Once again, it’s summer on Six Mile Lake
Higher spring water levels mean potentially more severe impacts from boat wake, which can damage docks, swamp out nesting shore birds and cause shoreline erosion, among other impacts. Be aware of the size of your boat wake during displacement, transition, and planing speeds. Learn more about how to be wake aware. https://www.bewakeaware.com
Here’s what’s going on around the lake.
The SMLRA Official Plan Amendment (OPA) Public Meeting
The Six Mile Lake Ratepayers Alliance (RA) has applied for an OPA that we believe will weaken the official plan’s ability to control cottage sizing. There will be a public meeting, in council chambers or online, on Tuesday June 6th, 2023 at 9:00 a.m. Please click the link below to join the meeting:
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/
Passcode: 594626
This OPA application has been made without consensus from the lake population and contradicts the results of the planning survey done in 2019 where 64% indicated that gross floor area (GFA) should remain in the official plan and Zoning By-law. See question #9. https://sixmilelake.net/pub/
Despite what the RA says, this is not a housekeeping change that will streamline the process. GFA caps play and important role in determining cottage size. Removal of those caps would irrevocably change the character of our lake.
For a detailed description of what is being proposed and how it can affect us go to our website at https://sixmilelake.net/news/
What can you do? ACT Now!
- Email GBT Councillors & Planning Staff: Send a letter expressing your concerns. We have included a sample, as well as email addresses on our website for your reference.
- Attend the Public Meeting: Attend the public meeting in person or on Zoom on Tuesday June 6, 2023 and make your voice heard.
- Inform Your Neighbours: Talk to your neighbours and friends on the lake to make sure they’re aware and active.
We’re all connected through our love for this incredible lake. As lake stewards, we must work together to find solutions to our problems so that responsible development can occur. The SMLCA stands firm in its commitment to find an acceptable way forward, as was called for in the 2019 survey, to make it easier for those who are building and remodelling. Removing important size controls is not a solution!
Hiring a summer student for the environment
The SMLCA has a part time (flexible hours during August) summer job opportunity to help us complete year two of our Eurasian Water Milfoil Survey. The successful candidate will learn how to identify the Eurasian Water Milfoil plant and survey parts of our lake to determine where the plant growth is occurring and recording how dense this invasive plant is in different parts of our lake. Watersheds Canada will also be working with us to conduct the Love Your Lake shoreline survey this summer and they still need one student employee to help them.
If you’re interested, send your resume to info@sixmilelake.net .
SMLCA Annual Financial Review
Our by-laws require that there is an annual review of our finances. This is performed by an independent third-party CPA. Cost escalations seem to be everywhere these days and the work of a CPA is no different. This year, the review will cost $5,000, which consumes roughly a quarter of our overall membership revenue. This is a very high cost considering the very low number of transactions and risk profile we have. A typical year has 70 Deposits (40 automated, 20 cash, and 10 Interac), 25 cheques written, 25 invoices issued for advertising and one Regatta deposit for raffle and food sales.
We are looking to substantially reduce this cost so the savings can be reinvested into lake activities. If there is a qualified accountant on the Lake that would be willing to do this work at a reduced rate, or ideally pro-bono, we would be very much interested in hearing from them in the next few weeks. The time required would be minimal as there are good records and our treasurer keeps the books summarized and up to date.
Please contact our treasurer, Rick Jocsak at rick.jocsak@sixmilelake.net
Dock ramp and regatta outhouse
We still desperately need your help to raise funds for the replacement of the ramp for the new floating swim dock used for the children’s and young adult’s races at our annual regatta. Last year, the old ramp shattered and needs to be replaced. A suitable aluminum one can cost as much as $3,500. Also, one of the outhouses at the site is ready to fall over and will either need to be repaired or replaced. We have to raise the funds by the middle of June so we can have the ramp built in time for the regatta. If you log onto our website at: https://sixmilelake.net/asp-
Membership
June is membership month! Stay tuned for important details. We have recently invested in technology to help us modernize our billing process. Once this is fully integrated, we will email invoices to all our members. To bring our association to a financially sustainable level, we’ve raised the annual membership fee for 2023/2024 to $50. This is a move that is long overdue, especially considering the inflationary pressure we’ve been under since the onset of the pandemic. Our membership fee is still among the lowest of our neighbouring cottage associations and considering all the benefits we provide to our lake community, it’s still great value. Please join us and help us continue to make the Six Mile Lake experience one that will last for generations.
The SMLCA 7th Annual Artist Tour
Time is running out to register. If there are any Six Mile Lake artists interested in participating this summer, please visit the website to fill out the application form at http://www.sixmilelake.art./ Artists of all genres are welcome to apply as long as you have a physical item or product to sell. Applications will be open until June 1st. If you have any questions or would like more information, please contact Heather and Jon Rennie at: studio@oakanddarling.com.
Volunteers needed for the Regatta
As we approach this year’s Regatta and Fireworks, on Saturday August 5, we need volunteers to help with the many important tasks that go into making these annual lake events great successes. We need volunteers to help with:
Friday (the day before)
- Loading a barge with regatta equipment and supplies (tables, tents, signs, sound system, generator, bins, etc.) at Wawautosa Marina and unloading at the regatta site; prepping the site, setting up of the race lanes, tables, signs, etc.
- Loading the fireworks boxes onto a barge at the Government Landing beside Wawautosa and unloading everything on Fire Island (note: the actual set-up of the fireworks on Fire Island is done by the fireworks experts, not us!)
Saturday:
- Finish setting up the Regatta site: sound system, tables, etc.
- Working the fish pond, sucker board, tattoo
- Food tables
- A second Lifeguard (we pay $50 each)
- Race crew: starter, “Bouncer” (keeping the starting dock in order), judges, record takers, canoe corral
- Cleaning up and re-packing everything after the Regatta
Both adults and kids are welcome to help! Please note that students needing to perform volunteer hours can claim this time.
Student employment positions at the park
Ontario Parks has summer employment opportunities for students as a Park Ranger.
Spend your summer working to support the interests of Ontarians! Many positions are open throughout the province and there are some at Six Mile Lake. For more information or to apply online go to https://www.ontarioparks.
Petition against floating barge cottages
In June, we will be collecting signatures on a petition and participating in a letter writing campaign to support an initiative by the Gloucester Pool Cottagers Association. This is a written petition with signatures. If you are interested in signing it and or would like guidance on writing a letter please contact us at info@sixmilelake.net .
FOCA Cottage Succession Seminar
The Severn River Association of Property Owners is holding a FOCA sponsored online webinar on cottage succession planning on June 14th, 2023. A lawyer will present an overview of the legal, tax, and family issues that pertain to this subject. This is free to all SMLCA members because we are also members of FOCA. To register, send an email to srapoinfo@gmail.com along with your name, association and email address. They will send you a link.
It’s Turtle Season
Now is the time turtles cross the road. If you see one in the middle of the road and decide to help them, please be safe, pull over, put on your flashers and watch out for traffic.
2019 CWS Authorization.pdf