| SOS GOALS * To act as stewards of the Seine River, preserving and restoring its natural environment. * To educate the public and encourage public participation in the appreciation and stewardship of the Seine River environment. * To monitor actions of government, communities, businesses, and organizations which impact the Seine River environment, and to work cooperatively with them to seek and implement solutions to problems encountered. A BIT OF SOS HISTORY 1. Sept. 5, 1990 First meeting of residents to address concerns about Seine River. 2. Oct. 13, 1990 First Seine River Cleanup on Egerton Road. 3. Oct. 24, 1990 Town Hall Meeting with three levels of government to address concerns of residents and friends. 4. Nov. 10, 1990 Seine River Cleanup from Provencher to the Red: organized by Robert Loiselle (SOS) with St. Boniface College university students. 5. Nov. 1990 Save Our Seine Lorette was organized 6. Dec. 1990 Received International Coalition of Water Management Award. 7. Feb. 1991 Meeting with Seine River interest groups: North St. Boniface Residents Association, SOS Lorette, Province, City, etc. 8. June 1991 Environment Week Seine River Cleanup: south of Provencher. 9. Nov. 2, 1991 Second Annual Cleanup from Seine River Parkway - Egerton Rd. 10. Nov. 25, 1991 Presented brief to the Water Quality Hearing. 11. Winter 1991 Meetings with MLAs Render, Dacquay, Reimer and Grant Baker (Manitoba Natural Resources) and Morley Smith (Masters student) to discuss needs related to Seine River. 12. April 1992 Meeting with Province to accept environmental grant from Hon. Harry Enns, Minister Natural Resources ($33,000) for research (Morley Smith) and Seine River restoration / cleanup. 13. Oct. 17, 1992 Third Annual River Cleanup behind Westeel Roscoe. 14. Oct. 1992 Morley Smith completed Water Management for the Lower Seine River. 15. Nov. 1992 Cleanup/breakup of concrete blocks behind Beaver Bus Lines: joint project with City of Winnipeg and SOS ($12,000). 16. Spring 1993 Began water testing in cooperation with Manitoba Environment, Water Management Unit. 17. April 1993 Correction of Autumnwood apartment block sewer hook-up: cooperative effort with Works and Operations to stop raw sewage from emptying into the Seine River. 18. Spring 1993 Log boom installed at Winnipeg Floodway/Seine River syphon: cooperative project with Province of Manitoba. 19. June 15, 1993 Meetings and coop. planning with Wpg. Waterworks, Waste & Disposal re: expansion of storm sewer system along Seine River. 20. Sept. 21, 1993 Attended meeting organized by Councillors Reese and Golden to discuss the City of Winnipeg's Seine River Task Force study and future planning process. 21. Oct. 16, 1993 Fourth Annual River Cleanup: Marlene St. behind �cole Lavall�e. 22. Nov. 17, 1993 General Membership Meeting: Development of Seine River and SOS involvement with Seine River Task Force the major focus. 23. Feb. 8, 1994 Presented Position Statement to the Seine River Task Force and joined the Alliance Committee (stakeholders). - SOS chairs Alliance Committee and sits on Task Force Sub-Committees including; Citizens Advisory, Historical, Hydrological. 24. Spring 1994 St. Vital School Division ran Yellow Fish Program (storm sewer marking / public education), organized by Peg Venables, SOS/Teacher. 25. June 29, 1994 Winnipeg Development Agreement Public Forum: SOS presented proposal inviting WDA to become a partner with SOS in developing the site on Provencher east of des Meurons and the shopping mall as a year round showcase of the Seine River. 26. July 1994 SOS became incorporated as Save Our Seine River Environment Inc. 27. Summer 1994 SOS received funding for a Winnipeg Green Team: 10 youths supervised by SOS Board Members wrapped 1000 trees and cleaned river from Fermor to Provencher, including major log jam. 28. Aug. 1994 Received funding from Sustainable Development Innovations Fund (Province) to plan and build an Interpretive Nature Corridor. 29. Oct.15, 1994 Fifth Annual River Cleanup at three sites: Morrow Avenue, 339 Archibald (jointly with St. Boniface College University Student Association) and John Bruce Road (jointly with Vincent Massey Collegiate). 