The Northern Reflection

Transcription

1 The Northern Reflection P.0. Box 249 Coe Hill, On K0L 1P0 President s Message Submitted by Peggy Stewart While many of WLHCA s cottagers have had to return to work, some of us have had the pleasure of enjoying some additional weeks of good weather, extending the great summer so many have enjoyed at Wollaston Lake. Some hearty souls have even been able to continue to enjoy a swim. Those who have gardens have had bumper crops and flowers are still flaunting vibrant blooms. Soon though, fall will be showering us with brightly coloured leaves and we will all have to return to tasks that await us such as the Fall Newsletter. WLHCA has been well served by WLHCA s past president Rick Clark. Rick has done a terrific job providing our organization leadership over the past nine years in the roles of President & Director, Environment. The Executive was very sorry to lose his leadership when he resigned in August due to work commitments. At WLHCA s Annual General Meeting (AGM), in August, I was welcomed as President. Being only five feet high, I will have big shoes to fill in more than one way. We appreciate Rick s willingness to continue on the Executive as Director In This Edition... President s Message.1 Communications Report...17 Membership Report...5 MPAC Update..18 Lake Steward Report.5 WYSEC Update..19 Do You Need a Permit?. 11 If You Love Butterflies...20 Wood Stove Safety..15 WLHCA Executive...21 Photo of Navy at the Lake submitted by Marilyn Brickles on behalf of her photographer grandson.

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3 Environment Camp. I hope that my previous experience in being president prior to 2010 and Events Coordinator for many years will be good preparation for taking on the role of President once more. I feel privileged to work with such a dedicated group of volunteers on the WLHCA Executive who contribute many hours each week to their respective roles. At the AGM, the new Slate of Officers was presented. Bob Ireland is continuing as Vice- President, bringing with him his experience from his many years of service to WLHCA. We were very sorry to lose Beryl Lee from our Executive this year. For many years she has done an amazing job as Treasurer, keeping our books in order and a close eye on WLHCA s financial picture. We welcomed Bev Miller to take over these responsibilities and appreciate her volunteering for what can be a challenging role. We also welcomed Casey Gallagher to take over the role of Secretary, filling a gap in our Executive. We appreciate her willingness to join the Executive. We were pleased that Celina Clark will continue as Director of Communications and we can rely on her outstanding work in editing and producing our newsletter and web site, and monitoring the WLHCA . We are very fortunate that most of the cost of the newsletter is covered by our advertisers. They, for a very low fee, have a way of reaching all of our members. Marilyn Brickles, our Director of Advertising, will continue her excellent job in contacting our advertisers and getting their ads in the newsletter. Our thanks goes to Janet Galley, Director of Memberships, who has agreed to continue her stellar job, maintaining WLHCA s membership list and recording your payments of your membership fees. One of our most valued members is Steve Neville, whose experience and knowledge from working for the Ministry of the Environment, provides us with clear and important environmental information on the well-being of Wollaston Lake. We have many challenges ahead of us. One of the challenges this year will be to revise our Bylaws and bring them up to date. We will be looking at Bylaws drafted by other lakes near us, be contacting FOCA, (Federation of Ontario Cottagers) for guidance and looking for input from our Road Captains in the upcoming year. We will bring the draft of the new Bylaws to the AGM to be adopted by the general membership in August Much of our focus continues to be as an advocate for the well-being of Wollaston Lake and the environment that supports it. Steve Neville, WLHCA s Lake Steward, makes a strong contribution to this effort with water sampling through the Lake Partner Water Sampling Program for phosphorus, clarity, calcium and E. Coli, and monitoring the water quality sampling by the Ministry of Environment for dissolved oxygen. He participates in a monitoring program for invasive species which alerted us last year to the presence of zebra mussels and sightings of cormorants. He is responsible for the Observers of Wollaston Lake Program(OWL) where designated observers and interested lake residents contact Steve so that a running inventory of wildlife observations on the lake can be maintained. As you can see, there are many people who have taken on the challenge of monitoring the well-being of the lake, keeping you in touch with your life at the cottage, and protecting what we have all grown to love, Wollaston Lake. Peggy Stewart President s Message Cont d from pg 1 Page: 3

