Dartmouth, we are the City of Lakes. Our lakes define life on this side of the Harbour. They’re hubs for recreation. People walk/run along them, we swim in them, fish in them, occasionally skate on them in the winter, and of course Banook has its major role as a centre for sports. Our lakes also offer a kind of spiritual reprieve. The hustle and bustle of life can fade away for a moment when you’re enjoying the summer sun setting over our lakes, the wind gently rustling their waters, or watching the wildlife that we share our space with going about their lives. From Banook to Albro, to Maynard, to Oathill, to Penhorn, we’re so lucky to have them.
Unfortunately for our lakes, being in an urban environment brings challenges. Runoff from roads and lawns adds excessive nutrients, salts, and other pollutants to the lakes. The result impacts us as bacteria and blue green algae in the stressed ecosystem leads to beach closures. Taking care of the lakes is good for the environment and ultimately good for us.
I understand the role the lakes play in our lives, and the threats they face. If re-elected, I will make sure that HRM completes a watershed management plan for Dartmouth’s Lakes, and I will champion implementing the recommendations and projects that come out of the plan.
Over the last few years, protecting the lakes is something I have championed on Council. I supported Councillor Mancini’s successful push to bring back the lake water testing program, and after a particularly bad summer for beach closures at Birch Cove, I was able to get a study done of Lake Banook. The result of the Lake Banook Pollution Control Study was a series of projects which included:
- A campaign to have dog owners clean up after their pets (Canines for Clean Water)
- Installation of bird netting under the Circ Bridge to eliminate the pigeon roost
- Construction of a rain garden on Prince Albert Road to intercept runoff from the road
- Naturalization of part of the Birch Cove shoreline, and
- An examination of Halifax Water’s infrastructure to try and find any possible cross connections between storm and sewer lines (none found on Banook, a few at the upper end of Micmac).
These are all good projects that have helped to lessen the human impact on Banook.
Although HRM has been doing some good work, it has mostly been a series of one-offs. What has been lacking is an overall plan. What do we want for our lakes and how do we achieve it? How do we measure success? On August 20, Council approved the launch of a watershed management program and Dartmouth’s Lakes will be the initial pilot. The idea is to convene community leaders, scientist, and other key stakeholders to develop a plan for the whole watershed. This is bigger than just Banook, it involves Oathill, Maynard, and all the lakes and streams that feed into Banook and Micmac. The plan will set out what we’re trying to achieve (a healthy environment), what we need to do to achieve success, and how we will measure our efforts. The result will be a plan for Council to endorse, and that will require an ongoing commitment to implement. Staff anticipate it will take about two years to complete this work.
Dartmouth isn’t Dartmouth without our lakes. They’re important for all of us and we need to take care of them. If re-elected, completing a watershed management plan and, importantly, starting to implement the projects and recommendations that come from it, will be one of my top priorities. I will not let the new watershed plan become pretty pictures on a shelf, it is something that I will champion at Council. Implementation will be a multi-year effort, but there is no reason that work can’t get underway in the second half of the next Council’s mandate.
Dartmouth, we do great things together!
Maynard Lake does not feed into Banook or Micmac. It has a water control valve on it because it use to be back up water supply system for Dartmouth General. The water pipe leaving the lake feeds into the water treatment plant – clean water – being sent to a treatment facility. One of HRM capital projects was to separate that line so it can go to the ocean.
Is HRM testing the lake water quality on likes Maynard – your stance was water quality testing is only for lakes where there are life guard. So that means HRM is only interested in
anthropocentric values. Just for your information- citizens swim in Lake Maynard. People were ice skating on the lake last year.
If you cared about the Lakes of Dartmouth then you fight for lake quality testing on all those with the Centre Plan area.
I think what Councillor Austin is referring to when mentioning his support for Councillor Mancini’s successful push to bring back the lake water testing program is the HRM Lakewatchers program which is separate from water testing at supervised beaches. I volunteer with HRM Lakewatchers on Sandy Lake. You can too on any lake of your choosing. It’s a great program. I applaud this platform initiative Councillor Austin. I wish you the best of luck in re-election and my hope is that you’d also support Item No. 15.1.10 and champion lake health across HRM.
Hi Eric. The lakewatcher program does do testing at Maynard, but it’s not a supervised beach so it’s not the same sort of testing that goes on at a place like Birch Cove. HRM’s testing program depends on the lifeguard staff at supervised beaches. That’s who collects the daily samples. It makes it harder to include testing at other lakes. I have thought about whether we should expand to include places like Maynard and Oathill that have some significant recreational use, but don’t have supervised beaches. There could be value in doing that.
In terms of the watershed management plan, I actually asked staff about this when they presented their recommendation to Council and Maynard, and Penhorn will be included based on their being in the neighbourhood and historic connections, even though they don’t flow into Banook/Micmac directly. I think it’s a good thing that they’re being included.
I would like to know what the status of Spectacle Lake is like these days. I was there a couple of years ago and all you could see was lily pads….so bad you could not even tell if there there was any water. That lake used to be pristine before all the crap got built up around it. I would doubt that there is even any fish in it these days. Development around the lakes should never have happened the way that it has. It should have been kept over a 100 feet away or more. My feelings anyway.
Hey John. I’m afraid I’m not up on Spectacle Lake’s health. You tend to be so busy in this job that your knowledge is often very district focussed. I can share that as part of the Regional Plan review, HRM is looking at increasing setbacks from waterways from 20 metres to 30 metres, which is basically your 100 feet pitch
That sounds great but this should have been done years ago….it might not be too late to do some good in the near future , but with changes maybe the lakes that are not doing so well can be healthy again. Little Albro lake used to be pristine too, until all of the houses got built all the way around it. A couple of years ago it looked like one giant yellow flower. It used to be good fishing many years ago but I don’t believe any thing could survive in it these days.
You may like to make a trip to Spectacle Lake to check it out before it gets too cold. Good luck.
Where do you stand on the issue of the Carr Farm Development that is to take place in Fall River? I realize not your area but as this will negatively affect Lake Thomas and other adjoining lakes, I would to know your thoughts. And what is happening to prevent the same type of activity from taking place in our city lakes?
Hi Maria. I don’t know the Carr Farm situation well as it’s well removed from District 5. I was actually away when the development came through Council so it’s not one that I have had a great deal of attention on. I would say that the fundamental difference with the Carr Farm versus Banook/Micmac is that sewage outflow in the urban core goes to the sewage treatment plant and then the Harbour. A situation where a private development is discharging treated wastewater into our lakes wouldn’t happen here because the infrastructure is fundamentally different.
What about settle lake ? The city has street drainage pouring into it causing Lilly pads and an unhealthy lake
No one swims there anymore and the surrounding park is unkept compared to albro lake, morris lake and sullivans pond
We pay taxes and deserve the same investment of funds in our lake
Hi Nora. I’m afraid I don’t know Settle Lake well at all. It’s well outside my district. Best bet would be to follow up with the local councillor. I can say that runoff and nutrification in lakes is a common stress on lakes throughout the urban area. What HRM works out as a watershed plan for Banook/Micmac and their associated lakes could likely have application beyond as the municipality starts to do watershed planning in more areas in the years ahead.