KAPOA Spring Newsletter 2025

Forward:

KAPOA has recently learned of the unexpected passing of Madawaska Valley Township Mayor, Mark Willmer. Mark joined the MV Council in 2018 and was elected Mayor in 2022. His obituary so beautifully states “with dedication, vision, and heart, he served his community with the same spirit he brought to everything he did—creating opportunities, building connections, and always striving to make life better for those around him.” It’s a lovely and heartfelt tribute. On behalf of the KAPOA Directors and our members spanning both municipalities, we extend heartfelt condolences to the family and friends of Mark and Janet Willmer.

We hope everyone is looking forward to warmer weather ahead and a summer of fun & relaxation wherever you make your home or home-away-from-home.

Here’s what you can expect this year:

Event	Where	Date and Time
Design Your Shoreline Workshops	Emond Hall, Hastings-Highlands Centre 33011 Hwy 62 Maynooth, ON	Workshop 1 – Sat May 10, 9am – noon Workshop 2 – Sat Sep 27, 9am – noon Registration is required, ** see details below
Bay Day	Barry’s Bay Hwy 60 main street – booths (including KAPOA’s) will be lining both sides of Hwy 60	Sat May 17, 9am – 5pm KAPOA booth until 1-2pm (depending on attendance & weather)
POKER RUN TAKES A BREAK IN 2025	Despite best attempts, KAPOA could not identify an event chair for this year. We remain hopeful that someone will step up for summer 2026, please don’t hesitate to reach us at kapoacares@gmail.com if you are interested. Local healthcare still needs your help. This year alone, St. Francis Memorial Hospital has a capital request list of over $600,000 and includes items like a new mammography machine, portable ventilator, patient beds and more. In lieu of the KAPOA poker run, you can still make your gift online at https://bit.ly/3M3YDMD or by calling the St. Francis Valley Healthcare Foundation at 613-756-3045 ext. 217.
Regatta	Hinterland Beach	Sat Aug 2, 1-4pm CONTINUE THE TRADITION: Bring the family for a FREE day on the beach with swimming & canoeing races, tug-of-war and sandcastle competitions! There are ribbons for everyone and trophies to be won! Hotdogs & drinks are $1. No registration is required, just come (rain or shine).
Annual General Meeting (AGM)	Royal Canadian Legion, Branch 406, 250 John Street, Barry’s Bay	Tues Aug 19, 6:30 – 8:30pm

** Design Your Shoreline Workshops (FREE!) – Residents of Hasting Highlands will by now have received information regarding events being held on May 10 & Sep 27, 2025 in conjunction with HH Interlake, Hastings Highlands, BASC and Watersheds Canada. This is the culmination of the work the groups did together to obtain a grant from Great Lakes Local Action Fund. The grant is to provide education to interested local waterfront owners about the importance of a naturalized shoreline, how to design your own shoreline planting plan, Q&A opportunity with Watersheds Canada, and have the opportunity to receive free 50-plant bundles (for the first 60 registrants). Posters have been distributed by Hastings Highlands Municipality to all rate payers. Email lakehealth@hastingshighlands.ca to register or call the municipal office at 613-338-2811 ext 200.

Also coming up this season:

19th Annual Fish Hatchery Community Fish Fry & Pig Roast (Sat July 12, 5pm, Bancroft Curling Club)– not a KAPOA event, but we still think it deserves a shout out. Presented by the North Hastings Community Fish Hatchery – for just $40 you receive a delicious meal of fish, slow roasted pork and all the fixings. Your support helps the Hatchery continue its mission of putting local fish in local lakes — and this event is a fun, meaningful way to make a difference while connecting with neighbours and friends. Need more info: Summer Dinner Poster 11X17 20250318

Tickets must be purchased in advance:

- Credit Card: Click Here to Purchase on Zeffy
- E-transfer: Use the email events@fishhatchery.ca to purchase your tickets through your online bank site.
- Cash: Tickets are available at: Harvest Moon Whole Foods – 33 Station Street, Bancroft.

Indigenous Expo 2025 (July 19 9am – 6pm, July 20 9am – 4pm, North Hastings Community Centre) – KAPOA is proud to promote this first of its kind event in our area.

Take the opportunity to experience & learn more about Indigenous culture, craftmanship & entrepreneurship in Bancroft:

- Traditional and contemporary arts & crafts – beadwork, jewelry, textiles, and carvings
- Indigenous foods & culinary experiences – traditional foods, catering, and food sovereignty initiatives
- Herbal medicines & wellness – plant-based healing, self-care, and traditional health practices
- Books, language, and cultural education – resources that strengthen Indigenous identity
- Music, storytelling, and live performances – celebrating our voices and traditions
- Apparel, fashion, and regalia – designs that express cultural pride
- Indigenous-led businesses and services – economic development and community-driven initiatives

Go to Indigenous Expo | July 19-20, 2025 to learn more and plan your visit!

Walleye & Trout Spawning Bed Rehabilitation Program – Watersheds Canada will oversee the preparation and placement of brush bundles in fall 2025 in Kamaniskeg & Negeek Lakes – stay tuned for dates and deets, we will need volunteers.

