Snow bank and debris a 'pile of pollution' at Governor's Pond, walkers say
'Somebody has to quack for the ducks. It might as well be me,' says Ray Campbell
Rain, shine, frost or fog, Ray Campbell walks by the little pond near Government House in Charlottetown every day.
And when he looks at the snow, garbage and pavement pucks piled up right beside Governor's Pond, he sees just one thing: "An eyesore."
"It just looks like a pile of pollution," Campbell said. "The snow has droplets of oil, anti-freeze, the brine from the bottom of cars, and it's seeping into the watershed there where the ducks and other animals [and] creatures live."
He said he contacted people with the provincial government who he thought could get it fixed up. That hasn't happened yet.
Along with chunks of pavement, a walk around the pond reveals bits of plastic, pizza boxes, coffee cups and other assorted grime.
"Nobody seems to be sticking up for the creatures down here in this little pond," Campbell said. "Somebody has to quack for the ducks. It might as well be me."
Other people who walk around the pond and spend time watching the ducks said the same thing.
'We need to take this kind of thing seriously'
Fouad Haddad walks the area with his wife and dog as often as he can. He was taking pictures of the ducks just before he talked to CBC News.
"I was born and raised in this neighbourhood. I love this," he said, looking at the pond. "I'd like to see even better drainage and care for this little habitat that the birds have.
"It's always nice to see the ducks here. A lot of people enjoy their view," he said. "The snow pile-up ... it should be piled up somewhere else and trucked away. Absolutely."
Regina Russell also visits the pond regularly, taking pictures and sharing them on social media. Coming down and watching the ducks is a highlight for her.
Seeing the blackened snow banks and debris piled up?
Not so much.
"I didn't realize they were banking the snow there, or what was in the snow, but I imagine it would be something that could be potentially harmful for the pond," she said. "We need to take this kind of thing seriously."
'Urban ponds are regularly affected by runoff'
A study from 2019 looking at the water quality and creatures living in ponds in Charlottetown had choice words for Governor's Pond, calling the ecological health of the pond "very poor."
The Ellen's Creek Watershed Report Card from 2023 had similar findings, giving Governor's Pond a "fairly poor" rating regarding the number of organisms in the water. That translates to "significant organic pollution," the report said.
Emma Doucette, with the watershed, said the water quality is also affected because the pond is connected to the Charlottetown Harbour by a culvert, giving it the "highest salinity level by far of any of the ponds we gather data from."
She also said water quality is affected because the pond doesn't flow like freshwater rivers or streams. That said, she said the pond certainly isn't in "pristine condition."
"It's been altered beyond recognition throughout history, and is completely surrounded by roads and one of the busiest parking lots in Charlottetown," Doucette said. "I have no doubt there is runoff into the pond that affects the water quality there."
According to the province's Environmental Protection Act Watercourse and Wetland Protection Act regulations, waterways like Governor's Pond are supposed to be protected from dumping within a certain distance.
Unless the proper licensing is done, the regulations say no person shall "dump or infill, or deposit soil, water, mud, sand, gravel, stones, rubbish, litter, rocks, aggregate or material or objects of any kind" within 15 metres of a watercourse or wetland boundary."
In a joint statement to CBC News from the Department of Environment and Department of Transportation, the provincial government said it follows guidelines and it's "not concerned" with stockpiling snow near the pond during winter months.
"Urban ponds are regularly affected by runoff throughout the year due to their proximity to parking lots, roads, etc. and this one is no exception. Given the amount of aquatic vegetation growing in the pond, and duck broods using it over the last number of years, the pond appears to be quite healthy," the statement reads.
"Snow removed during plowing is not pushed into the pond but is left at the edge of the parking lot. Transportation and Infrastructure staff routinely clean up litter and/or debris from the snow pile during any melt periods, followed by a more comprehensive clean-up every spring before the area between the pond and parking lot are re-seeded for grass."
Campbell is among those who say the solution would be to clean up the piles of snow and debris at the pond now, and in the future pile it into trucks and dump it in a large lot on Union Road — which is where many trucks go to take tons of plowed snow out of the capital.
Asked whether there should be an environmental assessment, Campbell said he'd prefer to see any money that would go to that kind of exercise be used instead to move the piles.
"Just clean it up," he said. "Just do it."
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