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Work crews brave
sub-zero temperatures on vital bridge repairs
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by Michael Erskine
MANITOULIN---One hundred years of constant service will take its toll
on even the most faithful of servants and Manitoulin's venerable
swing bridge is no exception, so contracted construction crews are
working through exceptionally cold weather in order to complete
repairs before the bridge resumes its swing cycle in early spring.
"Let's face it, it really is the only road on or off the Island,"
said Ministry of Transportation Construction Officer Paul Lecoarer.
"So we have to be especially protective of it."
While the contract awarded to Peter Kiewit Construction allows the
remedial work to be completed over the course of two years, it is
clear in both the language of the contract and the terms under which
it was awarded that the work will not interfere with the operation of
the bridge.
"Currently the contractor understands that the bridge must be fully
operational by April," said Mr. Lecoarer.
The repair work will include the replacement of a number of important
structural steel members and several thousand somewhat rusty rivets,
as well as the main bearing upon which the bridge turns.
Due to the nature of the work and the location of the work crews, it
is not possible to continue the work while the bridge is operational.
"We also have to ensure that the bearing upon which the bridge pivots
is up to the changes which have been made to the turning mechanism,"
said Mr. Lecoarer. "It is much like putting a brand new engine in a
old Dodge, you have to be certain the drive train is up to the strain
put on it by the new engine as well. The old bearing operated under
an old system, based on 90-year-old technology.
Mr. Lecoarer said the Ministry is very happy with the current
contractor, who also happened to submit the lowest bid, and that
there is every confidence the work will be completed satisfactorily
and on schedule.
Once the structural steel, rivets and bearings are replaced, the
entire structure will be painted. With those jobs completed, the task
of resurfacing the roadway on the bridge will take place.
The platform from which work crews will operate is nearly complete,
creating a temporary second level below the bridge itself. The
platform is now hanging, suspended above the frigid waters of the
North Channel by dozens of inch-wide steel rods, while half-frozen
workmen complete the finishing touches to the structure.
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Queen's Jubilee medals |
by Ruth Farquhar
KAGAWONG ---Fourteen residents of Manitoulin Island were recipients of
the Queen's Golden Jubilee Medal.
This commemorative medal was created to mark the 50th anniversary of
Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II to the throne on February 6 , 1952. It
is awarded to people who have made a significant contribution to
Canada, to their community or to their fellow Canadians.
The ceremony was held in Kagawong last Thursday evening and Billings
Reeve Austin Hunt welcomed everyone to the community saying, "We are
very pleased to be the community chosen to have this ceremony and you
people are proof that cold weather doesn't stop Islanders from coming
out."
Mr. Hunt introduced Algoma-Manitoulin MP Brent St. Denis following the
singing of O' Canada. Mr. St. Denis said that "was a fabulous
rendition of our anthem, it shows that spirit is very strong and alive
on Manitoulin. We have the opportunity to honor that spirit tonight.
It is the greatest privilege to take part in this ceremony and it's
only because of these kind of people that we have the country we
have."
Algoma-Manitoulin MPP Mike Brown spoke a little of the process saying,
"We are about to honor some very important people. Each member of the
Provincial Legislature and Federal Parliament were allotted a number
of medals to hand out and Brent and I pooled our nominees and these
are the people who were selected."
Mr. Brown drew laughs from the large crowd when he spoke of seeing the
Queen along with six to seven thousand of his closest friends. "I
realized that the Queen would probably speak to the Provincial Pages
and so I went over and stood with the 16 young people and sure enough
she came over and spoke to each one of them. They will have that
unique memory for the rest of their lives. Just as this medal will be
quite an heirloom for the recipients tonight."
Mr. Brown and Mr. St. Denis then proceeded to hand out the medals to
the following people:
Dr. Stanley Mullins, Austin Hunt, Colin Pick, Charles Cadieux, Raymond
Hughson, Rick McCutcheon, Gus Debassige, Karlene Scott, Mina Turner,
John Diebolt, Allan Tustian, Rita Moody, Peter Thureson and Erwin
Thompson.
Each received a medal which bears the current Canadian effigy of her
majesty on one side and on the other there is the Royal Crown above a
single maple leaf on which is superimposed the Royal Cypher. The medal
is suspended from a ribbon on which the outer stripes appear in red,
followed by broad royal blue stripes, white stripes and a red stripe
in the center.