30. Jan. 1995 Received $25,000 Sustainable Development Innovations Fund grant, for obstruction removal and habitat improvement. $20,000 of funds are targeted for the removal of concrete blocks in the middle of the Seine River. 31. Jan. 1995 SOS launches The Coalition for a Canoeable Seine River and approaches 48 organizations from commercial, environmental, recreational, residential, historic and educational sectors to advance the proposal of restoring the health of the Seine River so that it may become a historic Canoe Route. 32. Feb. 1995 City of Winnipeg Riverbank Management Committee allocated $2,500 to S.O.S. for Geo-Technical Engineering Study regarding concrete block removal. 33. May 27, 1995 First SOS Annual Greening attracts approximately 150 volunteers involving Vincent Massey Collegiate, SOS and the St.Boniface Riverbank Preservation Committee at three sites: John Bruce Road, Red River north of Provencher, and IKO on Archibald. Close to 2000 trees were planted and the larger trees protected from beaver damage with stucco wire. Grants were received from Active Living (Prov. of Manitoba) $2000, Manitoba Hydro $2000, Shell Environmental Fund $500, Special Conservation Fund (Prov. of Manitoba) $4000 (Oct. 95) for the purchase of plant stock and wire-wrapping supplies used by SOS Urban Green Team during summer of 1995. 34. June 16, 1995 Province of Manitoba kicks off the Urban Green Team program with SOS's Green Team. According to the province, "The Save-Our-Seine "green team" has been selected to assist in hosting the 1995 kick-off, because of the team's success to date in cleaning up the scenic Seine River waterway in southeast Winnipeg." 35. June 26, 1995 Under SOS supervision, two University of Manitoba students Jared Whelan-Enns and Larissa Panachenko begin a feasibility study for a low-impact interpretative trail between Marion and Provencher. Approximately 300 immediate households are surveyed. Funding for the study was provided by the Sustainable Development Innovations Fund of the Province of Manitoba, and Summer Careers Placement Program. 36. Sept 1995 Meeting was held with MLA Shirley Render, David Newman, Louise Dacquay to introduce the feasibility study for SOS's Seine River Trail. 37. Oct 24, 1995 Meeting was held with the Honourable Albert Driedger, Minister of Natural Resources, Shirley Render and David Newman regarding Heritage status, protection and conservation of the Seine River. 38. Nov. 8, 1995 Meeting with Provincial Park personnel, Gordon Jones, to discuss heritage, conservation district and possibility of the Seine become a Provincial Park. 39. Nov. 22, 1995 Meeting with hydrology experts from three levels of government to determine what concrete steps can be taken for the restoration and rehabilitation of the Seine River waterway. 40. May 9, 1996 Manitoba Legislature unanimously resolves to �urge the appropriate government departments and the members of the Legislative Assembly to work in co-operation with the appropriate municipal governments and the federal government to do what is reasonably desirable to protect the Seine River for ourselves and for future generations of Manitobans as a valuable natural, recreational and historical resource.� Preamble notes past abuse and need to reconsider water management practices to enhance the river and praises work of Save Our Seine. 41. May 24. 1996 Third S.O.S. Green Team starts work for the summer. For the first time we were able to include all of the Seine River between the Red River and the floodway . 42. June , 1996 Sponsored a survey of fish species diversity in the entire Seine River by Bernard Gaudet. 43. June 1, 1996 Second annual greening was held along the upper bank of the Seine on the edge of a soccer field at the end of rue La Fl�che. This section of the Seine is the original site of the of the De Meuron settlement, the soldier-settlers recruited by Lord Selkirk at the bequest of Lagimodi�re. They were the first settled military presence in Western Canada and assured the first attempts of colonization. 44. Sept. 16, 1996 SOS makes a presentation before Riel Community Committee asking for further measures of protection of the Seine River. 45.. Oct 19, 19496 S.O.S. cleanup at Morantz Park at the end of Bonita St. off St. Annes Rd. 46. Nov. 1996 Removal of more concrete blocks from the river behind Beaver Bus Lines. |