KAPOA Spring Newsletter 2023

In this issue you’ll find important information about:

Spring has Sprung, Finally!

2023 Events Calendar – Hold these Dates!

KAPOA Dues, Membership Area Reps and Keeping in Touch

Plans for the 11th Annual Poker Run 2023 are Underway!

Regatta 2023 Announcement

What’s Happening in Counsel

We’re Not Going to Lie, Volunteers are Urgently Needed

Sea Containers on the Horizon?

Help Solve a Mystery on Carson Lake!

Useful Links:

A2A Corridor
‘Connected to Water’ featuring Stefi Van Wijk
FOCA Webinar: Cardiac Safe Communities & Your Association
FOCA Guide to Responsible Renting
Lights Out for our Songbirds – a reminder

Spring has Sprung, Finally!!

Along with the calendar telling us that it is indeed now spring, we quite literally were recently overflowing with spring runoff again this year. Though not nearly to the levels of 2017 and 2019, the water had been high everywhere since early April and it was important to ensure that anything within the water’s reach was tied or anchored. FOCA recently reminded its members that higher spring water levels also means potentially more severe damage from boat wake, which can cause damage to docks, swamp out nesting shore birds, and cause shoreline erosion among other impacts. Be aware of the size of your boat wake during displacement, transition and planing speeds. Learn more about how to Be #WakeAware.

One place that you can continue to remain updated on what’s happening in the area such as the recent rise in water levels and what events are coming up is through the Kamaniskeg Area Property Owners Association (KAPOA) Facebook Group. We’re at 292 members and growing – consider joining today!

As a follow up to our fall newsletter, KAPOA rejoined FOCA effective Nov 2022 to add our support to this organization whose purpose is to protect thriving and sustainable waterfronts across Ontario, a responsibility that they have taken very seriously for 60 years! As members of FOCA, KAPOA members can enjoy a reduced subscription cost to Cottage Life magazine (including free subscriptions to “The Great Outdoors” and “Dockside” e-newsletters) discounted membership fees for the Canoe Museum in Peterborough, and preferred seasonal residence, home and auto insurance rates, among other benefits. Refer to the FOCA site for these and other offers Benefits | FOCA. KAPOA recently received an over $300 reduction in our annual insurance premium just for being a FOCA member, woo hoo!

No sooner did we rejoin FOCA, but we were recognized at the FOCA Spring AGM and Seminar!! KAPOA was awarded a FOCA Achievement Award Honourary Mention. The award was founded over 25 years ago, and it is “presented annually to a cottage association that has realized significant accomplishments and demonstrated innovation in its work with members and the community.” KAPOA received special mention along with Menominee Lake Association (Township of Lake of Bays), Kennisis Lake Cottage Owners Association, and Talpines Property Owners Association (Tay Township). KAPOA received recognition for our long-running regatta, our hugely successful annual Poker Run that is funding critical equipment for our local hospital, for undertaking our first member survey in 2022, for successfully growing our Board Directors, and for obtaining a seat on the Bancroft Minden Forest Company’s Local Citizen’s Committee. We are so grateful for the recognition and hope that this provides a little boost in our step to continue the good work in 2023 and beyond. Our heartfelt congratulations go out to the Wolfe Lake Association Westport in South Frontenac. Wolfe Lake was deservedly recognized for several annual initiatives around water quality, loon nests, invasive species and community building.

Please read on for summaries of our upcoming 2023 events, current local issues, and interesting facts. We’ve introduced some new events this year (Cottage Estate Succession presentation, and a MNRF Learn to Fish session) along with our annual family favourites. As always, we want to hear from you whether it’s constructive criticism or confirmation that we’re on track, so please reach out to kapoacares@gmail.com when you have something to share. I look forward to your suggestions and feedback – Happy Spring!!

