Ice Storm of the Century!
On Monday, Jan.12, 1998, while travelling to Blue Sea to attend the regular meeting of Council, I decided to avail myself of the opportunity to visit as many cottage properties as possible in the time frame permitted.
I was able to visit every property on Chemin du Lac Long, Lacasse and Lafontaine streets, as well as those on chemin de la Perdriole on Lac Morissette up to Chris Juteau's property. In most cases, it was necessary to walk from the public roadway, since the snow and ice did not permit access to the individual properties.
I am happy to report that all the cottages that were inspected had no damage done to their structures, although there were a number of broken branches and trees lying around the properties and the road edges.
Meetings for 1998
The following are the dates for meetings this year. Executive Meetings are each at 7:30 p.m., while General Meetings are always held on Saturday morning at 10:30 a.m., at the recreation hall on Lac Long Rd. If you have a subject you wish discussed at any Executive meeting, let us know ahead of time, by contacting any member of the Executive.
Executive meetings
Fire Alert!
Spring is here again, and the strange winter that befell us has caused us another serious problem. The early and rapid spring run-off has resulted in inordinately dry ground and foliage. Cottage country is a tinderbox waiting for an spark to set off the explosion. Already, on Victoria Day weekend, a
small brush fire on lake Morissette could have deteriorated into a major inferno, had it not been for sheer luck and the rapid response of the Blue Sea fire brigade. We are likely to have a long, hot, and very dry summer. So the danger will persist till late fall.
We therefore beg of you: be extremely careful in lighting open fires. At present, there is a province wide total ban on open fires. Be aware of these bans - listen to the local radio stations, and, if you do not understand french, telephone the Maniwaki detachment of the QPF at (819) 449-4333 or SOPFEU at (819) 449-4271. They will only be too happy to let you know of any restrictions on open fires.
Never, ever, leave an open fire unattended. And always make doubly sure the fire is out and not just smoking. The lake Morissette fire appears to have been the result of a fire which was probably put out in the fire pit, only to travel under ground in the tree root system, to spring up again some 75 feet away and erupt into open flames in the heat of day. In the meantime, the owners of the property had left to return to Ottawa, totally unaware their small week-end fire was turning into a potential disaster in their absence. Luckily, only approx. one quarter acre of their cottage lot was singed by the fire, before it was extinguished. It could have been much worse.
Oh! and by the way, there is a $1,000.00 fine for having an outdoor open fire during a prohibited period. There is extensive daily aerial surveillance, and the Maniwaki detachment of the QPF are under zero tolerance instructions. If you are caught, or if your neighbour tells on you, you will pay the piper.
Association Clothing
Fran still has a good inventory of clothing bearing the various lake crests. For your last minute gifts, why not give her a call.
Municipal News
The municipality had already decided, in November, to resurrect the Emergency Measures Committee which had been dormant for some 4 years. The Ice storm in January had further prodded council into pushing this along as soon as possible, since, to some extent, the ice storm caught the municipality with its collective pants down. Jean Marc Potvin, our Municipal Inspector, is to be the Chief Co-ordinator. Mrs. Lorena Dionne Plymer has been selected to be the Director of Communications. The municipality has announced the full committee in its spring newsletter and how to reach them whenever an emergency arises..
Membership renewal time again
I invite all residents of both lakes (Latourelle and Morissette) to join us in promoting a continued healthy environment and clean lakes as a heritage for our children of tomorrow. If you are not already a member, we invite you to become one. If you are a member, renew your membership now and promote our association among your cottage friends who are not and encourage them to join us.
Supporting the local economy
With spring comes the annual re-opening of our cottages for another season. I believe it is important, at this time, to make a point with regards to supporting the local economy, whenever possible. And I speak now, not only to members of this association, but to everyone who takes the time to read this newsletter, especially the local residents of Blue Sea.
Blue Sea`s economy is not vibrant; in fact, some people might call it stagnant. The population is aging, the younger people are vacating, and businesses have a hard time coping on an on-going daily basis. The vast majority of the population want to retain their autonomy. But if the economic climate does not soon improve, and dramatically, economics of size may soon force it to merge with its neighbour to the north, Messines.
The locals, and cottagers, are often prone to say: the gas is too expensive, the restaurant does not open late enough, the grocer does not offer enough variety in meats and other necessities, the hardware does not have anything you want but lots you do not need, etc... But rarely does anyone go a little farther and ask themselves why that is???
