park

Tuesday May 26, 2020

Editorial Cartoon by Graeme MacKay, The Hamilton Spectator – Tuesday May 26, 2020

There will be ‘lessons learned’ from situation at Trinity Bellwoods Park, Toronto mayor says

Toronto Mayor John Tory says there will be “lessons learned” from the incident that unfolded on Saturday at Trinity Bellwoods Park, where he says “out of control” crowds gathered to party and enjoy the sunshine.

May 9, 2020

Toronto police estimated that as many as 10,000 people were at the downtown park on Saturday afternoon, where many gathered in large groups and drank alcohol as police and bylaw officers looked on.

Police Chief Mark Saunders said Sunday that while several tickets were issued to people who urinated and defecated in the driveways and backyards of nearby homes, very few tickets were issued to the large swath of people ignoring physical distancing laws.

Mayor John Tory, who visited the park on Saturday night to educate those not following the rules, also came under fire after a photo surfaced of him wearing a mask incorrectly while standing too close to a group at the park.

“Lessons will be learned, including by me, and we will move forward and hopefully do better,” Tory said during an interview with CP24 on Monday morning.

While many have been critical of the Toronto Police Service’s response to the situation, the mayor said officers have a difficult “balancing act” when it comes to enforcement.

“There is criticism, you’ve heard it, long and loud… about excessive ticketing and excessive law enforcement and the heavy hand of the authorities in the circumstances versus a more laissez faire kind of approach,” Tory said.

He noted that had police and bylaw officers known this type of crowd would gather there on Saturday, they likely would have provided more resources to the area.

May 6, 2020

“People are saying it was all predictable. I think a crowded park at Trinity Bellwoods is predictable on a nice, sunny day. This is a massive crowd the likes I have never seen and the quantity of alcohol that was there was extraordinary,” he said.

“But you do get to a point where as that crowd pours in with no fences around the perimeter of the park… it becomes a very difficult task for them to enforce the law in a safe manner.”

Tory added that the city is looking at various solutions to prevent this type of crowding in the future.

“In some parks… they draw big circles on the ground that sort of say that if you are going to have a group of people that are going to be properly social distanced, then you have to sit in these circles,” Tory said.

“The problem becomes how do you enforce that when you put limits on every park? We have 1,500 parks in Toronto…. There has to be a degree of personal responsibility.”

Living in a Pandemic

The mayor was quick to point out that the situation at Trinity Bellwoods Park this weekend is not indicative of what went on across the city.

“There were parks that had lots of people in them, spaced out properly, and it wasn’t a problem. There was a particular problem at this one park,” he said.

“It is the nature of that neighbourhood in terms of the highrises and what not. And we are going to have to take another look at that, hopefully without restricting the ability of people being able to use that wonderful park because those people don’t have a backyard in many cases.”

Tory said that he would self-monitor for symptoms of COVID-19, advice Toronto’s Medical Officer of Health Dr. Eileen de Villa has recommended. However, Tory added that he would not get tested for the virus noting that there is a documented incubation period to develop symptoms and testing too early could result in a false negative.  (CTV) 

 

Wednesday May 23, 2018

Editorial Cartoon by Graeme MacKay, The Hamilton Spectator – Wednesday May 23, 2018

York police probe Highway 407 data breach that led PC candidate to quit

York Regional Police’s fraud unit is investigating the “internal theft” of customer data from 407 ETR, the company that oversees Highway 407, CBC News has learned.

September 21, 2017

On Wednesday, the former Progressive Conservative candidate in Brampton East, Simmer Sandhu, resigned over allegations of his involvement in the data breach. Sandhu called the allegations “totally baseless” and said he would work to clear his name.

His resignation came hours after 407 ETR announced it was informing some 60,000 customers that their names, mailing addresses and in some cases their phone numbers were stolen from the company’s office in the past year.

Sandhu worked at the company for nine years, until he left about two months ago.

December 18, 2015

A spokesperson for York police said the investigation is in its earliest stages and few details were immediately available on Friday. The

spokesperson did not say whether or not the investigation will include allegations of links between the data breach and Sandhu.

Liberal Leader Kathleen Wynne and NDP Leader Andrea Horwath both called for police to probe the circumstances of the stolen data while campaigning this week.

On the campaign trail Friday, Ford told reporters that police had not contacted him nor his campaign team to discuss the stolen data.

He then reiterated the Tories parted ways with Sandu “as soon we found out about it.”

