After learning the town has agreed to make rain barrels available to residents right across the district, members of J.W. Walker School’s Environmental Club now are working to promote the barrels until they’re all sold.
Grade 7 students Alyssa Spence and Hailey Clendenning said yesterday they’re excited the town agreed to enter into a partnership with the club, which has 42 members from Grades 2-7.
“I’m really happy they went along with this. I think it’s really good for the environment,” said Clendenning. “And it can really help with the water restriction for [those] who think it’s really negative.”
Acting as spokespersons for the club, Spence and Clendenning already have cut a radio spot to promote the rain barrels.
As well, the club, with the help of teacher Angela Petsnick, is putting together letters to send home to students’ parents to tell them about the rain barrels and why they should get them.
Other promotions (such as appearing at the Clover Valley Farmers’ Market) also may be in the works. But since council only agreed to the partnership Monday night, the club hasn’t had a lot of time to plan everything out yet.
The club says benefits of the rain barrels include giving plants non-chlorinated soft rainwater at just the right temperature while helping reduce the load on storm sewers and wastewater treatment facilities.
They also help reduce peak water demands during hot summer months.
Spence said the rain barrels also have several practical selling points.
“I like how it’s flat against the back so it’s easy to fit against a wall,” she explained. “It’s easy for the water to get in and it’s very sturdy.”
Each barrel holds 45 gallons, has an on/off valve with a hose attachment, and a removable screen.
“I like how there’s a screen on top so small animals and children can’t get in there and drown,” stressed Clendenning. “And it also prevents the mosquitoes from coming in, too.”
Both Spence and Clendenning encouraged the public to order rain barrels as soon as possible, noting their own parents probably going to buy some while J.W. Walker already has ordered two of them.
While the Environmental Club will take on the promotion of water conservation and the uses of rain barrels, the town will handle the ordering and sale of the them.
The town has ordered a total of 312 rain barrels from Forest City Models and Patterns Ltd. of London, Ont.—the same company providing Thunder Bay with barrels for its program.
The cost of the rain barrels is $65 each (taxes included), which residents can pay for at either the Civic Centre or Memorial Sports Centre.
Customers then can bring their sales receipt to the Operations and Facilities office at 900 Wright Street (at the corner on Fifth Street West) and pick up their barrels.
They can do this from 7:30 a.m.-4 p.m. on Monday to Friday.
The barrels will be arriving here next Wednesday (June 18) and customers can pick them up starting the next day (June 19). However, the barrels can be paid for anytime prior to their arrival.
Coun. Rick Wiedenhoeft said he’s been using a rain barrel on loan from his brother-in-law in Thunder Bay—just like the ones the town has ordered—and has been impressed with it.
“These things are marvelous,” he said. “A little bit of rain came down since I put it out [a couple of weeks ago] and that thing filled up.
It’s got an overflow system where it directs the overflow away from the house,” he added.
“All it takes is a minor alteration of your downflow eavestrough and you’ve got water, like that, through a hose. They work marvelous,” Coun. Wiedenhoeft reiterated.
“People are going to want to purchase them because they work great.”
The partnership came after the Environmental Club made a presentation to council at its May 19 meeting, encouraging the town to promote water conservation.
Fort Frances Times
Local News from Across the Rainy River District
