KAGAWONG—Among consideration of other options to keep people from harming the wildlife, fish, other species and habitat at Bridal Veil Falls, Billings township council is going to take action to dissuade people from swimming at the falls.
“We are going to put up a no swimming sign at the falls, for sure,” stated Billings Mayor Bryan Barker, after a council meeting last week. “And we are looking at other options.”
“Bridal Veil Falls is one of the biggest tourist attractions on the Island, and the biggest in our community, and we definitely do not want to prohibit people from it. The majority of the people in the community and visitors to the area are very responsible. It’s the couple of people that spoil it for everyone else.”
Chief Administrative Officer/Clerk Veronique Dion, in a report for council wrote, “Bridal Veil Falls became an area of concern following the discovery of a deceased turtle left on the bands of the (Kagawong) river. New signage was installed to deter people from creating negative impacts for the ecosystem.”
Ms. Dion said the township staff is continuing to look at additional options.
Councillor Dave Hillyard, at a council meeting last week, said in a recent conversation with a local resident that he has knowledge of people who have thrown garbage cans and other items into the river this summer.
As had been reported previously new educational signage has been installed at three points on the Falls area to deter people from creating negative impacts for the ecosystem. Last month it was reported that a large, 30-year-old snapping turtle that was well-known for living in the water that pools below the Falls was found dead on the shores of the river.
Mayor Barker had explained at the time that someone had dragged the turtle out of the pool, crushed its shell, killed the turtle and left it lying there. Snapping turtles are listed as a species of concern under the Ontario Endangered Species Act, and in this case the turtle killed was at an age to produce offspring.
The township, in partnership with the Manitoulin Streams Improvement Association (MSIA), installed signage to educate members of the public about behaviours that harm the local wildlife. Other concerns include visitors piling rock in an attempt to create more of a pool affect which destroys habitat for various fish, frogs, turtles and other species.
There has also been reports this and in previous years of people swimming in Bridal Veil Falls. As well, people have been reported as trying to grab salmon as they try to get upriver to the pool to spawn and posting pictures of this on social media.
Seija Deschenes of MSIA said by chasing after the salmon, they are stressing them out and because of this the fish may not lay their eggs. She noted people may also be inadvertently walking on the nests that salmon build to put their eggs in.
Mayor Barker noted that part of the river is a fish sanctuary from September 15 to the end of October. The township could pass bylaws and add resources for enforcement but would rather begin by its attempts to educate the public through signage.
“How small do you have to be to kill a turtle?” stated Councillor Hillyard at last week’s council meeting.
Ms. Dion noted township staff will be bringing forward various options that council could consider.
