulin residents and visitors provide a timely reason to contact the CRTC to voice concerns about the adequacy of cell telephone service on and around the Island.

Manitoulin continues to be a wonderful place to visit-on land or by boat. But necessity has replaced convenience in dictating the need for more reliable cell telephone service in remote, under-populated areas such as Manitoulin Island and its waterways.

While the geography poses special problems, the presence of thousands of visitors each year, in addition to the residents themselves, dictate that the cell service providers have much work to do. New towers and special facilities to overcome physical barriers like the LaCloche mountains must be addressed. It is not feasible to communicate only through the use of wireless VHF radios. Especially during emergencies, all persons need to access better cell telephone service.

We urge that residents and visitors alike go to the CRTC Internet website and file a complaint. It is simple and will take only a moment of computer time. Search for 'CRTC,' then follow the page links to submit your comments.

It should be a condition of licensing that places like Manitoulin and environs are also served adequately. Exorbitant company profits can pay for these extra expenses.

Your wonderful daily "cruisers' net" service (from the Little Current Yacht Club, broadcast daily from the Anchor Inn) should include this request daily on the VHF net. I believe the CRTC will respond by pushing Bell and others to act more quickly. But, they need to hear from visitors as well as the residents themselves. Input, especially from American visitors, will influence them, we believe.

Please act. You have done without too much, too long!

By the way, we do appreciate the newfound hospitality at the Little Current docks for transient visitors like ourselves. The combination of public and private service facilities, and the attendant staff support is wonderful.

We are coming back-for the second visit this year. We are going to do more boating, and catch the summer theatre production at Wiky.

Paul and Mary Carroll

Goderich

Thanks to all who aided heart attack victim on ferry

Manitoulin comfort was provided to his family and friends

To the Expositor,

I write on behalf of the immediate family of Philip Burgess Sykes and his travelling companions Carol, John and Bob Banister, sister-in-law and brothers-in-law, who accompanied him on a recent holiday to Ontario.

On July 20, Philip tragically and most unexpectedly died on board the Chi-Cheemaun ferry upon berthing at South Baymouth.

At the time Philip was given the best professional care and attention , and subsequently we were assisted with the utmost courtesy and kindliness by the officers and crew of the vessel; passengers with medical training; members of the First Response Team; the ambulance crew; Dr. Nicholas Jeeves, Dan Charette, patient care co-ordinator and other staff members of the Mindemoya Hospital; Peggy and Mary of the Ontario VCRS and latterly by Leroy Wannamaker of the Culgin Funeral Home.

Our sincere thanks goes out to the above and to all Manitoulin Islanders who helped us during a most difficult and traumatic time.

Philip, a retired master mariner, died on board "Big Canoe" upon arrival at "Spirit Island" a comfort to his family and friends around the world.

Yours most sincerely,

Carol, John and Bob Banister

Orpington,

Kent,

England