By Allen Steinberg [1]
BELLEVILLE – Four beaches in the Quinte region have been officially restored, the Bay of Quinte Remedial Action Plan Restoration Council announced last week.
Centennial Park in Deseronto, Kingsford Mills on the Salmon River, Frankford Park on the Trent River and Centennial Park at Northport [2] in Prince Edward County were all areas of concern before the federal and provincial governments recently deemed them restored.
The news means that six of 11 areas on the Bay of Quinte that were identified as “water-quality challenges” have seen drastic improvements since the restoration plan kickstarted in 1985. That was also the year the Bay of Quinte was identified on the Great Lakes Areas of Concern List [3]. When all 11 areas have been deemed restored, the Bay of Quinte will be removed from the list.
“Reaching another milestone in rehabilitating the bay is a testament to the dedication and hard work of our federal, provincial and municipal partners, as well as industry, agriculture, the public and local conservation authorities,” said Brad McNevin, chief executive officer of Quinte Conservation and co-chair of the restoration council, in announcing the news.