Hello Six Mile Lake Cottagers
We have experienced quite a bit of rain lately, which is good news for the trees as they are now in full leaf and looking healthy, and the fire rating has maintained a moderate level. With all the warm weather, the water temperature is becoming a delight, so we can safely announce that summer is in full swing. Let’s have fun!
Coming Events in chronological order. Mark your calendars
SMLCA Ice Cream Give-Away Sat. June 29th from 1pm to 3pm (Rain Date: Sun, June 30th)
Our thanks to Kristian Graziano for donating the ice cream. This is a big hit every year, and the ice cream boats will be back! Mark this on your calendars and boat out for your free ice cream to one of four locations on the lake. Note that the locations below may vary on the day of the event depending on wind direction. Look for a pontoon boat with the SMLCA banner on the side. Check locations in the directory. Don’t delay because when it’s gone, it’s gone.
North: South of Lone Star Island (Map C)
Central: South of Bagley Island (Map W)
West: South of Disher’s Island (Map M)
East: South of Battleship Island (Map E)
SMLCA Members Barbeque, July 6th from 11:00 am until 3 pm at Regatta Bay
SMLCA members are invited to our inaugural Summer Barbecue and Get-Together. Grab a burger or hotdog, meet neighbours and the SMLCA directors, pick up your 2024 Lake Directory, and buy any Six Mile Lake logoed gifts you’ve been hankering for. There will also be fire pump training: learn how to use the fire pumps on the lake before there’s an emergency!
Please R.S.V.P so that we know how much food to order. Visit https://smlca.wildapricot.org/
Remember our membership year runs from June 1 to May 31 and it’s time to renew for 2024/2025. If you haven’t already renewed your membership, there are three ways to do that:
- The Membership Fee is $50.00
- Visit https://smlca.wildapricot.org and join or renew online
- Contact membership@sixmilelake.net or Sarah McKinney at 647-823-8458 to request an invoice to be mailed to you.
You can also make optional donations to the annual fireworks show and/or for improvements to the regatta site and a general donation bucket. (Even if you don’t want to join the SMLCA, you can still do your part by financially supporting the many worthwhile things we do for the lake, ranging from navigation markers, the clean-up crew, and the regatta). To make any donation go to https://smlca.wildapricot.org/
Six Mile Lake Pride Parade July 20, 2024
This year marks the 5th SML Pride Parade, a unique celebration that Six Milers can be proud to host! A tradition that sprouted out of the pandemic, the SML Pride Parade brings people together to celebrate love and acceptance for everyone in the LGBTQ+ community. There are many ways to participate in the parade! People are encouraged to decorate their boats, docks and themselves with pride colours!
Members and allies of the LGBTQ+ community may join in the boat parade, or cheer from the shoreline. The SML Pride Parade has gained international attention and has inspired other communities to create safe, open opportunities elsewhere.
The parade starts at 1:00 p.m. in Trans Canada Bay (near the park).
Volunteers needed for the regatta
The regatta is a summer highlight for many Six Milers, and Saturday, August 3rd will be here before we know it.
This year we are using the SignUP website to manage and communicate with our wonderful volunteers.
- Descriptions for all of the individual volunteer roles are on the SignUp website.
- You can sign up other designated people as well, using your contact info.
- Email addresses are private, not shared by the website, and your contact information is not visible to anyone but the regatta volunteer coordinator. You do NOT need an account or a password for the website.
- If things happen to change for you between now and the regatta date, you are easily able to edit your participation.
- It’s a great way for high school students to get volunteer hours
- Old canoes and paddles needed for loan as well. Sign them up too!
Click on the link below to Sign UP!
Every year we also collect donations for the regatta prize draw and for the golf tournament. If you have anything you wish to donate contact lib.gibson@sixmilelake.net .
Fireworks show
All is going according to plan to hold our 19th Fireworks Show on Saturday, August 3rd at sunset. All the money for this show comes through donations from our generous SML cottagers. If you enjoy watching the show please consider a donation. We still need to raise about $7000, so don’t delay. Donations for the show can made through our membership portal:
https://smlca.wildapricot.org .
If you would like to help either by preparing the site, helping Pyro Mario move his equipment and fireworks to the Island on Friday, or helping pack up and clean the site on Sunday morning, please contact us at craig.cameron@sixmilelake.net. We meet at 10 a.m. at the Crooked Bay government dock, on Friday August 2nd.
Golf tournament
After a longstanding history of having our annual golf tournament at Bonaire Golf Course, we have decided to move to Oak Bay as the majority of golfers rated the meal last year as below average. Bonaire is under new management and ownership, and unfortunately, they don’t seem to be receptive to make changes based on our feedback. We have negotiated excellent green fee rates with Oak Bay that are substantially less than you would pay as a member of the general public. The meal will be pricier, but we expect a much more superior experience. We do recognize that the course is a more difficult one but remember the tournament is best ball….and after all it is really about having a few good laughs with fellow six milers. It will be held at noon on Tuesday, August 6th. We do need to commit to a firm number of golfers and meal preferences by no later than July 24th. Accordingly, individuals need to sign up by the 22nd and make payment via credit or debit card at the time of registration. The cost of both golf and meal is $180 per golfer and if individuals wish to just come for the dinner the cost is $80.