Madawaska River Wake/Speed Reduction Signage – Thank you to Richard Vincent of Ohio Road for volunteering to move this educational signage trial initiative forward in 2025 along the south section of the Madawaska River. He can’t do it alone; we’re looking for other Madawaska River waterfront owners to help with this project. If you share a concern for the impacts of boat wakes on the upper or lower Madawaska River, particularly it’s shoreline, swimmers and small watercraft users, and would like to participate in a project to introduce educational signage along the waterfront, please reach out to kapoacares@gmail.com.

Carlton University Field Studies Partnership – Plans are in place for KAPOA and Carlton U. to partner again in fall 2025, and new interview participants will be sought. Watch for a bulletin in Aug/Sep and posts on our KAPOA Facebook page.

Volunteers are Still Needed (yada, yada, yada)

I’m going to say this again, but you’ve heard it many times before. We have 2+ open Director positions that we need to fill, including the KAPOA President position will be vacant effective the August AGM. If you or someone you know could be interested in volunteering a few hours throughout the year, please reach out to kapoacares@gmail.com.

Open positions include:

KAPOA President – effective the upcoming Aug 19 AGM – no President means no KAPOA, please reach out to see what’s involved
Communications Coordinator
Assistant Website & Social Media Administrator
Area Membership Reps (see below)
A KAPOA representative to virtually attend and/or review meeting minutes of the Madawaska Valley & Hastings Highlands Municipal meetings
Poker Run chair for the 2026 summer

In all of the above positions, we are looking for volunteers who work comfortably and respectfully with a team of volunteers and have a strong commitment to our waterfront community. These positions do not require a great deal of time. These positions can be Director positions with the KAPOA board depending on your interest. Please consider volunteering some of your time to keep KAPOA thriving, by reaching out to kapoacares@gmail.com.

KAPOA Dues, Membership Area Reps and Keeping in Touch

Spring has arrived and it is time to pay your $30.00 KAPOA dues. Stay informed and connected with our Newsletters and Bulletins.

There are 3 ways to pay your dues.

E-transfer to pay.kapoa@gmail.com – please be sure to include your municipal address so we can record your payment correctly.
Mail a $30 cheque payable to KAPOA to: O. Box 297, Barry’s Bay, ON K0J 1B0. Please be sure to include your municipal address so we can record your payment correctly.
Visit the KAPOA booth at Bay Day in Barry’s Bay on Saturday, May 17.

Having membership area reps keeps KAPOA “in touch” with the membership community and increases the likelihood of securing a new or returning membership payment. Please consider helping us out as a membership area rep this spring/early summer 2025. The following areas need reps:

- Kamaniskeg Lake Road – between Lakeshore Road and the right hand bend toward the beach
- Bleski Road
- Arrow Road
- Highway 60 / Barry’s Bay

What’s Happening in Council (& Locally)

Hastings Highlands Interlakes Association – 2025 meeting is scheduled on Sat June 7 this year, with President Marlin Horst presiding (Baptiste Lake). KAPOA’s Greg Zdzienicki & Kerra Wylie will be attending along with representatives from associations on the following lakes – Diamond, Baptiste, Papineau, Salmon-Trout, Mink and Lake St. Peter, as well as representation from the Hastings Highlands Council.

BRWP Freshwater Partners – Allan Best of the Bonnechere River Watershed Project (BRWP) has re-initiated a BRWP Freshwater Partners meeting on Sat Aug 16 (it was cancelled last summer due to unforeseen circumstances), and KAPOA’s Kerra Wylie and Lynne MacLean will be attending. The Bonnechere River Watershed Project’s mission is to engage with others to promote awareness and inspire stewardship actions for the Bonnechere River and its watershed. We are excited to meet other “stewards” in the area and learn how we can assist in BRWP’s mission.

In Our Neck of the Woods

KAPOA keeps an eye annually on the forestry plans of the 2 forest license companies in our membership area – Bancroft Minden Forestry Company (BMFC) and Ottawa Valley Forest Co (OVF). Additionally, Kerra sits on the Local Citizens Committee for BMFC, and meets with other LCC members, BMFC and the MNRF about 4 times annually. When the company initiates the next 10-year Forest Management Plan (FMP) in the 3 years prior to the 2031-2041 plan, that committee will be actively involved in meetings with a variety of stakeholders and vetting the plan. In the meantime, we watch and question annual plans, forest audits, FMP revisions and the evolving science of forest management.

Again this year, BMFC has no plans around Kamaniskeg Lake (block 2266). OVF continues to show the primary road corridor east of Hwy 62, north of Long Lake Road (block 77) that follows the Red Pine trail along the northern stretch of the Phillip P. Murray public trail system. Clear cut harvesting is in the current annual plan east of that area, on the north side of Gun Lake.

Useful Links:

Protection & Maintenance Reminders for your Well: KAPOA recently attended a webinar on the importance of inspection and regular maintenance of your well. Check out the KAPOA website for what we learned about maintaining a healthy well – Wells & Septic – Kamaniskeg Area Property Owners Association

Don’t forget FOCA Benefits: we are all entitled to take advantage of FOCA membership benefits. Members can set up their own individual Username and Password for the FOCA website to access online member materials, register at the member rate for FOCA events, and to access FOCA discounts and benefits. Check it out! https://foca.on.ca/register/member-association/?ca=6889232b3d0218e1f34263fc32fb1c88

The Lake Partnership Program water quality trending report for Kamaniskeg Lake and surrounding area is now posted in the KAPOA website, check it out: Kamaniskeg Area Property Owners Association – KAPOA

Your KAPOA Team