Blueberry Island Restoration Project
We have received approval from the Department of Fisheries and Oceans and a permit from the Ministry of Natural Resources to proceed with the in-water phase. This follows the previous MNR approval of the signage and on-shore replanting. We will be seeking volunteers to help haul rocks to the island sometime mid-summer.
The in-water work will commence after July 15 (to avoid disturbing spawning fish), but the next round of planting will commence on the May 24 weekend. The Friends of Blueberry Island Committee ordered 50 white pine and 50 red oak trees from the nursery. Please contact us if you can assist in the planting that weekend.
Just a reminder: To facilitate the replanting process, Blueberry Island was closed to visitors effective August 11, 2009 for a period of two years to allow the new plants time to establish themselves.
None of us want to give up our visits to this little gem, but if we don't take action now, there won't be anything for our children to visit in the future. We ask you to respect this effort and refrain from landing on the island except when working with the committee on active rehabilitation projects.
Area History Project
When and why did Long Lake and Round Lake become Waseosa and Palette? Who originally built your cottage? How many places have hosted Fun Day over the years? What inspired people to form the LWRA in the first place?
"I also found out that Waseosa means 'Lake of Shimmering Waters'."
"...going to Norton's we could wander through his "garden". It was swell -- lots of bridges leading to small islands, slides, a fake Indian in a wigwam and Dangerous Dan McGrew. Every year there was some new attraction."
"It was in 1879 that James Jacob and Mary Ann Jessop acquired Lots 13 and 14 Concession 12, Chaffey Township. From 1883 to 1924, these properties changed hands a number of times ending up being owned by Mary Ellen Dignam."
"Back in 1921/22 there was a murder at the farmstead that is now our camp property... the Lake was called Long Lake at that time and the owners of the farm were the Solave Family."
These are a few quotes from submissions to our history project. We need your help before our memories are lost in the mists of time.
Send in your histories (our contact information is at the bottom) and we'll get them posted for everyone to enjoy too!
AGM
The Annual General Meeting will be held Sat., July 10. Our President, John Forder, is moving on and Dwayne Verhey's term also expires this year. We particularly need another director from a back-lot or one of the smaller lakes to maintain a balance on the Board.
Benthos Testing
We do not yet have a date from the District, but we will need volunteers to help count bugs again one morning this spring.
Jessop and Palette Lake Water Quality
There is disturbing news buried in this year's District report. Jessop (aka Jingo) Lake has very high phosphorous readings. In fact, it appears that Jessop is over-threshold. The average from 1998 to 2007 was 16.4µg/L, the long-term average from 1992 to 2001 was 15µg/L but the threshold for Jessop is only 14.4µg/L (150% of the background level of 9.6). The difference between background and measured levels is due to human activities - runoff, fertilizers, cleaners and so forth. There is a very real danger of algae blooms occurring when the P level is so high. Such blooms can make the lake unusable.
Conditions in Palette and Ripple are not monitored by the District, but we have serious concerns about Palette. In 2005, the District calculated the threshold to be 5.22µg/L and our own testing through the Lake Partner program suggests the average from 2003 to 2007 is MORE THAN DOUBLE the threshold - 10.84µg/L.
We urge all residents to take careful stock of their activities. Keep septics maintained and runoff to a minimum. Look for environmentally responsible cleansers (as can be purchased at cost through the LWRA). Maintain a natural shoreline buffer rather than clear-cut the waterfront. Avoid chemical fertilizers.
Fundraiser
Once upon a time the Association made scads of money by selling drinks at the Corn Roast. Well times (and laws!) have changed and the Corn Roast is now more of a family-oriented affair. That's a good thing, but we miss the money.
We have the Blueberry Island restoration to fund. It's been 5 years since the last deep-water survey of Waseosa. We need to have a professional look at the water quality on Palette. It's time to update the Lake Plan and file an OPA. And so on. We could go door to door begging, but we'd rather earn it.
So we've secured a spot on the Robinson's Independent Grocer Charity Barbeque roster. In fact, we secured a prime weekend: Friday June 25 (11am to 6pm), Saturday June 26 (11am to 4pm) and Sunday June 27(11am to 4pm). Now we need some volunteers! 3 persons at a time. If we divide each day into 2 shifts, we only need 18 people who are willing to help out for 3 hours or so. All proceeds go to a really good cause: looking after our lakes!
Annual Dues
We're pleased that so many of you have remembered to pay your annual dues on time. But we'd like to remind the rest of you that dues are payable as of January first of each year. We need to have that money in hand to finalize our budget. A special reminder to Waseosa residents: the Save the Lake Fund was established to fund the battle over the Pieper development and other residents are not asked to contribute to that special fund. Our legal expenses have slightly exceeded donations. If everyone on Waseosa donated another $20 it would clear the slate.
Of course, not everyone will, so be generous. Any small surplus will be used to fund the Blueberry Island restoration or similar environmental benefit.
High Speed Internet Update
The second wireless internet tower is now up and running. Located on top of the highest hill east of #11, the Melissa tower should fill in the shadows, providing coverage for those that couldn't get a signal from the Waseosa tower. To arrange for service, contact one of the local ISPs - Surenet or Vianet. For more information, see our website.
Bears
This is the time of year when the bears wake up - hungry. Last year there were a number of problems with aggressive bear behaviour in our area, including one instance of a bear entering a home. Bears have an excellent sense of smell and a long memory: they will keep coming back to a location again and again. We have to learn to minimize the attraction by properly securing and storing our garbage: keep it to a minimum and store it in a bear-proof container. Garbage is collected on Thursdays, so consider taking it with you and throwing it out at home rather than leaving it on the side of the road for 4 days.