Ask almost anyone among the locals, and the cottagers, and most will tell you that they shop in Gracefield for mostly everything. And of course, Gracefield has a booming economy. I wonder why?
Things might be different if more people shopped locally in Blue Sea, even if it is slightly more expensive, slightly less convenient, with slightly less choices in merchandise and hours of service.
Did you ever stop to think of how many extra dollars it will cost you if your car ever breaks down, in Blue Sea, and there is no more service station. Or how inconvenient it might be to have to go much further when your relatives are visiting you in Blue Sea, and they decide they might want to have a meal at the local restaurant instead of inconveniencing you at home or cottage, but lo and behold, the restaurant has closed permanently. (Remember last summer when we had no restaurant.) And its certainly convenient to run into the village to get a good fresh steak on the weekend, without having to travel all the way to Gracefield to get one, isn't it? It would be a pity to no longer have a local grocer in the village.
Well, if we are to keep these merchants on the local scene, they have to be able to make some money, to make a livelihood, to support their families. Otherwise they will pack up and go. And then what? If one by one, businesses close, the village life will die, the population will continue to decrease, and soon there will be no choice but to merge with the neighbour in order to survive at all.
Believe me, if that day ever comes, whatever pennies you will have saved, or think you will have saved, by going to Gracefield or elsewhere instead of shopping locally, you will wake up to a rude reality. It will now cost you buckets of money to necessarily travel further for the smallest items and you will see your municipal taxes rise to the sky with an administration based in Messines, and not akin or too sympathetic to the local needs.
Help prevent this tragedy. Help Blue Sea to not only survive, but to flourish and develop. Help the local economy to create jobs for the younger generation to remain at home. Shop locally whenever possible. Believe me, if it eventually results in a positive turn-around for Blue Sea, everyone will benefit and your restaurants(s) and merchants will be in a better position to serve you with more variety, better hours, competitive prices, and life will be much better for everyone.
Changes to the Association Constitution
As you know, we have attempted, as a project, to update our association constitution. An analysis and comparison between the English and the french versions of the document reveals a number of significant disparities which require correction.
And, as you also know, the constitution requires any amendment to be publicized at least 30 days in advance of any meeting held to amend the document, in either language. The disparities are too numerous to detail and list in this newsletter. However, we propose to prepare a summary page, which will be distributed at the first spring general meeting of the association, and then will be voted on at the next meeting in July. We therefore urge you to be present at the first meeting in the spring, as much as possible, in order that the required notices of motion may be made to clarify this important document as soon as possible.
Your co-operation in this matter is requested. The first general meeting in the spring will be held on Saturday, June 27, 1998, at the usual location, the Salle des Loisirs, at 10:30 a.m. The next meeting will be held on Saturday, July 25th, same time, same place. Be there!!!
Update on our Website popularity
For those of you who wonder if our website is serving a useful purpose, I have obtained some interesting statistics on the site usage which I thought I would share with you at this time.
The period covered by the analysis was from Friday, November 28, 1997, to Thursday, April 23, 1998, a typical period covering 146 days only.
Proposed changes to Boating regulations
Operator licencing
The federal government will be introducing a licencing program which will take effect January 1st, 1999. The licencing program will start with people 16 years old and younger and will gradually expand to those up to 55 years old (everyone older than that is exempt!!). The licencing program will involve taking an accredited course and obtaining a "licence" that certifies you have passed the course. Plans are to have organizations such as the Canadian Power Squadron, the Red Cross and the Canadian Yachting Association to offer the safety course and conduct tests. The basic course is expected to take eight hours and to cost about $30. The course is not mandatory, but the written test will be, and will cost about $20. Drivers will be issued a lifetime licence, printed on waterproof paper.
In addition, it will be illegal for anyone under the age of 12 to drive a boat that is equipped with a motor bigger than 10 horsepower. People between the ages of 12 and 16 will be limited to boats with a maximum of 40 horsepower.
Special requirements will also be implemented for people who wish to rent boats.
The Canadian Coast Guard wanted to require all users of any small recreational boat to take the course (rowboats, canoes, sailboats, windsurfers) but the government will only make it a requirement for motorized boats for now.
