Some of the dune vegetation growing along Sarnia’s Canatara Beach is considered extremely rare in Ontario, an ecologist helping to prepare a Canatara Park master plan says.
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“That means there are five or fewer occurrences of this particular vegetation type within the province,” said Grant Kauffman, working with The Planning Partnership on crafting the long-term road map for park improvements and investment.
Species include balsam poplar treed sand dune, treed sand dune, and wormwood open graminoid sand dune, according to a recent report to the city.
Other species in the park include very rare shrub sand dune, and rare or uncommon fresh mixed oak deciduous forest, the report says.
“The city needs to appreciate that they do have a real jewel here,” Kauffman said of the 80-hectare, beachfront park.
“The total shoreline area for Lake Huron is about 6,000 km, and only two to three per cent of that entire area remains as a dune or beach ecosystem,” he said.
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The park is home to more than 200 endangered plant and animal species, he said.
Maintaining that rare ecology is one of the primary objectives in the master planstill in the works and expected in final form by the fall, said Donna Hinde, also with The Planning Partnership.
Officials presented an update to city council recently, after surveying and consulting with members of the public about ideas for the cherished city green space.
An upgraded stage, new washrooms, trails, seasonal retail, new parking, a floating boardwalk, new play areas, a tree canopy walk, and a new Michigan Avenue entrance to the park’s proposed “meadow zone” are among the ideas in consideration.
Backing up parking from the Blue Flag beach 16 metres and building boardwalks over the dunes are also proposed ideas, to help foster and protect the rare ecology, said David Leinster, with the consultant.
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Views to the lake would be maintained from a section of beachfront parking, he said.
People would also still be able to drive through the park, albeit amid measures proposed to help slow traffic, but parking by and damaging mature trees needs to stop, he said.
“It’s very important for us to recognize the ecological sensitivity of the park,” said Coun. Brian White.
“And if we want to ensure its long-term success and viability … we must make certain changes right now, in acknowledgment of those sensitive areas.”
The park, in part built a top a former municipal dump that also accepted industrial wastewas created in the 1930s in part via land and money donations from philanthropist Maud Hannafor whom another local park and school are named.
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Thousands of people have offered ideas through surveys, community conversations and interviews.
“Everybody was talking about it,” said Coun. Anne Marie Gillis on consultation for the park plan, praising The Planning Partnership for listening to and incorporating people’s opinions.
The rare ecology in the park is a testament to efforts from groups like Return the Landscape that planted native species in the park and elsewhere in the community, she said.
“I think it’s really interesting that we are seeing the park through the eyes of ecologists, and I don’t think we’ve seen that before,” she said.
There’s also still time to weigh in, Hinde said.
“Over the coming weeks we will be receiving and considering comments on the plan,” as they prepare the final draft, she said.
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