Welcome to the lake!! How lucky you are to spend time on Waseosa, Pallet, Ripple or Jingo Lake.
We know you want to be a good neighbour and an active protector of our special environment.
To do this there are a few simple things you must know:
- what to do with your garbage
- how to get along with the neighbors
- how to have as little impact on the lake as possible yet still enjoy its simple pleasures
1. Let's talk garbage first. There is a weekly pick up. But this changes to every two weeks in winter.
- Get ahold of the Town of Huntsville's Waste Management Guide (https://muskoka.civicweb.net/Documents/DocumentDisplay.aspx?ID=18633) that publishes a garbage pick up schedule for your road as well as what they will take, where to go with toxic or e-waste and when. Or ask the long time resident living near you. Might be the start of a lasting and valuable friendship.
- If all else fails call the LWRA or email us (secretary@lwra.net) and ask.
- And remember, if you are going home on Sunday and garbage is not picked up until Thursday, take it home with you. If you drop it at the end of the road, the only ones who will thank you are the ravens, dogs, bears and raccoons and they are not tidy
2. Neighbours can make or break cottage life. You have to balance everyone's need for privacy with the warm feeling that there is someone next door to ask if you need advice or to socialize with.
- Make yourself known in a friendly way without being a pest.
- Many neighbors gladly keep an eye out for irregularities near by and it helps if they have your home numbers just in case.
- Permanent residents on the lake are particularly watchful and can be very helpful keeping an eye on your property in the off-season.
- Some might even be hired for cottage checking, snow removal and other maintenance needs. Ask around.
3. We all like to have fun and we each consider the lake our personal lake. But the truth is we share all the water in it. We all have a stake in keeping the water clean, the fish jumping and the loons returning each spring.
- Be the first one to take a plunge in May and the last one out in October, but don't use shampoo and soap in the lake. Use biodegradable soaps on land too (many so-called biodegradable products are not biodegradable in water). If you are not sure about appropriate products, see http://www.lwra.net/LP_Products for some examples that the LWRA provides at cost.
- Like to fish? Great! We stock it. Catch, release and brag about the one that got away. Leave some for the grand kids.
- Watch the loons from a respectful distance. Avoid the small islands in nesting season -June and July. (there is currently a 2-year moratorium on use of Blueberry Island while we restore it anyway)
- Everyone likes to see a canoe or a small fishing boat go by the dock. But a jet ski... not so much! Powerboats of all kinds should adjust their speed based on the proximity to shore. It's about erosion, noise, and safety. Common sense. Ski and boat with speed safely in the middle of the lake where we can all enjoy your skill and your wake will have dissipated by the time it reaches shore. Run boats either fast enough to be up on plane or dead slow to minimize wake damage to the shorelines -- remembering that it is illegal to exceed 10kph within 30 meters of shore.
- Most people swim near the shore, but some may swim right across the lake. A swimmer is very hard to see so keep a very sharp lookout at all times if boating and consider having a friend accompany you in a canoe or peddle boat if venturing far from shore.
- Swim rafts should be in front of your own property, within 30m of shore and marked with reflectors.
- Fire is a scary thing. Bonfires and campfires are part of the cottage experience but must be enjoyed at the appropriate time. Check the fire hazard warnings on the side of the road, on the LWRA website (http://www.lwra.net/fire_hazard) or toll-free at 1-877-847-1577. If the dial is at hazardous or extreme, wait - the hazard will drop after a rainy day. Have a hose near by and make sure it is out before you go to bed. Remember, the property owner is legally liable for any offences under the Huntsville Burning Bylaw, including fines and the cost of extinguishment.
- Sound carries extremely well on the lake - much better than in your neighbourhood at home. No one should begrudge you the odd celebration on special occasions but you must also respect your neighbours' rights to peaceful enjoyment of their property. Remind your guests to keep it down if the party goes a little late. And remember the folks on the other side of the lake can probably hear every word of a conversation at night, so they will certainly hear every guitar chord and drum beat. Kumbaya baby! For more information about the Huntsville Noise Bylaw, please see http://www.lwra.net/noise_bylaw.
- Fire works are best restricted to the two traditional holidays -Victoria Day (May 24) and Canada's birthday (July 1). Remember that not everyone shares your enthusiasm for sudden, loud noises. It is hard on pets and other animals. Again, use common sense. Certain fireworks (like sparklers, waterfalls and Roman Candles) are legal for personal use in Canada, but large display-type fireworks are illegal without a permit. The big ones are most likely to disturb wildlife and your neighbours, so think twice when your guests show up with some "really good" fireworks they bought in the US. Sound waves, like the water, are another thing we share. And of course, the property owner will be held liable if a spark ignites the forest.
4. One of the first things you will notice at night is how many stars we have up here! Ok, we don't really have more stars, we just have less light pollution than the city. Let's keep it that way:
- Use dark-sky friendly lighting that points downwards. Keep your light from spilling beyond your own property, including out over the water.
- Use the minimum wattage bulb that will still do the job. Your eyes will quickly adjust to low light at night
- Use solar LED lights to illuminate paths and stairs rather than large area lights. Use motion-activated security lights where area lighting is required. Set the timer to 5 minutes maximum.
- Avoid architectural lighting. We'll admire your home in the daytime.
Finally, just so we don't sound like a bunch of killjoys, we know you are here for rest, relaxation and fun. So are we. It is all about the golden rule really. Does that chain saw really have to start at 8:00 AM? Is it too much to ask that you slow down on the back roads? Do you really need to ride that noisy ATV/dirt bike back and forth over the same road all day long?Does your grass really need that fertilizer to make it look like the "burbs"? (fertilizers, pesticides and herbicides are all really bad for the lake)
Yes, there are some things you just have to change when you live on a lake. Think them over. Think about what makes this place so special and different from city life! Discuss things with your neighbours.
Join the Lake Waseosa Ratepayers' Association. Come to the Corn Roast, the Fun Day and the February Winter Social.
Be safe. Think of others. Protect the lake.
Enjoy a relaxed life style in our special but fragile lake community.
Thank you.
From the Lake Waseosa Ratepayers' Association including Palette, Ripple and Jingo (Jessop) Lakes