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Simon Lake group seeks algae skimmer

The Simon Lake Stewardship group is getting frustrated with the stinking mess of algae on its lake.

A layer of stinky, green algae has residents on Simon Lake chipping in to buy a scum skimmer

CBC News ·
Residents on Sudbury's Simon Lake are tired of the stinking green mass that floats along the lake, and hopes the city will set aside some funds to help purchase an algae skimmer.
Residents on Sudbury's Simon Lake are tired of the stinking green mass that floats along the lake, and hopes the city will set aside some funds to help purchase an algae skimmer. (Joël Dickinson Twitter @DrD_LU)

The Simon Lake Stewardship group is getting frustrated with the stinky mess of algae on its lake.

Group president David Furino said they will be approaching the city to set aside some money in next year's budget to buy an algae skimmer.

The skimmer costs about $120,000 to buy, but the group is looking for a used one.

Simon Lake residents hope that the city will set aside money to help them purchase this aqua skimmer to control the buildup of floating algae.
Simon Lake residents hope that the city will set aside money to help them purchase this aqua skimmer to control the buildup of floating algae. (http://www.aquamarine.ca/)

"The algae affects three lakes: Mud Lake, Simon Lake and McCharles," Furino said, "because of the weather this year —  it being so hot and the water so low — it's much worse than it normally is. That's why we'll be approaching the city, asking them to get a skimmer."

Fortunately for the 200 Simon Lake residents, Furino said the algae is not the toxic blue-green variety. The algae that is taken from the lake can be composted and repurposed.

"[The algae's] not toxic at all. It's just unpleasant. Visually, it's not good," Furino said, "in the next week or two ... it's going to die and rot. Then it gets very unpleasant, due to the smell."

Alexandria, Ontario, recently purchased an algae skimmer, and according to the Simon Lake group has been successful in clearing up its algae problem.

The Simon Lake Stewardship Group is preparing a petition to demonstrate the residents' support for the project as well.

Another meeting on the matter is scheduled for September 8.

 

With files from Angela Gemmill and Wendy Bird. Edited/packaged by Casey Stranges

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