2024 President’s Fall Update
1 November 2024
Hello Fellow Members of the Devil Lake Association!
I trust my note finds you well. Record warm temperatures in the north east, but snow is falling in the Rockies and winter is on its way. We held our Fall Board Meeting on 15 October and dis-cussed a myriad of issues. It made me realize how important it is to have an Association repre-senting Devil Lake residents. Speaking of, with the last of the 2024 membership dues coming in, our Association remains healthy and strong, with membership of almost 100 Landowner and General members, so a big THANK YOU for your continued support. Please continue to lobby your friends and neighbours on the lake to join! As an aside, the Board has decided that going forward, our distribution list will only include members in good standing.
I would like to remind you of the Board Members elected at the AGM, or continuing their 2 year terms. Please thank them for the time and effort they volunteer to the Association!
Roger Brice, Perth Road, permanent resident
Tim Gardiner, President Perth Road, seasonal resident
John Gray, Mill Pond, seasonal resident
Chuck Higgins, Hardwood Bay, seasonal resident
Tony Jones, Treasurer Perth Road, permanent resident
David Little, Green Bay, permanent resident
Tom Myatt, Buce Bay, permanent resident
Paula Nichols, Secretary Perth Road & Group of Islands, seasonal resident
Andrew Perrett, Kingston, general member
Ingrid Sauve, WDLPOG liaison Hayes Bay, permanent resident
Jana Svec, Perth Road, seasonal resident
We have 5 directors whose term expires in 2025. Please consider volunteering and joining the Board in future!
Here is my Fall Update;
AGM
Our 5th AGM was held at the Gardiner cottage on July 13. We had a great turnout (70?) fol-lowed by potluck and drinks. Of special significance was our keynote speaker, Dr Shelly Arnott, Professor of Aquatic Ecology, Dept of Biology, Queen’s University. Shelley went over the specifics of Littoral Study of Devil Lake that took place over this Summer. This was made pos-sible through DLA being awarded a Lake EcoSystem Grant from the Township of South Fron-tenac. What a great partner we have in South Frontenac! I was so pleased that our Bedford District Councillor, Steve Pegrum, could also attend the AGM. I encourage you to sign up for South Frontenac’s monthly newsletter via https://www.southfrontenac.net/news/
The 2025 AGM date has not been set but if will be a Saturday in mid July and we hope to hold it at a different venue, to change things up!
Not-for-Profit Corporations Act
Chuck Higgins, our legal expertise on the Board, has confirmed that DLA is now in compliance with Ontario’s new NFP Corporations Act. Bylaws and Articles, etc were updated and approved by members at the AGM and I thank Chuck on behalf of the Association. Good governance is a good thing!
Financial Update
I am so pleased to report on the financial health of the Association. Our surplus now exceeds $10,000, a level many of you know I feel very strongly about maintaining. Our Treasurer, Tony Jones, does a wonderful job with our accounts and we are so lucky to have her! A surplus of cash allows us to fund projects like the EcoSystem Study, and we are well positioned to con-sider future expenditures as opportunities present themselves down the road. Congrats to all!
South Frontenac Lake EcoSystem Grant – Littoral Study of Devil Lake
This time last year, Jana Svec and I were in the process of submitting our request to South Frontenac for a Lake EcoSystem Grant. This is a terrific program that started in 2021, available to lake associations like ours “to support and encourage the preservation, restoration, monitor-ing and analysis of lake ecosystems within South Frontenac”.Grants cover project expenses on a 3:1 SF:DLA basis. SF awarded us $7,500, meaning DLA put up $2,500. We solicited interest from Dr Shelley Arnott and this Summer, two Queen’s biology students studied the littoral part of Devil Lake – basically from the shoreline to where sunlight no longer reaches the lake bot-tom. The students worked for almost 3 months this Summer swimming 100m transects of Devil Lake, in high residence density, low residence density, and protected areas of the shoreline. Obviously, given our circumference of 58km, we could not cover all parts of the lake, but the students ended up swimming/studying a total of 60 randomly selected transects, 20 in each sector. The project assessed coarse woody habitat size and abundance, macrophyte composition and coverage, and the presence/absence of invasive species. The Board was given a preliminary report, and we will have a final report available for distribution in the Spring. However, here is a quick summary of invasive species found; Starry Stonewort; 7 times in 6 transects; Buce Bay, Group of Islands, Vanderbilt Island, Perth Road boat ramp Eurasian Milfoil; 87 times in almost all transects Mystery Banded Snails; 32 times in most transects Zebra Mussels; 14 times in 5 transects; Perth Road, Buce Bay Quagga Mussels; 5 times in 5 transects; Perth Road, Perth Road boat ramp, Frontenac PP To finish the Project, Queen’s will be doing some salinity tests to check the effect of winter road salt on water quality. Monitors have been placed at the Perth Road boat ramp, and Perth Road culvert (Highway 10). Obviously, the results of the preliminary Report were disappointing, but not surprising. It is a wake up call to all of us who love Devil Lake and want to protect its ecological health. Simply speaking, if boats are allowed to be put in at our boat ramps and campgrounds without any decontamination standards, invasive species will be introduced over time. The Board has au-thorized me to follow up with South Frontenac about where to go from here. Numerous prov-inces (but not Ontario) and states effectively combat invasive species through decontamination programs and I would like South Frontenac, and Devil Lake, to become an Ontario leader in this area. Proven models exist.