Boat Licencing
The following are proposed changes that will require licensing of all craft, a initial registration fee, and potentially a two-year renewal period. There may be special consideration for small unpowered boats such as canoes, kayaks and windsurfers.
Fines
Insufficient number of life jackets / PFDs: $200 Insufficient number of flares: $150 Failure to close doors, ports, windows when fuelling: $100 Speeding in a controlled speed zone: $100
New Safety Regulations
The following are proposed changes to safety regulations for Canadian waterways (yes, that includes small lakes like Lac Latourelle!).
Sailboards - When you are out sailboarding, you won't have to carry the required safety equipment IF you are wearing a Canadian-approved PFD and carrying a sound signalling device.
Sit back and think about how many of the above safety regulations your boat currently meets. With the exception of my sailboard, I doubt many boats would pass inspection!
Environmental problems at Heney Lake
The following article was published in the Ottawa Citizen (author: Bob Phillips)
Like most of Canada in earlier generations, the Outaouais is learning that its natural resources are neither limitless nor indestructible. The question is when will provincial government officials respond to its pleas.
Beneath the snows of winter; this is cottage country probably unrivalled in all Canada for its proliferation of waterways within short potential reach of a large urban population. The operative word is "potential", for most are still expensively far from gravel roads.
It would be comforting to report that provincial and local officials had their eyes constantly on the long haul, and meanwhile plan accessible resources to their best effect.
That is not so. The most visible -- and audible -- problem is the misuse of valuable cottage country by owners of high-powered boats who destroy the ambiance of cottaging, lower land values and sap the local economy. Years of growing protests and pleas for wise management of waterways have largely met dynamic indifference in municipal councils, though hope still springs eternal.
Less evident is provincial fostering of incompatible industry. It is more serious because its pollution can be terminal. When a lake dies, it is beyond recovery in our time, or possibly forever. This fact seems overlooked by provincial officials intent on fostering small industry to help an economically depressed tegion without weighing terrible long-term costs. It has not yet happened often in the Outaouais, but Heney Lake is a sad example that should alert the public, as well as officialdom, to constant danger.
Heney Lake is in the Gatineau Valley not far from Mont Ste-Marie, and little over an hour from national capital regional cities. About one kilometer across and seven long, it is a deep-water lake that changes its water very slowly. For 60 years, it has been a paradise for cottagers; 261 cottages now stretch along its shores.
Paradise threatened
Fourteen years ago, a Quebec government study found the lake could not sustain indefinite cottage development, especially without strict sewage control. Nevertheless, the two municipalities on the lake encouraged more cottages, and two years later, Quebec approved the expansion of a sawmill. In 1991, it subsidized a new fish hatchery, soon expanded to a large commercial operation with 28 tanks. Last year, again without public consultation and two weeks before completion of an environmental impact study, it was allowed to triple in size and discharge phosphorus estimated to be the equivalent of effluent in a town of 68,000 people.
A Université du Québec study concluded that Heney Lake could annually absorb only 231 kg of phosphorus. Cottages produce 195 kg, and the creek on which the sawmill is situated produces 112 kg.
The government allows the fish hatchery to discharge 890 kg this year, dropping to 400 kg in five years. A public health warning about the presence of toxic cyanobacteria has already been sent to all cottagers. Without decisive action controlling the effluents from the sawmill and fish hatchery, Heney Lake could be dead within a year.
If governments can live with a dead lake, perhaps their interest could be captured by the economic consequences. The fish farm, for which government grants of over $500,000 have been approved, is valued at $160,700 and employs three full-time persons and one student. The cottage properties are assessed at $24 million and their owners spend an estimated $23 million locally.
The Heney Lake Association, active in environmental protection for 15 years, continues its struggle this winter in meetings with the other interests involved.
A solution must be found fast, not for the sake of Heney Lake alone, but for other Outaouais waterways being eyed by potential fish-hatchery owners looking for easy government money with loose government controls and planning. Those officials who consider this a small matter might consider the environmental policies of the former Soviet Union. Look for the Aral Sea, one of the great water bodies of the planet. It isn't there. It died, and its tombstone is the hungry desert.
The Outaouais cannot afford such losses; nor can Quebec, nor Canada. That's why we must be watching Heney Lake.