This medal is part of the Jubilee year celebrations organized by the
Department of Canadian Heritage.
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Coldsnap to continue
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by Neil Zacharjewicz
MANITOULIN - To say it's been a bit chilly of late is an
understatement.
Environment Canada reports that on Sunday, the temperature had
dropped as low as -28.7 degree Celsius. The temperature on
Monday,
with the wind chill, dipped to -24 degrees Celsius, and don't
expect
this to warm up quickly. Environment Canada was calling for a
low of
-22 for today.
While the drop in temperature is uncomfortable, it can also be
quite
dangerous. The Sudbury and District Health Unit wants to ensure
everyone is well informed about how to protect themselves from
the
cold, and has begun a public information campaign.
"Hypothermia and frostbite are the most common but preventable
injuries that result from being exposed to the cold," explained
public health nurse Annie Berthiaume.
Frostbite is the freezing of a body part. Usually, the first
parts of
the body to freeze are the nose, cheeks, ears, fingers and toes.
If
frostbite is suspected, cover the area immediately. Do not rub
or
massage the skin, as this can cause tissue damage. If possible,
gently place the affected area in warm water until it is pink,
warm
and no longer numb. Do not use hot water. Then, apply a sterile
dressing to the area, putting the dressing between fingers and
toes
if they are affected. Medical attention is recommended for
victims of
frostbite.
To prevent frostbite, always wear hats, mittens and scarves.
Avoid
tight-fitting boots, as they make the feet more vulnerable to
frostbite. It is advisable to wear several thin layers of warm,
dry
clothing.
Hypothermia is a condition which occurs when the body loses more
heat
than it can generate. The first signs and symptoms of
hypothermia
include shivering, confusion, slurred speech, loss of
coordination,
lethargy and pale and bluish lips. The condition becomes most
severe
when the victim stops shivering, and unconsciousness may soon
follow.
When attempting to treat someone suffering from hypothermia,
move the
victim to shelter, replacing wet clothing with dry clothing, and
wrap
them in warm blankets. Keep the person in a horizontal position
and
seek immediate medical attention.
One of the best preventative measures for hypothermia and
frostbite
is to stay healthy. Eating a well-balanced diet, drinking a lot
of
fluids and avoiding alcohol, cigarettes and caffeine can help
decrease the risk of frostbite and hypothermia.
Anyone seeking more information on preventing cold weather
injuries
is invited to contact the Sudbury and District Health Unit at
(705)
522-9200, ext. 257.
The health unit is not the only organization concerned with the
effects of the sudden drop in temperature. The Manitoulin
detachment
of the Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) is suggesting drivers
take a
few extra precautions to make their drive that much safer, now
that
the temperature is dipping below -30 degrees Celsius.
First, ensure the gas tank is topped up to prevent ice or
condensation from collecting. As well, add some gas line
antifreeze,
and carry an extra container in the car. When travelling in very
cold
temperatures, wind chill not only affects people, but vehicles
and
vehicle fluids as well.
Anyone who will be riding in a vehicle should ensure they have a
hat,
mitts, scarf and warm coat, even if they are simply taking a
quick
trip around town. The OPP note that a 20 to 30 minute wait in a
cold
vehicle in -35 degree weather will quickly turn very
uncomfortable.
For those who will be venturing out on snow machines, the OPP
suggests taking extra precautions to protect one's self from
frostbite. Frostbite will occur on exposed skin, and can set in
without someone realizing the effect until too late.
The OPP would like to remind drivers that the salt used on area
roadways does not have the desired effect after temperatures
reach
the -20 degree Celsius range. All area roadways and highways
will
continue to have some slippery sections until the temperature
warms
up, and local roadways and sideroads will also be snowpacked and
slippery until the winter deep freeze ends. Drivers are advised
to
drive according to the road and weather conditions, and to slow
down
and prepare to come to a stop twice as early as they normally
would.
Drivers should prepare themselves for the unexpected, the OPP
advise.
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OPP survey |
by Tom Sasvari
MINDEMOYA --- At first glance, the 2002 Manitoulin Policing for
Results Survey shows overall respondents are not totally
satisfied
with the police services being provided on the Island, and have
worries about youth gangs, and drugs and alcohol problems.