Water Quality
Barb Fisher once again volunteered her time to oversee our participation in the Ontario Lake Partner Program. In early Summer, Barb samples 5 areas of the lake and sends these samples in for chemical analysis. She then monitors clarity using a secchi disc in these locations each month through October. The areas are; Salmon Island, beginning of Buce Bay, beginning of Parker Bay, opposite the Perth Road boat ramp, and the beginning of the Mill Pond. West Devil Lake Property Owners Group does the same for another 3 areas at the head of the lake. The 2023 results were recently released and, overall, phosphorus/calcium/chloride levels are remaining stable. Please don’t use fertilizer and other chemicals on your properties!
Water Levels
I know many residents struggled with low water levels in October. As previously advised, this was due to Portage Power (who regulates the Canoe/Kingsford/Bedford Mills dams) purposely lowering water levels to perform an inspection of the Bedford Mills / Buttermilk Falls dam. That engineering work work took place between Oct 15 and Oct 31, and is now going to “next steps”. The preliminary information I received is that up to 3 months of repair work may be re-quired and if so, that would take place after Labour Day 2025. As usual, I will be contacting Portage Power in the Spring and will share more information as it becomes available. If work needs to be done (that dam is old!), I have asked that DLA members be given plenty of advance notice.
Clean Up the Lake Days
Every Spring and Fall, volunteers clean up any garbage found on the shorelines of Crown Land, the Crown Land campsites, and the Perth Road culvert and boat ramp. I am pleased to advise that while we still find amounts of trash around, the quantity is slowly decreasing (esp styro-foam)! South Frontenac continues to haul what we collect to the dump which is such a help. Homeowners may want to do a good clean up of their shorelines given low water levels.
Gibson Loop – Frontenac Provincial Park
Dave Little continues to lead our trail maintenance of the Gibson Lake Loop in FPP. This is a 13km trail starting at the end of Hardwood Bay that heads through beautiful wetlands and small lakes. Once a month, DLA is responsible for clearing the trail, replacing signs, notifying the Park Office of downed trees, etc. It is our way of giving back to our big neighbour on the lake! The trail has affectionately become know as “The Litsky Loop”
Wildlife
Ingrid Sauve reports 6 new loon chicks surviving the Summer, up from just 2 last year. My opin-ion is that the lake’s fauna continues to be stable. The Board may consider a volunteer exten-sion of the opening of bass fishing on parts of the lake e.g. Hardwood Bay following positive studies that have taken place on Charleston and Opinion lakes.
Social Media
Matt Bain provides us with valuable technical support for our social media! I am pleased to an-nounce a new historical article that will shortly be posted to the DLA website on commercial shipping on the lake, by our very own Dr John Gray! There is a reason we have a Steamboat Island! Look for that soon. Following our Littoral Project results, we will also look to expand the website’s section on invasive species. Our FaceBook page continues to gain members, now over 300! I think that about covers things. It has been another very successful year for Devil Lake Associ-ation, made possible by your continued participation. Many thanks!!
Cheers
Tim Gardiner President, DLA
2024 President’s Spring Update
22 May 2024
Hello Fellow Devil Lake Assn Members!!
Another winter has flown by and we are more than half way through Spring. I hope this update of the Assn finds you well as we enter our 4th year representing all parts of Devil Lake. Recent weather at the lake has been gorgeous, and early May black flies have now departed. Water levels look to be more or less normal for this time of year, and the lake temperature last weekend was 20C/68F.
Your Board met on Sunday and had a very productive meeting. The Assn has another busy year ahead and we look forward to your continued support. As in past years, please kindly renew your membership by using the link on the Devil Lake Assn website;
Please encourage your neighbours to become members! Last year, our numbers were almost 100 and we would like to exceed that in 2024!
2024 AGM
We have set the date for this year’s AGM for Saturday, July 13 at 3pm. The AGM will be held at the Gardiner cottage (60 Cottontail Lane) and we will organize a potluck social for after the meeting. Details to follow closer to the date! I am very pleased that Dr.
Shelley Arnott, Queen’s University, Dept of Biology, Professor of Aquatic Ecology will be our guest speaker. Shelley and students will be studying the shoreline area of Devil Lake this Summer, as we initiate the South Frontenac Lake Eco-System Grant we were awarded last Fall. More on that later in the update.
Board Members
We are always looking for more DLA members to join the Board. Please consider vol- unteering your time and if interested, let me or our Secretary Paula Nichols know. The
Board is currently 11 with 6 Director terms concluding at the AGM. Indications are that Directors whose terms are expiring would like to continue serving the Assn. As a re- minder, our Directors are;
Roger Brice (Perth Road, permanent DL resident) Tim Gardiner (President, Perth Road, seasonal) John Gray (Mill Pond, seasonal)
Chuck Higgins (Hardwood Bay, seasonal)
Tony Jones (Treasurer, Perth Road, permanent) Dave Little (Green’s Bay, permanent)
Tom Myatt (Buce Bay, permanent)
Paula Nichols (Secretary, Perth Road & Group of Islands, seasonal) Andrew Perrett (Kingston, General Member)
Ingrid Sauve (West Devil Lake, WDLPOG liaison, permanent) Jana Svec (Perth Road, seasonal)
So, we are well represented from all parts of the lake, with permanent and seasonal residents. If you see a Director, please thank him/her for the time volunteered to the DLA!
Financial Update
With a big shout out to Treasurer Tony Jones, the Assn finances are in great shape! Lake Eco-System funds received from South Frontenac were put towards a GIC and cash and GIC balances are $14k. We anticipate $7k of this to go towards the comple- tion of the Lake Eco-System project.
