[BCNnet] FW: Toronto - for the birds...

[DRD]

BCN Friends,

 

This should be of interest to all.

 

Donnie  

 

Donnie Dann

Highland Park/Lake County

donniebird at yahoo.com 

 

 

 

Toronto is for the birds 

New bylaw hopes to stop bird and building collisions 

 

By STUART GREEN  <javascript:document.authorform.submit()> More from this
author

Jan. 12, 2006 


A flap over thousands of migratory bird deaths could turn Toronto into the
world's leading defender of our fine feathered friends. 

On Monday, the city's planning committee backed calls for new policies
respecting existing and new buildings as well as an awareness campaign to
reduce by half the number of migratory bird deaths caused by collisions with
windows. 

"Today is a huge day," said Michael Mesure, executive director of Fatal
Light Awareness Program (FLAP). "This is something we've been dreaming about
for a long time; getting a partnership with the city to work toward a
lighting bylaw in order to save birds' lives." 

City staff estimates that as many as 10,000 birds are killed during the
spring and fall migratory periods. 

The intent of the new policies and campaign is to reduce that number while
also reducing energy costs. New buildings will be required to include
bird-friendly design as part of the planning process while existing building
owners, particularly in the downtown core where mortalities are highest,
will be advised twice a year when to turn off the lights at night. The
program would have lights shut off between 11 p.m. and 5 a.m. from mid-March
to early June and mid-August to early November. 

"Now that Toronto is passing a bylaw, it will be the first city in not only
the continent but the world to do this," Mesure said. "It's a win-win
situation. Not only do birds get saved, but money and energy get saved as
well." 

The city has already taken a leading role in the initiative. At Metro Hall a
program is in place that has not only saved the lives of hundreds of birds,
but has saved the city $200,000 in hydro costs each year simply by shutting
off lights. 

Ward 15 Councillor and committee member Howard Moscoe (Eglinton-Lawrence)
called the initiative one of the more "interesting" ones the city has
undertaken. 

"Now when people say Toronto is for the birds they'll mean literally as well
as figuratively," he joked. 

The problem is not limited to downtown, though. 

In Ward 38 Councillor Glenn De Baeremaeker's (Scarborough Centre) area, the
mirrored facade of the Consilium Place office towers near the Scarborough
Town Centre may have been responsible for hundreds of bird deaths as well. 

But not all councillors are convinced the plan will work. 

Ward 34 Councillor Denzil Minnan-Wong (Don Valley East) said he is concerned
about the impact of building code changes on the development industry. 

"We should know what the financial implications are," he said. 

The issue goes to council for approval at the end of the month.

 

 

Heather Ray - 

Director, Resource & Partnership Development

Fatal Light Awareness Program (FLAP)

 

hm. off: 905-985-2984

Cell: 905-718-1292

 <mailto:heather at flap.org> mailto:heather at flap.org

 <http://www.flap.org/> http://www.flap.org

Royal Bank Plaza - LC 

P.O. Box 20

Toronto, ON M5J 2J1

 

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