Kerra Wylie, KAPOA President

2023 KAPOA Events Calendar

We have the old favourites and a couple of new events to appeal to a wider variety of our members this year:

Event	Where	Date and Time
Bay Day (1)	Barry’s Bay Hwy 60 main street – booths (including KAPOA’s) will be lining both sides of Hwy 60	Sat May 20, 9am – 5pm KAPOA booth until noon/1pm
Cottage Succession Estate Planning Seminar (2)	Emond Hall, Hastings Highlands Municipal Office, 33011 Highway 62, Maynooth	Sat June 3, 10am – noon
Annual General Meeting (AGM) (3)	Barry’s Bay Legion, 250 John Street, Barry’s Bay	Sat July 8, 9:30 – 11:30am
Poker Run – more on this below	Starts: Barry’s Bay boat launch Finishes: Hinterland Beach	Sat July 29, 9am – 2pm
Regatta (4)	Hinterland Beach	Sat Aug 5, 1-4pm Sailing starts 11am
Learn to Fish (5)	Location TBC – either of Omanique Park or Lakeshore Park in Barry’s Bay	Sun Aug 6, Time TBC (2 hours)

(1) Say Hey at Bay Day! Enjoy a live band, talent show, bouncy castle, a downtown farmer’s market, face painting, balloon artistry and sidewalk sales all while completing your last minute shopping at the start of the May long weekend. Stop by the KAPOA tent to say hello, sign up your boat for the 2023 Poker Run, renew your membership and discuss open KAPOA positions needing someone just like you!

(2) Keep the ‘Family’ in the Family Cottage – FOCA and the Hastings Highlands Interlake Association have co-organized a cottage succession estate planning seminar for all Interlake members (that includes KAPOA) which will be conducted by Peter Lillico, Estate Planning Lawyer. Pre-register to secure your space by sending an email to programs@foca.on.ca or by calling 705-749-3622. Be sure to include that you are a member of KAPOA, and therefore, of FOCA, to enter the event for free. All others pay $10 at the door.

(3) Sometimes Meetings are Necessary – Meet the Executive, nominate and elect new directors, ask questions and obtain updates on a host of current topics, and review the 2022 financial statements. Guest speakers TBD, refreshments are provided.

(4) Come out for Family Fun in the Sun for a day of swim and canoe races for kids and adults of all ages, sand castle building & tug-of-war competitions. No registration is required. For the sailing race, contact Bill Cahoon at bcahoon@rogers.com. Renew your KAPOA membership and enjoy hotdogs and drinks at prices not subject to the current rate of inflation!

(5) Hold that line!! The Carson Trout Lepine and Greenan Lakes Association has organized a “Learn to Fish” session for kids on Sun Aug 6 at one of Lakeshore Park or Omanique Park in Barry’s Bay. They will be graciously extending the invite to KAPOA members. Registration is free but will be required in advance to hold your spot, details to follow. Life jackets, lures and rods will be provided, just bring your fisherman’s/fisherwoman’s good luck!!

KAPOA Dues, Membership Area Reps and Keeping in Touch

It’s that time of year again, here’s how you can pay your annual $20 KAPOA dues:

E-transfer: pay.kapoa@gmail.com (no password necessary, include your address)

Mail a cheque payable to KAPOA: P.O. Box 297, Barry’s Bay, ON K0J 1B0 (include your address)

Cash or cheque at any of: Bay Day, AGM, Poker Run, Regatta or to a KAPOA Area Representative

Huge thanks to our Area Representatives for their time and efforts:

Jeanette Wright, Poray and Jordan Lane

Jim Clelland, Lakeshore Road

Pat Trajanovski, Ohio Road

We are looking for representatives in the following areas:

Negeek Lake

Mask Island

Bleski Road & Theresa Trail

Kartuzy Road & Arrow Road

River Road (North)

River Road (South) and Keats Lane

Golfers Lane

Hinterland Beach (Kamaniskeg Lake Road & Hinterland Beach Road)

Kamaniskeg Lake Road (South Side of the Lake)

Runnalls Lane

Tamarack Road

Parcher Road

Chippawa Road & Wigry Lane

A great way to meet your neighbours. The only requirement is to introduce yourself, collect dues, promote upcoming KAPOA events and occasionally drop off KAPOA information. If you are available to help, please contact us at kapoacares@gmail.com. Sincere thanks for your consideration!