South Frontenac Lake Eco-System Grant Update
We are so excited to move ahead with the Devil Lake Littoral Region* Study, using 3:1 South Frontenac : DLA funding. As previously mentioned, the Study is being headed up by Queen’s University Biologist Shelley Arnott. She is being assisted by two, 4th year Queen’s Biology students. Together, they will be snorkeling designated sections of the shoreline of Devil Lake to check on the health of the eco-system, look for any signs of invasive species, and provide a report to DLA members on Devil Lake’s condition and how we can improve and protect its eco-system going forward. This is such an impor- tant step for the Assn, although I admit I am a bit anxious about the results!
*The shallow down-sloping shelf of a lake or pond is commonly referred to as the lake’s “littoral zone”. The zone is an area where the water meets the land. Plants here support wildlife such as wading birds, turtles and crabs. Littoral Zones are crucial components of healthy ecosystems.
Water Quality Monitoring
We will continue to sample 5 areas of the lake, under Ontario’s “Lake Partner Program”. This is headed up by Barb Fisher who samples the water, sends the sam- ples in for analysis, and then does monthly secchi water clarity readings through the Summer/Fall. Areas we test are; beginning of Buce Bay, Salmon Island, Parker Bay, Mill Pond, and opposite the Perth Road boat ramp. We co-ordinate with West Devil Lake Property Owners Group, who tests 3 areas at the head of the lake. Thank you, Barb Fisher!! We are now establishing a good series of data on water quality.
Frontenac Provincial Park – Gibson Lake Trail Maintenance
This is our 2nd year looking after one of FPP’s trail loops, nicknamed the “Litsky Loop” after DLA Director Dave Little, who heads up this initiative. Gibson Lake/Litsky Loop is a 12km hike from the Hardwood Bay campsites and takes about 3 hours. Our respon- sibility is to walk the trail at least once a month, make sure trail markers are visible, clear any fallen brush, and provide a report to the Park Office of any extraordinary maintenance required.
Dave is looking for volunteers to help out. If interested, please email him directly; davidjwlittle@gmail.com
Clean Up the Lake Day
We will be doing a lake clean up on Sat, June 1. This will include Crown Land, espe- cially the 3 campsites (Lost Bay, Salmon Island, Group of Islands), and the Perth Road boat ramp. If you would like to help, please let me know directly; gizgardiner@gmail.- com
Other
- Director Ingrid Sauve reports that loons are just now starting to nest so we hope for stable water levels and low boat wakes!
- the bald eagle is back, and the peregrine falcon
- lots of turtles out sunning!
- Lake trout opens this Saturday, bass opens June 15 (early!)
- St Stephen’s Church, Bedford Mills, will be opening again this year for Wednesday morning services July/August
Think that is all for now! Look forward to seeing you at Devil Lake!! Thank you for being a member of the Devil Lake Association of Frontentac County!
Cheers
Tim
Devil Lake Association (DLA)
AGM Meeting Minutes & Summary August 21, 2021 3:00pm
60 Cottontail Lane, South Frontenac
Secretary Lia Gordon advised that we have Quorum, being a majority of Landowner Members present or by Proxy.
Land Acknowledgement by Tim Gardiner and welcome to all.
1.0 Motion to Approve the Agenda: Ian Gordon, Seconded Paula Nichols, Carried.
2.0 Motion to Approve the Minutes from last year’s meeting: David Little, Seconded Peter Clipsham, Carried
3.0 President’s Report (attached)
4.0 Motion to Review and Approval of 31 December 2021 Financial Statements: Ian Gordon, Seconded Peter Clipsham, Carried.
5.0 Motion to Approve Special Resolution to Exclude an Official Audit; Donna DeLaat; Seconded David Little, Carried.
6.0 Motion to Approve Annual Dues; David Little, Seconded Ian Gordon; Carried.
7.0 Motion to Approve new Directors for two years being Roger Brice, John Gray, Chuck Higgins, Tom Myatt, Andrew Perrett, and Ingrid Sauve. Robin Masters, Seconded by Tony Jones, Carried.
Note; retiring directors are Lia Gordon, Roger Jones, and John Wilson. Directors whose term ends 2023 Tim Gardiner, David Little, Paula Nichols, Jana Svec
Other Business
• Ingrid Sauve gave an update on the loon population on the lake (see below)
• Barb Fisher gave an update on water testing
• Tim asked for interest in a “Clean Up the Lake Day – Fall Edition”, with South Frontenac assisting in
the garbage pick up. Given those willing to help, Tim will set a date for Sep/Oct.
• Tim mentioned the pressure on the lake’s fish from anglers and said some pilot projects, closing off
an area/bay to see if that stimulates fish populations, will be tested by some surrounding lakes
• Tim mentioned the Tett Lane Association is applying to South Frontenac for a permit allowing Tett
Park to build a pickle ball court, a dog park, and requesting the lowering of the speed liming on Perth
County Road 10 and eliminating the passing area adjacent to Tett Park
• Robyn Masters brought up the high wake traffic in Lost Bay and suggested a floating sign be placed
at the Lost Bay entrance
• Tom Myatt updated us on the “Get the Lead Out” program, led by Wolfe Lake Assn using South
Frontenac’s Lake Ecosystem Grant Program. There is now a lead sinker collection tube installed at the Perth Road boat ramp. However, retailers are still selling lead sinkers in town which is disappointing.
1
Devil Lake Associa/on (DLA) Mee/ng Notes
• Appreciation: Devil Lake t-shirts (embroidered in Westport) were given to Roger Jones, John Wilson, Lia Gordon (retiring directors), Tony Jones for all her accounting and administrative work, Alan Revill, visiting local South Frontenac Counsellor, and Ben Chabot of Frontenac Provincial Park. A special thanks hoodie went to Tim Gardiner for bringing Devil Lake together! And thank you for your refuge from the rain for our meeting.
