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EAGLE EYE June 2016 Issue
In this edi*on:
Staying informed and the Annual Picnic pg. 2
Public Boat Launch Informa9on pg. 3
Our friends the Canadian Geese pg. 3
Eagle Lake Month by Month pg. 5
Challenging your property assessment pg. 7
PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE
PO BOX 539, SOUTH RIVER, ON P0A 1X0 www.eaglelakeconserva*onassocia*on.com
Pg. 1
I hope everyone enjoyed a pleasant winter and our extended spring. Summer has begun officially now that the black flies have invaded Eagle Lake in swarms. At its last mee*ng, the Board of Directors decided to con*nue all of the programs that are normally run by the ELCA each year. In addi*on we will be exploring ways to possibly reduce the amount of phosphorous leaching into the Lake, limit shoreline erosion, and restrict the nega*ve impact the Canada Geese are having on some lakefront proper*es. At this stage the ini*a*ve is in its embryonic stage, and the Board is researching programs which might be worthwhile and have been successfully introduced in other jurisdic*ons. Of note this year will be the release of updated property assessments for Machar Township from MPAC. These are scheduled for release this summer, probably in July. The new assessments will be in effect for the next four years. Since the incep*on of this program as part of a Provincial ini*a*ve to compel
municipali*es to base local taxes on “fair market assessment”, it has created cons iderab le an imos i ty amongst l akef ront property owners who experienced significant increases in their municipal taxes. Although FOCA tried diligently to convince the provincial government to moderate this program, none of the three par*es express any serious determina*on to reconsider what, in many respects, is an unequal and unfair distribu*on of the local tax burden. FOCA has provided resource material for those who wish to challenge their new assessments once they are received. This informa*on is referenced later in this n e w s l e b e r . W e w i l l i n v i t e a representa*ve from MPAC to abend our AGM in August to explain the process and, hopefully, respond to ques*ons from our members. On behalf of the Board members, I wish you all a happy, healthy, and safe summer! Michael Mitchell ELCA President
Annual liBer pick up pg. 8
UPCOMING CHURCH EVENTS
PO BOX 539, SOUTH RIVER, ON P0A 1X0 www.eaglelakeconserva*onassocia*on.com
Pg. 2
GRACE ANGLICAN
Rhubarb Luncheon, Bake Sale and BBQ. Street event for business operators so come early for 9am! Annual BBQ, Yard Sale and Bake Sale 10am Sundridge Arena Turkey Dinner 5pm-‐7pm Snowman Christmas Luncheon and Bazaar 10am CHALMER’S UNITED CHURCH Yard Sale, BBQ, Strawberry Social from 8:30am-‐1pm. Ham and Salad Supper 5-‐7pm.
JUNE 11TH
JULY 16TH
AUG11TH
NOV 12TH
JULY2ND
AUG 12TH
Aben*on fellow ELCA members, let's make this years picnic a great one! Come one come all to Mikisew Provincial Park to enjoy fun, laughs and some del ic ious treats!
ANNUAL ELCA PICNIC JOIN US AUGUST 6TH AT 1PM AT MIKISEW PROVINCIAL PARK!
There is something for everyone, volleyball, games and prizes for kids, and most important crea*ng new friendships with others that love Eagle Lake! It truly is a community event that shouldn't be missed. Bring the kids and par*cipate in our family sand castle building contest! Have guests that weekend? Bring them along too! There are plenty of hot dogs, corn and munchies for all! We look forward to seeing familiar faces and mee*ng new ones!
With the re-‐launch of the ELCA website in late 2015, members of t h e a s s o c i a * o n a n d t h e community have a new way to stay informed about the ac*vi*es happening in and around the lake. Want to receive these updates directly to your inbox? Be sure to sign up under the "subscribe" feature on the right hand side of the page. All email addresses are kept private and confiden*al. The new "announcements" sec*on of the website is updated between quarterly newslebers updates to keep members
informed. This sec*on includes photos from recent events, polls to garner community opinion and cri*cal informa*on about your property (like a reminder to email Hydro One about restric*ng the use of Garlon spray on your property). The ELCA is s*ll gathering shared stories and photos to feature on the website. Do you have a summer tradi*on to share, or a fantas*c recipe everyone of the lake should serve on Canada Day or maybe a photo of your pre/post renova*on? Send away to share with the ELCA community.
STAY INFORMED!