Ford added that, to his knowledge, no other candidates or ridings have been linked in any way to the data breach. (Source: CBC) 

 

Monday March 28, 2016

Editorial Cartoon by Graeme MacKay, The Hamilton Spectator Ð Monday March 28, 2016 Bayfront is not just a beach, but a symbol DonÕt swim in Hamilton Harbour. ThatÕs hardly new advice, nor has it been particularly shocking for the better part of a century. Hamilton has been as hard on its precious waterfront as any major metropolis in the developed world, perhaps more so. But recent news that the City of Hamilton has closed the small beach this year at Bayfront Park is still a cause for concern. A consultant will deliver a report on water quality there by the end of the summer, at which time council will decide what the long-term future holds for the ill-fated beach, and whether the closure should become permanent. The challenge is that poor water quality already forces the city and health officials to close the beach more days than not each summer. Turns out itÕs closed 78 per cent of days during summer. The water can make people sick. Farm run-off is often a problem for water quality at beaches across Ontario, as is municipal waste following big storms. BayfrontÕs beach is additionally burdened by its human-made geography, which traps water in the tiny bay that protects the beach, as well as by excrement from geese and gulls. High E. coli counts and toxic algae have plagued the area in recent years. The consultants will look at ways to improve water quality, but the report may well recommend Òanother feature that is sustainableÓ for the site. In other words: no beach, no swimming. Council should weigh the latter option carefully. Whatever the challenges, it is far too early to give up on this gem in downtown Hamilton. ItÕs not merely a nostalgic notion. To be sure, swimming is hardly a big part of this unique leisure and recreation area, but it is symbolic of a healthy environment and a city that cares about itself. A clean beach is a tourist attraction and landmark for which we can all be proud. A polluted beach is a reminder of the mistakes we have m

Editorial Cartoon by Graeme MacKay, The Hamilton Spectator – Monday March 28, 2016

Bayfront is not just a beach, but a symbol

Don’t swim in Hamilton Harbour. That’s hardly new advice, nor has it been particularly shocking for the better part of a century.

Hamilton has been as hard on its precious waterfront as any major metropolis in the developed world, perhaps more so.

But recent news that the City of Hamilton has closed the small beach this year at Bayfront Park is still a cause for concern.

A consultant will deliver a report on water quality there by the end of the summer, at which time council will decide what the long-term future holds for the ill-fated beach, and whether the closure should become permanent.

The challenge is that poor water quality already forces the city and health officials to close the beach more days than not each summer. Turns out it’s closed 78 per cent of days during summer. The water can make people sick.

Farm run-off is often a problem for water quality at beaches across Ontario, as is municipal waste following big storms.

Bayfront’s beach is additionally burdened by its human-made geography, which traps water in the tiny bay that protects the beach, as well as by excrement from geese and gulls. High E. coli counts and toxic algae have plagued the area in recent years.

The consultants will look at ways to improve water quality, but the report may well recommend “another feature that is sustainable” for the site.

In other words: no beach, no swimming.

Council should weigh the latter option carefully. Whatever the challenges, it is far too early to give up on this gem in downtown Hamilton.

It’s not merely a nostalgic notion. To be sure, swimming is hardly a big part of this unique leisure and recreation area, but it is symbolic of a healthy environment and a city that cares about itself.

A clean beach is a tourist attraction and landmark for which we can all be proud. A polluted beach is a reminder of the mistakes we have made in the past and our inability to deal with it in the present. The fact is we must do better when it comes to the environment if we are to continue to enjoy it, profit from it, and remain healthy because of it. Closing the beach is an admission of defeat.

Meanwhile, Bayfront Park is well used by Hamiltonians and visitors, but it is destined to see much greater use in the future as the area grows in population and popularity. We don’t know how this downtown jewel will be used in the future, but we should remember that the possibilities are endless, and that swimming, and fun on the beach, should remain one of them if at all possible. (Source: Hamilton Spectator)

 

From the Archives – Meckling National Park

Meckling National ParkFrom the Archives

Meckling National Park – Eden of the North

From my grade 12 or 13th Geography class at Parkside High School in Dundas, Ontario, 1986 or 1987. Ms. Reid was our teacher and this was a co-production among me, Brad Lyall and Graeme McIntosh, for a map project of an imaginary government run park. The SCTV humour influence is very much apparent. We got a 19 out of 20 for this, and deservedly so.

Friday August 17, 2012

By Graeme MacKay, The Hamilton Spectator, Friday August 17, 2012

Everyone Loves Horrific Scenes

A former employee of an aquatic animal park has given a damning account of the horrific conditions animals were forced to endure. 

Phil Demers resigned from Marineland in Niagara Falls, Ontario in May after 12 years as a senior trainer. He said a major reason for his departure was because the poor water conditions at the park had a catastrophic effect on the health of the seals, sea lions, walruses and dolphins.

‘The water had gotten so bad it was green, it was harming the animals, it smelled bad and it made the people who worked in this environment ill as well,’ he told the Toronto Star.

‘The chemicals we were using to try to maintain the water were really harming the animals.’ In revelations that have outraged animal right’s activists he said the he saw the dolphin’s skin was flaking off, and that they could not open their eyes.

Recalling the condition of Seal Lions Baker and Sander, he said that they could not even train them to open their eyes as ‘the damage was so extensive that when we finally saw it, it was just grotesque.’

He told how the trainers would pull the animals out of the water to dry conditions to try and alleviate the damage but said as a consequence not having access to fresh water also proved to be harmful for the animals.

‘Baker was writhing in pain, constantly shaking erratically, clutching his eyes shut,’ he said. 

He explained that Sandy did not move for weeks on end and to try and gain a monetary respite from the agony, Baker would constantly put his head into a bucket of fresh water. (Source: Daily Mail)