Kristen Villebrun and Wendy Bush hoped they wouldn't have to pray for Chedoke Creek, but four years after they first raised alarm about the water's condition, they were part of an Indigenous full moon ceremony to do just that. About 50 people showed up near Princess Point on the dark and frigid Monday evening for the monthly ceremony, which was particularly special as it focused on Chedoke Creek. The body of water that runs into Cootes Paradise had about 24 billion litres of sewage and storm water runoff leak into it due to a gate being left open.
As conservation authorities in the Ottawa area warn of low water levels on area waterways this spring, Environment Canada's forecast suggests the lack of rain will continue. "It's almost forgotten how to rain in the Ottawa area," said David Phillips, Environment Canada's senior climatologist. Ottawa has received 16.7 mm of rain so far in June, after 13.5 mm of rain fell in May.