• $25 Devil Lake t-shirts that are available for Members to order, stay tuned for Tim’s email! 8.0 Motion to Adjourn by Ian Gordon, Seconded Roger Jones, Carried.
Guest Speaker – Ben Chabot, Superintendent, Frontenac Provincial Park
Ben gave some great insights into the Park! We learned about its history, staffing, capacity, etc. Regarding hiking in the Park, Ben said that there are numbers on each of the signs so you can give your location if an emergency, and the OPP also use the app “what3words” to locate hikers in trouble. Cell service is obviously a problem but expected to improve with a new cell tower now operating near Canoe Lake. Ben also mentioned how important Friends of Frontenac Park is to the Park, h:ps://
http://www.friendsoffrontenac.com. DLA will volunteer to look after a trail off Devil Lake in the Spring!
Notes from Tom Myatt: Get the Lead out!
Thank you for the support and helping to raise awareness for fishing lead free.
It is sad to say that studies have found that the major factor in documented loon mortality is lead poisoning, a direct result of lead fishing tackle, and one small lead sinker can offset all the efforts DLA members are going to support the loon population on Devil Lake.
Devil Lake is not unique and that is why the Wolfe Lake Association (WLA) undertook, with the financial support of South Frontenac Township, an initiative to draw attention to this issue. To date they have done an exceptional job through the production of very professional information materials, signage, a website and lead collection tubes at boat launches and area events and a lead buy back program.
As part of that initiative, by turning in lead fishing tackle at participating retailers, one would receive a $10.00 voucher for the purchase of non-toxic fishing tackle. It is safe to say that all new initiatives experience unforeseen challenges. We had anticipated greater retailer involvement by their stocking more lead free tackle and providing greater exposure for the non-toxic products that were available. Sad to say, to date, we have been very disappointed in their efforts.
While the program is ongoing, the WLA is learning from experience and plan on continuing the awareness program into next year with some modifications and other cottage associations are also getting involved. In the meantime, every cottager on Devil Lake could participate in helping the DLA with their loon projects by simply no longer using lead tackle. There are alternatives and while maybe hard to find at the moment, well worth the effort.
At the AGM bald eagles on devil Lake were mentioned. In case some members are more interested in bald eagles, they should know that a recent study, in the US, showed that 50% of the bald eagles tested showed some level of lead toxicity. So Devil Lake loons are not the only victims.
President’s Spring Update
May 12, 2022
Happy Spring to everyone – it has certainly arrived and I know you are all looking forward to another wonderful season at beautiful Devil Lake! This Update is being sent to all DLA mem- bers, and to those who have expressed interest in joining the Association. We had a record number of Members last year (almost 90), and I hope you will join again this year as we move ahead with our objective of “uniting all persons interested in the conservation of water quality, flora and fauna, and the natural beauties of Devil Lake”.
2022 membership remains at $40 for Owner Members and $20 for General Members. Please sign up using the Devil Lake website, http://www.devillake.org, under the About Us tab. This helps us keep your contact details up to date. Alternatively, Interac membership dues to devillakeasso- ciation@gmail.com. Our Treasurer, Tony Jones, will sent you a receipt. We have a goal for membership to exceed 100 this year, so please continue to support the Association. Collec- tively, we can all make a difference!
Your Board of Directors held its Spring meeting a couple of days ago, and are excited to share this year’s initiatives with you. Here’s the Devil Lake Association’s Spring Update;
Board of Directors
You may remember that our DLA Bylaws were updated to get an annual rotation started to en- courage members to get involved by serving on the Board. We also approved a General Mem- ber to serve. A couple of our current Directors have indicated they wish to step down at the AGM this Summer, so its your time to join the Board! If you are interested, please let me know. Join me in thanking the current Board for its guidance of the Association; Roger Brice, Lia Gor- don (Secretary), John Gray (Vice President), Roger Jones, Dave Little, Paula Nichols, Jana Svec, and John Wilson. And what about the fantastic job Treasurer Tony Jones does for us!
Financial Position
Tony reports that the Association currently has $5,700 in the bank. We have a couple of expen- ditures planned for this year (more on that later), but it is very pleasing that we have such a sol- id and growing Association, especially just finishing our 2nd year. Thank you, Members!
2022 AGM
We have set the date of this year’s AGM for Sunday, 21 August at our cottage. Ben Chabot, Superintendent of Frontenac Provincial Park, has agreed to be our guest speaker. More details to follow, and we will be getting some DLA “swag” made up for member distribution!
Water Levels
Portage Power in Ottawa is responsible for regulating the dams at Canoe, Kingsford, and Devil lakes, so-called “reservoir lakes” for the Cataraqui watershed and Rideau Canal. It reports a good Fall season in keeping Devil Lake water levels stable for crucial lake trout spawning. It also said that the Spring run off for the Cataraqui watershed was normal, and slightly high for the Gananoque watershed. Devil Lake’s current water level is very close to its 5 year average, and as at 30 April, just 7cm below what it considers “full”. Reservoir dams have now been closed and are expected to remain that way until Parks Canada requests additional water for Rideau Canal navigation purposes in June.
