Hello everyone,
Well, that most wonderful time of the year – time at the lake – is almost here! Your summer is surely all planned out by now with visits from friends and family, camping and, of course, some quiet time. Based on the Facebook page, neighbours in Knight Bay got a head start with their annual June Maplepalooza to vote for the best Pemichangan maple syrup. Congratulations to winners John Mehan and Marc Monette! Other cottagers are already organizing their summer solstice festivities. Long live summer at Pemichangan! But let’s not forget that summer also means having to be extra careful on the water and more mindful of our responsibilities as civic minded cottagers and campers, for both the environment and our neighbors. Not sure what that means? It means such things as taking your boating course, staying far from shore when having fun on your Seadoo, and avoiding night lights, which can harm wildlife (think fireflies) and your neighbour’s outdoor experience (think stargazing). For more information, see the FLP’s Code of Ethics. In the meantime, read on for the latest on the FLP and Pemichangan.
FLP Annual Meeting. Mark your calendars! This year’s FLP AGM will be held on Sunday, July 7 at 10 a.m. at the Gatineau Fish and Game Club, 1011 chemin de Point Comfort, Gracefield. Only members are entitled to vote but the meeting is open to everyone. It’s the perfect opportunity to voice concerns, ask questions, run for the Board and connect with cottagers from all over the lake. See you there!
Gracefield Short-term Rentals. The new Gracefield bylaw authorizing short-term rentals (31 days or less) will finally be taking effect soon. It still needs to be adopted by the city council and approved by the MRC, but at this stage these are formalities. Until then, short-term rentals continue to be prohibited at the lake. The new by-law imposes various conditions such as registration with the Québec Tourism Corporation (CITQ), proof that septic systems are up to code and a requirement that operators can get to the property within 45 minutes in case of a complaint.
Zebra Mussels in Pemichangan. Thanks to your membership fees, one of the ways the FLP is able to keep abreast of issues that keep Québec lake associations busy is by joining various organizations. At a recent RAPPEL seminar on zebra mussels the FLP learned that Pemichangan is at a high risk of being invaded by zebra mussels due to the concentration of calcium in the water! What is the best way of preventing the spread of invasive species such as zebra mussels? Boat washing! See below.
Water Quality. The FLP is also a member of the Réseau de la surveillance volontaire des lacs (RSVL), a Québec government organization whose mandate is to monitor changes in water quality in Québec lakes. As such, the FLP must collect water samples and take measurements at fixed intervals. Samples are taken in Shouldice Bay and near the channel leading to Bertrand Bay. Thank you to Cameron Jackson and Tracey Henderson for taking on this important and time consuming task.
In response to a question from the Facebook page, here are the two types of testing done: water transparency and water quality. The first is to monitor changes in water transparency. This is done using a Secchi disk, which is submerged until it disappears from view. Water transparency is checked every two weeks from early June to Thanksgiving. Water quality testing measures the following variables: total phosphate (a nutrient), chlorophyll A (a green pigment found in plants and algae) and dissolved organic carbon (derived from the decomposition of organisms). Three samples are taken on dates set by the RSVL, in June, July and August, one or two years in a row every four years. Results over the years are available here.
The FLP has also recently obtained a cyanobacteria (blue-green algae) testing kit under the Université de Montréal’s Adopt-a-Lake program. If you suspect the presence of blue green algae, please contact Marianne Kennedy-Beaulne.
Boat Washing Now Required in Gracefield. It’s not always easy to ask guests to have their boats washed, especially if they’re coming only for the day or the weekend. Luckily, a new boat washing bylaw was adopted by Gracefield on June 23, 2023 so you can always use that as an argument. Vignettes are available from the municipality for residents and for boats that never leave the lake except for winter storage on lake properties but visitors will need to prove that their boats were washed or risk fines varying from $300 to $600 for individuals. For the love of the lake, ensure that ANY boats that have been elsewhere, including your visitors’, are washed – in Lac-Sainte-Marie, Kazabazua or Gracefield! It’s free!
GFGC Boat Launch. The Gatineau Fish and Game Club boat launch, in Point Comfort (north end of the lake), will continue to be open to the public this summer. Club employees will again be on hand to control traffic and ensure the safety of the children attending the club’s day camp and other pedestrians.
Pleasure Craft Operator Card. Safety on the water is everyone’s business. Do you know who has the right of way when two boats meet or how old you have to be to operate a Seadoo? In Canada, all operators of motorized watercraft, including rentals, must have a Transport Canada-approved operator card proving that they have a basic knowledge water safety rules. Special restrictions apply to those under 16, and offenders are liable for a fine. Courses are simple and offered online. Several websites offer training – here’s one in English.
Adopt-a-Site. The FLP’s Adopt-a-Site program is going strong! About half of our campsites have been adopted, but several “orphans” remain. Adopting a campsite is one of many simple ways to help preserve the environment at the lake. And it’s a wonderful way of introducing children or grandchildren to caring about the lake’s future. All it involves is visiting a site a total of three times over July and August to pick up any garbage. So it’s really not very time consuming. Please contact Todd Norton for more information.
Membership. The FLP currently has 175 members. Thank you to all who have joined! When your membership renews easily and automatically, take a moment to remember former FLP President Rick Robertson, who passed away in the spring, and who championed this feature. For the rest of you, it’s never too late to join! GFGC members can pay their FLP membership along with their club fees.
That’s the news for now. See you at the AGM and have a great summer everyone!
Sincerely,
Jeff Stanier
President