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5 Membership Report Submitted by Janet Galley I hope everyone has enjoyed a wonderful summer at the lake. The weather was perfect and the water was warm. What more could we have asked for? I am pleased to report that, as at September 15, 133 of our 261 members (51%) have paid their $25.00 annual dues for This is a higher rate of payment than at this time last year, and I anticipate that this number will increase as members who have not yet paid their dues send them in. If you can t remember whether or not you have paid for 2016, please send me an to wlhca.membership@gmail.com or give me a call at and I will be happy to let you know. We now have three ways that you can get your $25.00 annual payment to us. You can use Canada Post to mail your cheque, or you can give your payment to your Road Captain (if there is one on your lane), or you can do an e-transfer through online banking. The choice is yours. If you use Canada Post, please make your cheque payable to WLHCA and send it to P.O. Box 249, Coe Hill, ON K0L 1P0. Our Road Captains do a fantastic job of collecting dues from our members. So far this year, our Road Captains have collected dues from 36 property owners. So, if you are on any of the following lanes, please feel free to drop your payment off to the Road Captain: Marilyn Brickles for Chescher Crescent & Lane Zebra Mussels Lake Steward Report Submitted by Steve Neville Zebra mussels, an invasive species, were found in the second lake in the late summer of For 2016, they appear to have spread downstream into the third lake, where sightings have been confirmed but sporadic: a few mussels at various stages of growth were seen attached to lake-bed clams and snails. We arranged for the Bancroft Stewardship Youth Rangers to do a survey by canoe over two days in late August, focusing on boats, docks and lifts for evidence of a mussel invasion. They were unable find any zebra mussels on these items. However, in September, we received a report of small mussels on a floating mat (Aqua Lily Pad) in the channel between the main lake and the second lake. This suggests that zebra mussels may be starting to proliferate in some areas. To date we have no reports of zebra mussels in the main lake. We are monitoring this invasion carefully. Monitoring Programs For 2016, our lake monitoring program remained the same as for 2015, when some changes were made after a technical review. To recap, we undertake several monitoring activities as follows: We participate in the MOECC s Lake Partner Program, in which we take monthly samples for phosphorus and calcium, and measure the lake s water clarity twice a CONTINUED ON PAGE 9 CONTINUED ON PAGE 7 Page: 5

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7 Lake Steward Report cont d from pg 5 month during the summer season. Clarity readings have generally been very good, suggesting that phosphorus levels remain low and that algae blooms are unlikely. We take our own phosphorus samples in July and September at the three lake basins (Main Lake, Second Lake and Third Lake). The results from these two phosphorus monitoring programs are not yet available. E Coli, an indicator of faecal contamination from warm blooded animals, is also monitored in various locations around the main lake in July and August. We have all the results for this year, and no sample exceeded the government s standard for recreational waters, meaning that swimming in the lake was unlikely to be a health risk. We also plan to conduct a dissolved oxygen profile in late September if it is possible to borrow equipment from the MOECC. This is to assess whether sufficient oxygen levels exist in the deep cold water in the main lake where lake trout are known to live. Finally, we participate in the OFAH / MNRF Invasive Species Watch program, under which the lake was sampled in August for two invasive species - zebra mussel veligers (larva) and spiny water fleas. As a result of the zebra mussel invasion, two additional sample points were added to assess whether veligers are coming from the main lake or are being carried into the third lakes. Results are not expected for several weeks. Testing in 2015 and prior years had not shown any positive results for zebra mussel veligers. Spiny water fleas were found at one location in 2014, but not in OWL Program Under the OWL (Observers of Wollaston Lake) program, volunteers note their observations of the environmental conditions in our lake each summer season; for example on weed growth, algae, fish, or aquatic creatures. This is the third year of the OWL program and we have increased the number of OWL volunteers from seven to ten. If you are an OWL, please remember to send your reports to wlhca.owl@gmail.com in October. For others, please consider volunteering for next year by filling out the on-line registration form on our web site (under the OWL tab). A complete summary of all our monitoring data from 2016 will be published in next spring s newsletter, as well as in the Environmental Scorecard report which will be posted on our website. Please note that the 2015 Scorecard report is now available for download on the WLHCA web site (Click on Scorecard under the Environment tab). Page: 7

