Art, Hike, Lights and Open Mic at Ball’s Bridge

Preserving a historically and ecologically significant area from a gravel pit for future generations

By Maja Romano, Goderich

Imagine standing on a rustic, historic bridge while the summer sun sparkles off the river as it winds through farms and meadows. Wildflowers dot the narrow road in a soothing scene that invokes the tranquility of the countryside. Now replace the fields with barren gravel pits and the bird calls with the drone and crunch of heavy machinery and the peaceful feeling disappears instantly. This is the future facing the Little Lakes road area in the heart of Ashfield-Colborne-Wawanosh (Township of ACW) farmland, where a proposed industrial, below the water table gravel mine threatens an environmentally diverse, historically significant and agriculturally abundant area.

The historic Ball’s Bridge, saved from demolition by the Friends of Ball’s Bridge in 2006, remains the heart of the Friends of Ball’s Bridge & Little Lakes (FOBBLL) community. The unique experience of the bridge will be devalued by the noise, dust and vibration of an open pit gravel mine.

On Saturday, July 22, FOBBLL organized the “Art Hike Lights & Open Mic” event at Ball’s Bridge, a full and fun day of events encouraging people to enjoy the natural beauty of the area and mobilize support against the proposed mining operations that threaten its existence. Throughout the day, visitors picnicked, kayaked and learned about the mining plans while participating in numerous activities for all ages. Kids explored local wildlife with games of nature bingo while a historical walk presented stories of the Anishinabek and Saugeen Ojibway Nations, the traditional keepers of the land, along with the settlers who built Ball’s Bridge and some of the area’s first houses. Visitors enjoyed a barbecue by donation and a lively open mic session with a diverse line-up of musicians.

Among the performers was local folk singer Don Roothe, who proudly announced he was nearing 90 and attended the event with his daughter and granddaughter – three generations showing their support. He even wrote a song about the area specifically for the event! The audience danced to the music and sang along with familiar songs, some freshly customized for the gathering. As supporter Jennifer Morris sang in a moving adaptation of the famous Joni Mitchell song, “Don’t it always seem to go that you don’t know what you got till it’s gone. Let’s save Little Lakes from a big gravel pit.” 

Talented artists showcased their work around the bridge and nearby trails, from the famed giant murals of the Beehive Collective that depict community land struggles, to the energetic and ecologically-inspired mixed media of local artist Autumn Ducharme. Site-specific installations by renowned Colombian-Venezuelan-Canadian media artist, curator and researcher Alexandra Gelis and Toronto-based artist Jorge Lozano took shape throughout the day. Visitors also enjoyed a special immersive “art hike” by renowned local artist Elizabeth Van Den Broeck of Elizabeth’s Art Gallery in Goderich, who installed large-scale prints of her vibrant work in the natural places that inspired their creation.

As participants connected with the natural landscapes and long-running history of Little Lakes and Ball’s Bridge, they were invited to sign a letter to Lisa Thompson, MPP, calling for a full environmental assessment by the province of the impacts of the proposed gravel pit. The letter is one clear and direct way of voicing concern about the impact on the “beautiful forests, wildlife corridors, four lakes and the Maitland River that is home to many animals, amphibians, birds and trees, plants, and endangered turtles” as well as highlighting the historical significance of Ball’s Bridge. 

A key point of the letter explains that a gravel mine is not only destructive but industrially redundant. According to Mike Balkwill, campaign director of the Reform Gravel Mining Coalition, "We don't need another gravel pit because Ontario already licenses 13 times as much aggregate for extraction as the industry uses every year. What we do need is to preserve and protect places like this, where the community can gather and enjoy the natural surroundings in peace and harmony."

The Little Lakes region clearly holds a special place in the hearts and memories of people who know its history and ecological significance. For some, the proposed mine is symptomatic of the greed of extractivism that positions profits over the environment, as expressed by a retired farming couple who came to the event to show solidarity while fighting against having their own piece of rural paradise being turned into a dump for nuclear waste. For others, the area is vividly imprinted with memories of colourful autumn drives with beloved family members who are no longer with us.

One special visitor to the event was a descendant of the original Ball family for whom the bridge is named, who spent his career working in mines and therefore knows their dangers firsthand if not properly controlled. "Let's keep the area clear of gravel pits. Keep the environment pristine and avoid any possible adverse effects to this area,” said William Ron Vodden, whose grandmother Eunice May Vodden (born Ball) lived in the area. “Ball’s Bridge was a meeting point for me and my cousins when we visited Grandma Vodden, who lived on what’s Winthrop Road now. We’d come down here and fish for suckers, so it has a little bit of a history for us."

The idyllic region attracts visitors from farther afield as well. Madeleine Barkey, a professor from Michigan, would come to the area every weekend to decompress from teaching. “We love the community, we love the way that everybody integrates farming with some industry, while maintaining the beauty of the land,” she said. “That’s why we’re here, that’s why we bought a house here, and that’s why we chose this community.”

As the sun went down and the performances wrapped up, the crowd came together to express appreciation for the efforts of organizers and participants, and acknowledge the importance of preserving this special ecosystem for future generations and the health of the environment. Along the iron beams of Ball’s Bridge, hundreds of candles were lined up and everybody was invited to light them while making a wish for the future of the area and for the planet. As night settled in, the bridge glowed with the intention and resolve of all the people dedicated to safeguarding the heritage of this unique place.

Rebecca Garrett, president of FOBBLL, hopes the event “showed people how special this place is. We invited everyone to experience the river, the wildlife corridor, the four Little Lakes teeming with birds and amphibians, and the work of amazing local and visiting artists. We told them about the threat this whole area is under from an open pit, below the water table gravel mine. As a former ACW Councillor said, ‘This place is sacred.’”  Reflecting on the day, she added, “You could feel the peace and hopefulness when participants lit candles on the bridge as the sun went down, and made a wish for the future of the planet and this beautiful place.”

Looking to the future, Rebecca noted, “In September, the Ontario Land Tribunal (OLT) will hear our case against the gravel mining company and decide the fate of our community. The next two months are a crucial phase in our campaign to stop a below the water table mine from harming wetlands, wildlife habitat, lakes and the Maitland (Menesetung) River.” She added, “Our community has been expressing grave concerns for over two years about environmental impacts due to the proximity to the river and the complex hydrogeology of connected wetlands and underground streams, a nearby refresh area, waterfalls along the banks of the river, and unique geological features of the Little Lakes.” 

There are ways that people can support FOBBLL in its mission and raise awareness about upcoming plans. According to Rebecca, “To make a strong case at the hearing, we need to hire lawyers and experts well-versed in fighting the aggregate industry. Friends of Ball's Bridge & Little Lakes is an incorporated citizen group, and are grateful for financial contributions. A charitable receipt will be issued for all donations made.”

To make a donation, please visit https://www.littlelakesroad.org/take-action

For more information and to learn how you can get involved, visit the Friends of Little Lakes and Ball’s Bridge online (https://www.littlelakesroad.org/) and on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/littlelakesroad)

You can also sign the letter to Lisa Thompson calling for an environmental assessment for the Little Lakes gravel pit (https://act.newmode.net/action/wellington-water-watchers/demand-environmental-assessment-little-lakes-pit)

Visit the website of the Reform Gravel Mining 

Coalition to learn more about gravel mining in Ontario (https://www.reformgravelmining.ca/)