Citizens invited to Secondary Plan Open Houses

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The City of Kawartha Lakes is giving residents of Bobcaygeon, Fenelon Falls, Lindsay, Omemee, and Woodville an opportunity to review the first full version of its plans for growth and development in each community, and provide input on a new program of financial incentives.

Following extensive consultation, research, and analysis completed through 2012, the municipality is ready to share the details of the plans to guide each community’s growth and development over the next 20 years.  All interested citizens are encouraged to attend the Open House in their community or visit the municipality’s website to obtain the Secondary Plans.

The municipality is also concurrently conducting public consultation for new Community Improvement Plans (CIPs).  Upon completion, the CIPs will make financial incentives available to downtown / main street properties in Bobcaygeon, Fenelon Falls, Lindsay, Omemee, and Woodville to encourage renovation, rehabilitation, and redevelopment.

“The linkage between the Secondary Plans and the Community Improvement Plans is very important,” says Michael Benner, the municipality’s Manager of Policy Planning.  “The Secondary Plans provide long-term direction and the CIPs will help stimulate positive change in the short-term.”

“The target audience for the CIPs is downtown / main street business and property owners,” indicates Denise Williams, the City’s Business Retention and Expansion Officer.  “There are many financial incentives that we can offer and we need their input so that we can tailor the financial incentives to their needs.”

The Secondary Plan Open Houses and consultation on the Community Improvement Plans will consist of display materials, an informal presentation, and a question-and-answer session.

The Secondary Plan Open Houses and consultation on the Community Improvement Plans are:

  • Bobcaygeon – July 29, 7-8:30 pm., Bobcaygeon Service Centre, 123 East Street South
  • Fenelon Falls – July 23, 7-8:30 pm., Fenelon Falls Community Centre, 27 Veteran’s Way
  • Lindsay – July 24, 7-8:30 pm., Victoria Park Armoury, North Room 2nd Floor, 5-13 Sussex St N
  • Omemee – July 25, 7-8:30 pm., Coronation Hall, 1 King St. West
  • Woodville – July 22, 7-8:30 pm., Woodville Town Hall, 101A King Street

For more information, please contact:

(Secondary Plans & Community Improvement Plans)
Michael Benner
Manager of Policy Planning
Development Services
The City of Kawartha Lakes
[email protected]
1.888.822.2225 / 705.324.9411 ext. 1330.

OR

(Community Improvement Plans)
Denise Williams
Business Retention and Expansion Officer
Economic Development
The City of Kawartha Lakes
[email protected]
1.888.822.2225 / 705.324.9411 ext. 1492

Environmental Meeting – This Saturday!!

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Saturday July 20nd 10:00 AM – 12:00 Noon   Sturgeon Point Church

SPA is hosting the third annual Environment Information Session to present topics we think will be of interest to the residents of Sturgeon Point.  The Kawartha Lakes has a diverse environment from the Canadian Shield to the St Lawrence Lowlands, “The Land Between”, and the quality of this environment is of major importance to us all.  This session will feature the following guest speakers and topics

Mr David Pridham  Kawartha Lakes Conservation  Up-date on the Sturgeon Lake Management Plan

            This is a very ambitious program to document the lake and near-shore characteristics and to develop recommendations that will guide land-use planning in the area.

Ms Samantha Burke  Graduate student Trent University  Benthic macro invertebrates as indicators of water quality plus a brief introduction to the Kawartha Lakes Steward Association document ‘The Algae of the Kawartha Lakes’

            Copies of the ‘The Algae of the Kawartha Lakes’ will be available at the Session.

Samantha will describe how studying the critters in the water tells us a lot about the health of the lake.  There will be a quiz at the end to see how many know what Benthic macro invertebrates are.  Hint  GOOGLE it

Chris Appleton  Treasurer of Kawartha Lakes Steward Association and Resident of Sturgeon Point Outline of the Objectives and Activities of the Kawartha Lakes Steward Association (KLSA)

            KLSA is involved in many interesting environmental studies and programs, such as the Sturgeon Lake Management Plan and is a valuable source of information on the issues and health of our local environment.  

