Scuba diving park proposed

[rick]

DEEP IMPACT

Posted By DEREK SWARTZ

Welland Tribune

All the ingredients are in Welland for a scuba diving park: the old canal, a dedicated group of divers and funding.

Stephen Fischer, business manager of the Welland Recreational Canal Corp., said the scuba park designation could come together in less time than it takes "to bake a loaf of bread."

He pointed out the WRCC already has a preliminary study that concludes that a scuba park is feasible. It also has a boat it is prepared to sink for the divers and has funds set aside in its capital budget to bring other aspects of such a park to life.

All it needs is feedback from the local scuba diving community as to what divers would like to have below the waves.

Cliff Durant, a local diver who is spearheading a regional group of interested divers, has organized a second meeting for the group looking to have a section of the Welland Recreational Canal declared a scuba diving park. More than two dozen showed up to the inaugural meeting on April 30. Durant hopes as many, or more, show up on Wednesday, May 14, at the Welland Minor Hockey House at 7 p.m.

Fischer will attend the meeting to listen to the divers' ideas.

"Everywhere I go there's a positive attitude about a scuba park in Welland," Durant says.

Durant adds that the group is serious about having the section between the rail bridge and the Lincoln Street Bridge developed into a scuba park.

It is already a popular spot as the divers assembled Sunday proved. About 45 divers braved the 8 C water to slip below the waves of the canal. About a dozen were diving while Durant spoke, although there was barely a trace of them, save for when they surfaced in ones and twos near the Lincoln docks.

"It was a good chance for people to tune up their skills," says Joe Adams, who owns Adventure Scuba in St. Catharines, and who helped organize Sunday's dive.

The canal is a great spot for diving, Durant says. The water is clear and there is very little current.

He sees it as an ideal training ground for new divers, and says there is the potential for economic spinoffs for the municipality in terms of visitors coming for multi-day training sessions.

"The potential is untapped," Durant suggests.

Looking into the future, he can see the park including a navigation course, a series of submerged platforms for divers to meet at above the silty canal floor and maybe even sunken vehicles - drained of all hazardous fluids - for divers to explore.

The canal corporation is interested in working with the group because the collaboration could add another sustainable sports tourism use to the waterway. Fischer says if the scuba park is developed properly it will attract divers from across Ontario, and probably beyond.

"Divers have a checklist. They say, 'Have you done the Tobermory dive. We want them to say, 'Have you done the Welland Canal dive?' We want to have a park that brings in divers and is interesting and has the amenities so that they want to check it off that list."

[bigugli]

Another argument for prohibiting fishing is just waiting in the wings. Can't have anglers and divers in the same location. It doesn't work. City of Welland is desperate to find any way of offsetting the costs of maintaining the old canal. Especially after losing a bundle on developing a dragon boat course.

[jwl]

wouldn't they not have to go against the regs that are in place right now pertaining to boating on that water way...that would open a whole other can of worms I am thinking in regards to everyone who used to participate in Boating activities there.

If they are talking from the train bridge to the Lincoln St bridge, that's not that huge of a stretch really as a designated area. You also have to admit that the city takes pretty decent care of the area already, I have rarely seem much more of a mess than the odd few things down some of the rocky embankment by the Lincoln bridge, and when we did a few NFN survivor missions and stuff there we generally cleaned those spots up thanks to Smerch having some garbage bags in the van

[jwl]

hey never know...if 2 dozen people seem to have had some impact at a meeting relating to a recreational diving area, if some area anglers tepped up a propossed a better fishing area relating to outdoor tourism in the area..perhaps some of the same logics that they are putting into sinking things and creating artificial diving structre the same could also be applies to creating fish habitat as well,and perhaps thier could be talk of some stocking of different species in the area as well.

never know, if they let the notion of a dive park area in there then as other outdoor enthusiasts in the fishing world the same logics could be used if they passed to let this take place.....the angling community could also in turn say thing like..."ya but the dive club got to sink/create artificial structure in there"..perhaps this could be a stepping stone if the right people where convinced that it's no different than anyhting they areputting in the waterway already, but in this case is used to create artificial structure/fish habitat in there, and perhaps even spawning areas as well.

Sure there would be issues with fishing and diving in the same areas perhaps, or perhaps they should make up a rule that when there is diving taking place in the area...it is no fishing area that they are proposing for this "scuba park"..I don't mean by time of day or stuff like that, I mean a rule stating that if there is a dive marker floating in that area, fishing isn't permitted...no marker bouy out there...good to fish. If some inexperienced or not giving a carp diver is in the water with no marker just cuz they think there are no motorized boats out there for a safety hazzard..well they will just have to face that there would be other factors relating to that, and some what of a happy medium so there would be no monopoly for either tha anglers or the divers, fair is fair...or what would that lead into..a designated fishing area with "no diving" in return...after all fair would be fair.

