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Loon & Turtle Lake News! Spring Edition 2003 Chairman's Report With all that is going on in the world these days, the peace and tranquility of the cottage is looking very inviting this summer. The directors have been working on your behalf to bring another year of memorable events together for the lakes. The May long weekend is traditionally the beginning for most but for me it is an end. I have decided to step down as chairman of the association. I have enjoyed my time with this organization and will continue to volunteer. I have met a lot of interesting people over the past four years as chairman and appreciate the calls of concern and support on a variety of issues. At the annual meeting in July a new chairman will be elected. We continue to seek members who would be willing to serve as a director or a volunteer. We thank all those who have donated their time and efforts previously. We are continuing to monitor environmental issues, water quality, future development, roads and water safety. We hope you have had an opportunity to review your membership letter, send your fees and vote on the mandate of the association. Your opinion is valued. We need a high return rate with a majority rule vote in order to assist in setting directions for the future of our lakes. I would like to thank all those who supported and helped over the years to make the job of chairman an enjoyable one. It provided a wonderful opportunity for my family and myself to meet new people and give back to the lakes where we spend so much of our time. If you have any questions or concerns please give me a call. We have a few directors stepping down at this year so we desperately need volunteers to fill the gaps. This is the year we need help. Have a safe and enjoyable summer. Dick Thomas. Calendar of Events We never did thank all those who helped last year. Thanks Peter Helston for the great fireworks display. This years will be delayed because of the concern of West Nile. The fireworks will be the night of the Regatta. Thanks to the Langer family for hosting the Regatta last year. A great time was had by all. Thanks to all the helpers at the Regatta as well. A special thanks to Rick and Mary Woodall for donating the medallions and engraving them for the kids. This is a great hit each year. Thanks to the Thomas's for hosting the corn roast. Calendar of Events - continued....
MNR Update This year we have added a new portfolio to the association.
We will be working closely with the MNR to monitor the crown land around
the lakes. We want to know about the changes before they happen. Big brother
will be watching. A Word of Thanks A word of thanks from Mike Scott, #39 Loon Lake Drive to the person(s) responsible for finding his wallet after an absence of 2 years. This is a great story to restore faith in you. Mike lost his wallet 2 years ago while horsing around in the channel. It was returned to him this year by mail but he does not know who found it. The wallet was still intact, the money had been replaced by the bank and all the other contents of the wallet were there. Mike would again like to thank those responsible. West Nile Virus One of the consequences of global changes is the appearance of "exotic species" and new diseases. The West Nile virus was not present in North America until a few years ago. After first showing up in New York City, it has spread rapidly to Southern Ontario. Of the more than 70 varieties of mosquitoes
found in our region, scientists think only about 8 of them can carry the
West Nile virus. It is also believed that these particular types are more
prevalent in urban areas than in The chances of being bitten by an infected mosquito are small; and the chance that you will suffer serious health effects even if you do contract the disease are also small. Nevertheless, all cottagers know that mosquitoes in general are abundant in cottage country; and there have been at least a few confirmed cases of birds dying from West Nile in Muskoka, so we must be vigilant. To minimize the risk of exposure, it's a good idea to avoid being outdoors at dawn or dusk when mosquitoes are most active. Protecting skin with clothing or repellants containing deet is also recommended. Further prevention can be achieved by getting rid of standing water in pails or other containers around your property because this provides a breeding ground for mosquitoes.
The BTI larvicide will soon be commercially available. Watch for it at the hardware store. If your cottage property has standing water you might consider using this agent yourself or encouraging the Town to take appropriate action. Websites for more information: Duck Hunting This is a recap of a local incident from a concerned neighbour:
" A neighbour of mine shot off a rifle many times wounding a duck
swimming in the water (which he did not kill or retrieve) and terrifying
us. My research into this incident has revealed the following: If any of the following situations are in violation,
then a law has been broken; Weekend Garbage Some cottagers leave green garbage bags by the roadside after a weekend when that garbage in the winter might not be collected for 1 1/2 weeks; even in the summer, it is not collected for 3 days. Well the wild creatures are happy because before you know it, they have opened all the bags and scattered contents (no matter what possibly embarrassing things are in it) all over. I assume that particular cottager ends up cleaning up an awful mess when they return; this cannot be a pleasant chore. There are far better alternatives. Speaking to other weekend cottagers who do NOT have this problem, I found that some take their garbage home with them. The District of Muskoka suggests that there are at least 3transfer stations where garbage can be dropped off on a weekend. Weekend Garbage - continued..... 1. Off Hwy 11 S. at Beiers Rd. When I suggested a dumpster for our use, I was advised that this is not a practical as people dump everything there i.e. refrigerators, etc. so they quickly become unsightly and overflow. These dumpsters also attract small and large pests i.e. raccoons and bears as does the garbage left for several days by the roadside. In summary, rather than leaving your garbage in green garbage
bags by the road, you could; -use a specially built box (the bears can
turn most of these over though) Please help keep our lake areas free of unsightly garbage. Town News Gravenhurst Town Council has approved repairs to Loon Lake Road at a cost of $480,000. This is second in expense to the reconstruction of the South Kahshe Lake Bridge at $537,800. Muskoka-Parry Sound Health Unit it set to move into its new headquarters in Gravenhurst! They are moving from Bracebridge, so great news for all in this area. The move is scheduled for May of 2003. Their new address is 5 Pineridge Gate, just off of Bethune Dr. east of the Home Hardware plaza at the south end of town. Their new phone number will be 684-9090. Membership Update Thanks to the many cottagers who promptly returned their $20.00 membership dues for the Year 2003. So far we have received 110 paid membership and more arrive each day in the mail. Your financial support is necessary to help us serve you, our members. If you have forgotten to send in your 2003 membership, please help make this task easier by responding immediately to this request. Payment of $20.00 can be mailed to: Loon & Turtle Lakes Cottagers Association Thank-you for your anticipated prompt response! Town Water-How Good is it? 30 years ago, we drew drinking water straight from Turtle Lake, 20 years ago, we regularly stopped at the Opera House to fill up a water tank to be used as drinking water (I also remember accidentally swallowing much lake water too.) 2 years ago, a new water system complete with UV treatment was installed at our cottage - but we still use Town water for drinking and cooking. Well, how good is that water? Thankfully, we can assess and judge the quality of the Town water from Gravenhurst based on posted water quality reports on the District of Muskoka website (www.muskoka.on.ca/gravenhurst waterworks.htm.) The first-quarter report indicates that the treatment of the water has been compliant with MOE standards. The Town's water treatment process and this reporting provides a comfort level that spares the need to buy bottled water. While I do not have full comfort with my own treated lake water (lab testing would ultimately see to this) for now the Town water will continue to support our drinking water needs. Good advice is to be aware of your options regarding water supply sources and the appropriate use of the water from these supply sources. Comments, questions, let me know. Duncan Rowe Directors Needed ASAP Many of our Directors have completed well over 5 years of
service to our Association and their time and energies are very much appreciated.
This year we have several directors who plan to step down at our July
annual meeting. Healthy volunteer organizations enjoy a continuous process
of self renewal and ours is no different. For any questions or concerns about
the Cottage Association, or its Board of Directors, please call either: |