For the first time I have found slime in the Middle McIntyre Creek area. I have seen this slime further up Creek near the Fish Lake road, but not this low down. Does anyone know why this is forming?Is it something we need to be concerned about?
Friday, May 11, 2012
Slime - May 10, 2011
For the first time I have found slime in the Middle McIntyre Creek area. I have seen this slime further up Creek near the Fish Lake road, but not this low down. Does anyone know why this is forming?Is it something we need to be concerned about?
May 9, 2012
I saw the first crocuses along the banks over the little lake yesterday. They had been out in another of our hiking areas a week ago, but this is certainly a sign of spring at McIntyre Creek. The ice is still on the lake, but is getting less each day.
There are some interesting ice formations at the bridge closest to the Yukon College where it had flooded earlier, and now the ice is breaking up.
The AGM had a lower attendance than we had anticipated, but the participants were very eager and committed to preserving the middle McIntyre Creek area from development of Porter Creek D. The officers will be chosen at the next Board meeting which will be May 29th.
Our Treasurer, Lidia Krukowska had to resign, as her day job was taking up all her time. We thank Lidia for her contribution to our Society over the past year. Cathy Deacon joined our Board, and we look forward to her help this coming year.
You are reminded to send in your membership forms, and please do indicate where you are willing to participate as more willing hands make the work easier for all.
It is interesting to learn that mining and exploration is down 40% (reported by CBC), and in fact people who have been employed, are now looking to the Northwest Territories for work. Helicopters are waiting on their pads for business that appears to have dropped off.. So true to the boom and bust nature of the economy, we are on a downturn. This just proves the panic that real estate was having that we needed to develop McIntyre Creek for housing was false, just as we have been saying all along.
If any of you have been trying to find us on Facebook, I have discovered why I could never find it,. The name "McIntyre" was misspelled as "McIntryre". We have requested the person who manages our Facebook site to make a correction. I am not familiar with Facebook processes, so don't know if this is easy, possible or if we will have to set up with a new name. So in the meantime of you are looking for our presence, you will understand why it is hard to find.
We are beginning to plan a clean up for McIntyre Creek to tie into the Great Canadian Cleanup program. If you know of an area along the Creek, upper, lower, middle, or wherever that can use our efforts, please let us know. You can email friendsofmcintyre@gmail.com. In my hike yesterday, I was rather pleased that the middle area I hike, did not appear to have much garbage left over from the winter, so whether other hikers are cleaning up as they walk, or people are being more considerate of the environment, I don't know, but it was improved over past years. There are still left overs from local partiers by the Pump House, but even that doesn't appear to be as cluttered as previous years.
I am getting a new camera, and will be definitely out and about capturing more pictures of this gorgeous area. We saw a fox yesterday, but were already in the car driving on the access road to the Pump House, and wasn't able to capture a photo before the fox reached the trees on the Takhini side.
There are some interesting ice formations at the bridge closest to the Yukon College where it had flooded earlier, and now the ice is breaking up.
The AGM had a lower attendance than we had anticipated, but the participants were very eager and committed to preserving the middle McIntyre Creek area from development of Porter Creek D. The officers will be chosen at the next Board meeting which will be May 29th.
Our Treasurer, Lidia Krukowska had to resign, as her day job was taking up all her time. We thank Lidia for her contribution to our Society over the past year. Cathy Deacon joined our Board, and we look forward to her help this coming year.
You are reminded to send in your membership forms, and please do indicate where you are willing to participate as more willing hands make the work easier for all.
It is interesting to learn that mining and exploration is down 40% (reported by CBC), and in fact people who have been employed, are now looking to the Northwest Territories for work. Helicopters are waiting on their pads for business that appears to have dropped off.. So true to the boom and bust nature of the economy, we are on a downturn. This just proves the panic that real estate was having that we needed to develop McIntyre Creek for housing was false, just as we have been saying all along.
