A billion reasons for cleaning up Hamilton’s harbour

Cleaning up Hamilton ‘s image by cleaning up the harbour is worth nearly $1 billion, wrote the Hamilton Spectator Jan. 18. That’s the value a new computer model puts on the benefits that will flow from improving the harbour enough to take it off the International Joint Commission’s list of Great Lakes pollution hot spots. The model developed by York University for Environment Canada identifies direct economic gains for the port, industry and tourism, but says reducing the city’s stigma as a dirty, industrial city is worth much more.

I remember Mavor Moore

H. Ian Macdonald, former president of York University, wrote a brief note about Mavor Moore, who died Dec. 18, in The Globe and Mail Jan. 18: 

During a recent discussion about Mavor Moore, my wife remarked that, until she met him, she had assumed that there must be several Mavor Moores, such was the extent of his activities and accomplishments. Mavor Moore was chair of the search committee for a new president of York University in 1973 and he invited me to be a candidate. In those days, the process was completely open, with all candidates subject to the gaze and inspection of the whole York community. It was also a somewhat troubled time at York, hence the examination assumed clinical proportions. His words still ring in my ears: "If you like to live dangerously, this is the place for you."

Regent Park homework club kids are accepted at York

The Newcomers Homework Club in Regent Park has seen a host of its former students find success, including some who have been accepted to York and other universities, wrote The Toronto Sun Jan. 18. Another student graduated as a pharmacist and others come back to the club to tutor new students.

York runner honoured

York University sprinter Erica Broomfield has been selected as the Canadian Interuniversity Sport women’s athlete of the week, wrote The Toronto Sun Jan. 18. Broomfield , a first-year humanities major from Markham , broke a 24-year-old meet record in the 60-metre dash at the Can Am Track Classic Jan. 5-6, winning gold in 7.46 seconds.

Fingerprint exhibit at Glendon Gallery

York’s Glendon Gallery kicked off its 2007 arts season last week with an exhibit that explores the themes of fingerprints and identity, wrote Toronto’s City Centre magazine Jan. 17. Tirage Limite/Prints of Darkness is one of a series of five exhibitions supporting Francophone artists at Ontario art galleries. Artist Paul Walty collaborated with Glendon Gallery curator Marc Audette on the exhibit, which will run until Feb. 9. Walty’s work enlarges fingerprints to show them as though they were aerial photos, making them appear much more majestic than they are often thought to be.

On air

  • Ellen Bialystok, psychology professor in York’s Faculty of Health, spoke about her research on bilingualism and Alzheimer’s disease, on CBC Radio (Halifax) Jan. 17.