Two weeks ago construction work started next to a nearby pond. Not without controversy, this project had been discussed by the city and planners for several years.
Munson Pond originally belonged to the pioneer farming family. The Munson family moved into the area in the 1890s. In the mid-twentieth century the area which is now a pond, became a gravel pit.
The gravel was used in the building of the original Okanagan Lake bridge in 1958. The gravel pit was soon abandoned and filled with water naturally transforming into a lush habitat.
The city, along with the road construction company claims that the new road will provide easier public access to the pond and its diverse plants, birds, wildlife and insects, while improving commuting options for drivers and cyclists.
They say that building a road 100 metres from the wildlife habitat will not seriously affect it. Dissenters claim that it will destroy the current habitat, driving away wildlife and birds.
The construction company very kindly built several birdhouses and bird feeders near the construction site. In the photo above a duck was busy eating up seeds that had fallen from the feeders.
As I walked past the edge of the construction zone the other morning, the vivacious din of chirping chickadees and other birds in the trees and bushes caught my attention.
Change and growth must be expected, especially in the middle of a city, but I hope that those who have been planning and discussing this project for many years have carefully considered the importance of protecting wildlife and have taken all the steps needed to ensure this pond remains a sanctuary for all of us.
Reflections 