And furthermore…

Please encourage your family members who enjoy time spent by the water to sign up to receive our bulletins and spring and fall newsletters. Your membership fee provides you with information and resources that we want to ensure is shared directly with everyone in your family. Additionally, we are increasingly finding emails and phone numbers to be outdated, so we’d appreciate your help to provide your most current information. (KAPOA Membership Information Form).

Plans for the 11th Annual Poker Run 2023 are Underway!

The KAPOA Poker Run raises funds for the purchase of crucial medical equipment required by the St. Francis Memorial Hospital in Barry’s Bay, Ontario. This hospital provides emergency services to residents, cottagers and visitors to the area numbering in excess of 10,000 people. The demand for funding emergency equipment is a constant need, either to purchase new types of equipment using new technologies or replacing older equipment. Purchasing this equipment is not covered by provincial government sources and becomes a local responsibility. Over the years it is likely that you have utilized the services provided by St. Francis Memorial Hospital and find comfort in knowing that this is available to us a short distance from many of our residences or cottages.

This year’s event has set a goal of raising $27,000 for the purchase of a baby isolette which is used in the ER for emergency deliveries. It can be used for an expected pre-term labour and delivery in the emergency department, if a baby is involved in a motor vehicle accident or when a baby experiences respiratory distress. It’s equipped with a heat source to maintain a baby’s core temperature during treatments which is important to prevent shock and to ensure good outcomes for pediatrics. This is a critical piece of equipment and will be used to care/treat any infant while waiting for a CHEO or Toronto area transport team to come and transport the baby to tertiary care if required.

The Poker Run will be held on Saturday July 29^th starting at the Barry’s Bay boat launch at 9am and finishing at Hinterland Beach, where a luncheon will be provided at the beach. Cost is $200 per boat, or, if you can’t make the date in person, you can enter a virtual boat and your poker hand will be drawn randomly for you by the organizers. If neither of these options are available to you, you can make a donation to the Poker Run and it will be pooled with monies raised towards achieving our community goal. Entry fees and donations are eligible for a tax receipt issued to each person by the Foundation.

For those who have never participated in a Poker Run, the event is not a race. It should be a relaxing ride around Kamaniskeg Lake and along the river. You do not need a high-speed boat, rather any boat is fine. It is the perfect way to see the area and meet others from the community, while raising funds for a great cause. Participants are expected to follow all the rules for safe boating to make this an enjoyable day for all and will be provided with maps of the dock locations which will be reviewed with the participants at registration. There will be 7 docks, the last at Hinterland Beach, where your team’s poker hand is turned in. Boats start at the boat launch and move from one dock to another in any order and at each dock draw a card. Once the cards are turned in to event organizers all entries are reviewed (virtual and in person) and the 3 best poker hands are eligible for prizes, 1^st prize – $750; 2^nd prize – $500; 3^rd prize- $250.

This year’s event will include recognition of the most festive dock (voted on by the participants) and best/festive boat (voted on by the dock hosts). Several sponsors have stepped up to help offset the cost of hosting the event. Please consider entering before June 16^th to be eligible for our early bird prize (Deluxe Cornhole set). Entry forms and details can be found on the Poker Run Facebook Page or Instagram Page, or on KAPOA’s website. Come on out to the Poker Run this year and see why FOCA nominated KAPOA and it’s Poker Run for their achievement award!

Regatta 2023 Announcement

This year is Kerra’s last regatta as the head organizer, which introduces an opportunity for someone else to put their own stamp on this annual favourite. Anyone who is interested in assisting this year with the day’s events and the preparation activities should contact kapoacares@gmail.com, with the plan that the following year you will take over the head position. The time commitment prior to the event is minimal, and the necessary skills are only to be organized, patient and able to think quickly on your feet. Without volunteers like you, there would be no regatta. Thanks for giving this due consideration.

