Category: News

Motors, boats, and Ontario’s ecosystems can be ruined by zebra mussels and other aquatic invasive species. Take a few simple steps to preserve our lakes and fisheries: CLEAN off any plants or debris, DRAIN bilges and ballast water, and DRY any wet areas of your boat.

With the installation of its new Event Tent, the Kennisis Lake Marina will be the go-to destination for music, events, and programs. Marina owners, Gary Bouwmeister, Jim Dale and Chad Burdon have installed a 40-foot by 60-foot tent,   The tent is located right next to the Pickle Ball Courts and can accommodate up to 200 people.   The tent is available to rent for community events and private functions.

The first musical event, “Sheer Heart Attack”- celebrating the music of Queen, was sold out in less than a day, with additional tickets being added for outdoor seating.

Sue Bin, a long-time Kennisis Lake cottager and teacher will be running Camp Kennisis, a day camp for kids 5-11 yrs. old.  The 3-day- a- week camp will be run for 6 sessions, beginning the week of July 11^th. The programs will include crafts, activities, and pickleball. For information and registration, please contact Sue at suecampk@gmail.com

Art classes and workshops will take place every Friday during July and August. Joyce Sumara, artist and Kennisis Lake cottager, along with local artist Harvey Walker will host a variety of programs for all levels. For details go to http://artinthetent.corsizio.com/

Local Yoga instructor Lorrie McCauley will be offering yoga classes Sundays to Thursdays. Sessions are available at both the advanced level (with modifications offered) as well as beginner/relaxing yoga. Classes will be offered in 8 class packages or pay as you go.

Lorrie will also be offering Yoga for Kids and Self Defense/Karate for Kids.  For information and registration, please contact Lorrie directly at athleticmeditation@gmail.com.

How do I find out more?

Below is a list of programs and events planned which are confirmed as of time of writing.  For the most up to date information, visit the Marina Website at www.kennisislakemarina.com and click on “Events”.   

Events and Programs will be announced on social media. You can follow the Marina on Instagram or check out Facebook posts on Kennisis Lake is Better than Your Lake or Pickleball @The Lake.

Live music @ Smoke on the Water– Every Friday and Saturday
Camp Kennisis: Tuesday-Thursday, Weeks of July 11, 18, 25, August 1,8,15
Art- Open Studio and Classes – Fridays
Yoga – Sundays to Thursdays

June 24 – 9 am -noon:  Pickleball Open House*
July 1 – KLCOA Fireworks*
July 8 – Kennisis Courts Under 30 Pickleball Tournament**
– Sheer Heart Attack (Queen Tribute Band) –Sold Out
July 11 – Euchre Tournament*
July 22 – Poker Run*
July 29 – Halloween in July*
August 5 – KLCOA Regatta*
– Comedy Night*
August 6 – Storyteller- Bob Graham*
August 12 – Corn Hole Tournament
August 15 – Euchre Tournament*
August 19 – Kennisis Courts Annual Pickleball Tournament**
August 23 – Kennisis/Stanhope Pickleball Tournament**
August 26 – Rock on the Dock @ the Bouwmeisters
September 2 – Comedy Night*

* Details coming soon.

**Members only– Spectators and Cheerleaders welcomed! For Pickleball membership inquiries, please contact Lisa Dale at cottagecourts@gmail.com

How can I rent the tent?

For information on renting the Kennisis Event Tent, or if you are interested in  running a program, please contact Sheelagh Lawrance and Liz Austin at kennisiseventtent@gmail.com

This summer has been off to a smoky start. Smoke from wildfires in Quebec is causing hazy conditions while dry weather conditions expose us to our own wildfire risks. We encourage our members to do everything possible to manage these risks while enjoying summer by the lake.

As of June 1st, Haliburton County has issued a complete fire ban that includes fireworks (https://www.dysartetal.ca/en/living-in-our-community/fire-and-emergency-services.aspx).

Regardless of the fire ban, the RLCA encourages its members to continue to avoid using fireworks to protect our lakes, wildlife, pets, and neighbours. Here, we share a recent article from The Conversation that details some of the harmful impacts of fireworks.

If fires should come to our area, watch out for waterbombers. Remember that waterbombers need room to scoop water from lakes. Boaters who venture too close can obstruct firefighting efforts and create a dangerous situation for themselves and pilots. 

Waterbombers will not scoop from a lake or river if encroaching watercraft pose a safety hazard. Help fight wildland fires by staying clear of waterbombers while out on the water. Download an information sheet about waterbombers and share this with others!

The KLCOA will host a video conference on Tuesday, May 30 from 7:30 to 8:30 pm to explain how the KLCOA/RLCA Propane Group Buy works and the process to join. Our lead contact at Superior Propane, Jeff Voyer, will lead the discussion.

The KLCOA/RLCA Superior Propane Group Buy Program has been active for ten years. It is generally agreed that this has resulted in more favourable rates/terms for participants (as well as for customers of other propane suppliers).

Last fall, Superior Propane bought Highlands Propane. Unfortunately, it was too late for the former Highlands Propane customers to join the KLCOA/RLCA Propane pricing group for the 2022-2023 season, but these customers will be eligible to participate for the coming year. The process to join the group for existing Superior Propane customers is relatively simple.