Water Quality Data
We will continue again this year as a member of Ontario’s “Lake Partner Program”. Together with West Devil Lake Property Owner’s Group, we sample 5 areas of the lake and submit these samples to the Dorsett Environmental Science Centre. We are anxiously awaiting the 2021 re- sults, expected in the next few weeks, and will send out the data as soon as it is ready. Barb Fisher has kindly agreed to do the 2022 DLA sampling for us, as she did last year. A BIG thank you to Barb!
Perth Road Boat Ramp Sign
As you are aware, the Perth Road boat ramp is the main entrance to Devil Lake for visitors. We are very excited to be moving forward with cleaning up this area, and getting a positive mes- sage to visitors to “treat our lake with the respect it deserves”. Lia Gordon has put a huge amount of work into drafting the structure and design of the sign, and Dave Little will be co-or- dinating the construction. We have requested South Frontenac’s approval, and assistance in anchoring the sign. I have attached a PDF of the design at the end of this letter, and ask that you submit your feedback and comments so that we can finalize this project. We are also reaching out to Herlehy Building Centre in Westport for help in subsidizing the building materi- als. The sign is still a draft, so we can amend, but please let us know what you think!
South Frontenac Grant Proposals
Your Board is still considering ways in which we can take advantage of South Frontenac’s new Lake Eco-System Grant Program. We are targeting shoreline education, but welcome your suggestions. John Gray kindly attended Watershed Canada’s shoreline workshop, and we en-
courage Owners to do their own self assessment of your shoreline, https://watersheds.ca/wp-
content/uploads/2019/07/Lake-Protection-Workbook.pdf John also received 20 hard copies of the Workbook – if you would rather that, just let me know. It goes without saying that a natural shoreline, free of fertilizer and pesticide, is an easy way for you to do your part in preserving Devil Lake’s water quality!
Get The Lead Out
An example of the South Frontenac grant program is the new “Get the Lead Out” initiative spearheaded by the Wolfe Lake Association. We support this – such an easy way to change out your old lead based fishing tackle. Information will be posted at the Devil Lake boat ramps, and more information can be found here; https://www.frontenacnews.ca/south-frontenac-news/ item/15588-wolfe-lake-association-wants-all-fishers-to-get-the-lead-out
Shoal Markers
We will be anchoring 3 mooring ball style shoal markers on the lake this year; between Miller and Vanderbilt Islands, off Turnip Island, and off White Rock. Thank to Roger Jones for getting this done, and we hope it helps contribute to safe boating on the lake. Speaking of, please make sure you monitor your boat wakes when boating close to the shoreline.
Loon Survey
If you are interested in helping Devil Lake’s loon population, please consider signing up for Bird Canada’s Loon Survey. It’s an easy and fun way to protect the logo of our Association!! https:// http://www.birdscanada.org/bird-science/canadian-lakes-loon-survey/
DLA Webmaster & Facebook Page
We are still in desperate need of someone to keep our website up to date! If you have the inter- est and expertise, please let me know!! Matt Bain and I are doing our best, but I know our ef- forts can be improved upon. As an aside, the DLA Facebook page now has an astonishing 198 members!!
Upcoming Events
We are planning our first ever “Clean Up the Lake Day” for Saturday, 4 June. More information to follow but let’s get the rubber boots and waders on and get into the bays and areas of Devil Lake where styrofoam and plastic build up over the Spring. We also intend to clean up the campgrounds. South Frontenac has generously agreed to pick up the garbage we collect, as long as we bag it and drop it off at the Perth Road boat ramp.
Speaking of lake campgrounds, you’ll remember the challenges we had with the Lost Bay loca- tion, and our success in getting it cleaned up. Here’s a related article; https://cottagelife.com/ general/timmins-man-fined-for-leaving-his-camper-trailer-on-crown-land/
Finally, best for last!, Judi Curry will once again be organizing a Canada Day Flotilla on 1 July at 1pm. She will be sending out more info closer to the date. It’s the 6th Annual – thank you, Judi!!
Think that’s all for now, and thank you again for supporting the Devil Lake Association!! See you on the lake!
Warm regards
Tim Gardiner
19 September 2021
President’s Fall Update
Hello fellow Devil Lake Association members! It was wonderful to see so many at the AGM and satisfying that you are happy the way the Assn is developing. Your support and contributions are so appreciated!! Please continue to promote membership in the DLA to friends and neighbours! We held our first post-AGM Board Meeting on 13 September. All of the newly elected board members attended in person or by Zoom and I write to bring you up to date on what was discussed and initiatives planned for the year ahead.
Board Succession As you are aware, we amended the DLA Bylaws to allow for a partial rotation of the Board every AGM. We have left the maximum number of consecutive years on the Board at 4 years. This is all about getting more DLA members involved in the Assn, so please consider joining the Board in future. I stressed to current board members that if they are thinking of stepping off at the next AGM that they should start to give thought of potential replacements. It is important that we continue to have representation from all parts of the lake, with a mix of permanent and seasonal residents.
General Members Another amendment to the Bylaws that was passed at the AGM was introducing a new catego-ry of membership in addition to the current “landowner members”. General Members do not own property on the lake, but want to be a part of the DLA. General Members can join at re-duced rates ($20) but are non-voting at the AGM. I am pleased to report we currently have 6 General Members. The Board agreed to allow up to one General Member on the Board starting next year to give us more skill diversification, and John Wilson will be amending the Bylaws to reflect this.
Perth Road Boat Ramp Signage & Clean Up Lia Gordon and Dave Little continue to lead this initiative. South Frontenac has agreed to assist in erecting DLA signage, and we are putting a draft of our new sign together for comment. We will also clean up the old, rusted and broken signs at the boat ramp to give a more “we care” look for visitors to the lake. The Perth Road boat ramp is the main entrance for visitors and their boats to Devil Lake and we hope a more informative area there will lead to visitors helping to treat our lake with the respect it deserves!