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9 Membership Report cont d from pg 5 David Grant for Clayton Cove Road Bruce Varty for Corral Post Lane Anne Ireland for Ferguson Bay Lane Rick and Celina Clark for Gilbert Bay Lane, Mumby Lane & Sherwin Lane Beryl Lee for Kendon Lane Mary Hogg for Lawrence Lane Peggy Stewart for Maple Ridge Road The Road Captains do such a fantastic job for the Association and I really appreciate all their work. In addition to collecting dues, they welcome new owners to the lake and generally represent the Association on their lanes. If you live on a road that doesn t have a Road Captain, please consider becoming one. Being a Road Captain doesn t take much of your time and it is a great way to connect with your neighbours. If you are willing to give it a try, please let me know and I will be happy to get you set up. This is the first year that we have been able to accept e-transfers from our members. So far, 20 people have used the service and, for most people, it was a quick and simple process. If you would like to use the e-transfer service to pay your dues, here s how you do it. Using your financial institution s online banking system, send your payment to wlhca.membership@gmail.com When asked for a security question, please use What is the name of our lake?, and the answer will be Wollaston. It s quick, easy, and secure. Please remember that your membership fees play a crucial role in the operation of the lake association. Your annual dues cover the costs associated with water testing, invasive species sampling, environmental programs, partnerships with other lake associations, and so much more. If you have already paid your dues for this year, thank you. If you haven t paid them yet, please send them in as soon as you can. Enjoy the fall and have a safe and happy winter. Janet Galley You asked for It.. You can now pay your $25 WLHCA membership dues for 2016 online. See the Membership Report for details. Page: 9

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11 ARE YOU PLANNING ANY CHANGES TO YOUR LAKE PROPERTY IN 2017 DO YOU NEED A PERMIT? Are you planning any changes to your cottage, septic, dock or other structures on your property in 2017? Now is the time to start planning and getting the proper approvals in place. The following information was gathered from the Wollaston Township office, the Province of Ontario website, & Federation of Ontario Cottagers Association (FOCA). By law, you must get a work permit from the Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry (MNRF) for certain activities on Crown land and shore lands before any work can take place. It is an offence to work on Crown land and/or shore lands without a work permit when one is needed. When you don t need a work permit install a water line, service cable or heat loop for private residential use remove a dock or boathouse that does not involve dredging structures that occupy 15 square metres or less of the shore lands fronting your property When you need a work permit Activities that require a work permit: build a new erosion control structure or change the dimensions of an existing erosion control structure installing or replacing a septic construct a building or structure construct a road or trail construct a water crossing, such as a bridge, culvert or causeway How to apply for a work permit Step 1 Consult with Wollaston Township, MNRF and possibly Crowe Valley Conservation Authority (CVCA). Depending on the project, you may be required to consult with the Ministry of Environment & Climate Change (MOE), the Department of Fisheries & Oceans and Transport Canada before filling out an MNRF application FOCA recommends that you may also want to discuss the project with your neighbours before starting work. Step 2 Obtain an application form and contacts for more information If you need an authorization for your proposed work, you should request an application form by calling or mnr.nric.mnr@ontario.ca. If you are unsure how to proceed and need to speak to someone about a specific proposal, contact Wollaston Township or the Bancroft MNRF District Office. CONTINUED ON PAGE 13 Page: 11

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13 Do You Need a Permit? cont d from pg 11 As part of the MNRF application process, MNRF will require you to attest that your proposed structure complies with all municipal by-laws and/or Official plan policies as well as the requirements of other government agencies where applicable. Step 3 Complete the application and attach an accurate, detailed site plan or sketch of the proposed work. Step 4 Send it well in advance of your planned project start date Applicants whose request has been declined can appeal the decision to the ministry Step 7 You may begin work on your project upon receipt of a work permit and in adherence to any permit terms and conditions Note: During the work process or following its completion, the ministry may inspect the site to ensure compliance with the permit s scope of work Ensure content is detailed enough to support the ministry s review process Incomplete applications will be returned Step 5 Ministry staff will review the application consistent with the ministry s responsibilities under the Public Lands Act, Environmental Assessment Act and other relevant statutes and regulations Ministry staff may visit the site to assess the proposed project Step 6 A work permit may be approved with or without conditions, such as timing restrictions to protect fish spawning or sediment control Page: 13

