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BOWMANVILLE LIBRARY 163 Church Street 1105 Bowmanville, Ont. L1C 1T7 I Orono Town Hall y l.W GST Included Wednesday May 19, 2004 Serving Kendal, Kirby, Leskard, Newcastle, Newtonville, Orono, Starkville and Tyrone since 1937 There goes the neighbourhood "We must have this study... ...to help us plan our future -- Bill Humber Old Bowmanville Neighbourhood Association Wilmot Creek under microscope People forget how bad the Wilmot Creek watershed was at the turn of the century, say Les Stanfield of Ministry of Natural Resources (MNR). In more recent years the Wilmot Creek is recognized as a premier premier trout and salmon stream, and was the home of the first Atlantic salmon hatchery in Canada. Stanfield a Biologist with the MNR recently participated in the public open house on the Wilmot Creek Fisheries, held on April 30'th at the Clarke High School. Having collected data on the Wilmot Creek since 1989, Stanfield says he has seen some interesting trends during this time. In a phone interview with the Orono Weekly Times last week, Stanfield said, "because we have the long term data, ,we now have a pretty good handle on what's going on with the fish communities in the Wilmot." The Ganaraska Region Conservation Authority (GRCA) in cooperation with the MNR and the Department of Fisheries and Oceans Canada have initiated a new Wilmot Creek Fish Management Plan. The original original Plan for the Wilmot expired in 2000. According to issues brought up by anglers we know there are changes in the fisheries of the Wilmot Creek, said Mark Peacock of the GRCA. "The Wilmot is such an incredible resource," he said. Through the Fisheries Management Plan GRCA hope to get public input and work with the community to get the best management options for the creek. "Agricultural activity hinders hinders the fish community," said Stanfield. We have developed a relationship between the amount of development in the watershed and the affect it has on fish communities. Once development reaches a certain threshold, you lose the sensitive sensitive fish community. Much of the Wilmot Creek basin is intensively developed, mostly from agriculture, but is below the threshold. There arc four distinct fish communities in Wilmot Creek according to Stanfield. A diverse fish community exists WILMOT see page 3 Despite conflicting opinions opinions in the Old Bowmanville Neighbourhood, Clarington's General Purpose and Administration Committee decided to move ahead with phase two of the Heritage Designation proposal. Committee voted unanimously unanimously to move to the 'Guidelines' 'Guidelines' phase of the process, having completed the 'Background Study', which included included several public meetings. In his presentation presentation to Council last week, Rick James stated that there is overwhelming overwhelming opposition opposition to the pro- ■ posai. "Regrettably, one of the casualties of this proposal has been neighbourhood relations, both inside and outside Old Bowmanville," he stated. James who was representing representing a contingent of anti-heritage anti-heritage designation residents, said they were objecting to a system where committees or governments have more control control over private property that don't respect the individual taste or opinions of the property property owners. He was also objecting to the image the old Bowmanville Bowmanville Neighbourhood which is bounded by Wellington, Liberty and Concession Streets, is creating. creating. "We are being accused of receiving special treatment and have been branded as a neighbourhood of elitists that thinks it's better than anyone else," he stated. James suggested that the municipality create a tool kit of suggestions and guidelines with input from Clarington Museums, the Planning Department and the Local Architectural Conservancy Association (LACAC). I his kit could be used by property owners across Clarington for home renovation and upgrading upgrading projects he said. This Monday, Committee of Council heard from LACAC, the Old Bowmanville Bowmanville Neighbourhood Association (OBNA) and the n the project. All recommended council move on to phase two of the Heritage Designation Project. This next phase will determine the appropriate measures for ensuring that the heritage character in the area is respected and enhanced. The consultant team con- -- eluded, "The building stock in old Bowmanville, Bowmanville, combined with the surrounding surrounding landscape landscape and streets, represents one of the finest examples examples in the province of a residential residential heritage conservation district." district." While Bill Humber of the - OBNA said he shares his interest in preserving preserving and enhancing the neighbourhood neighbourhood with his neighbour Rick James, he did not share • James' means of ensuring this outcome. "We must have this study to provide us with the tools, resources and ideas to help us plan our future," stated Humber at Monday's General Purpose and Administration Committee Meeting. Over the past thirty-five years we have lost many fine buildings and special vistas, said Humber. Older areas are particularly vulnerable to the incursions of not only property property re-developers, but even current current landowners forsaking the neighbourhood by selling off to those who would strip a NEIGHBOURHOOD, see page 3 consultants hired to work on What's Inside • •• The mighty Wilmot Creek see page 3