Winnipeg Free Press

Winnipeg Free Press (Newspaper) - June 13, 2012, Winnipeg, Manitoba C M Y K PAGE B1 IT was a raging fire that chewed through a towering pile of scrap, with a white flame at its centre. Thick black smoke enveloped northeast Winnipeg late Tuesday as a fire at a Bismarck Street scrapyard burned for hours. Fire crews from the RM of Springfield responded to the blaze at about 5 p. m. at an industrial yard belonging to General Scrap. More than two hours into the firefighting effort off Springfield Road, the blaze was still going. " Right now, it's a scrap pile that has got very hot and it's burning in the middle of the pile and we can't get water on it," said Dick Vlaming, chief of the RM of Springfield's fire department. " We want to get this fire out as soon as possible." A water- bomber helicopter aided in the fight, and there were as many as 15 fire trucks on the scene. Water was being pumped from nearby Harbour View Recreation Complex, and interested onlookers gathered in the park to watch the smoke pouring into the sky. Vlaming estimated damage at $ 100,000 to $ 200,000 Tuesday evening, but added that figure is expected to increase. He said none of the working machinery at General Scrap had been damaged in the fire. Vlaming said the scrap and cars were melting, and there was a " white flame" in the middle of the pile. " It's a tough fire to fight," he said. " You need lots of water." The cause of the blaze was still under investigation Tuesday night. No injuries were reported. Vince Wiebe, who works at nearby Bucks Auto Parts, said the yard where the fire is burning usually holds more than 1,000 cars waiting to be shredded. A worker for a nearby business, said he noticed a single car on fire before it spread to others in the pile. gabrielle. giroday@ freepress. mb. ca 2.24 % Rates subject to change without notice. Call for full details. CROSSTOWN CIVIC CREDIT UNION % Lowest Mortgage Rate w ww . crosstow ncivic. mb . ca oac Watch for your new garbage and recycling carts We will be delivering new garbage and recycling carts to every single- family home this summer. Please move the carts to a safe place as soon as possible ( e. g., at the side of your house, inside your fence, shed or garage). To find out when carts are being delivered to your neighbourhood, visit winnipeg. ca/ waterandwaste or phone 311. Reduce, reuse, recycle. Repeat. For you, for our city. Winnipeg's Garbage and Recycling Services CITY & BUSINESS CITY EDITOR: PAUL SAMYN 697- 7292 city. desk@ freepress. mb. ca I winnipegfreepress. com WEDNESDAY, JUNE 13, 2012 B 1 A LITTLE Rayne never hurt anyone, so why would someone toss the cute little puppy into a city Dumpster? That's what staff at Winnipeg's Animal Services Agency - and a whole bunch of Free Press online commenters - are asking after the eight- weekold shepherd- collie mix was found wet and cold in a North End Dumpster last week. The female puppy, given the name Rayne because of weather conditions when she was found, is being cared for by agency staff and is in surprisingly good health. " The dog was soaking wet because it was one of those days that was pouring rain," said Leland Gordon, chief operating officer of the agency. Rayne was given medical care and vitamins, and "( has) been eating a lot while she's been here," said Gordon, noting the puppy has gained a pound in the few days since she was found in a dumpster on Jefferson Avenue. Rayne hasn't been adopted yet, due to a five- day holding period the agency has in place. Suffice it to say, the cute little mutt is garnering lots of attention. " There's lots of people who have called in," said Gordon. The story Tuesday on the Free Press website elicited strong reaction from animal- loving commenters. " What kind of sick, twisted monster would do such a thing?" asked one person. " I can't believe people still do crap like this. I'm sure that wasn't the only puppy either. Now I can't help but wonder about the others or the mother," said another commenter. " How hard is it to post a free ad on kijiji? People are sick!" stated another. Animal Services officials remind Winnipeggers if they are unable to care for their pets, there are plenty of resources available. Asking family, friends and co- workers for help, or contacting an animal welfare group in the city, are the right steps to take. " If you can't care for your pet for whatever reason, don't put it in a dumpster," said Gordon. " This dog could have died, obviously, if we hadn't recovered it." Animal Services has about 26 puppies and dogs up for adoption right now. Check out the City of Winnipeg website at winnipeg. ca/ animalservices to see other furry friends up for adoption. - Staff IF Don Starkell's admirers have their way, the late Winnipeg distance paddler will never stop canoeing along the Red River. A move is afoot to erect a bronze statue of Starkell at The Forks or another riverfront location to commemorate his canoeing and kayaking adventures, most notably his three- year, 19,490- kilometre voyage from Winnipeg to Belem, Brazil, chronicled in Paddle to the Amazon . Starkell paddled more than 120,000 kilometres before he succumbed to cancer in January at the age of 79. Along with the 1980- 82 canoe trip to the Amazon, undertaken with his sons Dana and Jeff, his adventures included a 5,250- kilometre canoe race from Rocky Mountain House, Alta., to Montreal as part of Canada's centennial celebrations in 1967 and a 5,120- kilometre kayak trip from Churchill to Tuktoyaktuk, N. W. T., in 1991- 92, recounted in Paddle to the Arctic . " Paying homage to this Canadian hero is long overdue," said transportation researcher Mark Ojah, a former Winnipegger spearheading a drive to erect a life- sized statue depiction of Starkell's paddle to the mouth of the Amazon River with his sons. " Don's inspirational story had a profound impact on me as a child," said Ojah, speaking over the phone from College Station, Texas. " His message of perseverance and tenacity really helped me through a lot of difficulties. That's the legacy and message I want other people to benefit from." Ojah has enlisted the help of Starkell's family, Paddle to the Amazon documentary- maker Chris Forde and both the national and Manitoba arms of Paddle Canada to begin collecting names of supporters as a prelude to a fundraising drive. A life- sized bronze statue may cost anywhere from $ 150,000 to $ 300,000, not including installation and maintenance costs, Ojah said. The ideal location for such a statue would be The Forks, said Ojah, citing the downtown site's long, pre- European history as a paddling destination and the large numbers of people who visit every day. But his group is eager to solicit location opinions at the website www. paddletotheamazon. com. Officials with the city and The Forks agreed a Starkell statue is a great idea, but probably not at the junction of the Red and Assiniboine. " That type of public art can help tell the story of Winnipeg," said city council riverbank chairman Justin Swandel ( St. Norbert), who suggested Alexander Docks, which will soon undergo redevelopment, as a possible location for the statue. " The idea makes sense, if someone wants to raise the money," added Jim August, CEO of The Forks, which receives and denies many requests to install monuments every year. " We have to be thoughtful about we put there." The start of the Starkells' trip to the Amazon was actually Senior Citizens Park, near the west end of Bronx Place in East Kildonan, said Dana Starkell, who supports the statue initiative. " If young kids see something like that, it could grab their imagination and make them wonder what they could do," he said over the phone from Bettendorf, Iowa. " If there's any legacy my dad could leave behind, that would be it." bartley. kives@ freepress. mb. ca Ruff start, but happy ending Abandoned pup captures hearts Statue sought to honour paddler's life, tenacity By Bartley Kives Scrapyard blaze forges iron oven By Gabrielle Giroday HANDOUT Rayne at the Animal Services Agency. JOHN WOODS / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS Firefighters from Winnipeg and Springfield rushed to put out a scrap fire at General Scrap on Springfield Road in Winnipeg Tuesday. Onlookers took in the blaze from near and far. WINNIPEG FREE PRESS ARCHIVE Don Starkell in his element. 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