OUR FRIENDS? – THE CANADIAN GEESE
PO BOX 539, SOUTH RIVER, ON P0A 1X0 www.eaglelakeconserva*onassocia*on.com
Pg. 3
PUBLIC BOAT LAUNCH COMING TO EAGLE LAKE
Township Council has approved funding for an improved, public boat launch on Eagle Lake. It will be built on the municipally owned property at the Eagle Lake Estates Park which is located at 40 Angus Point Road. This is a loca*on where some boat owners have already been launching boats. The upgraded launch facility would also include a floa*ng dock to assist people in getng onto their boats once they are in the water. It is es*mated that it will require approximately $50,000. To construct this facility, and Council has applied for a grant from the Canada 150 Infrastructure Program to help offset
the cost of the project. If approved, the Federal Government would provide fivy percent of the required funding. At present there is no projected *me for the new launch to be formally opened. Council would prefer to begin construc*on this year, but requires approvals from the Ministry of Natural Resources and the Department of Fisheries and Oceans before it can proceed. The ELCA will provide signage warning about the threat of invasive species that we’re hoping will be prominently situated at the site of the boat launch.
Over the past few years we have had numerous complaints about Canada Geese fouling peoples’ property. Ironically, Canada Geese did not historically stay on Eagle Lake during the summer but only stopped temporarily when they were migra*ng. Unlike most waterfowl, these geese feed primarily on land, and prefer grazing on large open lots which they do for around twelve hours a day. They digest very quickly (approximately one hour) and require large amounts of food from which to obtain their nutri*on. For example, it is es*mated that an adult Canada Goose will eat four pounds of grass per day and deposit one to three pounds of droppings on the lawn or in the water. When they are moul*ng they cannot fly. Since the moul*ng
period lasts for a month or more, they must be able to find sufficient forage in the water or within walking distance of their waterway. Tradi*onally, Eagle Lake did not provide condi*ons suitable for this feeding pabern. However, there are now numerous proper*es from which the geese can easily access the grass they enjoy for forage. These lawns also provide wide, unobstructed views of any approaching predators and ready access to the safety provided by the water. By nature, these are tundraanimals that congregate on low vegeta*on in close proximity to water. The main problem for lakefront property owners is the mess that is created on their proper*es. The droppings are extensive, messy, and a poten*al health
risk. They contribute to e coli contamina*on, and can contain parasites such as that which causes swimmers itch. In addi*on to pollu*ng the Lake, the fecal material contain both nitrogen and phosphorous which accelerate the growth of algae. With the recent emergence of the dangerous blue/green algae in Lake Bernard, this represents a significant poten*al threat for our Lake. Adult geese can also become aggressive if disturbed, par*cularly when breeding and nes*ng. There are a number of things a property owner can do to prevent these problems: Firstly, do not feed these geese or any other waterfowl. Human food such as bread and popcorn does not contain the nutri*on they require, and feeding encourages them to return.
Secondly, if you maintain a lawn, a natural or ar*ficial barrier can limit or eliminate their access to your lawn. The preferable op*on involves crea*ng a barrier of natural vegeta*on at the shoreline. Canada Geese will not wander through underbrush that limits their visibility and reduces their sightlines. Ideally, the barrier should be over thirty inches tall. It works best if it con*nues 20 to 30 feet back from the shoreline. This op*on provides numerous other benefits for the health of the Lake and the shoreline. For more expedient solu*on, you can create a barrier such as a fence. Other, more elaborate, op*ons that have been suggested include a wire stretched across the shoreline, or plas*c netng placed on the grass.
• Open Monday for lunch (and dinner by reservation)
• Open Tuesday – Saturday for lunch and dinner
PO BOX 539, SOUTH RIVER, ON P0A 1X0 www.eaglelakeconserva*onassocia*on.com
Pg. 4
DU-‐ALL CONTRACTING AND LOGGING
BRAD GILSON DU-‐ALL CONTRACTING AND
LOGGING 20 YEARS EXPERIENCE
ROB GILSON BACKHOEING
40 YEARS EXPERIENCE
CONTACT HOME – 705-‐386-‐2317 CELL – 705-‐499-‐0316 FAX – 705-‐386-‐0658
[email protected] Du-‐allcontrac*ng.com
SERVICES • Dump trump hauling • Road building • Licensed sep*cs • Basements • Landscaping • Logging • Driveway snow removal • Road plowing
GRAVEL ETC. • A Gravel • B Gravel • Quarry rock • Landscaping rock • Topsoil • Beach sand • Filter sand • Sep*c stone
FREE QUOTES! We are the fastest and most experienced with the lowest prices for licensed sep*c
systems, etc.