It's already an area that is fairly well kept up, the city is always doing somehting there, and it seems as well that most who use the area take care of a bit as well.

Maybe instead of sitting back and thinking on it as "oh great another area lost for fishing"..take a bit of a stand, I am sure there are way more anglers in the area than diver...if 24 divers can be heard...24 ANGLERS can be heard too. ..and maybe look at it as an opportunity to preserve a fishing area instead of just sitting back and watching them get yanked out from under our tackle boxes...but with this time, a valid arguement for that factor...basically simply put for one...."if an area of the waterway can be designated for rowing events...another for a scuba diving facility...why...I repeat...why??? could this also not include a designated area for fishing as well???? it's the same sorty of thing...still a sport that utilizes the same waterway....and as a valid argument...who not better to help take care and help facilitate some upgrades to a waterway, than outdooors people who enjoy and value the sport of fishing.

Gotta convince them that there is enough interest from angler groups that they know they will help with things like keeping the place tidy...convince them that's it's just another way to utalize and under used area...there would be spin off to the local businesses as well from the people who would come out there for the day to fish, picinic or whatever as well.

As for fish habitat enhancement projects proposed for the area all ya need to do is come up with some possitive cause and effect...technically speaking it is no different then if the divers where allowed to make artificial diving structure down there....so why not "throw" a couple extra things in there for fish habitat enhancement....and perhaps a contact from the MNR could also advise on this as well as I am sure that they would have to ok or someone from Ocean's and Fisheries would have to ok things being sank in the water...I am sure the MNR could advise about success stories of this nature, and perhaps even give an idea if they would let any stocking take place in there, and what species ect to enhance the water way.

There are enough people on this board right now no prob with connections to outdoors/conservation clubs..the MNR and so on that could drum up an arguement of how this would help the area....like I said if 24 divers can be heard...24 anglers can be heard as well!!!! ......WHY JUST SIT BACK AND LET OTHER PEOPLE ENJOY THE WATERWAY AS YOU MOPE BY WISHING ON THE GOOD OLE DAYS WHEN YOU COULD FISH THERE !!!!!!

[bigugli]

They tried to rally anglers to speak out against the boat ban. That did not work out so well. However,in order for anglers to successfully petition the city, the noise has got to come from residents of Welland. I'm from Beamsville, Bill's in St Catharines, Jack is from Ft. Erie. Our collective opinion does not amount to a hill of squit before Welland council.

[jwl]

who's to say this alleged 2 dozen people who showed up in support of a scuba park where from Welland, and it seems to me they are trying to draw on attracting people to use the area.

As for the boat ban issue....there was a death that sealed that deal in the first place.... people might stand up for the idea of the angling aspect...wouldn't try to couple that with getting the boat ban lifted..if that where ever lifted there should ne horsepower and carft size limits in place anyways...and no jetskis....and also a speed limit so that it abides with no wake zones in relation to the width of a body of water.

Our opinion could amount to a hill of gold if enough Welland area anglers stepped up with a proposal and had the backing of a few people from the surrounding Niagara region, and that would show that the people of Welland would stand up for something like this to happen, and also that there is interest from the surrounding area as well. And might help as well if in that mix where people involved in different outdoor/conservation type clubs as well and can give them examples of different projects that have worked for the clubs or that they are involved with now around Niagara.

[richardl33]

The biggest problem with the Rec Canal is still the boat issue. Everytime you talk to a Welland Resident about fishing the rec canal all they want to know is will i be able to put my boat in there? And the answer from the city of Welland is "Never", maybe with enough time and and a few good guys like Stephen Fisher who is on the WRCC and is willing to be reasonable, someday they will alow electric motors only.

I was on the Welland Anglers commity for a while but the president of the commity John Levick is only interested in getting his big boat back in the Rec anything else like fish structure, stocking, shore fishing etc... doesn't interest him so the communiity never gets anywhere. I haven't heard anyting from him in like a year, and the last meeting with the WRCC John didn't even bother to show up, there was only me and Tim with Stephen from WRCC at the meeting, how can anything get accomplished with only 2 anglers show up at meetings.

What Welland needs is to find someone to take over the Anglers commity who will not try and force the city of welland to remove the ban on boats and will try instead to get electric trolling motored boats only in there and wants to improve shore fishing.

I'm not good enough of an organizer to take over anyone from Welland interested???

[bigugli]

who's to say this alleged 2 dozen people who showed up in support of a scuba park where from Welland, and it seems to me they are trying to draw on attracting people to use the area.

