Lake Superior Day celebrates Great Lake’s impact

If the region were to lose Lake Superior as a source of clean freshwater, the area would be in bad shape, said Deborah Poole-Hofmann.

The co-ordinator for Sunday’s Lake Superior Day celebration at Marina Park said the lake is a fantastic resource and people rely on it more than they know.

"I find that we have so (many) resources around us, we don’t realize how fast they can disappear," she said. "You see it; you think it’s great. For years, I’ve enjoyed it. I’ve gone to my grandparents’ camp and until you hear recently that in certain areas you can’t go swimming. That never happened when I was just a child and that’s only in the last 20 years."

While there was plenty of fun and games at the park, there were also several education booths. Poole-Hofmann said she hoped people would learn the different ways they can help to protect the lake.

An extra effort was focused on the youth in the hopes they will bring the message to their parents and as a family can change old habits.

"A lot of people are probably totally naïve about it," Poole-Hofmann said. "Let’s take a look at the Gulf of Mexico. Who would have thought that would have happened? Look at how long it’s taken them to try to clean it up and it’s still not solved."

As the celebrating was happening at the marina on the north side of the city, the Lakehead Region Conservation Authority was hosting their own Lake Superior Day event at Mission Island Marsh with activities like tai chi, windsurfing, canoeing and kayaking for people to try.

Lake Superior Day always falls on the third Sunday in July.




With files from tbnewswatch.com reporter Jeff Labine.