What’s Happening in Counsel

Sean O’Dwyer attended the Madawaska Valley Township Public Meeting re downloaded Development Charges from the Province (March 12, 2023) – here is his summary and opinion statement:

It appears that the MV Township is poised to introduce development charges (DC). This meeting was a public meeting required by the Act. There was no intention to pass a bylaw at this session. Mayor Willmer stated this at least twice. The presenting consultant (Watson & Associates) stated that a DC charges bylaw was tentatively set for the April 4, 2023 council meeting.

In a nutshell the proposed/sample development charges could be as high as $11,000 per ‘unit’. There are some exemptions but the general response from the attendees was NO this was a tax grab. Individuals were opposed to the notion saying it was making it impossible for younger people to buy a home and raise a family in the area.

It seems to me that DCs were put in place to address the increase to infrastructure costs created by Developer Corporations when they build a ’neighbourhood’; i.e. many homes. It is not applied when a parent severs their property and gives the parcel to a child so they can build a home.

In my opinion if council is determined to increase their revenue through the introduction of a DC bylaw, it should only apply to ‘commercial’ developers and not to individuals who are attempting to improve their position in life.

We’re Not Going to Lie, Volunteers Are Urgently Needed!!

KAPOA needs positive and energetic volunteers to continue to deliver the current and any new events that are important to our membership. Please consider putting up your hand to join the KAPOA team as we still have several vacant positions. Send a note to kapoacares@gmail.com and we’ll happily set up a time to discuss your ideas and where you might like to help. Here’s what we need:

Regatta Director 2024 – Kerra is stepping down from the regatta after this year’s event and a 14 year run, and it will not continue in 2024 unless someone steps up.
Poker Run Co-Chair 2024 – this is Bruce’s 2^nd year running this fundraiser. He’d like someone to consider co-chairing this important legacy event with him next year to continue our member support of SFVHF while building a successor for future years’ events.
Website and Social Media Administrator – our website administrator, Evan, needs help with time sensitive updates to our KAPOA website and Facebook group.
Communications Manager – we need a dedicated resource to prepare our 2X annual newsletters, time sensitive bulletins and Facebook group postings.
Advertising Coordinator – we are presently missing out on an opportunity to engage with local businesses to feature their services in return for advertising dollars.
Membership Area Reps – we cover a large area, so we need representation upstream and downstream from Kamaniskeg Lake as indicated above.

Please consider giving back to your community by volunteering with KAPOA, the benefits are a win for everyone!

Sea Containers on the Horizon?

The Gloucester Pool Cottage Association (GPCA) has been raising concerns since last year regarding the emergence of “Floating Cottages” on several lakes within Ontario, having initially shown up in their association’s jurisdiction. These are shipping containers welded together, floating on unencapsulated styrofoam and stabilized with vertical steel girders. They have been designated as “vessels” by Transport Canada, which gives them the same rights as houseboats, motorboats or sailboats to anchor overnight in public navigable waters. Potential issues are excessive noise, environmental destruction/pollution, navigation, use of public lands, unregistered, paying no municipal taxes, consuming local emergency services, to name a few. Initial attempts by GPCA to engage federal, provincial and municipal agencies have not been successful in addressing the looming issue.

GPCA has proposed a 3 part solution to address this issue:

(1) Petition Transport Canada to treat Ontario waterways and floating homes in the same manner that they ruled on, 20 years ago for floating homes in British Columbia;

(2) Petition Transport Canada to revoke the vessel classification they have applied to these objects, they are floating homes just as they have ruled in British Columbia; and

(3) Engage and educate local municipal governments that they have the right to create bylaws that regulate floating homes within their boundaries (as Township of Georgian Bay has already done).

The GPCA team has a plan that endeavours to engage at least 30 cottage associations to have their members send targeted emails to Transport Canada bureaucrats, to prepare petitions for delivery to the House of Commons, and to engage with their municipal councils to request a resolution/bylaw for change. GPCA is looking to engage 12-15 Members of Parliament to advocate on behalf of the group of associations to the Minister and Deputy Minister of Transport Canada.