To register go to: https://smlca.wildapricot.org/
This year we would like everyone to register separately and pay when they register. They can indicate who is in their foursome. Also, all foursomes must be associated with someone on Six Mile Lake.
Jigsaw puzzle sales
Photo contest jigsaw puzzles are on sale now. They will only be available until August 12th and must be preordered and prepaid. So, this is your one chance to acquire one of these beautiful mementoes of the lake.
First place photos are available as single image puzzles. Second place photos have been made into two multi-image collages. To see all the images please visit: sixmilelake.net/news/six-mile-
Download the order form (with payment info) at: sixmilelake.net/pub/misc/2024_
Public landing parking survey
Recently, Council tabled a plan to institute a pilot project for paid parking at our two public landings (Vollick’s Road and Wauwatosa). Their rationale was to mitigate overcrowding due to visitors not from our lake. According to the plan, every land owner would be issued one free pass and could purchase one additional pass for $300. The SMLCA spoke out against this proposal, because it was not fair to water-access cottage owners. As a result, Council has decided to seek further input from residents. We have met with the town operations manager and he is eager for our input to find solutions to this problem. To that end, we have created a survey to allow you to express your opinion and to give us important feedback on how you use those public sites. Please complete the survey as soon as possible. To fill out the survey go to docs.google.com/forms/d/e/
Township planning announcement
We received an email from Jeff Kratky (township planner) which stated that on June 4, 2024, Philippe Tremblay and Jeff Kratky, with approval from Derek Witlib, proposed to Council a project plan and budget authorizing a township initiated Zoning By-law Amendment (“ZBA”) to implement OPA #22. A report regarding this proposal can be found here:
Council voted 6 to one to approve the proposal. This is important because the township will be taking responsibility for changes to the zoning by-law, specifically as it pertains to the maximum cottage size allowable for a particular lot size. They are looking for feedback from you. Therefore, several public meetings are planned, 3 open houses, one public meeting and one meeting before council which will start in August, 2024. We will keep you informed as we get more information. This is very good news because we may finally see movement on this issue that has caused so much division on our lake. Both the SMLCA and SMLRA support this robust plan and the township looks forward to both groups actively participating in the public process. Contact planning@gbtownship.ca to obtain more information.
Boat noise dialogue
On May 14, the SMLCA convened a group of 17 cottagers to discuss the issue of engine noise from speed boats on the lake. This was pursuant to a motion passed at our 2023 Annual General Meeting, which directed the SMLCA to “undertake a dialogue with boat racers on Six Mile Lake to explore ways to reduce the frequency and volume of engine noise arising from speed boats.”
Our discussion covered a lot of ground and was amicable and respectful. Some of the participants noted that engine noise from speed boats can be excessively loud,
noticeably louder than from other watercraft. It was noted that the boat racers often go out when the water is calmest (safer) around 6-7 pm, sometimes in groups of four or more boats, and that this spoiled the tranquility of a summer evening. Some felt that the very loud engine noise detracted from their enjoyment of the lake and asked if anything can be done to reduce the noise levels. Everyone enjoys the lake for different reasons and activities and they understand why people have speed boats, but that boat racers should not simply dismiss concerns about engine noise.
In response, some racers noted that they go out around dinner (early evening) precisely because it is the time of day when there are fewest vessels on the water, and thus the safest time. They questioned why this motion did not address the other loud boats on the lake, notably jet skis and high-end fishing boats. They noted that there is nothing they can do to reduce the noise of their engines, as they are built to factory specifications. Small groups of racers do go out together, in part to concentrate the activity into a smaller window of time.
The dialogue ended with no specific outcomes, but nonetheless having the conversation was valuable in and of itself, to build understanding of the various dimensions of this issue.
New federal regulations on boat engine noise across Canada are expected to come into effect in spring 2025. As in many states in the US, and in the EU, these will establish specific decibel limits for boat engines, applicable both to manufacturers and operators. This would be applicable to all boats.
Spring Echoes link
Here is a link to view the spring edition of our Echoes newsletter. sixmilelake.net/pub/echoes/
Correction to the spring Echoes
Oops! We published a photo of the Good Ship Lollipop ice cream boat in Echoes, without obtaining permission. Jeff and Liz will be participating in the association’s free give away, but they want you to know they will also be doing ice cream sales other dates as fundraisers. Watch for them and listen for the tunes and please support them!
Georgian Bay Times
For more information from the Township of Georgian Bay, click here for a copy of the June Georgian Bay Times newsletter: https://www.gbtownship.ca/en/
2019 CWS Authorization.pdf