Rezoning of Old Sambro Road lot affects Williams Lake.
Catamaran Ponds – Williams Lake Headwaters
What do the Long Lake Village on Dunbrack Street in Spryfield and the Shaw Wilderness Park on the Purcells Cove Road have in common? The Catamaran Ponds.
Well hidden, in the scrub brush and alders, the two ponds are close to the busy traffic intersection of Dunbrack and Old Sambro Road in Spryfield. The ponds are gaining notoriety as the HRM rezoning application of 48 – 50 Old Sambro Road is nearing the close of its “Public Engagement” phase.
Spryfield residents and neighbourhoods surrounding the ponds are being asked to provide HRM with their input about the proposed 13-unit, 4-storey apartment complex to be built on the small lot next to the Catamaran Ponds.
The ponds, wetlands and steam will be dramatically impacted by the earth-moving machines, rock-breakers, potential blasting and invasive construction process on the small site to build the proposed 4-storey apartment building.
Various citizen actions groups have circulated information on the importance of the Catamaran Ponds to the local ecosystem, the destruction of existing wildlife corridors and the disruption of the movement of water provided to the local streams, brooks and lakes.
Protect Williams Lake watershed. Say ‘NO” to rezoning. Fill in the HRM survey online at “Case #22890 Rezoning of 48-50 Old Sambro Road” Deadline for your input is February 26, 2021
Long Lake Village is on a hill on Dunbrack Street. Water from rain and melted snow stream off this elevation and fill the ditches along Dunbrack Street. You can see the stream surging down hill toward the Old Sambro Road. A culvert then directs the stream under the busy traffic intersection, into the wetlands and fills the two Catamaran Ponds.
But the water course doesn’t stop there. The ponds provide nourishment for the wildlife that move through the natural corridors in these wetlands, shelter the animals and birds and refurbishes the biodiversity of the marsh. The pond waters just keep on moving under the Herring Cove Road and into Governor’s Brook.
Governor’s Brook splashes into Colpitt Lake and into Williams Lake, home of the Shaw Wilderness Park. Swimming, canoeing, paddle boarding and recreation can only happen with a fully functioning watershed providing water to top up the rivers, streams and lakes. The Catamaran Ponds are the powerful providers of the headwaters of the William Lake watershed.
You may not see the connection with the Catamaran Ponds and Williams Lake while floating on your favourite lake-lounger at the Shaw Wilderness Park, but it’s all connected.