RFI: Access to Sewage Lagoons (Southern Ontario)? Permit?

[Andreas Jonsson]

I'm planning for a May birding week in Southern Ontario, including Long Point, Rondeau and Point Pelee.

Tom Hince mentions in his excellent "A Birder's Guide to Point Pelee" (1999, page 113) that "as of spring 1999, there were no lagoons in Essex country where public access was permitted", yet many birding reports mention visits to some sewage lagoons, such as Comber Sewage Lagoons, Harrow Sewage Lagoons, Kingsville Sewage Lagoons, Essex Sewage Lagoons, McGregor Sewage Lagoons, Tremblay Sewage Lagoons, Blenheim Sewage Lagoons (Rondeau), and Townsend Sewage Lagoons (Long Point).

Does anybody have up-to-date information about
1) which lagoons are safe to visit, if any?
2) whether one can get a permit to get access closed properties?

Thanks in advance

[thouc]

To get a free permit to visit Blenheim Sewage Lagoons, you need to visit Blenheim Townhall in Blenheim where you can get an access code and a map with a permit. Blenheim is near Rondeau Provincial Park.

/Thomas

[adonbirder]

Townsend Sewage Lagoons and Jarvis Lagoons which are quite near to each other both don't mind birders visiting them, i've never had any problems at either place.
Just don't park too close to the gate at Townsends as the trucks need to get in and out and make widddeee turns

[JMCDA]

Unless something changes before they are accessible in the spring, the Mitchell lagoons are free access.

Joann
(Mitchell On)

[Andreas Jonsson]

Many thanks for the replies. Keep 'em coming :-)

I can also add the following, which I learnt from email communication with people down at Point Pelee:

"Most of the local lagoons continue to be off limits. However some birders still visit Harrow, but you do so at  your own risk. Kingsville lagoons is one place I would definitely not go. The Blenheim lagoons are the notable exception in that access is allowed with a permit. You can get access to these lagoons by visiting the township office during weekday office hours".

"I think all of the lagoons that you list are actually accessible, but
technically they are not public.  Over the years I often went to most of
the lagoons that you mention, and never had a problem.  The worst that
might happen is that someone will ask you to leave".

I've purposely kept these quotes anonymous.

[Greg Schneider]

In addition, has anyone been to the Grimsby lagoons recently?