History of the Biggar Lagoons

History of the Biggar Lagoons. . , History of the Biggar Lagoons , It was the rare sightings of shorebirds that originally attracted area bird watchers to the Biggar Lagoons. The Biggar Lagoons were sewage treatment lagoons for neighbourhoods in the west end of Grimsby from around 1950 to 2000. Originally there were six lagoons. The first four were small and deep ponds, called aeration ponds, where air was pumped up through the sewage to provide a flow of oxygen to help bacteria break down the sewage. The water went from the first four ponds to the two larger ponds that still exist today. The two large ponds allowed natural processes to further break down the sewage. These large ponds provided feeding areas for sandpipers and ducks on their seasonal migrations., In 2000 the sewage lagoons were no longer required by the Region of Niagara as the local sewers had been connected to the main sewer system in Grimsby. In 2001 the Region began to decommission the lagoons. The plan was to drain the lagoons and level the land. Upon hearing this, members of the Hamilton Naturalists' Club petitioned the Region of Niagara and the National Department of Defence to leave the lagoons as constructed wetlands. Over the next 5 years, with assistance from the town, the Naturalists' Club convinced the Region and the Department of National Defence to leave the two large lagoons. The property is 10 hectares (25 acres) in size. The Region owns the southern 6.5 hectares (16 acres) and the Department of National Defence owns the north lagoon, 3.6 hectares (9 acres)., In addition to the two main lagoons three new wetlands were created south of the existing lagoons as part of the decommissioning process. Today, each of the water bodies provides different habitats for breeding and migrating birds. The name Biggar comes from the family that originally owned the farm where the lagoons are today. To the left and below are some pictures of the local wildlife living around the Biggar Lagoons:, This plaque was provided thanks to the generosity of Water Smart Niagara in conjunction with the Town of Grimsby.