The 2002 survey results showed that: 1.-respondents felt very
good
about their community and how the people get along.
2.-perceptions of
selected violent crimes ranged from about 16 percent of the
respondents believing that elder abuse was a problem to about 25
percent believing that sexual assault was a problem.
3.-perceptions
of youth issues ranged from about 17 percent of the respondents
believing that youth gangs were a problem to more than 90
percent of
the respondents believing that drugs were a problem in schools
and
that lack of youth activities/programs was a problem. 4-the
respondents felt safe in the community with most of the
community
security measures rated positively, but for alcohol and
drug/substance abuse. 5-all ratings of the OPP in the community
were
at the less than satisfactory level. 6-all ratings of OPP
service
were between dissatisfied and satisfied, with the exception of
dealing with traffic accidents which was at the satisfied level.
However, the Manitoulin Community Policing Advisory Committee (CPAC),
who were presented with the survey results by Manitoulin OPP
Detachment Commander Lynn McCaig and Community Liaison Officer
Al
Boyd at its most recent meeting, does not feel the results show
a
true picture, as a result of who was surveyed, the average age
of
respondents, where they are located, the time of year the
surveys
were taken and a new process for accessing the results
implemented by
the OPP.
"Both of you gentleman started the presentation tonight by
apologizing for the results. Judging by the numbers, none of the
people who responded seem to be very satisfied with policing on
the
Island. But, as Al (Boyd) said, the majority of those surveyed
live
in the country (seasonal - cottage residents). The results you
got
from this survey were not proper, because the proper people
weren't
contacted," stated CPAC member Jack McQuarrie.
"It is certainly nice to see how the seasonal residents feel,
but I
would suggest you should get a lot more of the permanent
residents
opinion for the actual feeling of people on the Island," said
Bill
Rock.
"Between the first and second survey some changes were made in
the
implementation of the survey. Predominantly, the questions are
staying the same, but the way they were delivered are
different,"
said Officer Boyd.
In 1999, the policing for results survey was held between
November
and March, with the scale used from one, being very
dissatisfied, to
five being very satisfied. The majority of respondents were
called on
a seven day a week basis, with a good variance of ages
responding.
However, the 2002 survey was held between June and November,
with
generally only two people conducting the survey. The majority of
respondents were seasonal, over age 60, and a four point scale
was
used.
The new scale means for 'satisfaction,' ranging from lowest
rating to
most positive rating, the four points are 1-very dissatisfied,
2-dissatisfied, 3-satisfied, and 4- very satisfied.
"With the new scale, even for the rates of 2.8 and 2.9 which we
saw a
lot in the survey, this mid-ground fell in the dissatisfied
level,"
said Officer Boyd.
"In the 1999 survey, 59.9 percent of respondents were urban
dwellers
on Manitoulin, while this included 25 percent, and 42.9 percent
of
respondents from the country," said Sergeant McCaig.
Most of the measures were rated nearer to satisfactory with only
the
OPP's charging of people who committed property crimes being
rated
closer to dissatisfied," said Officer Boyd.
Sergeant McCaig pointed out a total of 368 people responded to
the
survey. There were 58 respondents from the South East Area of
the
Manitoulin OPP detachment, which includes Assiginack and
Tehkummah,
79 respondents from the central area of the Manitoulin OPP
detachment, which includes Carnarvon, Sandfield, and Campbell,
117
from the western area, including Robinson, Dawson, Barrie
Island,
Billings, Allan East, Burpee Mills, Cockburn Island, Gordon,
Allan
West, and Gore Bay; and 114 from the Eastern Area, including
Howland,
Little Current and Sheguiandah.
The average age of the respondents was 56.8 years of age, with
more
people from the older age groups represented.
"A total of 49.2 percent of the respondents told us that they
lived
out in the country, with 25.3 percent living in a small village,
25.5
percent saying they lived in a small town, and none living in a
city," said Sergeant McCaig.
Four questions were asked of respondents as to how well they
feel
people in their community relate to each other. In this, 93.7
percent
agreed that people in their community are willing to help their
neighbours; with 80.6 percent agreeing that their community was
close-knit; 87.9 percent agreed that "the people in their
neighbourhood can generally be trusted, with those from Western
Manitoulin (94.9 percent) reporting more trust in their
neighbours
than the other three areas, south east - 79.3 percent, central -
88.2
percent, Eastern - 84.8 percent, and 91.4 percent agreed that
people
in their neighbourhood "generally get along."