The following is a recent update on this issue:
The Quebec Ministry of the Environment has at last seen the light, or so it would seem. Mr. Levesque, the ministry's regional director, recently announced it had served notice upon Mr. Lafreniere, the owner of the fish farm in question, advising him that the ministry was immediately revoking the operating permit of the fish farm. Mr. Lafreniere has 30 days to appeal the notice and advise the ministry of any corrective measures he would take, any equipment he would add or change if he were permitted to continue to operate. It would then be up to ministry officials to consider the matter and render a final decision. Due to the intense pressure being brought to bear upon the ministry, it is considered unlikely that it would alter its stance on the closing of the hatchery.
If indeed closure of the problem is final, it will not of course solve the problem of the contaminated lake. But it will be a beginning of a possible revival.
And it will serve abundant notice to all that if an association or group of people band together to oppose a matter, they can be influential in having decisions altered, albeit in a slow and sometimes discouraging manner.
Leisure Committe of Lac Long
Le Comite des Loisirs du Lac Long recently replaced its president, Paul Richard, who resigned after only a few months in office, with a former president, Leo Paul Labelle. We wish the new administration luck in their endeavours. We are supposed to be provided with a list of their current season activities very shortly and we will supply them to you as soon as possible.
Gossip Corner
Pat Whelan gets the APPEL Environment award for May. Upon arriving at the cottage Pat discovered a frantic mother duck quacking around his fishing boat. On further inspection he found 4 babies trapped in the bottom of his boat. Unfortunately 2 were dead, but he released the other two who were happy to be back on the water.
The little mini-satellite dishes are becoming popular in our area; reception in most areas is great the with the basic package starting at $14.95 and the initial outlay is around $500.
General Meeting Changes
The outgoing president and his committee (Comite des Loisirs du Lac Long) scrambled our general meeting dates and inadvertently double-booked either the land and/or the hall on the same dates. Therefore, here is the latest scoop in relation to that. June 27, 1998 remains as the first general meeting date, although a VTT rally will simultaneously be holding registrations in the parking lot in the early portion of the meeting. We have been assured there will be no problem in this regard. The second general meeting. which was to be held on July 25, 1998, has been changed to August 8, 1998, since there was a wedding double-booked on the second date.
The Mayor is Ill
We wish Mr. Belanger, the Mayor of Blue Sea, a successful operation and a speedy recovery. He is currently at the Sacred Heart Hospital, in Hull, Que., awaiting an operation tentatively set for June 11, 1998, apparently for a tumour on or near his heart. A special meeting was convened on June 9, 1998, among the remaining councillors, to name a pro-mayor to replace Mr. Belanger for the duration of his absence. Isabelle Clement, councillor no. 2, won the vote. We wish her well and we extend to her our full support in these difficult times.
Merge with Messines? You've got to be kidding!
The buffoonery in Messines continues. Ever since the elections last fall, the new council in Messines has been a standing joke in the MRC. The latest round has a battle breaking out recently in a public restaurant in Messines. It seems road work was being done on the streets on which the Mayor lives, as well as that of his closest ally on council. The work was stopped by other councillors when it was discovered the work had never been authorized by council. An angry mayor tried to pass leaflets, critical of one of the councillors, around in the restaurant where that councillor was eating, and the councillor objected. A heated exchange broke out, ending with the councillor having a few cracked ribs, and the mayor supporting a shiner, compliments of the councillor's son. Damage to the restaurant was approx. $300.00; police were called to investigate and determine if charges would be laid. The Mayor was banned from the restaurant. Council passed a resolution requesting the Mayor's resignation; he has refused. At an open meeting, a petition signed by 175 residents also requested the Mayor's resignation. Council stripped the mayor's right-hand-man/councillor of his functions as pro-mayor and councillor in charge of roadworks, and gave the functions to one of their own. The entertainment continues...
Executive Committee for 1998
| Name | Title | Home Phone# | Cottage Phone # |
| Morris Richardson | President | ||
| Steve Slaby | Vice-President | ||
| Rita Lingen | Secretary/ Treasurer | ||
| John Devlin | Director | ||
| Lise Parent | Director | ||
| Terry Samets | Director | ||
| Gaston Tremblay | Director | ||
| Cristian Juteau | Alternate Director | ||
| Marcel Lacasse | Alternate Director |
The executive welcome calls from members, but we would ask they be before 9 PM.
We would like to take this opportunity to thank our new sponsors for supporting our assocation, and we invite our members to avail themselves of their services and products whenever the opportunity arises.
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