City Reveals the Secret of the Ooze on the Speed

If you walked along the Speed River recently and noticed something weird about the water, you're not alone. For the record, it was an oil spill, but fortunately it's not the type of oil spill that typically makes headlines.

Bad Day to Go Down to River

The images from the flooding in Toronto yesterday were incredible, the modern metropolis and all its trappings torn asunder by a lot of water appearing very suddenly. Well no one in Guelph has yet had to be rescued from a train by the police marine unit, nor have they seen their basement flooded or have been forced to abandon their car in the middle of a highway-turned-river, but city officials are warning residents to stay clear of local water sources in these overly wet times. 

Get in to The River This Weekend

This weekend is the 32nd annual Speed River Clean-Up organized by the Guelph branch of the Ontario Public Interest Research Group (OPIRG). Brought to you by Wellington Water Watchers, Trout Unlimited and GUFF (Guelph Urban Forest Friends), the Clean-Up, as always, aims to educate people about the importance of Guelph’s waterways, get them involved and in the river to literally take out the trash.

Like in years gone by, everyone is to meet up at the gazebo in Royal City Park (Gordon Street) by 11 am. Bring your gloves, sun gear, water and a pair of either old shoes, boots or hip waders. Then sign-in, join a group and start cleaning up the river. Afterward at around 12:30, everyone’s invited back to McCrae House for some eats and some entertainment. The theme is pot luck, so volunteers are being asked to bring a dish to share, and for each dish contributed, you will be entered in a draw to win two tickets to the Speed River Fundraising Dinner at Borealis Grille, a $120 value. Additionally, volunteers are being asked to bring their own plates and utensils to cut down on waste.

If you’re looking to get even more involved, OPIRG is looking for volunteers to take on specific jobs at the Clean Up. Among the list of jobs needed to be filled are crew leaders, photographers, set-up and take-down volunteers, and people to help out at the potluck. For more information, get in touch with OPIRG at 519-824-2091 or at opirg@uoguelph.ca

To get you in the mood, here are some picture slideshows of two Clean-Ups from the past, 2008 and 2010.

Don't Play in the Water

The City is reminding folkle that despite the nice weather, a trip down to the river banks of either the Speed or the Eramosa is perhaps inadvisable in the midst of melting snow and recent rainfall. Here's the press release:

GUELPH, ON, March 15, 2010 – The milder daytime temperatures combined with rainfall, have resulted in swift currents and higher water levels in Guelph’s rivers and those in the surrounding area.

The Guelph Fire Department encourages parents to educate children about the dangers associated with rivers at this time of year, and supervise them closely while outdoors near our watercourses.

Children should be aware of the dangers of swift currents and cold water temperatures during a spring thaw and need to be reminded to stay clear of riverbanks. A river safety brochure, prepared by the Grand River Conservation Authority, is available online at grandriver.ca (Education > River safety > Follow the river safety rules).

The Guelph Fire Department would like to remind residents to call 911 if they see someone in trouble in the river or on the ice. In the event of such an emergency, Emergency Services dispatch will send the trained water and ice rescue unit, which is equipped to safely enter the water at sub-zero temperatures.