Shoal Markers Membership agreed for the DLA to move ahead with marking two additional shoals in addition to that already marked between Miller and Vanderbilt Island, namely off Turnip Island and off White Rock. White mooring balls have been ordered for these shoals but given we will soon be into October, we will not anchor the balls until Spring as the balls need to be hauled up for the Winter. Thank you to Roger Jones for this important safety initiative.
Federation of Ontario Cottagers’ Associations (“FOCA”) Membership We are still deciding whether DLA should join FOCA. Based on our current membership numbers, annual dues would be $400-$500. I encourage you to check out the FOCA website, and John Gray has agreed to put a recommendation forward to the Board at our next meeting on whether we should join or not, at this stage of DLA’s evolution.
Shoreline Education A number of members have voiced concerns with deteriorating parts of the lake’s shoreline. As you are aware, keeping our shoreline environmentally healthy is so important to preserving the pristine water quality we enjoy on Devil Lake. Jana Svec and I will begin work on educating our members on ideas to revitalize and protect their shorelines, and we may engage Watershed Canada to do a shoreline assessment, in partnership with West Devil Lake Property Owners Group. As a start, let’s make sure we all stop using fertilizers or discouraging those who do!
Water Testing We will continue to be a part of the Lake Partner Program next year. 5 locations were sampled this year (3 by DLA, 2 by WDLPOG) and results should be ready soon on the Dorset Environ-mental Science Centre website in the coming months. A big thank you to Barb Fisher for doing the DLA testing!
South Frontenac Lake Ecosystem Grant Program South Frontenac introduced this program in 2021 designed to “support projects focused on encouraging the preservation, restoration, monitoring and analysis of lake ecosystems within South Frontenac”. Grants are available up to $10,000. Now that we have a DLA, we are considering what we might apply for. If you have ideas, please let me know!
Website With our website up and running (www.devillake.org), we will do our best to keep it live and current. Matt Bain and I will continue to do this until we get a volunteer webmaster from our membership. Thanks Matt!
DLA Member Activities We are planning a first “Lake Clean Up Day” and a more social get together around the AGM for next year. We also hope Judi Curry will again organize the Canada Day Boat Parade!
WDLPOG ZOOM Calls West Devil Lake President Michael Payne has kindly invited interested DLA members to join 2 upcoming ZOOM calls on Sep 21 and Oct 6, with details below. The first is a talk is by Dana Stephenson, a naturalist working for the Frontenac Arch Biosphere, focusing on what the bios-phere is and why it has been designated as one of just 18 UNESCO biospheres in Canada. The second talk will be by Claire Dodds, Director of Development Services for South Frontenac, discussing how the Township is working to revise its Official Plan including new development, waterfront protection, etc. Thank you, Michael!
1) Topic: Frontenac Arch Biosphere Presentation – Dana Stephenson Time: Sep 21, 2021 07:00 PM America/Toronto Join Zoom Meeting https://us02web.zoom.us/j/85705921484?pwd=b3dXcWhHY3ZvSkdkYjZVckQrWFdjUT09 Meeting ID: 857 0592 1484 Passcode: FAB AND
2) Topic: South Frontenac Township Planning Initiatives – Claire Dodds Time: Oct 6, 2021 07:00 PM America/Toronto Join Zoom Meeting https://us02web.zoom.us/j/82726358778?pwd=cjJsMzU4a05Ub1J0RXQ0WDB5cEtwdz09 Meeting ID: 827 2635 8778 Passcode: OfficialPl
DLA Swag The Board has allocated some money to purchase some complimentary DLA merchandise for members (stickers, beer insulators, etc) for distribution next year. We will also be getting some t-shirts made up with the DLA logo in due course, for sale to members. A separate email will be sent on this requesting quantities, sizes, etc.
Wishing you a happy and healthy Fall and a “normal” Summer in 2022!! Any questions or comments, please reach out to me at gizgardiner@gmail.com. Sincere regards! Tim
21 August 2021
President’s Report – 2021 DLA AGM
DLA Members, Welcome, and a BIG Devil Lake thank you to all who help contribute to the Association through your time and membership. In spite of the crazy past 18 months we have all had to deal with in our own ways, I am pleased to report on the positive progress the Association has made over the last year. Our Association was officially established on June 10, 2020, and our first AGM was held on August 29, 2020. Membership at the end of 2020 totaled 59, and today we are 81, being 75 owner members and 6 general members.
Bylaws
You will have received our latest bylaws which were recommended by the Board at our April meeting for Membership approval today. The bylaws are a living, “work in progress” document, and can be amended as the Association grows. The changes the Board has recommended are twofold;
1. Add the aforementioned General Membership category for those who wish to be a member but are not property owners. Fees are half those of owner members but general membership is non-voting.
2. Change the board terms so that we get +/- half of the Board retiring every year to encourage more turnover and fresh initiatives.
The Board has also discussed perhaps allowing some General Membership representation on the Board which we will talk about later. I would like to thank board member John Wilson for all the legal expertise he has provided in helping get the Association incorporated and properly set up. John graciously volunteered his time and the Associ-ation was only invoiced for registration fees and disbursements.
Finances
Speaking of volunteering time to Association, I would like to thank our Treasurer, Tony Jones, for keeping things so organized and minding our books. Tony will give a quick talk on the financial health of the Association in a few minutes, but you should be happy to know that we now have over $4,500 in the bank.
