Dear Fellow Cottagers
This will certainly be a year to remember and we sincerely hope that our members and families have managed to avoid the Covid-19 and stay healthy. For our members that haven’t been able to reach the Limerick waters yet this year, please stay healthy and we look forward to your smiling faces when you do arrive.
While we won’t be able to have our normal AGM, we hope to have one electronically. Stay tuned for an update in a few days.
We have not been able to have our usual get togethers but many of our members continue to contribute to the well being of our waters. I will highlight a few
Mining
As reported by Ed Offshack the mining issue for the present is dormant. However we must be vigilant and act on known activities. The group (which Ed is part of on our behalf) representing different area Cottagers’ Associations are still in contact with one another.
Logging
My recent discussions with the Regional Manager of Forest Lands indicates that due to Covid-19 there has been very limited activity and will be for some time. This organization has clearly indicated they will operate in a very sound, environmentally responsible way. As many may not know, this company is principally staffed at the headquarters level with personnel educated and trained to successfully manage a renewable resource.
Invasive Species
George Offshack and I attended the spring seminar of the Federation of Ontario Cottagers’ Associations (FOCA) and what a scientific eye-opener it was. Little did I know there is a myriad of invasive species – plants, crustaceans, fish etc. that can adversely affect our water. One action which resulted from that seminar through co-operation between the LWRA and Limerick Lake Lodge and Marina is that a boat wash was started up at the marina and a chained check-point was created at the boat launch to minimize boats foreign to our local waters launching without inspection or chemical cleaning. This builds on our LWRA signage at all boat entry points throughout our waters. We have applied for a FOCA grant to offset some of the start-up costs. Steenburg Lake Cottage Association is looking to follow suit as is Weslemkoon Lake Cottagers’ Association. This is great news for us as Steenburg flows into Limerick. Please continue to encourage anyone bringing a boat to utilize the wash station.
Ecological
As Jan Mackillican has reported this year was a successful “pump out year”. Thank you Jan for your contribution and leadership and thank you to all of the participants in contributing to our well being.
Water testing – indications are that this is in momentary pause and I hope that we can fulfill this important effort in the years to come.
Science
Through discussions at the last 2 seminars of the Federation of Ontario Cottagers’ Associations (FOCA) with scientists from Queen’s University and Ontario Institute of Technology (UOIT) there is interest in testing and examining our waters and sharing information with us on how we can help to further protect our waters. This is another activity on hold but we will continue to pursue this in the future.
Turtles – update from Kelly
Typically each year the turtles nest from mid-May to mid-July with June being the ‘peak’ month for nesting activity. After a slow start due to the erratic temperatures and weather patterns that accompanied spring the turtles are finally nesting and making up for the delay with a wave of nesting unlike past years. We are ‘NOW’ into the thick of turtle nesting season!
If you have known there to be turtle activity on your property be sure to check in the mornings and evenings for turtle visitors over the next couple weeks and into July. Should a turtle be observed nesting on your property you have the unique opportunity to protect the turtle nest with a nest protector and monitor the nest through the incubation period. Under your watchful eye this has the potential of contributing to species recovery efforts in your localized area by ensuring the hatchlings’ get the best possible start to what is hoped to be a long and fruitful journey. By selecting a location in the hatchlings intended body of water that has vegetation that will serve as protective covering as well as shallow and varying water depths for the little turtles to transition to as they grow this will significantly increase their chances of survival. This may seem like a small act but faced with the alternative being that hatchlings will instinctively head into open water where many predators are lying in wait and the survival rate is less then 1% your assistance could make a world of difference.
To read about helping nesting turtles, protecting nests, monitoring nests and other turtle related matters checkout the Think Turtle Conservation Initiative WordPress Blog thinkturtleconservationinitiative.wordpress.com or our Facebook page thinkturtleci. Thank you for engaging in efforts to help the Ontario turtles!
Local Government
As our Municipal Council nears their mid-term I would like to thank them for their continuing efforts to make Limerick a better place to live and play.
Limerick Lake Estates seems to be making progress. Our local Council is addressing this matter and making sure the developers are adhering to the covenants of the Building Code and the Ontario Municipal Board (OMB) ruling.
Summer Activities
We will discuss and seek input at our AGM on how we can have some summer fun while still meeting our social distancing requirements. If anyone has ideas, please share with Mary who leads our canoe activities and Alan who leads our annual sailing regatta. Maybe a good summer to do something where we can help out our community while social distancing – i.e. a clean-up weekend of our roadways into the lakes.
Sailboat Races
The 2020 Sailboat Races will take place on the Sunday of the long week in August just as they have in past years. The starter’s horn will sound at 2 p.m. sharp in front of Alan Coxwell’s cottage in the middle of the lake with two laps of the triangular course around the islands and two buoys. There are no classes in this race so if you have a sailboat you are welcome to join in.
Social distancing should not be a problem, especially if Bob Bennett is as far behind as he was in the 2019 race. The trophy will be awarded somewhere shortly after the race is completed. (Likely on Alan’s dock)
Membership
Member renewal is even easier than before- we now have paypal. Please sign onto our blog https://limerickwra.wordpress.com/ and click on the paypal link in the top right corner.
In closing – as we get ready to enjoy summer, please be safe and wherever you can help a neighbor – getting their groceries or meds or a small chore, so that we can minimize pressure on our local communities, while we are helping each other.
To all – have a great summer and Happy Cottaging!
Best Regards
Mike Douglas-Hecker
