RLCA

Planting natives, that is. Along your shoreline, most importantly. And Watersheds Canada is here to help. First of all, a bit of background reading to while away the final (we hope!) stormy days of winter: a guide to the science behind naturalized buffers, appropriately titled The Science Behind Vegetated Shoreland Buffers. And for some political background to the jurisdictional issues, you can check out The Future of Our Shores.

And finally, if this all seems too daunting, check out their program called The Natural Edge. The program assists you with a plant database for selecting plants, and connect you to a local partner for a site visit (in Haliburton it’s The Land Between) and help with planning and even planting.

There is a wealth of other information available on the Watersheds Canada website, covering such topics as mitigating climate change, learning about your shore’s onland and underwater zones, and protecting wetlands. And a wonderful video to help the photographers among you capture fabulous wildlife images.  Check them out!

Haliburton Master Gardeners

Another source of possible assistance is the organization Haliburton Master Gardeners. They “specialize in all things green and growing in Zone 4”, with articles, consultations, and local sources for plant materials.

Friends of Ecological and Environmental Learning (FEEL)

https://www.ecoenvirolearn.org/

When and where: For sale online, for pickup at Abbey Gardens on May 20, 10am-2pm.

What’s on offer:  individual plants (trees, shrubs, and wildflower perennials), or themed bundles: Climate Change Tree, Pollinator, Upland, Shoreline Plant, Shoreline Shrub and Forest Garden.

Abbey Gardens

Last year some of our members participated in a pilot program with the Kennisis Lake Cottage Owners Association and Abbey Gardens on naturalizing their shorelines.  If you missed out, Abbey Gardens is continuing the program this year.  See the attached for more information.

Much like poutine, politeness, and Paul , pond hockey is a proud Canadian institution. From Bonavista to Bella Bella, Canadians grow up waiting for the ice to freeze and then gliding onto those newly formed ponds to play our favourite sport. Canadians often jump at the chance to get outside and enjoy the sunny, crisp winter days.

But as we have learned over 50 years tracking the health of lakes at IISD Experimental Lakes Area—the world’s freshwater laboratory—climate change is affecting Canada’s winter lakes and ponds. And the next 50 years are likely to see further change.

And that spells bad news for pond hockey fans.  Here are just five reasons why.

1) Winters Are Starting Later  IISD-ELA has been tracking the date lakes freeze over since 1969 in northwestern Ontario. We call this special day “ice-on.”  On average, this ice-on date has been getting later and later—in fact, by 1.66 days per decade.

That means pond hockey season has been starting later each year.

2) Lakes Are Frozen for Less Time  Guess what IISD-ELA found when we compared how long lakes were iced over during winter in 1969 versus now? Since 1969, lakes have been frozen over for an average of 18 days fewer (at a rate of 4.24 days per decade). And it is expected that the number of days of pond ice will continue to decrease if we don’t curb greenhouse gas emissions.  Future climate scenarios that consider backyard ice conditions show that the number of days you can skate outside will decline by 19% in Calgary alone from 2015 to 2090.  Yep, that means almost two and half weeks less of pond hockey per year in our kids’ lifetimes.

3) Winters Are Warmer  Remember those already vanished 16.7 days of ice? Well, according to the Climate Atlas, if emissions levels do not change, winters will get even shorter—by 10–20 days by 2050! This means in most people’s current lifetimes, no matter where you live the winters you experience will be milder than those of your parents and grandparents.  This spells terrible news for pond hockey fans, but also for flora, fauna, and millions of people who depend on lakes and cold weather for their lives and livelihoods.

4) More Rain, Rain, Rain  Thanks to climate change, we expect more winter rain than in decades past.  Less dependable snowfalls, or events where rain falls after snowing and freezes, may lead to fewer events where rain falls after snowing and freezes and the increased flow of water in streams and rivers—all contributing to poor quality or unsafe ice conditions. Good ice safety practices will become ever more important to practicing our traditions of pond skating, backyard rinks, and pond hockey.

5) Winter Weather Whiplash  As temperatures and precipitation levels swing between extremes throughout the winter, it may feel as if you have “weather whiplash”!  One minute, milder weather may risk melting ice, while the next minute, temperatures will be way colder than you expect.  Both extremes will affect your beloved pond hockey: warmer temperatures can cause thaws and slush, while below-normal temperatures bring increased risks of hypothermia and frostbite.

We have published a lot this year about naturalizing your property, preventing lawn chemicals from going into the lake, making a place for wildlife and giving yourself a break from the lawnmower, the weed whacker, the leaf blower etc.  We need to ask ourselves “how do we live with the land, not just on the land?”.  Don Downer and Adrienne Perry of Waubaushene asked themselves that question, formulated some answers and took action. 

You can access our full journey here.  We can all make a difference – whether you have a large flat property like Don and Adrienne, a steep drop to the lake or a short piece of shoreline, everything matters.  And once it is done, you can sit back and enjoy.

