| Save Our Seine group begins work BY Brenda Fleming The Lance, Wednesday, July 10, 2002, p.3. Members of the Save Our Seine group are rolling up their sleeves and taking on a big challenge: trying to raise $600,000 by the end of the year. The money is needed to help cover the cost of preserving a beloved section of the Seine River Forest. People of all ages, ranging from school children to seniors, have shown an interest in seeing the forest preserved, Save Our Seine president Jules Legal said. �So many people are cheering us on. It�s very heartwarming.� Trying to raise $600,000 by the end of December is no small task and Save Our Seine members have a lot of work ahead of them, Legal said. Members of the group will be applying for funds from a variety of agencies and foundations, as well as hoping for donations from supporters, including the general public. A formal fundraising plan is still being finalized, but already a variety of groups are coming forward to help, said Legal. Members of the Toronto-based Evergreen Foundation have expressed interest in helping out, as have members of the local Union National Metisse St. Joseph du Manitoba organization. On June 19, Winnipeg city council voted in favour of preserving a section of the forest, and to work with the Save Our Seine group to do that. Council also passed a recommendation to have the city commit $1 million toward acquisition of the forest and to have the city match what the Save Our Seine raises, dollar for dollar, up to a maximum of $6000,000. Council made the decision after a group of Seine River residents said they were concerned that a bridge proposed for Southglen Boulevard could threaten a treasured section of the forest. In addition to voting to have the city work with the Save Our Seine group to preserve the forest, council also voted in favour of a study that will examine three possible locations for a bridge. The deadline for the study, as well as the Save Our Seine fundraising effort has been set at Dec. 31. Seine River draws interest far and wide By Brenda Fleming The Lance, Wednesday, July 10, 2002, p.3. Volunteers are always needed to help out with the work of the Save Our Seine Group, says president Jules Legal. There�s always something to do,� he said. The group, known officially as Save Our Seine River Environment Inc. is involved in a variety of activities, including an annual greening day, said Legal. �We recently planted about 400 trees on the site of the old St. Vital dump at the eat end of Beliveau Road,� says Legal. Volunteers can get involved in many aspects of the groups work. Some of the group�s goals include preserving, protecting and enhancing the natural environment and heritage of the Seine River, raising public awareness about all aspects of the Seine River and working to improve the environmental behaviour of private industry, governments and the public. The group�s role includes monitoring the Seine River environment, as well as promoting ongoing public education about the Seine. Future goals for the group include seeing a Seine River development authority established and seeing the completion of an urban nature trail and canoe route along the length of the Seine. Local school children have made the Seine the focus of their science projects and people have come from as far away as the Philippines have shown an interest in the river and surrounding area, said Legal. Recently, a group from the Philippines visited Winnipeg, and took a canoe trip along the Seine, along with representatives from the Save Our Seine group. The visitors from the Philippines were representatives from various environmental groups and were impressed with the state of the river and surrounding area, said Legal. Anyone interested in volunteering for the Save Our Seine Group is invited to call Legal at 255-6800. |