Pg. 5
ELCA’s 2017 calendar is hot off the press! This year’s calendar features black and white shots, overhead shots taken by a drone and local wild life in addi*on to scenes of our lovely lake.
EAGLE LAKE MONTH BY MONTH
ONLY $10
Thank you to everyone who submibed photographs. Calendars are $10 and can be purchased from any ELCA board member, from the Narrows Country Store, at the South River-‐ Machar Library or at our AGM and Picnic. If you aren’t up at the Lake, contact Stephanie Apollonio [email protected] for shipping and postage informa*on. Get your cameras out and capture our special neighbourhood for ELCA’s 2018 calendar. Photos go to Stephanie Apollonio at the above address.
PO BOX 539, SOUTH RIVER, ON P0A 1X0 www.eaglelakeconserva*onassocia*on.com
Pg. 5
TRAFFIC CORNER
PO BOX 539, SOUTH RIVER, ON P0A 1X0 www.eaglelakeconserva*onassocia*on.com
Pg. 6
Since the beginning of 2016, the website has seen a total of 2118 page views with a total of 280 unique visitors. Visitors have come from far and wide including Germany, India, Philippines, Australia and Mexico. The most popular pages have been our Board of Directors page, Contact page and Newsleber page. Thanks to the visitors who have used our contact page and reached out to ask ques*ons and share concerns. Please con*nue to use this resource as a quick way to contact the ELCA.
PO BOX 539, SOUTH RIVER, ON P0A 1X0 www.eaglelakeconserva*onassocia*on.com
Pg. 7
HOW TO CHALLENGE YOUR PROPERY ASSESSMENT
There are a number of changes to the 2016 Request for Reconsidera*on (RfR) and Appeal processes . *NEW* For the 2016 tax year, your deadline to file a RfR will depend on the date y o u r e c e i v e d y o u r assessment no*ce. The previous deadline (March 31 of each year) no longer applies. What should you do if you don’t agree with your assessment? Step 1 Visit aboutmyproperty.ca Step 2 – Contact MPAC at 1-‐866-‐296-‐6722 Step 3 – Ask MPAC to Review
your Assessment through a Request for Reconsidera*on (RfR). Learn more about the 4-‐year assessment cycle from MPAC. What to do if you have ques9ons about your property’s assessed value: Ask yourself if you could have sold your property for its assessed value on the l a t e s t v a l u aAon d a t e (January 1, 2016)? Use AboutMyProperty (a free service) to make sure that it contains the most up-‐to-‐date informa*on about y o u r p r o p e r t y . N o t e that MPAC have made some
changes and on April 4, 2016 are launching a new site that should make it easier to see the informa*on on file for y o u r p r o p e r t y a n d to compare your property with others in your area. You will have to register with the Roll Number and new Access Key on your Property Assessment No*ce for the 2017 to 2020 property taxa*on years. You will not be able to access the site un* l you rece ive th i s Property Assessment No*ce in the mail. S*ll concerned? Contact MPAC at 1 866 296-‐MPAC(6722) and ask to r e v i e w t h e v a l u e o f proper*es similar to yours
(up to 24 of your choosing). Y o u c a n d o t h i s b y visi*ng aboutmyproperty.ca, and entering the User ID and Password included on your Assessment No*ce, or, you can send a wriben request to: MPAC Aben*on: GRAD P.O. Box 9808 Toronto ON M1S 5T9 E-‐mail: [email protected] Fax: 1 866 297-‐6703
PO BOX 539, SOUTH RIVER, ON P0A 1X0 www.eaglelakeconserva*onassocia*on.com
Pg. 8
5TH ANNUAL LITTER PICK-‐UP A SUCCESS!
Once again, thanks to the volunteers, many dedicated, who return every year, this day was a success. Thankfully, most of the snow had melted allowing us to find the liber along the sides of the road. We covered all the major streets around our beau*ful lake with the many volunteers who showed up for duty at 9am at The Narrows. Among them were two of our Machar Councilors, Bart Wood and Ron McLaren and his family. We wish to thank them as well as all the volunteers, and the ELCA Board Members and their families for their con*nued support in this worthwhile endeavor. Many thanks also go out to our fire chief, Risto Maki and his crew who have been with us from the start making sure that all the volunteers are safe. This year they were also instrumental in removing a lot of wood, possibly from a dock/ rav which had floated away and became lodged at the beach area next to the bridge. We'd like to thank Billy, from our landfill staff who drove around the lake picking up all the bags of liber the volunteers had collected as well as other bigger and heavier objects. Many of you would be surprised at what is found!