If any of you have been trying to find us on Facebook, I have discovered why I could never find it,. The name "McIntyre" was misspelled as "McIntryre". We have requested the person who manages our Facebook site to make a correction. I am not familiar with Facebook processes, so don't know if this is easy, possible or if we will have to set up with a new name. So in the meantime of you are looking for our presence, you will understand why it is hard to find.
We are beginning to plan a clean up for McIntyre Creek to tie into the Great Canadian Cleanup program. If you know of an area along the Creek, upper, lower, middle, or wherever that can use our efforts, please let us know. You can email friendsofmcintyre@gmail.com. In my hike yesterday, I was rather pleased that the middle area I hike, did not appear to have much garbage left over from the winter, so whether other hikers are cleaning up as they walk, or people are being more considerate of the environment, I don't know, but it was improved over past years. There are still left overs from local partiers by the Pump House, but even that doesn't appear to be as cluttered as previous years.
I am getting a new camera, and will be definitely out and about capturing more pictures of this gorgeous area. We saw a fox yesterday, but were already in the car driving on the access road to the Pump House, and wasn't able to capture a photo before the fox reached the trees on the Takhini side.
Sunday, April 22, 2012
Freek Workshop in Non Violent Direct ACtion
Free Workshop in Non Violent Direct Action
with Harjap Grewal
Saturday May 5 10:00 am – 4:00 pm
Hellaby Hall – 4th and Elliot streets, downtown Whitehorse, in the meeting room attached to the Church
Outline
Introduction to the Commons
Models of organizing
Legal rights, comfort zones
Exercises
There is about five hours of content to share over six hours.
We will schedule breaks according to the group’s needs.
We have use of the kitchen, so feel free to bring your own food, coffee and tea …
Registration still open, spread the word
NOTE about content
This is a workshop about organizing and non-violent direct action in general.
It is not specific to any group or issue…
GROUP MEETINGS possible Friday May 4th
It is possible for groups working on specific campaigns to schedule some time with Harjap on Friday May 4.
Please contact me with a request if you or your group would like to meet with Harjap while he is here.
Thank you so much for your interest!
Tory
334 7252
Saturday, April 21, 2012
McIntyre Marsh Bird Banding Demonstration Site
MCINTYRE MARSH BIRD BANDING DEMONSTRATION SITE
The McIntyre Marsh station is located at km 4 of the Fish Lake Road within the City of Whitehorse.
Parking for station visitors is at the large parking lot of the Fish Lake Road and the Copper Haul Road.
From the parking lot, the station is accessed by a short walk (100 m) down the Copper Haul Road; take the
foot trail which follows the marsh on the right hand side of the trail.
The station will be open on weekends and holidays from April 28 until the end of May with the hours of
operation being 7 am to noon. For more information on McIntyre Marsh, please email Ben Schonewille at
teslin.bird.banding@gmail.com .
The McIntyre Marsh station is located at km 4 of the Fish Lake Road within the City of Whitehorse.
Parking for station visitors is at the large parking lot of the Fish Lake Road and the Copper Haul Road.
From the parking lot, the station is accessed by a short walk (100 m) down the Copper Haul Road; take the
foot trail which follows the marsh on the right hand side of the trail.
The station will be open on weekends and holidays from April 28 until the end of May with the hours of
operation being 7 am to noon. For more information on McIntyre Marsh, please email Ben Schonewille at
teslin.bird.banding@gmail.com .
Wednesday, April 11, 2012
Update & FOMC AGM May 8, 2012
Hello Friends of McIntyre Creek!
The last time we were together as a group was at the December 5 and 12 City Council meetings. On December 12, City Council voted to proceed with the pre-design work of the proposed Porter Creek-D development. At that meeting, the need for further consultation was acknowledged given the heavy criticism of the City-led “Porter Creek-D Working Group”.
