Greenwater Report for September 17, 2001

The Greenwater Report for September 17, 2001

Greenwater Provincial Park - Monday, September 17, 2001 - by: Gerald Crawford

pleasant
September 16th, 2001: We had some pretty cool weather last week, but yesterday was pleasant, and today is gorgeous! There were a few people lounging on the beach, and I believe we actually saw a couple in the water. Vince Brekker and Joyce and Ron Weber came with us for a boat ride this afternoon, just prowling along close to the shore, admiring the fall colors in the undergrowth. We didn't even need jackets. Every day we get like that at this time of year is a bonus.

Parkland
Review
It's nice to know somebody has been reading my column. In a recent copy of the Parkland Review, a spokesman for the CNR rebutted my remarks of a few weeks ago, when I mentioned the long lineup of empty grain cars on the rail line west of Hudson Bay:

Nothing sinister about grain car storage site

grain
cars
In light of grain handling and transportation issues in recent years, reports of thousands of Government of Canada grain cars sitting idle on the unused section of CN line between Hudson Bay and Prairie River, sidetracked more than a few conversations over the past week. In following up on the situation as described in "The Greenwater Report" in the August 10 edition of The Parkland Review, it was discovered that over the slower, summer months, grain cars are stored in this, and other locations, so that they are out of the way, yet easily accessed in the fall when needed.

Jim
Feeney

"Every season, grain and fertilizer shipments decline through May and June and we reach a seasonal low in grain shipments before harvest," explained CN's media spokesperson, Jim Feeney.

storage

"When grain movement is slow and the cars are not being used, they are put into storage for the summer." About September, when the harvest starts rolling into the terminals, the grain cars are put back into circulation.

wildlife

The gaps between the 70 to 170-car blocks allow wildlife passage through the maze of 1600 cars.

clarify

Feeney appreciated the opportunity to clarify this as well as CN's role in the allocation of grain cars, that was questioned in the article. "There is no shortage of grain cars and the railway doesn't allocate cars. The grain companies decide which of their elevators will get cars."

"There's nothing sinister about it at all," Feeney stressed.

mile or two
Seems to me a rail car is about sixty feet long, counting the couplers. That means an opening every mile or two.

gas front
Further on the gas front: as of Friday, gas at Tisdale was 76.9¢; at Betthel's Service in Bjorkdale it was 75.9¢. At the Co-op in Porcupine Plain it was 82.9¢. It pays to shop around!

amphitheater
There was a wedding at the Park this weekend. There was a huge white tent pitched on the Cove's volleyball court, complete with dance floor, and there were pew-like benches arranged on the Peninsula, which is where the service was held. Vince referred to them as the Park's fancy new benches; when I quizzed him, he said they were for the amphitheater the Park is going to build. No question, the benches are pretty nice, complete with backs just like church pews. Rumor has it that the amphitheater will be built near the Administration Building, and will include a stage and bandshell. It may not be big enough to accommodate the Saskatchewan Express crowd, which is from 1,500 to 2,000 people plus a very large stage, but should be nice for smaller entertainments.

Cove's
expansion
Footings have been poured for the first stage of the Cove's expansion. The original plan was to start the move about now, but since they still have to pour the basement walls, it will be running late. We had hoped to have it available for the Ducks Unlimited Banquet, which is on October 6th. If it is not ready, plans have been made to make room in the store, so the banquet will be held regardless.

natural
gas
Another rumor making the rounds: Sask Energy may be bringing a larger natural gas line to the Park, and if they do, it may be made available to cottage owners. The Cottage Owners' Association tried on several occasions to convince Sask Energy to distribute gas to the cottages, but they claimed the existing line is too small. With the increased demand from the Park, and from Fisherman's Cove's expansion, they are forced to do something. Let's hope it's not just a rumor!

Doreen & Gerald B. Crawford
Box 100, Chelan, SK S0E 0N0 (306) 278-3423 Check out my Webpage: http://www3.sk.sympatico.ca/crawg

Mr. Crawford sent along a couple of unusual "X"s from aircraft contrails that he has captured lately.