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15 Staying Safe & Warm: Tips and Information for Woodstove Safety At this time of the year many of us look forward to being cozy in front of a wood fire. Before that can happen however, it is important to make sure that you protect your family by ensuring that your woodstove is in safe, working order and that you and your family are familiar with woodstove safety. For your reference, here is a list of some helpful information so that you can be sure that you and your family have a safe and warm winter! Have your chimney cleaned at least once a year. Depending on how frequently you use your woodstove (for example, are you using it just on chilly nights at your seasonal cottage or is it being used year-round), it might be a good idea to consider having your chimney cleaned twice a year. If you ve just purchased your cottage property and do not know when the woodstove was last cleaned, be sure to have a professional come and inspect the chimney before you begin to use it. Before starting that inaugural fire, inspect the woodstove s chimney stack for damage. Harsh winters such as this past one can affect the stability of the chimney which can lead to an unsafe woodstove. Take the time to closely inspect the support straps in order to confirm that the chimney is straight and obstacle-free. Replace any damaged materials and check the cap and screen to ensure that no critters decided to make your chimney their winter home. Keep a fully charged Class A fire extinguisher on hand and be sure to test all of the smoke and carbon monoxide detectors in the cottage. Go over fire safety rules with your family. Make sure everyone knows where the fire extinguisher is and what to do in case of an uncontrolled fire. Use properly dried hardwoods such as maple, beech, ash, hickory, or oak as the fuel for your woodstove s fire. Do not use gasoline, charcoal starter fluid, or other flammable liquids to start your fire. Don t let ashes build up in your woodstove. A large buildup of ashes can eventually block the air intake from the draft registers and reduce the efficiency of your woodstove. For the extra ashes, have a metal container nearby and let them cool completely before disposing of them. Store wood and other flammable objects safely away from your wood-burning appliance in order to reduce the risk of fire. Even if you take all of the above precautions, over time, burning wood leads to the buildup of Creosote. Creosote can take the form of a sticky liquid, a flaky, black deposit, or a hard tar-like substance. It is a highly combustible and unsafe material which, if left CONTINUED ON PAGE 17 Page: 15

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17 untended, can lead to a chimney fire. The only line of defense against this byproduct is regular woodstove maintenance and cleaning. By ensuring that you have your wood burning stove inspected by a WETT certified professional, you will gain piece of mind knowing that your woodstove is in optimal working order, is in good structural condition, and that it is burning in a way that complies with WETT standards and therefore does not compromise your and your family s health and safety. Here s to evenings around a safe and warm crackling fire! Adapted from an article by Cade Insurance Article provided by Woodstove Safety cont d from pg 15 Communications Report Submitted by Celina Clark Welcome to Fall and our latest edition of The Northern Reflection. This past summer with its hot and humid weather, brought many vistors to Wollaston Lake. We hope that all had a fun and safe summer of swimming, boating and fishing. This year I have spent some time updating our website - hopefully you will find it easier to locate the information you are looking for. The address is still the same - The home page has changed to make it easier for you to keep in touch - I have added the current Coe Hill weather as well as the latest Facebook post news and events. Last year we developed and delivered a Welcome Kit for new property owners. The Welcome Kit provides information about the, Wollaston Lake, Wollaston Township and information on local businesses. If you are new to the lake and haven t received your Welcome Kit - our apologies; please contact us via (wlhca.news@gmail.com) or send us a message via Facebook and we will deliver your kit next time you are at the cottage. You can also download a copy of the Welcome Kit from the website s About page. The Community Corner page contains information from the Fire Deptartment and Library, as well as a link to the Wollaston Township Events page so that you can check on What s Happening Wollaston. CONTINUED ON PAGE 19 Page: 17

18 MPAC: the 2016 Property Assessment Update MPAC has updated the assessed values of more than 5.5M properties in Ontario based on a legislated valuation date of January 1, A New Property Assessment Notice What s New: MPAC is delivering Residential Property Assessment Notices up to five months earlier than previous updates. MPAC incorporated feedback from property taxpayers and redesigned the Property Assessment Notice. It s easier to read and includes a clear explanation of phasein, the valuation process, and the Ontario property assessment system. 2. Rolling 120-Day Request for Reconsideration (RfR) Deadline Residential Deadline is November 8, 2016 Changes under Bill 144 means property owners have 120 days from the issue date of their Property Assessment Notice to file a Request for Reconsideration with MPAC. This will allow MPAC to process a number of Request for Reconsiderations before the Assessment Rolls are returned to municipalities in 2016, bringing greater stability and predictability to the property assessment and taxation system. 3. Advance Disclosure & Pre-Roll Consultations - Disclosure is about transparency and shared understanding. It s MPAC s commitment to share information with property owners and stakeholders and provide fair, consistent, and accurate property valuations through a no-surprise approach. MPAC has been holding consultation sessions with municipalities, property owners, and representatives to discuss how assessment methodology is being applied to large and special purpose business properties for the 2016 Update and MPAC have developed a three-level disclosure protocol. 4. A Revamped With its simplified design and improved navigation and mapping function, AboutMyPropertyTM conveniently connects property owners with their assessment. Property owners can now get information about market trends, including information on property values and percent change in their area, without having to log in. Property specific details and reports can be viewed through a secure log in. Login information for property owners is available on your Property Assessment Notice. Links to MPAC information videos and MPAC contact information can be found on the WLHCA website on the Community Corner page. Page: 18

