Governance

AGM 2021

The AGM will be held via Zoom on June 9^th at 7:30pm with the assistance of FOCA. You will receive an email with a link to the meeting.   You will need to identify yourself using your name and cottage lot number to gain access to the meeting.

Agenda:

• Welcome & Introduction – Margi Colquhoun
• FOCA backgrounder and updates – FOCA Rep
• Business
  • Treasurer’s Report – Janice Manias
  • Dues for 2021 – Margi Colquhoun
  • Vote for Treasurer – Margi Colquhoun
• 2021 events:
  • June:  Planting Palooza – Henry Decock
    • Shoreline Health – Margi Colquhoun
  • August: Pandemic Paddle and Food Drive – Breanne Hunt-Wells
  • As Available: Music on the Dock by Drew Phillips – Breanne Hunt-Wells
• Water Quality – Jim Hartog
• Web Site and Communications – Vickie Hartog
• Closing Remarks – Margi Colquhoun
• FOCA – Lake Associations in Actions! Video – FOCA Rep

Other topics? Please advise by replying to this email if you have additional topics you would like to have covered.

Treasurer Wanted

We are looking for a new treasurer and will be holding the vote during the AGM. If you are interested in joining an active, caring executive, please let Margi know by calling or emailing president@looncalllake.ca

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On the Water

Planting Palooza – June 19, 2021

By Henry Decock

Save the date: June 19^th

The Loon Call Cottager’s Association Executive was successful in acquiring a $500 Love Your Lake Micro Grant in support of the Planting Palooza, a one-day event in June to promote the health and preservation of our shoreline. The Executive will purchase two to three plants, depending on pricing and availability, for each of the participating properties on Loon Call Lake. On the announced day, cottagers will pick up their plants and instructions from a designated dock; then everyone will plant at the same specified time. We are asking for people to take pictures and submit them for a random draw to win additional plants. More details will follow at the AGM.

You may recall our participation in the Love Your Lake program and receiving a lake and your individual property report. The Planting Palooza is a continuation of our commitment to increase awareness of the naturalization of shorelines to enhance the quality of our lake. It will be a day when members of the Loon Call community can engage in some fun together and help promote the best environmental practices.   

A poll is now open for you to indicate your participation and to select your bundle. If you are on a relatively level piece of property with open space, you would select the shoreline bundle to revitalize the land. If your access to the water is steep with rocks and trees, you can still participate by selecting the sun-loving bundle to enhance your property.  Link to poll: Planting Palooza – Plant Selection

You can read more about the micro-grant program here

Plants for this event were purchased at Grow Wild Nursery in Omemee.   Many thanks also to Grow Wild Nursery for donating the shoreline planting prize valued at $50 for the planting draw. Any cottager who submits a photo of their planting party by midnight Saturday June 26th will be entered in the draw to be held Sunday June 27th.

More info will be shared at the AGM on June 9^th.

Other Events in the Works

2^nd Annual Pandemic Paddle and Food Drive; and Music on the Dock.
More to come in the AGM and future newsletters.

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Community

Apsley and Sayers

By Breanne Hunt-Wells

You may be wondering about Sayers and what food is available in Apsley. We understand planning is underway for the rebuild of Sayers, but at present do not have specific details.

In the meantime, Hunter’s General Store is available for many basics. In addition to typical variety store merchandise, (ie. Candy, Newpapers, etc.) they offer:

• Staples: milk, coffee cream, eggs, some cheese, butter, coffee, tea
• Other food items: wieners, pop, ketchup, cereal, canned  soup, pickles and
• Baked goods: bread, hamburger and hot dog buns, packaged cakes and pies.  

It is basically first come first serve as there is a limited supply but if pressed you wouldn’t starve. J

Through the pandemic and fire, Apsley’s spirit remains high, with the Spread the Love campaign in April, showing town support with painted hearts on the fence surrounding the Sayers property

North Kawartha

You can receive timely North Kawartha information by subscribing at this site.

REMINDER: Fireworks are prohibited

Since we are in a provincial park, you need to be aware of the rules. “Possession or use of fireworks is prohibited in provincial parks at all times. They constitute a fire hazard and disturb visitors and wildlife who wish to enjoy the park in a peaceful manner.”  The full set of rules can be found here: ontarioparks.com/park/www.blueflag.ca/rules 

Firework	Minimum Fine
Possess fireworks	$100.00
Ignite fireworks	$150.00

NOTICE: Firearms Regulations and Limitations

By Jim Hartog

It has been noted that individuals are discharging firearms in the Park. The regulations that cover firearms in the park, for those of you who are not aware, is summarized below:

Section 9(2) of the Fish and Wildlife Conservation Act, 1997 (https://www.ontario.ca/laws/statute/97f41)  states “A person shall not possess in a provincial park or Crown reserve a firearm, trap, other hunting or trapping device or explosive.”

Section 9(3) says that there are exceptions.  Since hunting is allowed in the Kawartha Highlands Park, the exceptions apply. 

The complete rules re firearms, with the exceptions, can be found in Regulation 347 made under the Provincial Parks Conservation Reserves Act  (https://www.ontario.ca/laws/regulation/070347).  This can also be found at O. Reg. 347/07. 

