The importance of Hamilton’s waters – its creeks, its harbour, its waterfalls – cannot be overstated. We all know the beautiful spots, like Cootes’ Paradise, and we’ve also heard the horror stories, like the sewage spills.

In this episode of Vital Signs, Rudi Wallace hosts Chris McLaughlin (Executive Director) and Kaeley Cole (Program and Technical Lead) from Bay Area Restoration Council to talk about why Hamilton’s long-term story about its waters is actually a good one. From the beauty and biodiversity of Cootes Paradise marsh to the new Rethinking Chedoke Creek project, this episode “covers the waterfront” on Hamilton’s harbour.

Key quotes:

“To appreciate the challenges that we face today and to celebrate when we accomplish something. It is vital to appreciate [how far we’ve come]. Back in the 60s the harbour was called the ‘stinking quagmire of filth and poisonous waste’. That was also true in the 1860s…reports of problems with oil and effluent from industry…It’s important to appreciate this because as we move forward, we are in the midst of a transition to our harbour getting better all the time.” Chris McLaughlin

“The overarching goal of our programming is to help people feel engaged and connected to the land and the water.” Kaeley Cole

“People may not know this but the Woodward Avenue water treatment plant is arguably the best in the country.” Chris McLaughlin

“The watershed is larger than just the harbour – it includes all the creeks that drain into the harbour and the lands surrounding these creeks…a lot of our water is also underground [paved over for roads and development]. BARC gives opportunities to people to connect with the water, like water testing or the Rethinking Chedoke Creek project.” Kaeley Cole

“Just in the last couple of years all of that toxic material in the bottom of the harbour has been hoovered up and been relocated into that huge steel box.” Chris McLaughlin on Randal Reef

“We have tons of plants and animals and they all play a unique role in the system. I would say the most interesting place is Cootes’ Paradise marsh. It’s a really important stopover point for migratory birds…and a very important fish spawning habitat.” Kaeley Cole on the harbour’s biodiversity

“People may not realize that Bayfront Park is [historically] literally just thousands tons of truckloads of waste being dumped into the harbour. [In the 1970s] citizens mobilized around this and said this was not acceptable…BARC was formed by many of those citizens. Hamilton really set the trend for other places that needed cleanup in terms of showing the path going forward.” Chris McLaughlin on the beginnings of the beginnings of BARC

“At this point we know we shouldn’t throw our garbage in the water or dump toxic waste. The way forward is focusing on community, connection, what the water means to us, Indigenous relations…not just what water physically provides but community-wise, what we can look to it for.” Kaeley Cole

“Every cattail that is planted in the marsh, every act of restoration [helps] to repair the soul of the community.” Chris McLaughlin