There is a charitable organization in Haliburton County that you may not have heard of, but that impacts hundreds of residents every day. SIRCH Community Services is an innovative and fluid organization that focuses on reducing poverty, creating resilience and encouraging connection.

Starting in 1989, SIRCH incubated and divested several services that county residents now take for
granted, (such as adult mental health services and community hospice). Then it turned its attention to how it could level the playing field for residents who were struggling with food security, unemployment, isolation, and other factors that influence general health and wellbeing.

Today, SIRCH provides free nutritious meals (47,000 portions just since the pandemic) through its
Community Kitchen program. It offers training, also free, in basic carpentry, food service and other skills that are needed by employers in Haliburton County. It provides low cost furniture, clothing, electronics and more through the Thrift Warehouses in Haliburton and Bancroft, and also donates household items to families who have been homeless, burned out or have fled an abusive relationship and are starting over.

This summer, SIRCH created resilience in over 80 children who were entering or were in junior
kindergarten. School’s Cool, a program created by SIRCH, increases critical developmental skills that aid in the chances of those children being successful in school.

SIRCH encourages moms who are feeling the pressure of raising young children to join their peer
support and parenting groups. Seniors feel less isolated through SIRCH programs like Memories to Life and The Community Table. The Bistro and Bakery offer affordable food and a welcoming place to connect, with any profits going back into SIRCH programs.

You can help SIRCH and help your community!

• Volunteer for one of our programs.
• Renovating or updating your space? Donate the things you no longer need (in good condition) to the Thrift Warehouse.
• Visit the Bistro & Bakery and dine in or take home some delicious meals and treats.
• Sponsor a program (we would love to hear your ideas!)
• Contribute generously to SIRCH’s Gifts from the Heart campaign this fall or visit our website to donate monthly.

While we have not done any formal surveys, anecdotally many of our members are concerned with the cellular and internet connectivity around our lakes.   This is more than about convenience – there are safety concerns because of the lack of cellular connectivity in some areas, including the inability to reach 911 when required.

RLCA has been in touch with Forbes Brothers, who are managing consultants for Rogers, and have shared our concerns with coverage.  Two new towers are being proposed closer to Kennisis Lake, one of which appears to create some moderate improvement around Little Redstone. Forbes Bros. have shared propagation maps that outline the before and after coverage for the two tower sites.  See below for explanation and link to maps.

There will be ONLINE public consultation meetings conducted by Forbes Bros Ltd on behalf of Rogers on November 23 and 24, 2022.  See the links below, provided by our colleagues at KLCOA for pre-registration info.

We will continue to share information on this process as it becomes available and encourage property owners to provide their input directly to the consultation mechanisms as they are identified. 

For more details, maps and pre-registration info see:

Tower Proposal – Wilkinson Road
Tower Proposal – North Shore

For coverage maps see below:

The colour coded maps show the measurements of Reference Signal Received Power (“RSRP”), a measure of signal strength in decibels (“dBm) from strongest -78dBm) to weakest/no signal (-200dbm). 

On these maps the strongest RSRP is dark purple, weakest is red and no signal is white.

The water overlay on the maps hid the colour coding for signal strength but please be assured the signal continues over this surface.

Please note these coverage maps have the proposed tower at C4385 at 90m which has been reduced to 85m.  This reduced height will not significantly affect coverage.  Revised coverage maps will also be presented at the virtual public meeting.

Coverage Maps

The next Ontario municipal elections will be held on Monday, October 24, 2022. The term of office for elected representatives is December 1st, 2022 to November 30th, 2026 (a four year term). Learn who in your community best represents your position on the issues that mean the most to you and your family!

Where can you vote?

In Ontario Municipal elections, you are entitled to vote where you own or rent property. Therefore, plan to vote at your cottage riding as well as your permanent residence.

FAQ: “My family owns a cottage. Can I vote in that municipality?” In order to qualify as a non-resident elector, you (or your spouse) must be the owner or tenant of the property. If a family member who is not your spouse is the owner, even if you have use of the cottage you would not qualify as a non-resident elector. If the cottage is owned by a trust, you would not qualify as a non-resident elector.

Who can vote?

Anyone can vote in a municipal election who, on the day of the election, is:

• 18 years of age or older;
• a Canadian citizen; and
• either a resident of the municipality or a property owner or tenant, or the spouse or same sex partner of an owner or tenant in the municipality, during a specified time just before the election.

To be able to vote, your name must be on the list of eligible voters. If you are on the voters list, you should receive a card in later October of the election year, telling you that you are eligible to vote.

What can you do?

1. Ensure you are on the voter’s list! Visit voterlookup.ca
2. Get on FOCA’s Elert list for cottage country updates on election issues.
3. Attend a local candidates’ event prior to the election. Ask your questions!
4. Vote in your Municipal Election.