Firearms 35.  No person shall use or display a firearm in a provincial park other than, a) a peace officer in the lawful execution of his or her duties, b) an employee in the Ministry or an agent of the Ministry for the purpose of wildlife management and control, c) a person lawfully hunting under the authority of 9(3) of the Fish and Wildlife Conservation Act, 1997, d) a person authorized by the superintendent to use a firearm in a provincial park

From the Regulations, section 35:

Suspected firearms violations can be reported to 1-877-847-7667, which is the Conservation Officer tip line if you think it is necessary.  It is not a good idea to investigate gun fire yourself.

FOCA Elerts

• The April Elert can be found here. 
• Topics of interest
  • Stay at Home Order
  • High Speed Internet
  • Upcoming Webinars
  • And much more
• We encourage you to subscribe to Elerts here.

Gypsy Moth Spraying

Planning and preparation is underway for the spraying. Zimmer has made the following site with map available so you can check when spraying is expected on your property. https://zimmerair.com/services/aerial-application-services/forest-pest-control/

Current expected spraying in our area is the May 17-22^nd timeframe.

Cottage Life Show

The Cottage Live show is virtual this year. Check it out here until May 31^st.

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Welcome back to the cottage!
On behalf of the Loon Call Lake Cottagers’ Association Executive may you have a safe and healthy 2021 cottaging season!

Margi Colquhoun, President

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March 26, 2021

Breaking News

North Kawartha will require clear bags for garbage starting June 1st.  For more information read here

Governance

We will be assessing options for the AGM in 2021 and will update you in the next newsletter. Any thoughts are appreciated, just reply to this email using subject line “AGM Thoughts”

Community

REMINDER: Fireworks are prohibited

Since we are in a provincial park, you need to be aware of the rules. “Possession or use of fireworks is prohibited in provincial parks at all times. They constitute a fire hazard and disturb visitors and wildlife who wish to enjoy the park in a peaceful manner.”  The full set of rules can be found here: ontarioparks.com/park/www.blueflag.ca/rules 

Fireworks	Minimum Fine
Possess fireworks	$100.00
Ignite fireworks	$150.00

Cottager List

Do you need your cottage neighbour’s contact information – use the Contact Us form to find out how to get it.

On the Water

Your Loon Call Lake Executive have been busy these past few months looking for and applying for grants that can help our lake. As a result, we have applied for a Phragmites Invasive Species educational grant and are in the process of applying for a Love Your Lake grant to help with shorelands.

Phragmites – Invasive Species – Not Decorations

In March we applied for a grant to increase awareness of Phragmites invasive species.

We want to increase awareness of the invasive nature of phragmites

It takes very little to propagate phragmites and a lot of work to remove them, so although they may look decorative, please do not bring them to the cottage. And if they are at the cottage, take them back to the city.

While we were not successful at receiving the grant we encourage you to become familiar with the educational material available and make it available to visitors and renters as well.

For further Phragmites information visit this link.

Love Your Lake

We have submitted an application for funding with which we will purchase plants and host a PPP (Pandemic Planting Palooza). Stay tuned for more information in the next newsletter.

A little bit more about the program:

• The Canadian Wildlife Federation (CWF), in partnership with Watersheds Canada, is thrilled to announce that lake groups who have participated in Love Your Lake are eligible to receive funding. Lake groups can receive up to $500 per group to improve freshwater health. The Love Your Lake Microgrant Program will provide funding for shoreline naturalization projects that positively impact lake health such as shoreline restoration and demonstration sites. 
• Projects should demonstrate the support and involvement of lake community members taking action towards improving and maintaining shoreline and lake health, such as, community members distributing native plants, helping design garden layouts or planting native plant species along shoreline areas.

You can read more about the microgrant program here

Bancroft Area Stewardship Council Plants

If you are interested in purchasing plants, there are many resources, BASCl is just one of them, enabling you to get shoreline bundles easily and at a good price. Please see this link for details.

FOCA Elerts

• The February Elert can be found here.  Of particular interest is the information regarding the change to electricity rates to eliminate seasonal rates. It’s a done deal, we are now into the rollout details.
• The March Elert can be found here. Of interest in this Elert is FOCA’s strategic plan for 2021 – 2023 for:
  • promoting healthy lands, lakes and rivers
  • advocating for responsive government
  • serving local lake and road associations
  • championing affordable and safe rural living
  • fostering community, and
  • building FOCA’s capacity.

We encourage you to subscribe to Elerts here.

North Kawartha

You can receive timely North Kawartha by subscribing at this site.

Gypsy Moths

You should have sent your contract back to Zimmer Air if you are planning on being sprayed. Thanks to Vickie for working with Zimmer Air for stick handling our cottager list with them.

Cottage Life Show

The Cottage Live show is virtual this year. Check it out here

Be Careful – Ice on shorelines

With warm weather and windy conditions, be watchful and wary of ice conditions. For information about water levels for the lakes surrounding Loon Call, this is a good site to visit: www.pc.gc.ca/en/lhn-nhs/on/trentsevern/info/infonet

Winter at the Cottage

Many of our Loon Call Lake cottagers have been enjoying winter at the cottage this year. It is quite a different experience than in summer, with the peaceful quiet and vastly different winter activities.

Photo credits: Brian Webster / Margi Colquhoun

And here, for your enjoyment, an excerpt from Henry Decock’s blog that says it all:

 
Oh! Canada
This weekend, I finally got my good rink and a vigorous skate. The entire lake became my ice playground and I lived my dream skating experience.
For the full entry, follow this link.

Photo credits: Henry Decock

More photos can be found on the Loon Call Lake web site by clicking here.  If you have photos, please let us know through the Contact Us form and we will put them on the web site.