As for the boat ban issue....there was a death that sealed that deal in the first place.... people might stand up for the idea of the angling aspect...wouldn't try to couple that with getting the boat ban lifted..if that where ever lifted there should ne horsepower and carft size limits in place anyways...and no jetskis....and also a speed limit so that it abides with no wake zones in relation to the width of a body of water.

Our opinion could amount to a hill of gold if enough Welland area anglers stepped up with a proposal and had the backing of a few people from the surrounding Niagara region, and that would show that the people of Welland would stand up for something like this to happen, and also that there is interest from the surrounding area as well. And might help as well if in that mix where people involved in different outdoor/conservation type clubs as well and can give them examples of different projects that have worked for the clubs or that they are involved with now around Niagara.

Welland council would be interested in angler input if we could show how nurturing a prime fishery would bring dollars into the city. Last I saw there's one dingy old tackle shop in town and that's it. You gotta show them the money. Upkeep for the parkland is expensive. A large amount of money went into that timing tower for boat races.

As for outsider pressure, it doesn't work. The politicians will politely listen to an outsider and then disregard what was said. Council's job is to represent the interests of its citizens, not the outsiders. We have had a similar situation with Charles Daley Park in Lincoln. We had a lot of people from St Catharines come and tell council what they should or shouldn't do. One member of council was honest enough to tell these lobbyists an honest truth. If you are not a resident and taxpayer, your opinion has no standing. As Richard said, 2 active anglers on the committee just does not get far.

[jwl]

I think first off, to get any headway at all toward the fishing community aspect of the water way the boating things has to be dropped, and not even mentioned, they will never go for anything possitive in regards to fishing on that waterway if the only thing pushed is getting boats back in the water there.....baby steps first...you have to prove to the town that there will be a possitive outcome and it will benefit the waterway, the land surrounding it, and the people who use the area...then perhaps after a couple of years and they see what an "angler's group" had done to benefit the area there via way of habitat restoration,stocking programs, projects to help enhance the park setting there ect....then perhaps the city could later be convinced to let small boats back on the water way.....the boating issue would have it's set backs for sure because the city would look at it as a dent in the pocket book...boat ramps, maintanace,environmental impacts, errosion issues, and also they would need someone to "police" the water way as well...like I said...baby steps.....the Niagara Region needs more shore fishing options preserved, forget the boating thing on that waterway...guys with boats(myself included) have lots of boating/fishing options all around the area, what we need is to preserve our ever shrinking shore fishing opportunities.

If there could be like 20-30 Welland residents who would jump on board, and another bunch of people from the Niagara Region joining forces with them, I am sure you could be heard, just like the people who want to start a scuba park....because like i said...you can come to the town or whom ever is in charge of such things and say..."hey how come they get to do this....why can't we do something too?""......ya gotta do some homework about it first though, and have some proof or at least projections of how this would benefit the area, the water way, the outdoor community, and in turn the City of Welland.

[Guest canada]

Let the Divers have alittle area to pursue there passion, we as anglers have plenty of areas to fish in the region!! I mean you could fish a different spot in Niagara every weekend and still probably not cover 1/2 the available fishing areas in a season!!

[jwl]

Let the Divers have alittle area to pursue there passion, we as anglers have plenty of areas to fish in the region!! I mean you could fish a different spot in Niagara every weekend and still probably not cover 1/2 the available fishing areas in a season!!

you are right about that for sure...there is a tonne of water around the area for sure, I have often said to buddies over the years things like "wow with all the fishing we do all the time, if you think about it we don't even fish a fraction of the water around here" And the funny part about that is, we don't even fish the "popular" spots, I don't pull up to the places that there are already 10 people fishing and cast a line just cuz I think that might be the hot spot, funny how I can fish most of the summer...put up some great reports ect and some pics...but at the same hand not bump into too many board members while out there unless of course that's what I want to do for the day....so if I got all those spots I like to fish, and other members have thier spots they like to fish...we all get out alot, catch lots of fish, and share great reports...but yet we rarely bump into eachother in our travels....there has to be lots of places to fish....I just like choosing the ones that are a bit off the beaten path is all

[richardl33]

Let the Divers have alittle area to pursue there passion, we as anglers have plenty of areas to fish in the region!! I mean you could fish a different spot in Niagara every weekend and still probably not cover 1/2 the available fishing areas in a season!!

I'm all for the diving club in the Welland Rec, i won't gain nothing from this since I don't scuba dive but I think it would be a good place since the water is clear and there is little current in the Rec. Canal. but shore fishing could be greatly improved.

