By: Hannah McDonaldThis summer I am working for Lake Ontario Waterkeeper as the Water Literacy Assistant in Kingston. Part of my job is to test water quality in popular swimming areas along the waterfront.Each week, I sample water from points along Breakwater Park and the Wolfe Island Boat Club. Then I take the samples to the lab where it is tested. I take those results and post them on Swim Guide so that recreational water…

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By: Hannah McDonaldThis summer I am working for Lake Ontario Waterkeeper as the Water Literacy Assistant in Kingston. Part of my job is to test water quality in popular swimming areas along the waterfront.Each week, I sample water from points along Breakwater Park and the Wolfe Island Boat Club. Then I take the samples to the lab where it is tested. I take those results and post them on Swim Guide so that recreational water…

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Photo: Lake Ontario Waterkeeper The Shoreline Shuffle Salute Exhibit opened this past Saturday at the Tett Centre for Creativity and Learning. It was a beautiful day to remember the success of the 2013 Shoreline Shuffle, and to build on the progress of the original event with a community collection of Kingston Waterfront Stories.The exhibit showcased photos from the original shuffle, and gathered key organizers Dave McDonald, Su Sheedy, and Mary Farrar.Part photography exhibit and part…

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Photo: Lake Ontario Waterkeeper The Shoreline Shuffle Salute Exhibit opened this past Saturday at the Tett Centre for Creativity and Learning. It was a beautiful day to remember the success of the 2013 Shoreline Shuffle, and to build on the progress of the original event with a community collection of Kingston Waterfront Stories.The exhibit showcased photos from the original shuffle, and gathered key organizers Dave McDonald, Su Sheedy, and Mary Farrar.Part photography exhibit and part…

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Dear Kingston installation by Christine Dewancker. Part of the Shoreline Shuffle, June 23, 2013 On June 23, 2013 in Kingston, ON a public protest called the Shoreline Shuffle took place where several hundred’s of people walked, paddled and cycled 7.7km along Kingston’s downtown shoreline to raise awareness about the need for better public access and waterfront planning in their city.The event was created by David McDonald, founder of the Water Access Group, and other organizers,…

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Dear Kingston installation by Christine Dewancker. Part of the Shoreline Shuffle, June 23, 2013 On June 23, 2013 in Kingston, ON a public protest called the Shoreline Shuffle took place where several hundred’s of people walked, paddled and cycled 7.7km along Kingston’s downtown shoreline to raise awareness about the need for better public access and waterfront planning in their city.The event was created by David McDonald, founder of the Water Access Group, and other organizers,…

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Looking out across the waters of Lake Ontario never fails to fill me with a sense of calm and happiness. Something about the timelessness of the lake is appeasing; it is soothing to think of the lake as a constant in an ever-changing world. But the lake is not as constant as it seems - it has undergone many changes over the years as species have come and gone from its waters and people have…

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In 2008 I was speaking with Kevin McMahon about a movie he was making called Waterlife—a film about the Great Lakes. It was Kevin who first introduced me to the incredible Grandmother Josephine Mandamin and her efforts to raise awareness for Great Lakes by walking around its shorelines.The movie came out in 2009, narrated by Gord Downie—it introduced Grandmother Josephine and the importance of the Great Lakes to a wider audience. Since that time my…

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For most of my life I’ve lived by Lake Ontario—always steps away from the water's edge. You’d think with that kind of lifetime access I’d be an avid swimmer, boater, or even a fisher. But I’m none of things—my appreciation of the lake has usually been from a distance.I consider myself a decent paddler and a modest sailor but for some reason I’m usually exploring somewhere else when I’m out on the water. I don’t…

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For most of my life I’ve lived by Lake Ontario—always steps away from the water's edge. You’d think with that kind of lifetime access I’d be an avid swimmer, boater, or even a fisher. But I’m none of things—my appreciation of the lake has usually been from a distance.I consider myself a decent paddler and a modest sailor but for some reason I’m usually exploring somewhere else when I’m out on the water. I don’t…

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