Singing for the

E s c a r p m e n t Article and photographs by Linda Lee For many, it just isn’t summer without an outdoor music festival or concert. For supporters of the citizens’ group Protecting Escarpment Rural Land (PERL), it isn’t summer without a new tradition, a benefit concert atop Burlington’s Mount Nemo.

hat began in Septem- ber 2007 as a small outdoor benefit con- cert featuring PERL co-founderW and two-time Juno winner Sarah Harmer and Gram- my-nominated Barenaked Ladies, the “I Love The Escarpment” con- cert drew a sold-out crowd to the Johnston farm and raised funds for PERL. Gathering a year later on Sept. 20 at the same Mount Nemo farm, a larger crowd of nearly 800 music lovers tried to squeeze under a white tent for an unforgettable afternoon with Sarah Harmer and some of the nation’s most respected musicians and vocalists. Sharing the intimate stage with Harmer was a talented group of friends and industry peers that in- cluded Juno winner Derek Miller, music icon Bruce Cockburn and Grammy nominated Leslie Feist.

Down at Johnston’s farm: the audience overflowed out of the tent.

Escarpment Views 20 ❄ December 2008 From left: Juno award-winner and PERL co-founder Sarah Harmer at the second benefit concert, “I Love the Escarpment, Too!”was joint by Bruce Cockburn, Leslie Feist and Derek Miller. Below, Harmer with her band, Cockburn and far right, Feist.

The supportive audience enjoying the show.

Obvious concert highlights for the Located on the Niagara Escarp- buildings, concrete and roads, all cent community forum organized audience included Harmer’s per- ment and in Ontario’s Greenbelt, required to support development of by PERL, renowned architect formance of “Escarpment Blues,” the Mount Nemo area was once the region. PERL proposes an alter- Douglas Cardinal spoke of a vision a song penned about a proposed inhabited by Neutral Indians and native to the new quarry: increase for the Niagara Escarpment based quarry, and witnessing music histo- is part of a designated UNESCO asphalt reuse and recycling and take on a cultural and natural heritage. ry when Harmer, Cockburn, Feist, World Biosphere Reserve. It is habi- aggregate from places close to but Sharing this vision, PERL request- Miller and friends took to the stage tat to such species as the threatened not on the Escarpment. ed funding from the Burlington for the finale. For Harmer, PERL’s Jefferson Salamander, the pileated PERL believes the proposed Mayor’s Future Green Fund to car- executive committee and small woodpecker and the endangered quarry threatens the Niagara Es- ry out a scenario planning process army of volunteers, however, the butternut tree. The Mount Nemo carpment. It could remove sig- that would transform and rehabili- event highlight most likely was the plateau is also a point of origin for nificant wetlands, groundwater tate the existing 600-acre quarry raising of funds and awareness. more than 20 tributaries. and disrupt the headwaters of the and to form the development of a Proceeds from the second annual The proposed quarry would be Grindstone Creek’s two tributar- Natural Heritage System. “I Love The Escarpment, Too” ben- south of its existing one on No. 2 Si- ies. Some key concerns include efit concert, raffle and auctions sup- deroad and close to Harmer’s child- blasting, rehabilitation, wildlife Linda Lee is a Burlington-based free- port PERL’s ongoing campaign to hood Mount Nemo home, a farm displacement and the water sup- lance writer who supports PERL and stop Nelson Aggregates’ 2004 appli- where her parents still reside. Lime- ply. enjoys photographing and exploring cation for a new 82-hectare quarry stone mined from the proposed PERL has more information at the Bruce Trail and the Niagara in the heart of Mount Nemo. quarry would be used in asphalt, www.perlofburlington.org. In a re- Escarpment.

❄ December 2008 21 Escarpment Views