In response to concerns raised by a variety of stakeholders during MNRF consultations regarding these floating structures earlier this year, changes have been proposed (not yet brought into law) to Ontario Regulation 161/17 to clarify the structures or things that cannot be placed and used for overnight accommodation on water over public land. MNRF is proposing to amend the regulation to exclude floating accommodations or float homes (house-like structures incorporating a floatation system, intended for use or being used or occupied for residential or longer-term purposes and not primarily intended for, or usable in, navigation) or barges with residential units or camping facilities. Unfortunately, this proposed change in legislation may not be effective so long as Transport Canada continues to classify these structures as “vessels”.

KAPOA responded to Cheryl Elliot-Fraser, GPCA President, on April 2nd indicating our support for GPCA’s efforts to change the designation and standards for these shipping container floating cottages. In that correspondence we stated “our Director team is in favour of doing what is necessary to minimize the potential environmental, safety and nuisance effects of these vessels on our lake and associated waterways, and feel strongly that our membership will equally support these efforts.” We requested a call with Cheryl and her team to discuss the matter and next steps and are awaiting her response. We have drafted a letter to John Yakabuski and Rick Bresee (our MPP’s) which will be sent after we’ve met with GPCA. KAPOA has reached out to both the Madawaska Valley and Hastings Highlands Councils to urge our municipalities to consider bylaws that ban these floating structures in their jurisdiction. MV’s mayor, Mark Willmer, confirmed that his council has this on their radar, they have concerns, and are looking at best ways to handle it. We have not heard a response from Hastings Highlands on this matter.

We will notify our members when we need your assistance to lobby Transport Canada with your letters and petition signatures.

Help Solve a Mystery on Carson Lake!

This summer, Carson Trout Lepine and Greenan Lakes Association is seeking an experienced scuba diver(s) to dive down approximately 85-100 feet at a Carson Lake site where a train derailment occurred during a torrent of rain back on August 16, 1909, killing fireman WJ Thurston from Madawaska. There has been much debate as to whether wreckage lies beneath.

If you can help to solve this mystery, a boat, washroom and lunch will be provided courtesy of Frank Burchat. If interested, please respond to contact@ctlglakes.com.

(submitted by Wendy Wolak, Chair)

Useful Links:

A2A Corridor a2acollaborative.org (submitted by Kathryn Rees)

Did you know that the A2A corridor is a unique diverse bioregion that connects Algonquin Park to Adirondack Park through the Frontenac Arch and surrounding lands? Home to a vast array of plants and animals, it is one of the last large-scale, intact forest and wetland linkages left in Eastern North America. It provides the best remaining potential for wildlife movement across the Great Lakes-St. Lawrence system. By residing in this region, we share custodial responsibility for this vibrant and essential wildlife corridor.
Follow the above link to learn more about the A2A Collaborative and it’s dream to be a resilient, ecologically connected A2A region that sustains a full range of native wildlife and enhances people’s quality of life for generations to come.

A Local Celebrity! Check out the ‘Connected to Water’ episode featuring Madawaska Kanu Centre’s (MKC) own Stefi Van Wijk. It was selected to appear in the Outdoor Outdoor Film Festival (OOFF) in New Brunswisk on last summer. | Watch Video >

FOCA Webinar: Cardiac Safe Communities & Your Association – Join FOCA and the experts from Action First Aid for a “lunch and learn” webinar on Wed May 10, 12pm, to learn about the importance of automated external defibrillators (AED) and how to create a cardiac safe cottage community. Registration is required for this one-hour event, but it is free to attend.

FOCA Guide to Responsible Renting – We shared this with you in the fall newsletter and thought it worth repeating. If you’re thinking of renting your place when you’re not there, here are some tips, reminders and thoughtful considerations: Responsible-Rental-Ownership.pdf (foca.on.ca)