19 Communications Report cont d from pg 17 I m investigating some ideas for Facebook for next year that will be announced in the Spring Newsletter. Until then - if you have any content suggestions for the newsletter or website, please send us an (wlhca.news@gmail.com) As a final note, please support our advertisers and the local economy. You can also find information on our advertisers on our website on the Newsletter page. ( Wollaston Young Stewards Environment Camp Update Submitted by Rick Clark Year four of the Wollaston Young Stewards Environment Camp saw two groups of kids age 6-8 and 9-12 enjoy a number of outdoor experiential learning activities aimed at fostering a love for the natural surroundings and diversity of Wollaston Township and surrounding areas. This year our 9-12 year age group was attended by 18 children during the week of July and we were fortunate to have wonderful weather to allow us to be outdoors when we wanted and needed to be. Some new events were added for this group including: a visit to Petroglyphs Park; the squirrel activity at Camp Kawartha ; trip to The Gut ; Heritage Museum visit; tree cookie activity. These events were added to the mix of old favourites to keep the program new and varied. The age 6-8 group had 20 participants during the week of August and the weather was not quite as good but still allowed us to proceed with all planned visits. A couple of downpours and cool temperatures while visiting Camp Kawartha did not deter the group from canoeing and swimming along with archery, wall climbing, hawk demonstration and predator/prey games. This group also was invited to participate in a drumming circle later in the week. Thanks go out to our community sponsors who through generous donations keep this camp alive and thriving. As well, our youth and adult volunteers coupled with the skilled and passionate instruction of Camp Kawartha (Neil Fortin & Jacob Rodenburg) allow us to offer the program and meet a community need. I would also like to acknowledge the administrative support provided by Wollaston Township staff, Verna Brundage and Jennie Cohen who assist with registration details a huge contribution! To see some pictures and specific program details of this camp edition, they can be found at Page: 19

20 Why NOT to rake your leaves! (Because butterflies begin in leaves, as larvae.) If you Love Butterflies Give your Rake a Rest Those brown, dead leaves are the planet's butterfly nursery. They're home to butterfly larvae, microbes and worms. And leaf litter is where many species of butterflies and moths overwinter as pupae. Animals like toads, shrews and salamanders benefit from leaf litter to hide and hunt, too. This fall, let your rake collect only dust. Can't leave all of your leaves where they fall? Here are a few other ideas: Mulch leaves in your planter beds Rake leaves off the lawn and into your planter beds. Mulch leaves on your lawn Use your mower to mulch leaves on the lawn and improve your lawn health by suppressing weeds and fertilizing the soil. Collect browns to compost Composting 101 tells us to balance "greens" with "browns." Store leaves in a bin and add them to your backyard composter throughout the winter months. Craft with leaves Have children collect their favourite leaves in your yard and throughout the neighbourhood and try your hand at nature weaving. Make a natural loom or craftiments. Note: DO rake leaves out of sewers and drainage pathways. More actions you can take to help butterflies plant a butterfly garden, ( get your yard off grass, ( sign the Monarch Manifesto ( Adapted from an article by Lindsay Coulter David Suzuki Foundation Article provided by Page: 20

21 Executive 2016/2017 President Peggy Stewart Vice President Bob Ireland Treasurer Bev Miller Secretary Casey Gallagher Lake Steward Steve Neville Director Membership Janet Galley Director Environment Camp Rick Clark Director Communication Celina Clark Director Advertising Marilyn Brickles Open Fires at the Cottage From April 1 - October 31 Only after 6pm and extinguished before 8am From November 1 - March 31 Day burning is permitted ALL FIRES REQUIRE A PERMIT FROM WOLLASTON TOWNSHIP Page: 21

22 Over 26 years listing & selling locally!! Page: 22