"Those results are good to hear, and indicates there are not
major
conflicts. We are pleased with these responses," said Sergeant
McCaig.
Sergeant McCaig explained, "The Manitoulin respondents
perceptions of
violent crime in the community varied from 16.4 percent
believing
that elder abuse was a problem to 25.5 percent believing that
sexual
assault was a problem."
"Manitoulin respondents perceptions of youth issues ranged from
17.3
percent of the respondents believing that youth gangs were a
problem
to 93.8 percent of the respondents believing that a lack of
youth
activities/programs was a problem in schools," continued
Sergeant
McCaig. "The respondents felt safe in their community with most
of
the community security responses being at the positive end of
the
scale, with average values of at least three out of a possible
four.
The two areas which fell below three involved alcohol (2.43 out
of 4)
and drug/substance (2.79 out of 4) abuse.
"Respondent ratings of the OPP in the community were somewhat
less
than satisfactory, with ratings of less than three out of a
possible
four," said Sergeant McCaig. "With regard to OPP service,
respondents
who actually had contact with the OPP in a crime situation rated
their satisfaction with the contact as slightly less than
satisfied,
1.90 out of four. General satisfaction with how the OPP enforces
law
was at the less than satisfied level for all measures with the
exception of dealing with traffic accidents, which was at the
satisfied level (3.00)."
He added, "Most of the measures were rated nearer to
satisfactory
with only the OPP's charging of people who committed property
crimes
being rated closer to dissatisfied."
"I think as a new detachment commander this survey provides an
excellent bench mark for services, and weaknesses that are
perceived
or we have, areas that we can work on to have better ratings
next
time. Hopefully, the OPP will have a more consistent survey
scale,
and a better time frame for having the surveys done," said
Sergeant
McCaig.
"I'm a little concerned our local police detachment will be
judged
provincially by their report. I don't think the perceived
problems
are actual, and I'm sure the powers that be will realize the
good job
our local detachment is doing. The programs and the policing is
there," said Tehkummah Reeve Gary Brown.
Northeastern Manitoulin and the Islands Councilor Ron Lewis said
that
"the survey shows that the majority of people who responded, who
don't live here on a permanent basis, might not know exactly
what is
happening on Manitoulin. When you look at the results, most of
the
respondents are seasonal or cottage residents rather than
permanent
residents. This is not fair to our local detachments."
In future surveys, CPAC members agreed they would like more
permanent
residents surveyed.
Those surveyed are done on a random telephone basis, said
Officer Boyd.
He pointed out, "We get a lot of respondents who will tell our
surveyors the OPP does a good job, but they don't have the time
to
answer the questions for the summer. Understandably, in the
summer a
lot of people don't want to spend 20-30 minutes of their time
answering questions on a survey."
CPAC members were requested to take home the survey reports to
their
municipal councils, and provide suggestions for questions that
can be
posed in future surveys.
"I'm interested to hear other communities find that there is the
need
for more youth activities in the community. There is a lack of
youth
programs, and what takes place is you find kids hanging out on
the
streets and things go from there," said Jeff Middleton. He
suggested
there should be some type of funding in place for youth
programs.
"This issue is a common theme across the Island," said Sergeant
McCaig, who pointed out there is federal funding available for
community youth programs.
"One thing that will help is having the new Island soccer field
at
Manitoulin Secondary School, which should be in place for next
year,"
said Mr. Rock.
In the last policing survey, held in 1999 in Northern Ontario,
87
percent of residents felt very well about the services provided
by
the police.
"Overall, the satisfaction rate was one of the highest in the
region
in victim sensitivity, at 79 percent, 78 percent were satisfied
with
the OPP's problem solving, 73 percent were satisfied
with the OPP ensuring safe travel, and 55 percent were satisfied
with
the OPP reducing illicit drugs. As well, 81 percent of
respondents
had an awareness of initiatives such as the Reduce Impaired
Driving
Everywhere (RIDE), and 18 percent knew the name of the
detachment
commander , one of the highest figures in the region," said
Officer
Boyd.
As well, he noted, 69 percent knew the name of an officer in the
community.
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