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Friends of the Cawthra Bush & Greater Mississauga Area
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comments: More at the end. Toronto Star - Dec 15, 1995 - BRAMPTON pg. BR.2 - By Frank Calleja Credit's champion pleads for river [Illustration] For Alec Raeburn, the Credit River is a natural treasure that must be nurtured if it is to survive through these frugal times. “There will be less and less money for environmental programs in the coming years so well thought-out decisions have to be made if important environmental features are to be preserved,” Raeburn said in an interview. At 83, the life-long resident of the Credit River watershed has provided wise counsel on environmental matters for many decades. For that reason, the Alton resident who lives on the bank of a Credit tributary , has been awarded the 1995 Conservation Award of Distinction by the Credit Valley Conservation Authority. His home overlooks the former Beaver Knitting Mills dam on the Alton branch. Raeburn was among four citizens and two corporations to be recognized for their contributions to environmental causes this year. “The Credit is one of the last remaining cold water rivers in the Greater Toronto Area and it will be a shame if it ends up paying the price of reduced funding and scaled-down priorities” he said. Provincial funding to conservation authorities is being drastically reduced under new cost- cutting measures announced recently by Finance Minister Ernie Eves. Authority general manager Vicki Barron said last week that member municipalities will have to decide how much they want to contribute to environmental preservation. And that, Raeburn says, puts a big responsibility on rich municipalities like Mississauga. “Mississauga has to help protect the all-important headwaters of the Credit or they'll end up with nothing but an open sewer flowing through that city,” he says. “Natural areas that can be maintained with reduced funding, planning provisions and volunteer assistance until times are better should get priority over high-cost programs.” Raeburn says once natural areas are destroyed, they can't be retrieved. Raeburn was deputy reeve of Caledon Township in 1972, served on the Niagara Escarpment Commission, Ontario Heritage Foundation, Peel Region, and the conservation authority. “Alec continues to be sought out for his advice on conservation and natural heritage issues,” says authority chair Harold Kennedy. He says the authority also presented awards of merit to a couple of Caledon landowners who have participated in many conservation projects and permit angling access to their properties. Momat Developments Inc., owners of property in Mississauga next to Roy Ivor's bird sanctuary, received an award for preserving natural landscapes in developing a residential subdivision. The River Oaks Group, owners of lands in west Orangeville known as Montgomery Village, have included the preservation of natural landscapes and natural storm water management in its planning. PLEEASSE SIGN OUR PETITION It will make a difference! Home page - Main Table of Contents - Back up a Page - Back to Top [COMMENTS BY DON B. - ] |
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