Message from the President
2020 will be a year to remember for many reasons. We have been placed in uncharted waters and emotionally drained by the unexpected strain on our lives. KAPOA did not have any activities due to covid restrictions, and many members missed the annual activities put on by KAPOA. It also makes it difficult to put together an interesting newsletter since we have no pictures and events to write about.
The virtual Poker Run was a surprising event which exceeded all previous records of contribution raising over $17,000.
We all know and acknowledge that Director Lynne MacLean had worked exceptionally hard to raise these funds for the St.Francis Healthcare Foundation, and making the Poker Run a huge success.
I hope that the summer of 2021 will return to some form of normal so that we can start planning our activities including the AGM. This coming year if restrictions allow us to have our Annual General Meeting will be election year for all positions in KAPOA organization. We welcome members to stand for nomination for an active role in this great association. There will be more information on elections and procedures as we get closer to the Annual General meeting held in July.
Kerra Wylie, KAPOA Director of Forestry is monitoring current year and 10-year proposed crown forest harvesting projects. Many of our members are concerned about the uncertainty and lack of information regarding the harvest projects. Kerra is doing an excellent job in communicating with the MNRF and the companies involved in planning the harvest operations as well as with KAPOA concerned members.
The Waste management committee in Hastings Highlands is once again studying the cost of operating 9 dumps and once again Wolf Creek and Sand Bay dumps are in the spotlight for possible closure. KAPOA has sent a letter of concern to council regarding the hardships that local citizens will face if either dump is closed. This is the time to voice our objection to possible closure and support our dump.
All concerned members should forward their concerns to councillor Dorothy Gerrow who is the chairperson for the waste management committee at: dgerrow@hastingshighlands.ca. It is also recommended that you cc mayor Vic Bodnar at: vbodnar@hastingshighlands.ca and Councilor Alex Walder at: awalder@hastingshighlands. Once the dump is closed it will be too late to protest, now is the time.
I would like to wish all our KAPOA members and their families a safe and Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. Thank You for your support!!
Ed Kobylka President
Kamaniskeg Area Property Owners Association (KAPOA)
Madawaska Valley Lions Club
On a sunny December 7th, executive members of the Kamaniskeg Area Properties Owners Association (KAPOA) were happy to present a cheque for $200.00 in support of the Madawaska Valley Lions Club Christmas Event to be held on Friday, December 18th from 6:00-8:00 p.m. at the Railroad Station.
Pictured left to right, Greg Kelly, Ed Quesnelle, Lynne MacLean, Vince Steepe and Bob Archambault.
Your Voice Matters
Recently a group of concerned KAPOA members engaged with the Bancroft Minden Forest Company (BMFC) and the Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry (MNRF) to question their transparency and consultation process. 183 hectares (452 acres) of crown land at the end of Parcher Road (Chippewa Road exit from Hwy 62) was promoted from contingency to identified harvest late in the 10-year forest planning cycle. This amendment to the originally reviewed and approved forest management plan, and the subsequent revision into the last few months of 2020’s annual work schedule, does not require consultation with adjacent landowners as has been promised in BMFC and MNR documentation. This “administrative” amendment merely requires approval from a Local Citizens Committee that is meant to represent you, as well as indigenous communities impacted by the operations.
Parcher Road residents only became aware of the change and the start of operations when a bulldozer arrived to clear a staging area off the road. While operations were not halted, we do hope that the very vocal concerns raised by our members regarding road buffers, trail preservation, visual site lines from the lake, lack of communication and transparency and poor signage of logging operations (a safety concern) were heard and will be considered as future blocks are identified for harvesting around Kamaniskeg Lake and surrounding waterways.
Our voices matter and when echoed repeatedly by a majority of our members, they can have an impact. We’re now in the midst of the review periods for the next 10-year cycle of forest planning by the 2 forest companies in our area; BMFC and Ottawa Valley Forestry (OVF) and this is your opportunity to raise your concerns regarding recreational uses of our crown land, good forestry practices, care for species at risk, and a process that is transparent, inclusive and consultative. Please stand up and make your voice heard, it will make a difference! Go to https://www.kapoa.ca/forestry for more information and resources.
Algonquin Land Claim Update
Ontario, Canada and the Algonquins of Ontario (AOO) are currently engaged in the final stage of treaty negotiations, which the parties anticipate will be concluded in a few more years. If the negotiations are successful, the end result will be a Final Agreement that will take the form of a modern-day treaty. Ontario’s earlier consultations and ongoing negotiations with the AOO have resulted in some changes to the package of Crown lands proposed for future transfer to the AOO. Read the Algonquin land claim environmental evaluation supplemental report to learn about proposed changes to the AOO lands package. There appear to be no changes to the lands including Ski Island, around the ski hill and some part of the Thomas P Murray trails (Parcel 60B).
There is a new parcel 364 on the point jutting out into the Madawaska River just up river from Kamaniskeg and close to MKC, and a smaller strip 364e that looks like an access road to get to it (refer to page 37 of Appendix C1 Maps for Frontenac et al).
There is also a new parcel 370 on the east side of Blackfish Bay straddling Hwy 62 after the S-turn on the way down to Combermere (refer to page 78 of Appendix C3 Maps for County of Renfrew).
We’ll be updating the KAPOA website early in 2021 for these links and information, and will continue to keep our members posted there as the treaty proceedings continue.
WHAT CAN I BRING?
Having company arrive and they are asking what to bring? You have all the condiments, toilet paper and paper towels you will need for the next year and there just isn’t any more room in your refrigerators. Here is a great idea that one of my guests did in thanks for their stay at my cottage. They donated, in my name, to the Barry’s Bay Food Bank. It read “A small gift in the name of Lynne and Duncan MacLean to share our good fortune with those of Barry’s Bay”. I was so impressed and grateful for this thoughtful donation.
If you would like to have any of your guests do the same, have them email: mvfoodbank@gmail.com
VIRTUAL POKER RUN 2020
A big THANK YOU to our sponsors who donated $1,000 prize money for this year’s Poker Run. During this COVID 19 year it was difficult to approach our local businesses for BOGO prizes when they are experiencing such a difficult year themselves.
Thank you also to our Poker Run Committee, David Wilson, Ed Ragan, Colleen Kobylka, Wendy McCourt and Chris Chaplin for committing to telephone solicitation for donations to the SFVH Foundation. Thank you to Michel Lavigne for the printing of our posters and to Erin Gienow and Christine Hudder at the SFVH Foundation for the pictures.
And most importantly, thank you to all of you who so generously supported our event. We were able to raise $17,420 to purchase the bladder scanner for the emergency department of St. Francis Memorial Hospital. Our support is critical to the hospital and foundation in order to keep equipment up to date and to ensure that our hospital stays in our community.
The winners of the Poker Run were, Tony Wright, Janet Foster, Vince Steepe, Chester Shippke and Tom Wilson. Most amazing is that $700 of the $1000 prizes was donated back to the hospital and included in our donation $17,420.00.
Here’s hoping that next year we will be on the water and together for lunch.
Lynne MacLean,
Chair Poker Run 2020
River Road Repairs
Inquiries have been made by residents of River Road asking when repaving of the road might be taking place. We have been advised that paving is scheduled for 2025, subject to approval from a Hastings Highlands council.
We Wish You a Very Happy Christmas
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