Website & Facebook Page
You may remember that we decided to create a DLA Facebook page (which now has 144 members), and then to add a DLA website. Certainly a daunting task, but we thought this very important in our age of social media! We are indebted to Matt Bain for the work he put into getting our sites running, especially the Website, http://www.devillake.org. Paula Nichols also was a huge help. And what about the historical articles from John Gray! Going forward, the Association could use someone to volunteer to be our webmaster.
Illegal Fishing
I am so pleased to report that our determination to stop the illegal fishing happening at the Perth Road culvert has paid off. Roger Brice and Roger Jones tell me that this activity has, thankfully, stopped. As you are aware, this was a co-ordinated effort with the Township, OPP, and the Association. Lia Gordon was responsible for obtaining the great No Fishing signs we bought to supplement the Township’s No Parking signs. Let’s remain diligent in making sure this doesn’t start up again.
Water Testing
Jana Svec kindly headed up our water testing through the Province’s Lake Partner Program. We worked together with the WDLPOG, with DLA testing 3 designated sites and WDLPOG 2. A huge thank you to Barb Fisher for doing the DLA testing. Jana will report on the results when received.
Crown Land Campgrounds
Last September, we helped the Ministry of the Environment clean up 3 Crown Land campgrounds on the lake, with the Lost Bay site being the most crucial. Provincial signs were also erected. Needless to say, things are much improved but I encourage you to do a good deed once in awhile and do a camp clean up if necessary. Please also go out of your way to collect any styrofoam and garbage you see that inevitably floats into various bays and shorelines.
Shoal Marking
The Board has proposed marking 3 shoals with mooring balls, being Miller/Vanderbilt weed bed, White Rock, and Turnip Island. You will remember there was some dissension towards this initiative at last year’s AGM. In spite of that, Roger Jones and I “quietly” put a marker on the Miller/Vanderbilt weed bed and we now propose to finish by marking the other 2 shoals. Robin Masters (now known via the recent CNN story on returning Americans) has very kindly donated the 2 additional mooring balls.
Perth Road Boat Ramp Signage
Led by Lia and (awesome) Secretary Dave Little, we are putting plans in place for DLA signage at the Perth Road boat ramp given this is where the lake sees the most visitor traffic. We want it to be welcoming, but also requesting visitors to treat Devil Lake with respect it deserves, and to make sure people the lake has an Association with members concerned about keeping the lake clean and environmentally sound. Wake signs will also be posted at the boat ramp.
Boat wakes
Just another request to be courteous of your neighbors on the lake. I’ve had a few members mention kids getting swamped, etc by wakes happening too close to the shore. This is especially relevant for boats over 18”. The Transport Canada rule is 10km/hr within 30m of shoreline. Wake signs will also be posted at the boat ramp.
Loons/Wildlife
My opinion is that the population is stable but low. We saw 3 babies the other night which was great. However, I wonder if the eagles will have an effect in defending territory, although I have not seen them for awhile. I have seen one cormorant and lots of seagulls! Finally, some of you will remember Megan Quinn from the Nature Conservancy of Canada as our guest speaker at last year’s AGM. I hope you saw the recent press release about NCC completing the purchase of the almost 1 sq km Wilson-Hatcher property linking Frontenac Park and Devil Lake through towards Benson Lake. A very important wildlife corridor addition to the Frontenac Arch!
Sincerely,
Tim Gardiner
President, DLA of Frontenac County
Spring 2021 Letter to Members
16 April 2021
Dear Members,
It has been an honour and privilege to serve as President of our Association as it approaches its first birthday! In spite of continued difficult and frustrating times, I trust this note finds you healthy and happy, and optimistically looking forward to the upcoming summer season on our beautiful Devil Lake! We held our Spring, Devil Lake Association of Frontenac County (“DLA”) Board Meeting via Zoom on 6 April, and I write to update you on a number of subjects. While the letter is addressed to DLA members, it is also being sent to others who have expressed interest in joining and contributing to the success of DLA.
We finished 2020 with a membership total of 59, an outstanding achievement for our first year of existence! It just shows you the passion Devil Lake landowners have for their lake. Thank you to all who stepped up and joined the Association, and your Board anticipates further growth of the membership this year. Please send your 2021 membership dues of $40 via Inter-ac using the DLA email address devillakeassociation@gmail.com and our Treasurer, Tony Jones, will send you a receipt. Thank you for being a member – collectively, we all make a difference!!
Here’s the Spring update from the DLA Board;
Bylaws
Director John Wilson has amended our Bylaws to include a new General Member category, and to stagger Board terms. “General Membership” is open to those who are not Devil Lake landowners but still want to contribute and be a part of the DLA. This category is non voting and dues are just $20. If you are not a landowner on the lake and would like to join as a General Member, please Interac $20 using our DLA email, and Tony will send you a receipt. With regards to the staggering of board members, at the upcoming 2021 AGM the entire Board will be retired, and nominated Owner Members for director election will be elected for a one, or two year term. Thereafter, director terms will be for 2 years with a maximum of 4 terms. This will ensure we have a regular turnover of the Board on an annual basis. All current directors have indicated they will stand for re-election at the 2021 AGM, but if others are interested in being nominated, please let me know. Thank you, John!
2021 AGM
We plan to hold an in person AGM at our cottage (we face Miller Island) the latter part of August, if COVID restrictions allow. We hope to have Frontenac Provincial Park Superintendent, Ben Chabot, as our guest speaker. Details to follow closer to the date. Facebook Page & Website A big thank you to Director Paula Nichols and members Ryan Bissonnette and Matt Bain for helping to get membership communication moving along! We will be populating content on our draft DLA website over the coming weeks, and the Board has agreed to “open” membership of the DLA Facebook Page in efforts to increase membership numbers. We hope to go live with the website by Summer. Please contact Paula if you wish to help pnichols4456@gmail.com.