The Greenwater Report for September 17, 2001
Greenwater Provincial Park - Monday, September 17, 2001 - by: Gerald Crawford

pleasant	September 16th, 2001: We had some pretty cool weather last week, but yesterday was pleasant, and today is gorgeous! There were a few people lounging on the beach, and I believe we actually saw a couple in the water. Vince Brekker and Joyce and Ron Weber came with us for a boat ride this afternoon, just prowling along close to the shore, admiring the fall colors in the undergrowth. We didn't even need jackets. Every day we get like that at this time of year is a bonus.

Parkland Review	It's nice to know somebody has been reading my column. In a recent copy of the Parkland Review, a spokesman for the CNR rebutted my remarks of a few weeks ago, when I mentioned the long lineup of empty grain cars on the rail line west of Hudson Bay:
	Nothing sinister about grain car storage site
grain cars	In light of grain handling and transportation issues in recent years, reports of thousands of Government of Canada grain cars sitting idle on the unused section of CN line between Hudson Bay and Prairie River, sidetracked more than a few conversations over the past week. In following up on the situation as described in "The Greenwater Report" in the August 10 edition of The Parkland Review, it was discovered that over the slower, summer months, grain cars are stored in this, and other locations, so that they are out of the way, yet easily accessed in the fall when needed.

Jim Feeney	"Every season, grain and fertilizer shipments decline through May and June and we reach a seasonal low in grain shipments before harvest," explained CN's media spokesperson, Jim Feeney.

storage	"When grain movement is slow and the cars are not being used, they are put into storage for the summer." About September, when the harvest starts rolling into the terminals, the grain cars are put back into circulation.

wildlife	The gaps between the 70 to 170-car blocks allow wildlife passage through the maze of 1600 cars.

clarify	Feeney appreciated the opportunity to clarify this as well as CN's role in the allocation of grain cars, that was questioned in the article. "There is no shortage of grain cars and the railway doesn't allocate cars. The grain companies decide which of their elevators will get cars."

	"There's nothing sinister about it at all," Feeney stressed.

mile or two	Seems to me a rail car is about sixty feet long, counting the couplers. That means an opening every mile or two.

gas front	Further on the gas front: as of Friday, gas at Tisdale was 76.9¢; at Betthel's Service in Bjorkdale it was 75.9¢. At the Co-op in Porcupine Plain it was 82.9¢. It pays to shop around!

amphitheater	There was a wedding at the Park this weekend. There was a huge white tent pitched on the Cove's volleyball court, complete with dance floor, and there were pew-like benches arranged on the Peninsula, which is where the service was held. Vince referred to them as the Park's fancy new benches; when I quizzed him, he said they were for the amphitheater the Park is going to build. No question, the benches are pretty nice, complete with backs just like church pews. Rumor has it that the amphitheater will be built near the Administration Building, and will include a stage and bandshell. It may not be big enough to accommodate the Saskatchewan Express crowd, which is from 1,500 to 2,000 people plus a very large stage, but should be nice for smaller entertainments.

Cove's expansion	Footings have been poured for the first stage of the Cove's expansion. The original plan was to start the move about now, but since they still have to pour the basement walls, it will be running late. We had hoped to have it available for the Ducks Unlimited Banquet, which is on October 6th. If it is not ready, plans have been made to make room in the store, so the banquet will be held regardless.

natural gas	Another rumor making the rounds: Sask Energy may be bringing a larger natural gas line to the Park, and if they do, it may be made available to cottage owners. The Cottage Owners' Association tried on several occasions to convince Sask Energy to distribute gas to the cottages, but they claimed the existing line is too small. With the increased demand from the Park, and from Fisherman's Cove's expansion, they are forced to do something. Let's hope it's not just a rumor!

	Doreen & Gerald B. Crawford Box 100, Chelan, SK S0E 0N0 (306) 278-3423 Check out my Webpage: http://www3.sk.sympatico.ca/crawg

	Mr. Crawford sent along a couple of unusual "X"s from aircraft contrails that he has captured lately.