[smerchly]

The rec.is a long water way & could be divided for diff. activities......example : Lincoln St.to Ontario Rd ,for diving clubs ...they have the ramp there . ..........Ontario Rd.to Town Line rd. for boaters with electic motors or canoes & shore fishing .............Waters north of Lincoln could be for races of different sorts. Out of towners should have some input if they can show money will come with them , like tourists bring in other towns . That canal is a goldmine if utilized properlry.......other cities would be in heaven with a water way like that in the middle of town ! But I hope they always keep it as a "green" area for people to enjoy the park like atmosphere ....somewhere to relax , picnic & fish . Nice for the whole family to enjoy .

[BassMike]

That would be cool

[Guest Troit]

Safe is what it should be

[Gil]

The biggest problem with the Rec Canal is still the boat issue. Everytime you talk to a Welland Resident about fishing the rec canal all they want to know is will i be able to put my boat in there? And the answer from the city of Welland is "Never", maybe with enough time and and a few good guys like Stephen Fisher who is on the WRCC and is willing to be reasonable, someday they will alow electric motors only.

I was on the Welland Anglers commity for a while but the president of the commity John Levick is only interested in getting his big boat back in the Rec anything else like fish structure, stocking, shore fishing etc... doesn't interest him so the communiity never gets anywhere. I haven't heard anyting from him in like a year, and the last meeting with the WRCC John didn't even bother to show up, there was only me and Tim with Stephen from WRCC at the meeting, how can anything get accomplished with only 2 anglers show up at meetings.

What Welland needs is to find someone to take over the Anglers commity who will not try and force the city of welland to remove the ban on boats and will try instead to get electric trolling motored boats only in there and wants to improve shore fishing.

I'm not good enough of an organizer to take over anyone from Welland interested???

Richard,

My understanding after a conversation with councilor Sandy o"Dell last spring was that boats with electric motors were allowed on the Rec! On his say so I have been enjoying my electric powered canoe on the Canal all this past season! and catching a ton of perch I might add! I think we need some clarification regarding this issue. Any takers? Mr. Fischer?

Gil Levesque

Fishing the Welland canal forover 50 yrs!

[jwl]

I know in the past from talking to Richard he had some great ideas proposed for the waterway, anything from rehab projects to fish stocking efforts, problem being no backers.

As for that waterway, I myself fish from both shore and boat, there are tonnes of areas you can fish in a boat, as for the Rec, I am not bothered at all with the fact you cannot use an outboard in there, if I wanted to bad enough, I could bring one of my little tinners home from my trailer and some oars and have fun, or get the canoe out for a nice paddle.

If we think about it, that area is always kept up really nice, hardly any garbage around, and if there has been when I have been there with some members from this board, we clean it up no problem as it is a minimal amount at best.

Not to rehatch an old subject,but why not leave it as it is, there's some great fishing to be had, a nice clean park like setting and so on

[pauly]

I think the scuba flippers will cause too much wake and erode the shoreline.

[Erik.T.]

Its all fun untill someone get hit in the head with a tanker or smashed by a rudder or chopped up by a propeller or gets trapped unter a boat or blocks a shipping lane or gets caught in the wake of the propeller..........yea but still a pretty good idea I would go.

[Tom Chopin]

Eric, the recreation canal in welland is part of the old canal system and is no longer used except for recreation, fishing, kayaking, etc.

I heard they have already started to sink things for the dive park. I hear there is supposed to be a bus, a airplane, and other items to dive to when it's fully complete.

[Erik.T.]

My mistake. cool where is this part located?

[Tom Chopin]

Basically goes through the middle of welland. It does attach to the existing canal at either end but is broken up in bits near Dain City.

http://maps.google.ca/maps?f=q&source=...209427&z=12

[Erik.T.]

I have fished there before I guess I didn't notice the absence of ships.

[pauly]

Nice structure!

Eric, the recreation canal in welland is part of the old canal system and is no longer used except for recreation, fishing, kayaking, etc.

I heard they have already started to sink things for the dive park. I hear there is supposed to be a bus, a airplane, and other items to dive to when it's fully complete.

[Dan Andrews]

I like it! Just move it South to where there are no motorized boats allowed already. Shore fishing shouldn't be disallowed anywhere except sensitive areas that are made into sanctuaries. This doesn't fit the criteria.

Suppose the dirty 30's return and people need to fish to eat. Screw the divers and rowers, we ned to hold onto that right but I see no reason why it can't be shared with all three.

I also agree we have plenty of space to run our motors. Quit beating a dead horse. You can't run a motor in allot of places like small creeks but a kayak can make it through. Why not admit defeat on this motor issue and treat the rec like a small creek. We can still fish it.

We never showed up for the fight so we lost. Can anyone say lesson learned? I doubt we have the ambition for even that. Thank you Richard for representing us. Sorry the rest of the anglers in Welland were too busy minding their own business.