Lucas Tyukodi  Invasive Species Community Outreach Liaison – Ontario Federation of Anglers and Hunters  Discussion of invasive animals and plants: Rusty Crayfish, Round Goby, Garlic Mustard and Emerald Ash Borer.

Open houses a chance to guide plans for your lake

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These open houses are organized by Kawartha Conservation

cklplansphotoheader

 

You are invited to attend one of five open houses on lake management plans being developed for Balsam, Cameron, Pigeon, and Sturgeon lakes.  

The plans involve developing and implementing best practices for restoring and protecting the health and sustainability of your lake, and dealing with various issues such as aquatic plants, contaminated runoff, development pressures, E.coli, sediments, invasive species, and others. 

Each plan is in a different stage of development, and will be completed in upcoming years, and then implemented following completion. 

  • STURGEON LAKE MANAGEMENT PLAN (2014) – Review and provide comments on an early draft of the plan
  •  BALSAM & CAMERON LAKE MANAGEMENT PLAN (2015) – Get an update and provide input on plan development
  •  PIGEON LAKE MANAGEMENT PLAN (2016) – Identify the issues to be addressed in the plan, including impacts to lake health and your enjoyment of the lake

Each open house is from 7 to 9 p.m., and will include information about each of the plans, and an opportunity to comment. There will also be special guest presentations on various topics, starting at 7:00 p.m. Check our website for details.

Wed, July 24 – Omemee Coronation Hall – 1 King St W. (Hwy 7 and Sturgeon Rd. N.)

Mon, July 29 – Fenelon Falls Community Centre – 27 Veterans Way (next to Royal Canadian Legion)

Tues, July 30 – Ops Community Centre – 2569 Hwy 7 (1 km east of Hwy 35), Lindsay  

Wed, July 31 – Coboconk Community Centre – 9 Grandy Rd 

Thurs, Aug 1 – Bobcaygeon Community Centre – 51 Mansfield St. (upstairs, above arena)

Special guest presentation on algae in the Kawartha Lakes by Colleen Middleton 

 

For more information, please contact Brett Tregunno at Kawartha Conservation, 705.328.2271 ext. 222 or [email protected].

Blue-Green Algae – Get to Know its True Colours

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The article below was published by The Haliburton, Kawartha, Pine Ridge District Health Unit: 

GET TO KNOW ITS TRUE COLOURS
– Season For Blue-Green Algae Arrives, Bringing Reminder to Beware – and Be Aware – of Potential Risks to Public Health –

People who swim, drink and use water from area lakes are being reminded to be on the lookout for blue-green algae (BGA), and to change their habits accordingly if they detect it.

The Haliburton, Kawartha, Pine Ridge District Health Unit is encouraging residents, cottagers and visitors who use area lakes and waterways to educate themselves about BGA to reduce their potential health risk. In the past few summers, BGA has surfaced in local lakes, particularly in shallow, still water and during extremely warm temperatures.

“Reports of blue-green algae in our region have been more common in the summer months, so it is important to beware of the risks associated with BGA and be aware of what to look for in the water,” says Richard Ovcharovich, Manager of Environmental Health with the HKPR District Health Unit.

BGA, also known as cyanobacteria, are primitive microscopic organisms that occur naturally in lakes, bays and inlets around the world. Normally, the algae are barely visible, but during warm weather the algae can rapidly increase in shallow, still waters to form a large mass called a bloom. Dense blue-green algae blooms can make the water look like a bluish-green pea soup, or a shiny paint slick. Most algae blooms are short-lived and will break down in a few days or weeks.

While many forms of blue-green algae are harmless, some forms produce toxins that can be harmful to humans and animals. This means that any exposure to the water, be it drinking, swimming, bathing, cooking or washing, can lead to health problems. The extent of how sick people can get depends on the type of BGA and how long they are exposed to the toxins, Ovcharovich says.

“If you see or detect serious signs of blue-green algae in a lake or local waterway, avoid using the water at all costs,” he says. “Boiling the water won’t help either, as this kills the algae resulting in the release of more toxins into the water.”

The Health Unit is helping raise awareness about BGA through an information campaign called Blue-Green Algae: Get to Know Its True Colours. The goal is to help people who use area lakes recognize BGA and take appropriate precautions.