Since then, the Friends of McIntyre Creek and the Yukon Conservation Society have continued to push for an independently facilitated workshop. A key piece of information to inform discussion at this workshop, the new transportation study, is still not available so no timeline has been set to date. This new transportation study analyzes how existing and new roads (including a road across McIntyre Creek by the Pumphouse Pond) can support a growing population in Whistle Bend - the road across McIntyre Creek has always been one of the big issues which is why this study is an important component of future consultations. Once we hear more, we will let you know!
Some more updates below:
- The Friends of McIntyre Creek AGM will be held on May 8, from 7-9 PM in Room C1440 (glass class) of the Yukon College. Please join us as we reflect on the past year and strategize for the coming year. Refreshments will be served.
- On March 28, 2012 Community Services Minister, Elaine Taylor, responded to the Petition to Protect Middle McIntyre Creek that was submitted to the Yukon Legislative Assembly in mid December, 2011. Minister Taylor deferred responsibility to the City of Whitehorse, saying “The Yukon government respects the city’s jurisdiction in this regard and, as such, will await the outcome of the planning and approval processes.”
- “Friend of McIntyre Creek” bumper stickers are available at the YCS office. This initiative was spearheaded by the Takhini North Community Association in collaboration with Erica Heuer.
- Yukon College Visioning Sessions. Over the next couple months, the Yukon College is holding territory wide public meetings to get feedback from all Yukoners to help create a strategic plan for 2013-2018. Dates for scheduled meetings are located below and more will be announced soon. This is an opportunity to tell the Yukon College Board how important McIntyre Creek is to the future of the College.
Tuesday, April 10 Pelly Crossing - 12 noon at the Old Community Hall
Wednesday, April 11 Mayo - 7 pm at the Mayo Community Campus
Wednesday, April 25 Ross River - 2 to 5:00 pm - Ross River Community Campus
Thursday, April 26th Faro - 6:30 pm - Faro Community Campus
Wednesday, May 2 Watson Lake - 7:00 pm, Watson Lake Community Campus
Monday, May 7th Dawson City - 4 to 6:00 pm - Dawson Community Campus
Tuesday, May 8th Old Crow - 7:00 pm - Old Crow Community Campus
- Please continue to refer to the Friends of McIntyre Creek Blog (http://
friendsofmcintyrecreek. ) and the Facebook Page for information and updates. A McIntyre Creek website is also currently under production. If you have any photos, poems, personal reflections or experiences you would like displayed on this website, please send them to Christina at ycswild@ycs.yk.cablogspot.ca/
- The Yukon Envirothon website contains interesting information about four Whitehorse creeks, including McIntyre Creek. On this website you can find background information, maps, photos and advice on how to make your own tools for field studies: http://www.yukonenvirothon.
com/index.html
- Peter Mather has produced a wonderful slideshow of McIntyre Creek, showcasing the wildlife and natural beauty of the watershed as well as the enjoyment people take from the creek: http://yukon-news.com/
multimedia/slideshow/28102/
- As always, please continue to send letters to the newspapers – the more we keep McIntyre Creek in the public eye, the better.
Happy Spring and hope to see you all at the Friends of McIntyre Creek AGM on May 8th, 2012!
Saturday, March 31, 2012
Out like a lamb - march 31, 2012
The old saying 'in like a lamb out like a lion" does not seem to hold this year, as the weather at the beginning of March was mild, and it is even milder as March leaves.
Part of our hiking trail around the McIntyre Creek includes the access road for the power line. I was very happy to see it graded to remove the snow recently, thinking it would make the road dry up quicker. Surprise! I saw the City snow dumping trucks churning up the road when they were dumping loads of snow, and in doing so, they were breaking the frozen road surface, and turning it into mud. So now a good part of the road is just mud!
We always expect some mud on the trails when the snow melts, but the large equipment had made the access road worse because of the huge tires. This is part of the area that the City wants to develop as Porter Creek D, and this will definitely require a new snow dump area if they proceed.
Tracks - March 2012
Some tracks seen on the frozen beaver pond at McIntyre Creek, below the Yukon College.
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