Balsam Lake Newsletters
Fall 2023 - Newsletter #12 (Click here to access full newsletter)
FROM THE BLA EXECUTIVE
“A fallen leaf is nothing more than a summer’s wave goodbye” (unknown)
Where did the summer go? With boats safely tucked away for the winter and time at the cottage winding down for many, we can take time to reflect on the 2023 summer that was. August saw the return of the Balsam Lake Association’s in-person membership meeting. We had an overwhelming turnout with over 150 joining to hear COKL Mayor Doug Elmslie, keynote speaker Dave Mowat (former Chief of the Alderville Band) and Jeff Berthelette (Ontario Federation of Anglers and Hunters). If you missed the August meeting and are interested, the recording can be found on the BLA website and is available via this link: 2023 BLA Membership Meeting.
Summer of 2023 also saw the 2023 Trent Severn Canoe Brigade crossing Balsam Lake, pausing on the north east shore of Grand Island to remember the 10 boys and their counsellor who perished on the lake in 1926.
Our heartfelt thanks to all the volunteers who participated in the 2023 water monitoring programs, and also to the volunteers who maintained the BLA hazard marks for another year.
If you'd like to know more about BLA activities follow us on the web at balsamlakeassociation.ca or on FaceBook.
Barb Callander (BLA President 2023/ 2024)
Photo credit: BJC. Note: all wildlife photos were taken from a respectful distance.
Balsam Lake Association
Summer 2023 - Newsletter #11 (Click here to access full newsletter)
FROM THE BLA EXECUTIVE
Summer is in full swing, school's out and cottages around Balsam Lake are coming to life.
Mark your calendars, the Balsam Lake Association will be hosting our first "in-person" meeting since 2019 on Saturday August 19, 10:00 am - 12:00 pm at the Coboconk Legion. We're excited to have Chief Dave Mowat, Chief of the Alderville Band and First Nations historian joining us to talk about the Indigenous History of Balsam Lake along with CoKL Mayor Doug Elmslie who will share the city's strategic plan, a key pillar of which is protecting the environment. Jeff Berthelette of the Ontario Federation of Anglers and Hunters will also be joining to review ways to protect the lake from invasive species and Jennifer Wilson of the Coboconk, Norland and Area Chamber of Commerce will share an update on the Summit Wellness Centre. We'd love to see you there.
One of the important roles that the BLA plays each summer is water sampling. We support two important sampling initiatives with a network of volunteers around the lake, including E. coli testing and the Lake Partners Program. We're looking for a tester in Killarney Bay for the E. coli program. If you're interested please contact us via our web site.
If you'd like to know more about BLA activities follow us on the web at balsamlakeassociation.ca or on FaceBook.
Barb Callander (BLA President 2023/ 2024)
Photo credit: BJC. Note: all wildlife photos were taken from a respectful distance.
Balsam Lake Association
Spring 2023 - Newsletter #10 (Click here to access full newsletter)
FROM THE BLA EXECUTIVE
For those who had a friendly wager on it, the last of the ice disappeared from Balsam Lake on April 14 2023. Our minds are now turning to summer projects. As you start your spring clean up remember that the CoKL city-wide burn ban started April 1, 2023.
If you're looking for a spring challenge consider joining the Jump-in-the-Lake Challenge, May 6, 2023 in support of the Coboconk Food Bank. I’ve included details on how to join below.
We have a busy summer planned. With the ice gone, boats are back in the water and the BLA yellow hazard marks will be going back in. Thanks to BLA association members around the lake who help to maintain these marks each year. The BLA will be participating in the Fresh Water Summit Festival again Saturday June 17, so stop by for a visit. We'll also be planning to hold a general members information session later this summer so stay tuned for more information on that.
I'm on the hunt for photos of life at the lake to use in our communications. If you'd like to add "published photographer" to your resume please send pics to "contact us" on our website. If you'd like to know more about BLA activities follow us on the web at balsamlakeassociation.ca or on FaceBook.
Barb Callander (President)
Balsam Lake Association
Winter 2023 - Newsletter #9 (Click here to access full newsletter)
PHOTO CREDIT MIKE KITCHEN
FROM THE BLA EXECUTIVE
Happy New Year and welcome to the Winter 2023 edition of the Balsam Lake Association's quarterly news. We're excited about the year ahead as we celebrate all four seasons at the lake. This publication will provide updates on issues and activities relevant to Balsam Lake cottage owners and full time residents. With a mandate to improve the quality of life at the lake we come together as an executive 4 times a year representing the many associations around Balsam Lake. 2022 was a busy year for the BLA; participating in the Fresh Water Summit, partnering with Kawartha Conservation and Kawartha Lake Stewards Association on water monitoring programs and maintaining the BLA hazard markers. Many of those programs will carry on this year.
Click the link above to view the full news letter with updates on; winter wildlife, bubblers, the Laidlaw legacy and the City of Kawartha Lakes 2023 short term rental consultation process. Thanks to David Donais for his leadership of the BLA Executive over the last 2 years. If you'd like to know more about BLA activities follow us on the web at balsamlakeassociation.ca or on FaceBook.
Barb Callander
President, Balsam Lake Association
October 2022 - Newsletter #8 (Click here to access full newsletter)
Municipal Election Issue
Hello Balsam Lake property owners. The voting window for the City of Kawartha Lakes municipal election begins on October 14th and extends to October 24th. In an effort to encourage your participation and help you make informed voting decisions, the Balsam Lake Association invited all candidates for mayor, as well as the candidates in the three Wards that serve Balsam Lake, to submit biographical information, policy platforms, and their views on issues that may be of special interest to waterfront property owners such as Limited Service Agreements, Short Term Rentals and development regulations.
