KILLALOE – A misunderstanding over the status of a monarch butterfly garden in Killaloe’s Station Park led to a heated debate within the council chambers of the Township of Killaloe, Hagarty and Richards at their August 4 meeting.
Representatives of the Valley Climate Circle – Mary Crnkovich, Duncan Noble, and Donna-Marie McLaughlin – spoke before council about the status of the garden, as well as ongoing efforts to maintain and beautify Station Park’s other gardens.
Crnkovich explained that back during a February 3 meeting, the Climate Circle had delivered a presentation to council about a number of initiatives, including an addition to Station Park’s perennial flowerbed – this was the monarch butterfly way station garden. The group had undertaken this initiative to help support the endangered monarch butterfly population. This way station garden is one of 10,000 such way stations throughout North America; Canada is home to 500 sites, and there is currently only one other in Renfrew County, based in Deep River.
“We had hoped to have our little designated park become the second one in Renfrew County,” shared Crnkovich.
However, continued Crnkovich, the Climate Circle was “quite surprised” when they received a call from Councillor Brian Pecoskie, informing them that council had made a decision to remove that portion of the garden.
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