Dear sir:
Last year, a number of individuals were charged with trespassing on CN Rail property in Fort Frances. With the likelihood of serious injury or even death, one can understand the concern for public safety of those who elect to cross the rail tracks at unprotected crossing areas.
Thus, here are a few concerns we would like town council to address with CN officials.
(1). There are only two official crossing areas between Crowe Avenue and McIrvine Road—the underpass at Portage Avenue and the McIrvine Road crossing.
This presents many citizens from the north end with a long walk if they wish to visit or shop in the west end or uptown, or to attend school (i.e., Fort High and Robert Moore).
This matter is further exacerbated by the fact we no longer have a bus service to assist them in their daily travels.
We, therefore, request council seek and demand that CN officials construct an overhead secured walkway at two specific locations—the first midway between McIrvine Road and Portage Avenue and the second at Armit Avenue.
General public traffic and a large number of school children would benefit from such a move.
(2). We further request from CN officials, if they are to continue charging individuals who trespassing on CN property, that they ought to secure this property in its entirety, with proper fencing and posting proper “no trespassing” signs.
Without proper fencing or “no trespassing” signs, they are—and continue to be—a part of the problem that has existed here for many years.
In hindsight, this problem was created by CN and the only answer is to recognize the real issues involved with the long distance between crossings and act accordingly.
On a cold, rainy day, the desire to take a short cut across these tracks to shorten the trip is amplified.
In the name of safety and common sense, we ask town council to provide their personal views on this matter and to support a resolution, sending this letter, along with a letter from council, to CN officials strongly supporting #1 and #2 above.
Yours truly,
Allan T. Bedard,
Advocate, Northern
Action Group
Fort Frances, Ont.
Dear Editor:
Every spring, the Rainy River is
a staging area for mature populations of walleye/pickerel from Lake of the Woods to spawn on this river and its tributaries.
In my opinion, this concentration of large, trophy-sized fish has, in recent years, attracted an increasing number of “sport” fishermen who exploit this resource unmercifully. Hundreds of boats literally crowd the 70-mile length of the Rainy River following the rapidly-retreating ice downriver for a period of one-three weeks between break-up and the spring closing of the walleye/pickerel season.
They are only there for one reason—a river packed with large fish they can easily locate and target with sophisticated electronics.
How much longer are we going to allow this stupidity to continue? Recent reductions in catch and size limits are difficult and expensive to enforce. Are either the Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources or the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources able to enforce catch and size limits?
Anecdotal observation by local shoreline observers, witnessing repeated landings by some boats along the opposite forested shore, would suggest not.
In addition, what about the catch-and-release stress placed on individual fish during this critical breeding period, as those same “sport” fisherman catch and throw back dozens of fish in search of the one that’s just right or for the sheer thrill of catching lunkers by the dozen.
The Rainy River and Lake of the Woods waters in northern Minnesota and Northwestern Ontario supports dozens upon dozens of resorts and thousands of regional paycheques. They depend almost solely on this region’s legendary fishery.
I am sure only the most crass and greedy are in support of this yearly rape of our resource.
It is up to us all, the Minnesota/Northwestern Ontario community, to insist our bureaucrats and elected officials rectify this intolerable abuse. Pandering to a few vocal political supporters that would suck this resource dry should be very telling of the calibre of any politician.
Several years ago, we witnessed the collapse of the walleye/pickerel fishery from over-fishing on Rainy Lake—the source of the Rainy River. After years of tough-minded controls and conservation efforts, it still has not totally recovered.
On a grander scale, we witnessed the total collapse of the Atlantic fishery after being assured catches were sustainable. Worldwide, other fisheries face similar threats.
In our area, government, industry, and the general public have spent huge sums to reduce pollution, buy out and close commercial fisheries, and encourage conservation. Yet we let this rape continue when the issue could be very simply addressed.
How?
Simple! Close the walleye/pickerel fishery to all open-water fishing (i.e., fishing from boats) from Jan. 1 until normal closed season commences (April 15).
This would allow our vibrant ice-fishing industry to continue unhindered, protect the spawning walleye/pickerel, and help ensure long-term survival and enjoyment of the resource for everyone.
The only ones who might be put out are a few greedy, so-called “sport” fishermen. I apologize to real sport fishermen tainted by association.
Yours truly,
John H. (Jack) Elliott
Rainy River, Ont.
