2018 President's Report

We continue to build on the Foundation’s successes. We now have over ten communities documented in print and video format plus twenty-four ‘Memoirs of the Lake’ all of which are available on our website. Over sixty heritage plaques have been awarded to owners of heritage cottages or buildings in recognition of their efforts in preserving heritage buildings. Annually we have held at least six nature events focused on a specific species or aspect of the environment all led by a qualified naturalist. We continue with the ever popular Silent Boat Rally on the Lower Oxtongue, although this year it was held on one the very few rainy days in July. We are developing a bequest programme we have named the ‘Legacy Circle’. This programme is for people who want to leave a legacy in their will through a bequest to the Foundation. We will create a list of members of the Legacy Circle on our website which today has six members. More information will accompany our membership mailing in November. It is basically letting us know a bequest has been made and providing permission to list your name on our website.

The Foundation stewards over 300 acres of protected properties. The Boothby property with 1.7 km of shoreline on Dwight bay and 47 acres of forested land and the Pyke property with 100 acres south of highway 117. We feel the most significant is the Marsh’s Falls property on the Lower Oxtongue River, which is actually three contiguous lots purchased over a 6-year period. In total there are 170 acres of mostly forested land and 6.5 km of shoreline. The Lower Oxtongue River is clearly identified in the Township’s Official Plan indicating the ecology should be protected and used for educational purposes. This year, our volunteers continued to restore the land removing old buildings, ticket booths and hunting blinds. Where possible we donated reusable material. A Species at Risk study was completed with support from the Ontario Land Trust Alliance which identified ten species. Recently a base line study was completed for turtles. During our nature events bird and insects were counted and the information up-load to an Ontario database. This summer we rebuilt the decks on the cottage at Marsh’s Falls to create safe access to our Education Centre. The cost of material was funded from a specific donation and all work completed by our volunteers. We are now able to move forward with developing an Education Centre. During the fall and spring two classes from the Irwin Memorial School in Dwight made day trips to the property trips and we had visits from various groups such as Probus and the Huntsville Naturalist Club. 

We are very grateful to our many generous donors who are helping us to preserve the natural heritage, to document community histories and to develop programs and events for the community. This year we received a significant bequest from the Estate of Dr Cathy Charles for which we are very grateful. Dr Charles had been a lifelong cottager on Kerrimuir Road, and she expressed her love of nature and the Lake of Bays through her bequest. We will be creating a new program called the Legacy Circle to recognise and honour those members who have supported our Foundation in this way.

We expect an active and productive year ahead. Elected to serve on the board for 2017-18 are Ian Beverley, Jim Cade, Margaret Casey, Mike Kaptein, Tracey Macey, Mark McLean, Simon Miles, Rob Milligan, Judith Mills, Kathy Newby, Brian Simpson, Penny Thomas and Gloria Woodside.

Thank you for continuing to support heritage in our community. To learn more about volunteering, or other questions, please email info@lakeofbaysheritage.ca