Rivers are the arteries of life in a landscape, yet in the city we treat them more like rain gutters.
North Orillia is fortunate to have a rare cold water stream supporting Brook Trout in its midst, but it is gradually declining in health due to urbanization. We believe there’s a way to co-exist, and are calling on all residents near Grant Wetland to pitch in and restore Sundial Creek back to health.
Do you live on Sundial Drive, Fittons Road, Maple Drive, Bay Street, Stanton Drive, Tallwood, Harmon, or Highland? Please read on:
What we know
What did you learn?
How you can help Sundial Creek
Help us Spread the Word
We have a limited number of these beautiful lawn signs available, to help spread the word in your neighbourhood. Leave it up for two weeks and we'll add ten points to your participation tally.
Contact dorthea@couchconservancy.ca to have one delivered!
An area of land that drains into a stream or lake is known as a watershed, and this should always be kept in mind when planning your yard improvement projects. Taking care of Sundial Creek and your own yard are great fall activities that your household can do together to help protect this watershed.
The following best practices can be implemented this fall, and if you report your #ProtectSundialCreek activities to us, you will be awarded points that could earn you gift cards from local businesses.
Leave Your Leaves
Healthy, rich soil helps to buffer pollutants, stores carbon to combat climate change, and provides a winter home for many native insects.
Leaving a light covering of fall leaves on your lawn will help to clean the stormwater that runs off into Sundial Creek.
Drain Your Pool and Hot Tub Responsibly
Discharge of water from swimming pools and hot tubs contains chloride, bromine, salts, copper-based algaecides and other chemicals harmful to fish and other aquatic organisms that live in our creeks, rivers and lakes.
Read how to drain your pool or hot tub to mitigate damage to the watershed here
Use a Car Wash
Washing your car at home in the driveway sends all of the dirt, soap, oil, and winter road salt into the nearest ditch, also impacting the Sundial Creek watershed.
The alternatives are to wash your car at a car wash, or on your lawn or another porous surface to allow soapy wash water to be absorbed in the ground [use a phosphate-free soap too].
Set Mower Blades to 3 Inches
Set your lawnmower blades to 8 cm (3 in) high. The longer grass will absorb more run-off. Leave the clippings on your lawn as a free and natural fertilizer, and plant white clover to enrich your lawn's nitrogen.
Pick Up Garbage along Sundial Creek
Chemicals found in plastic bags and bottles can leach into the water, and garbage can be mistaken for food and ingested by wildlife.
People are less likely to litter in an area that looks well cared-for.
This is a collaborative project of: Sustainable Orillia, The City of Orillia Environmental Advisory Committee, Patrick Fogarty Secondary School, The Couchiching Conservancy, and countless volunteers and neighbours.
Special thanks to students Estella Crosby, Jenny Bylow, and Arielle Burnie.
