LWCA Quarterly

It's fun to have a few 'do it yourself' projects on the go each cottage season. They can keep you busy, add some functionality and provide great memories. We often think back to when we made this or that - and remark on how time has flown and how young we were then.

Back in 2017 Cottage Life magazine published 3 DIY benches, made out of common cottaging materials. The article is now available online. Check it out! You might be inspired to make a fun bench this cottage season.

Would you like a copy of the Lake Book? We have the opportunity to have the book reprinted at a cost of $150 per hardcover book if we order 250 copies.

Please complete this google form if you would purchase one book (or more). We will use these responses as an advance order list.

Be aware that as of January 2022, Ontario has regulated watercraft (boats, canoes, kayaks) as a carrier of invasive species under the Invasive Species Act. These new regulations allow us to better prevent and slow the spread.

Boaters are now required to take the following steps before transporting a boat or boat equipment overland:

• remove or open drain plugs to allow water to drain from the boat or boat equipment

• take reasonable precautions to remove all aquatic plants (weeds), animals and algae from any boat, boat equipment, vehicle or trailer

Before reaching a launch site or placing a watercraft in any body of water in Ontario, boaters are required to ensure their boat, boating equipment, vehicles or trailers are free of all:

• aquatic plants

• animals

• algae

It is illegal to place a boat, boating equipment or any vehicle or trailer into any body of water if there are any aquatic plants, animals or algae attached to it.

There is a power washer available at Weslemkoon Marina for you to use to ensure your boat is clean before you transport it.

There is more information about invasive species on our website. Check it out!

It's trail time!

We've had an early start to trail clearing this spring. Thanks to my intrepid family, clearing of both the Mink Lake and Canoe Lake trails (our most popular trails) is well underway. There were lots of trees down on both trails - some that hadn't been completely cleared from last year's derecho, and a considerable number of new trees from more recent fall & winter storms. If it weren't for a couple of issues - a chainsaw blade falling off (Mink Lake) and running out of gas (Canoe Lake), both trails would have been completely cleared.

As it is, I would say that both trails are 95% cleared - there are only a few trees down on each of the two trails, and they are easy to either walk under or over. So get out on the trails!

Do you have some construction skills? Any spare lumber? If so, please consider building a thunderbox for our trails. We recently added a thunderbox to the main site at Mink Lake, but would love to have a few more built for additional locations.

Thanks to our lake builders Jon Keeble, Glenn Thompson, and Ian Sine for their construction work last year.

Contact info@weslemkoon.com to offer up your services or to let us know if you have ideas about where we should install the next thunderboxes!

Note: Please remind your cottaging friends that thunderboxes are NOT for garbage. Thanks!

Take a moment to jot down what you think are the 10 biggest lakes in Ontario (measured by km2, not by volume). How many of them can you name?

You'll find the answer at the bottom of this newsletter!

Here's a fun cottage challenge for your family members! It uses an app (on your phone or device) called Goosechase.

Each cottage/residence enters the Goosechase as a team. Each person in a cottage can use their own app and be part of their cottage team. There are all sorts of fun missions in the Weslemkoon Summer Challenge. As you finish each mission and submit your answers, your team is awarded points. At the end of the season the winning team will receive a grand prize, but there will be spot prizes throughout the summer.

All you have to do is download the app "Goosechase", click on "continue as a guest" and add the join code: V8WEEL. Then click on "let's go!". You'll be asked for a password, which is Loony. The final task is to add your player name. We suggest a cottage team name here, which everyone in your camp will use when they log in. Done!

Have fun!

There were many interesting presentations at FOCA’s 60th annual Spring Seminar and AGM. Topics ranged from the impact of Bill 23 on land use planning, to the spread of ticks that cause Lyme Disease, and FireSmart principles for your property and preparing your cottage for climate change. You can see the slides from each presentation by visiting this Event Summary Document.

Have you signed up for FOCA’s Elert yet?? Each newsletter is filled with important and interesting information on all things that waterfront residents need to know in order to stay informed on environmental and policy updates along with regional news and event notices. You can sign up and read past Elerts here.

While the LWCA is primarily focused on conservation, we recognize that its also important to get to know our lake community members. Talking to one another and making connections is not only fun, but will help us work together to face any challenges that arise in the future.

July 1 (2-4 pm) Teen Meet Up

Come to Scull Island to reconnect with old friends, meet new friends and enjoy an afternoon of swimming and a campfire.

July 8 (2-4pm) Docktails

New members please join us for afternoon Docktails to meet other community members, pick up your welcome package and enjoy an afternoon beverage and snacks. All community members welcome! Please RSVP to info@weslemkoon.com.

July 29th (9 - 1) Community Dock Sale

Got some things you don't need? Perhaps an extra piece of furniture you'd like to sell or pass on? Consider joining a community wide dock sale. More info to come!

August 6 (10-1) Maker's Market

The Maker's Market returns for the third year at Weslemkoon Marina. Be sure to stop by to see what our amazing makers have created this year. If you'd like to have a booth, please contact Michele Calambakas at mkasmith@gmail.com

August 12 (9:30-noon) Annual General Meeting

Join us for the AGM at Four Loons Marina. Our guest speaker this year is from FireSmart Canada. They will talk to us about fire management at the lake. Stay for a delicious lunch made by Two Dishes, and enjoy some time socializing with lake friends. Lug a mug, plate & cutlery please!

October 25 (7pm) Webinar on Succession Planning with Peter Lillico, Estate Lawyer

In Vol 2 of our newsletter (December 2022) there was a link to a podcast on succession planning. The guest was Peter Lillico. Now we have the opportunity to hear from Peter in a webinar, hosted for us by FOCA. You will be able to ask him questions either ahead of time or during the webinar. It will be available free of charge for LWCA members, and guests can join for a small fee. Registration will begin in August. We will provide more information on the webinar at the AGM.

The Ontario Hunting Regulations Summary is available for download from the provincial website: https://www.ontario.ca/document/ontario-hunting-regulations-summary

This annual hunting guide summarizes the rules and regulations for hunting in Ontario. It provides information about hunting licences and fees, as well as up-to-date regulations and seasons for each game species.

Hunting seasons vary across regions in Ontario. Lake Weslemkoon falls into the Wildlife Management Unit (WMU) 61. You need to know your WMU when determining when you can hunt for ruffed grouse, for example (FYI: from Sept 15-Dec 31 there is a daily limit of 5 and possession limit of 15).

This summer we've added a new aspect to the annual photo contest.

We'd like you to have fun searching around your cabin for representations of letters that can be put together to spell WESLEMKOON.

For example, an "O" could be a woodpecker hole, a fire pit you've made or a lily pad. Or you might see a twig that is an exact L. Get your family to start searching as soon as you land at the lake this year, and snap and save each letter that you find. Submit all together by the end of Thanksgiving weekend to info@weslemkoon.com

In the meantime, please share your best finds on your Instagram or on our LWCA Facebook page with #WESLEMKOONphotochallenge

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Email: Info@weslemkoon.com
Website: http://www.weslemkoon.com
Location: Weslemkoon Lake, Ontario, Canada
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1847905442182189/