We will also explain the benefits and process to join for KLCOA/RLCA members installing propane for the first time, and those potentially interested in joining the group who are now with other propane suppliers (which entails switching out tanks and having a safety inspection performed).

Please email Propane Group Buy Coordinator Tayce Wakefield at taycewakefield@yahoo.ca to participate in this call.

For most people, when they think about their cottages or homes in Ontario’s “cottage country”, the first thing they think about is the lake! Campfires by the lakes, drinks on the dock, boating, fishing – so many things we love about this area revolve around being on or near the water. This is especially true in the Haliburton Highlands, home to over 500 lakes spread across a beautiful and rugged piece of the Canadian Shield, featuring sandy shores and breathtaking cliffs, and everything in between.

These lakes are not only a source of recreation and tourism, but also play a vital role in the region’s ecosystem. Development along these shorelines has increased over the years as more people invest in lakeside homes and subsequent urban landscaping methods are causing serious ecological impacts to the health of our lakes. To protect and preserve these valuable natural resources, shoreline naturalization is becoming an increasingly important initiative in the Haliburton Highlands. The ecological team at Abbey Gardens Community Trust is doing their part to educate and engage the community to participate in a better way to beautify their shores.

Abbey Gardens is a charitable organization with a mission to re-green a former gravel pit into a community destination that provides recreational, educational, ecological, and economic development opportunities to live more sustainably. When you visit Abbey Gardens you will find public trails, a disc golf course, a Food Hub and café specializing in local food, a market garden, a craft brewery, a wood fired pizza truck, an event space, and so much more. A big part of their mission is rooted – literally! – in restoring, rehabilitating, and reforesting areas that have suffered major ecological damage. The restoration team, led by Ecologist Cara Steele, works closely with organizations like Trent University and U-Links to study various soil remediation, cover cropping, and planting methods to examine what methods yield effective results for the unique ecosystems of the Haliburton Highlands.

In 2022, Steele partnered with Kennisis Lake Cottage Owners Association (KLCOA) in a pilot project to restore eleven shoreline properties across three lake systems, planting over 1,250 native plants and shrubs. The goal of the pilot was to educate lakeside property owners about how natural shorelines can still be beautiful, while protecting overall lake health.

75% of our shorelines should be in a natural state for a minimum of 30 m (100 feet) back from high water, otherwise water quality will degrade over time. Shoreline naturalization is the process of restoring a lake’s natural shoreline, typically by planting native species of vegetation along the water’s edge. Natural shorelines are vital to maintaining the overall health of a lake.  Shoreline plants protect from erosion, wave action and ice damage, moderate water temperature, flooding, and absorb nutrients from human activity.

Did you know that shorelines are called the Ribbon of Life? Eighty to ninety percent of species depend on shoreline habitat for nesting, shelter, travel, reproduction and feeding.

There are several benefits to shoreline naturalization:

• Natural shoreline planting helps to prevent erosion and sediment buildup, which can harm water quality and wildlife habitat.
• Native vegetation provides food and shelter for wildlife, improving the overall biodiversity of the lake.
• Another key benefit of shoreline naturalization is that it helps to reduce the impact of human activities on the lake. Natural shorelines act as a buffer between the lake and the surrounding land, absorbing runoff and filtering pollutants before they reach the water. This helps to maintain water quality and protects the lake from potential harm caused by human activities such as agriculture, forestry, and development.

As shorelines along lakes and rivers are being developed, these areas are at greater risk to erosion and reduced water quality. Naturalizing shorelines by planting native flowers, trees and shrubs helps keep our lakes swimmable, drinkable, and fishable.

A major takeaway from the pilot program with KLOCA was that homeowners felt overwhelmed and unqualified to do their own native planting. Like any planting project, there are a lot of factors to take into account when thinking about naturalizing your shoreline, such as hours of sunlight, soil conditions, your personal property use, preferences, the amount of time you’re willing to invest in maintenance, and more. In response, Steele and her team are expanding the shoreline restoration outreach program to support more homeowners throughout Haliburton, Muskoka, and the Kawartha Lakes. Through site visits, planting plans, and hands-on planting, the team will address individual property needs and restoration goals from start to finish.

If you’re looking for a DIY option with a little help from the experts, Steele has curated shoreline plant kits that are uniquely tailored to the site conditions prevalent in our area:

• The Pollinator Garden Kit is for sites with dry to normal soil that experience part shade to full sun. This kit includes a mix of wildflowers, grasses, shrubs and trees that will attract pollinators throughout the whole season.
• The Open Shoreline Kit benefits sites with low lying areas that have moist soil and at least six hours of sunlight per day. The wildflowers can be planted right at the waters’ edge to create a beautiful display of colour.
• The Forest Garden Kit is appropriate for shaded shorelines that have dry to normal soil. Alternatively, the plants can be used to naturalize and add plant diversity to shady upland areas.

This year, Abbey Gardens has partnered with Friends of Ecological and Environmental Learning (FEEL) to host their Native Plant Sale, featuring beautiful hand-picked native plants, trees, and shrubs, as well as Steele’s curated Planting Kits. All proceeds from the sale go directly to support the Haliburton-Muskoka-Kawartha Children’s Water Festival and restoration projects at Abbey Gardens.

To learn more about the shoreline planting outreach program, FEEL’s Native Plant Sale, shoreline kits, or more, visit abbeygardens.ca or email Cara Steele at cara@abbeygardens.ca!