Waterkeeper submission on Oshawa's five-year plan
City Clerk
50 Centre Street South
5th Floor, "A" Wing, Oshawa ON
L1H 3Z7
By facsimile: 905-436-5697
Re: Written submission to City of Oshawa re Strategic Financial Plan 2005-2009
Lake Ontario Waterkeeper is writing to express its continued support for the City of Oshawa's allocations to protect and improve the city's harbour.
Waterkeeper strongly believes that investing in the Oshawa waterfront is critical to the city?s future. Currently, the Oshawa Harbour is too contaminated to be considered a safe home for residents or wildlife. Because of this contamination, access to the harbour has been restricted. Because of this contamination, options for development and future uses are limited. Eliminating this contamination is the key that unlocks the potential of south Oshawa.
Residents and volunteers from groups such as the Oshawa Marina Users Committee have demonstrated a genuine and passionate need for a healthy harbour. Their vision of a clean waterfront is powerful: Each year that goes by without clean up is another year of affliction for Lake Ontario. Each year that goes by without clean up is another year closer to creating generation of city residents who no longer remember that value of the harbour, the life of the marina, or our cultural connection to Lake Ontario.
To date, the City of Oshawa has responded to the community by consistently voicing its vision of a cleaner, more vibrant waterfront. Its goal is to re-integrate the area into the fabric of the city. Waterkeeper supports a five-year plan that ensures the City has the resources to implement this vision.
The City of oshawa's leadership on the waterfront issue also helps to build stronger communities all around Lake Ontario. It improves the quality of life for everyone who lives near the water and inspires others to restore and protect their own cities and waterways.
For these reasons, Waterkeeper supports the council and residents as they invest in the Oshawa Harbour.
Thank you,
Krystyn Tully
Executive Director
Mark Mattson
President & Waterkeeper