Peterborough County council examining options to curb littering along James Gifford Causeway

A paddle along Chemong Lake in his brand new kayak earlier this month turned ugly pretty quick for Bridgenorth resident Brad Sinclair.

The local realtor was looking forward to a scenic paddle across the lake on Aug. 8, when he came upon a mass of garbage strewn and floating along the James A. Gifford Causeway that connects Bridgenorth to Ennismore.

Sinclair made a presentation at Peterborough County council Wednesday and shared some of the photos he snapped of the trash and the disgust he felt at the sight and the complete disregard for the environment.

“I was just shocked,” Sinclair told council, as he listed the items he came across including Styrofoam worm containers, water bottles, jumbled fishing line and even one soiled adult diaper.

Sinclair said he didn’t intend on becoming the face of the “no litter” campaign along the causeway but he’s seen enough and felt compelled to do something about it.

“I’m doing this for my own community and for my own family’s benefit,” said Sinclair. “I’d like to have my children be able to go into that lake. Right now they wouldn’t because I wouldn’t let them and I think that’s a complete shame because I grew up in Chemong Lake.”

Tweet This Click to share quote on Twitter: "I'm doing this for my own community and for my own family's benefit," said Sinclair. "I'd like to have my children be able to go into that lake. Right now they wouldn't because I wouldn't let them and I think that's a complete shame because I grew up in Chemong Lake."

Deputy mayor of Selwyn Township Sherry Senis spoke out against the trash and called the situation shameful.

“There’s no doubt that littering is bad for our carbon footprint and the contamination of the water is not good for anyone,” said Senis. “It’s a shame that people are not being respectful of our environment.”

Douro-Dummer Mayor J. Murray Jones echoed the comments from Senis and said this is something the county needs to look at immediately.

“This is one of those obnoxious stories of human behaviour that I think the county has ever dealt with, it’s unbelievable,” he said.

Council voted unanimously in favour of a motion brought forward by Senis asking county staff to meet with all parties involved, including the Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry, Ontario Federation of Anglers & Hunters along with Selwyn Township and file a report to examine all options.

Sinclair says the pollution issue will never go away and wants to see something drastic put in place to save the environment.

“I think the place (the causeway) needs to be a no trespassing zone,” he said. “It’s a consideration of trash and safety and I think that’s the only way we are really going to solve it.”

County staff will come back with a full report, examining all options to combat the litter situation sometime in the fall.