Hello everyone,

Whether this is the spring or summer newsletter remains unclear as summer seems to have come and gone a few times over the last few weeks. Quite a challenge for those of us trying to get our gardens going! To plant or not to plant, that is the question. Still, more and more people seem to be enjoying time at the lake already. Like the fall, spring is a very peaceful time at Pemichangan, with few boaters on the lake except for those few brave souls out there fishing despite the cold and rain or the blackflies. It is not a peaceful time for the FLP Board though as it prepares for the July Annual General Meeting (AGM). There is much to report on this year in terms of Board accomplishments and plans for the immediate future. Big plans…just saying… Join us on July 6 to know more. Our Facebook page now has more than 1100 followers so there are clearly many Pemi lovers out there for whom the lake’s health must certainly be an important issue. That’s good news. Read on to find out more about the Board’s recent activities.

2025 AGM. Save the date! This year’s AGM will once again be held at the Gatineau Fish and Game Club, 1011 chemin de Point Comfort, Gracefield (in Point-Comfort), on Sunday July 6 at 10 am. A reminder that everyone is welcome but that only members may vote at the AGM. People from the south end were under represented at last year’s AGM. We hope to see more of you this year!

Lake Health. Last October, the Board met with Professor Claude Lavoie PhD, a specialist in the management of invasive plants with specific expertise in milfoil, for a wide-ranging discussion focused on the challenges and costs of dealing with milfoil in lac Pemichangan.

This spring, individual Board members attended two conferences that brought lake associations together with professionals, academics, and government officials from across Québec: the Forum national des espèces aquatiques envahissantes, organized by the Regroupement national des conseils régionaux de l’environnement du Québec (RNCREQ), and the 5th Annual Colloque sur l’eau, organized by the Regroupement des associations pour la protection de l’environnement des lacs et des bassins versants (RAPPEL).

There was one consistent message from all three sessions: implementing effective milfoil control techniques is difficult and extremely expensive; PREVENTION of the next invader (zebra mussels or spiny water fleas, for example) is therefore critical to preserving the lake’s health, especially since Lac Pemichangan is at a high risk of being invaded by zebra mussels due to the concentration of calcium in the water. There is one thing we can all do: promote thorough washing of all boats, kayaks, canoes, and paddle boards that have been on other lakes before they are launched in Pemichangan. There are several boat washing stations near lac Pemichangan, including in Lac-Sainte-Marie, Kazabazua and Gracefield. So spread the word, to your neighbours, family members, guests and renters!

Last fall, working with RAPPEL, the Board applied for and received funding from the Fondation de la faune du Québec

to support a pre-project study focusing on the quality of lake trout habitat in lac Pemichangan, including characterization of aquatic plants in sensitive areas. Biologists from RAPPEL will be on the lake twice this summer mapping plants – please make them feel welcome. A report will be provided to us in early 2026, which we hope will help guide future lake health strategies. More on this at the AGM.

There is much that can be done to protect the health of the lake – and we can use all kinds of help and ideas! You don’t have to join the Board to work on lake health matters. If you have an interest in preserving the gem that is lac Pemichangan, please consider joining our lake health team – in whatever role you can. Please contact Tracey Henderson, Marianne Kennedy Beaulne, Jeff Stanier or any other Board member.

Camping Corner. The map of camp and picnic sites is now available in the Members’ section of the FLP website. Members can contact Wanda Taylor for the password.

Adopt a Site. The FLP is improving its camp/picnic site adoption program this year. We welcome the volunteer services and experience of both Peter and Susan Annis to the program. The Adopt-a-Site program is a great way for high school students to acquire volunteer hours required for graduation while spending time at the lake. It is also an excellent way to introduce your children and grandchildren to volunteering and learning to take ownership for caring for the lac Pemichangan ecosystem. Adopting a site means making 3-4 visits between July and August to pick up any garbage on the sites and perhaps visiting and enjoying a swim at the site as well. There will be a short volunteer orientation meeting immediately following the AGM on Sunday July 6th for anyone interested. FLP hats will be passed out to committed volunteers for 2025. Interested in the program or starting earlier? Please contact Todd Norton.

FLP Code of Conduct and Best Practices. It is still time to think about the various ways of caring for the lake outlined in the previous newsletter. The FLP Code of Conduct and Best Practices is a great source of ideas on ways of preserving lake health and also of being mindful of neighbours and wildlife. Not everyone is necessarily aware of things like how noise travels over water or how night lighting can affect wildlife and neighbours. This can be especially true if you are a new owner or renter. Why not give it a quick read before the start of the summer?

FLP Fees Proration Update. Proration has begun so that the FLP can bill all membership fees at the same time starting next April 1, 2026.  So, for those who in the past paid their fees in the month of June, dues will be $41.67; in July $37.50; in August, $33.34, and so on, for just this year.  Then all full year membership fees will be billed April 1, 2026. For those of you who pay your FLP fees along with GFGC, please continue to follow the Club’s collection schedule.  If you have paid the full $50 and should have paid less, the FLP will process a refund of the difference. For questions, please contact Wanda Taylor. Thank you for your patience throughout this process.

Membership. Thanks to the hard work of our Membership Chair Wanda Taylor, the FLP currently has a record number of 186 members out of a possible 300 or so. By joining the FLP, you are showing your support for the Board’s efforts. Thank you to all FLP members! If you have not yet joined, you can become a member here. Renewals occur automatically unless your email or credit card changes. Please contact Wanda Taylor to update your information. Gatineau Fish and Game Club members pay their FLP membership at the same time as their Club membership.

Have a general concern? Please contact Jeff Stanier. The FLP wants to hear from you! See you at the AGM!

Sincerely,

Jeff Stanier
FLP President