We have compiled the candidate’s responses below, as well as the candidate’s website addresses where available.
The Lindsay Advocate has also published interviews with the mayoral and council candidates. Interviews with Wards 1,2 and 3 candidates are found on Pages 14 and 15, and interviews on the mayoral candidates are on pages 22-26 on this link: https://issuu.com/kawarthalakespublisher/docs/tla_oct-issue-issuu?fr=sMWVjMTI4OTcxMTg.
Please keep in mind that both seasonal and permanent residents are permitted to vote in the election.
You can vote on-line or over the telephone. Instructions are provided in this link https://www.kawarthalakes.ca/en/municipal-services/voter-information.aspx
David Donais
President, Balsam Lake Association
May 2022 - Newsletter #7 (Click here to access full newsletter)
Water Quality on Balsam Lake
Hello Balsam Lake property owners. Water quality is always a top-of-mind issue and we are devoting this newsletter to providing a summary of the various water testing activities that have been undertaken on Balsam Lake. This coincides with the release this past weekend of the Kawartha Lakes Stewards Association's 2021 Lake Water Quality Report (https://klsa.files.wordpress.com/2022/05/klsa_2021report_web.pdf). This report is full of excellent information on water quality testing and other initiatives across the Kawarthas. I have extracted some of the information contained in the 2021 report for this newsletter.
Special thanks to Brett Tregunno, Tanner Liang and Erin Smith of Kawartha Conservation for their assistance in providing much of the information and analysis presented below, as well as to the volunteer Community Scientists on Balsam Lake that performed the water sampling.
We will be archiving these newsletters on our Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/BalsamLakeAssociation/.
And thanks again to Barb Callander for the excellent photographs.
David Donais
President, Balsam Lake Association
February 2022 - Newsletter #6 (Click here to access full newsletter)
Hello Balsam Lake property owners. The City of Kawartha Lakes has released its first draft of its consolidated rural zoning bylaws. We provide in this newsletter a summary of key elements of the bylaws that will be of interest to waterfront property owners.
We will be archiving these newsletters on our Facebook page as well: https://www.facebook.com/BalsamLakeAssociation/
David Donais
President, Balsam Lake Association
August 2021 - Newsletter #5 (Click here to access full newsletter)
Thanks to Barb Callander for providing this photo of last weekend's "Around the Island" race. In this newsletter we are sharing a letter the Balsam Lake Association and the Residents of Rosedale recently submitted to our local MPP Laurie Scott. We are asking for her support in obtaining provincial funding to refurbish the Rosedale Boat Ramp, which is by some distance the most widely used boat ramp on Balsam Lake and which is in dire need of repair.
We are also bringing to your attention a naming contest for the Wellness Centre in Coboconk as well as a submission from Mike Jamieson, the son of the late Dr. R.E. Jamieson, who cared for Coboconk and Balsam Lake residents for over 40 years. The deadline for submissions is September 6th, 2021.
We will be archiving these newsletters on our Facebook page as well: https://www.facebook.com/BalsamLakeAssociation/
David Donais
President, Balsam Lake Association
July 2021 - Newsletter #4 (Click here to access full newsletter)
Hello Balsam Lake property owners. In our fourth newsletter we provide insight from Kawartha Conservation on a weed mass with an abundance of snails that was spotted in South Bay last month. We also provide a link to information on the Gypsy Moth, which has been devastating certain areas of cottage country.
We will be archiving these newsletters on our Facebook page as well: https://www.facebook.com/BalsamLakeAssociation/
David Donais
President, Balsam Lake Association
June 2021 - Newsletter #3 (Click here to access full newsletter)
Hello Balsam Lake property owners. With fishing season now fully underway, we are providing a primer on fishing etiquette and regulations. Thanks to Jim Armstrong, the BLA Director for Killarney Bay/Birch Point, and Erik Luzak, a Balsam Lake resident, professional tournament angler and bass fishing instructor, for contributing this article.
We are also providing a summary on the new fireworks bylaw.
Thanks again to Barb Callander for providing her wonderful Balsam Lake photos.
We will be archiving these newsletters on our Facebook page as well: https://www.facebook.com/BalsamLakeAssociation/
David Donais
President, Balsam Lake Association
May 2021 - Newsletter #2 (Click here to access full newsletter)
Hello Balsam Lake property owners and welcome to the second edition of the Balsam Lake Association newsletter.
One of our Directors, Barb Callander, is a wildlife photographer and has contributed some of her quite spectacular photos for use in our newsletter. Thanks Barb!
We will be archiving these newsletters on our Facebook page as well: https://www.facebook.com/BalsamLakeAssociation/
Our focus in this edition is on the City of Kawartha Lakes project to consolidate and modernize its rural zoning by-laws, and the potential implications for Balsam Lake property owners.
The Balsam Lake Association is also participating in a water testing program this year and we are looking for volunteers to collect water samples throughout the summer months.
All the best in the upcoming May long weekend!
David Donais
President, Balsam Lake Association
February 2021 - Newsletter #1 (Click here to access full newsletter)
Greetings Balsam Lake residents and welcome to the first edition of what we plan to be a semi-regular newsletter addressing issues of interest to Balsam Lake property owners. Our Board is made up of a very talented and diverse group of Balsam Lake cottage owners who are committed to preserving and nurturing our legacy, and who will be contributing to this newsletter.
We will be archiving these newsletters on our Facebook page as well: https://www.facebook.com/BalsamLakeAssociation/
Our first topic deals with the potential impact of the elimination of Hydro One's seasonal rate class on Balsam Lake residents.
We welcome any feedback and suggestions on future topics of interest, as well as any interesting photos you may have of Balsam Lake, current or historic.
All the best in the 2021!
David Donais
President, Balsam Lake Association.