Perth Road Culvert Illegal Fishing
As members are aware, this has been an ongoing problem, both in terms of ecology and safety. Directors Roger Brice and Roger Jones have worked tirelessly to stop it. The DLA supple-mented Township of South Frontenac (“TSF”) No Parking signs on the culvert with No Fishing signs last Fall (thank you, Director Lia Gordon), and we have actively engaged both the OPP and TSF. Recently, TSF Councillor Alan Revill was in contact saying the TSF Chief Administrative Officer has agreed to prioritize the ticketing of illegal late evening/night fishing from the culvert in coordination with OPP. Alan encourages anyone who sees fishing from the culvert (especially at night!) to contact the TSF By-law staff. Their number is 613-541-3213 and it is answered 24 hrs a day. Roger&Roger will continue to maintain a log of any illegal activities observed. If we all contribute to surveillance, we can get this stopped once and for all!
Water Quality Program
Director Jana Svec is moving ahead with the Lake Partner Program; free annual testing of Devil Lake’s water quality. We will be doing this in coordination with West Devil Lake Property Owners Group to ensure we cover all key parts of the lake. We start our first sampling in May and need volunteers to help, so please sign up if interested! Details can be found on the following website, https://desc.ca/programs/LPP, and Jana’s email is janasvec@hotmail.com.
Invasive Species
Roger Brice obtained free signage regarding the prevention of Invasive Species, which has now been posted at the Perth Road boat ramp (thank you Director Dave Little). Signs were also given to both the West Devil Lake and Tett Lane associations for posting at their respective boat ramps. We have recently found out about a new Lake Eco-System grant program offered by TSF, and plan on applying for funds for an Invasive Species study. As you are aware, we had an incident of zebra mussels in the Mill Pond last Fall. Combatting Invasive Species is very important to the health of the lake. If you encounter any, please notify Jana, and the Invasive Species Hotline. Further info can be found here; https://www.ontario.ca/page/invasive-species-ontario
Loon Survey
The Board encourages all members to be a part of the Loan Survey co-ordinated by Birds Canada. We felt the loon population was down last year, so hoping it rebounds this Summer (our logo depends on it!). Here’s how you can be a part; https://www.birdscanada.org/bird-sci-ence/ canadian-lakes-loon-survey/
Budget
A big thank you to Treasurer Tony Jones for keeping our finances in order. We finished 2020 with a cash balance of about $1,900 after expenses related to the DLA set up and incorporation, and signage. Financial statements will be provided at the 2021 AGM. Directors have approved 2021 expenditures relating to shoal markers and a Perth Road boat ramp info board – more on that below.
Shoal Markers
Your Directors still believe it appropriate to mark the shoals between Miller/Vanderbilt, off Turnip Island, and in front of White Rock. You may remember this caused some disagreement at the 2020 AGM, and is issue is still outstanding. The Board recommends DLA purchasing professional grade, long lasting markers (goodbye plastic detergent bottles); either upright markers, or mooring style balls. I would love to receive your opinions!
Perth Road Boat Ramp Information Board
The Board is moving ahead with building an information board at the Perth Road boat ramp, and Dave Little is pricing out the cost. This board would publicize that that we have a Lake As-sociation, that Devil Lake is a designated cold water lake, how important it is to make sure boat hulls are clean before launching, etc. It will reinforce to visitors how much we care about the health of the lake. More details to follow, but here’s an example of what it would look like;
Cottage Inspection
If the USA/Canada border remains closed to non Canadian citizens, the Board would like the DLA to assist with helping check on cottages for members that are unable to get the the lake. Just let me know what you would like done, and we will set it up.
Committees
We need volunteers for the initial committees we have set up. Please email if interested! Illegal Fishing; Roger Brice rogerbriceisnice@gmail.com Invasive Species; Jana Svec janasvec@hotmail.com Member Communication; Paula Nichols pnichols4456@gmail.com Shoal Markers; Roger Jones pillat@hotmail.com Social; Tim Gardiner gizgardiner@gmail.com Water Testing; Jana Svec janasvec@hotmail.com
Other news
• The Nature Conservancy of Canada has successfully purchased the Wilson property across Perth Road from the boat ramp. You may remember our 2020 AGM speaker from NCC, Megan Quinn, saying how important this would be, linking existing NCC Frontenac Arch properties to Frontenac Provincial Park.
• Michael’s Trailer Camp & Cottages in the south west of the lake has been purchased by a DLA family and its use will be discontinued as a trailer park. This is wonderful news given the size of the property and lake front footage purchased.
• Kate Weider, who with husband Mike, own a large chunk of property in the Mill Pond, passed on that she is working with the Canadian Wildlife Federation to help protect turtles. Here’s the website; HelptheTurtles.ca
• We will be initiating a project showing where landowners are on the lake, using a map of property lots from the TSF/Frontenac County If you have other news, let me know!
Finally, I would be remiss if I did not thank your Directors for their work in getting the Association up and running; Roger Brice, Lia Gordon, John Gray, Roger Jones, Dave Little, Paula Nichols, and John Wilson. And let’s not forget our Treasurer, Tony Jones! THANK YOU ALL !!!! See you on the lake!!
Cheers
Tim Gardiner
gizgardiner@gmail.com
DEVIL LAKE ASSOCIATION 