It's not uncommon for cottagers to either have deliveries sent to the marina or to retire perfectly functional furniture from home to the cottage when new is bought for home.  

We have often gotten the question 'do you know if I can take a mattress to the Anstruther Transfer Station?'.  When this question came up recently, the water access cottager of course want to know BEFORE transporting the mattress across the lake.  

We called today to speak with Gary Geraldi, Director of Parks, Recreation and Waste Management with the Township of North Kawartha.  Recognizing that the website did not indicate detail about mattresses, Gary instructed staff to add more information which has already been done.  

Gary advised that mattresses are now recycled and are accepted at the Bensfort Road landfill site.  That said, there is a charge of $10 (called a tipping fee), but this fee is applicable at any landfill in Ontario.  

As a convenience, Gary said that on "Environmental Day" which is the first Sunday in June each year, the transfer station will accept items such as mattresses and sofas to save residents the trip down to Peterborough.  The tipping fee of $10 will still apply.

For more information about the Anstruther Transfer Station, click on the following link;
http://www.northkawartha.on.ca/en/townshipservices/transferstationsandotherfacilities.asp

Thanks to Gary Geraldi for the helpful information, check the Towns website for info or if you need to reach him, Gary is available to speak to anyone with questions about garbage/recycling.  
​

Sign up now in the store for a 10 week 'subscription' to the Saturday edition of the Toronto Star or Toronto Globe & Mail for cottagers to pick up every saturday in the store.  This paper will be reserved in your name for pick up at your convenience.  The first issue will be available Saturday July 2nd and the last issue will be Saturday September 3rd.

A towable tube has been found and is being protected by a cottager until it is claimed.  If you have lost yours, call the marina and we will put you in touch with it's caretaker.

Re:  Dock Issue
 
Many waterfront property owners in the Township of North Kawartha have been watching the Dock Issue unfold, so we write now to share an update.  Please note that this is my interpretation as an observer and it is possible that I may have missed something in my notes - the actual minutes will be released on the township website when they have been completed.
 
Yesterday I attended the Council Meeting of the Council of the Township of North Kawartha.  The agenda item of concern was the dock bylaw issue.  The meeting started with the Planner, Chris Jones, providing an overview of his most recent report to Council in which he outlined three options.  He made it clear that he favoured option one, which was essentially passing the bylaw draft that he had presented to Council in February.  He did not recommend option two which was eliminate regulation.  He conceded that option three was a variation of a proposal of a local dockbuilder that was a balance of regulation and community comfort. 
 
In his report, Mr Jones made it clear that that properties within the Kawartha Highlands Provincial Park were exempt though he did acknowledge that the Park Superintendent is on record as saying that there could be a time in the future that the Park adapts the dock regulations, Mr Jones advised that the Park would likely do this by embedding it in the Park Management Plan.
 
Council’s discussion was all about combining option one and three.  Council was concerned that option three left a potential for a 3,300 square foot dock so they were compelled to include an area maximum.  The Mayor spoke of concern that someone might elect to build a 3,300 square food dock to use as a landing facility for a helicopter and there would be nothing that the Town could do about it.  Observers became frustrated with this discussion, as a dockbuilder, we have never built or ever seen a dock such size and the cost would be prohibitive.  The initial number was proposed by Councillor Miszuk was 800 sq ft but translated to metric, and to round it off, Council all agreed they were comfortable with 807 sq ft inclusive of the ramp. 
 
One swim raft is allowed, and after an extensive discussion about whether inflatables would be allowed in addition to the swim raft and whether they should be called an inflatable raft or an inflatable toy – they decided that one swim raft plus inflatable rafts would be allowed with inflatable rafts being defined as something that would extend to more than just a raft.  The excess of the discussion about inflatables became surprising for observers, regulating summer fun was becoming too much.  This concept was not lost on Council and several Councillors made it clear that there should be no reference to them in the Bylaws.  Planner Chris Jones advised that by omission they would be not allowed and wanted to add that one was allowed.  Council again directed him to not put a number on inflatables.
 
There was also extensive discussion about the acceptable size of a canopy and that the spirit of the term canopy in the bylaws refers to sun shade protection and not specifically boat protection though that would also be deemed a canopy.  The maximum size in the February draft of the bylaws was 200 sq feet but it became clear that this was inadequate for newer boats and that 300 sq ft would be necessary.  The size that Council finally agreed to was 300 square feet.   
 
There was concern raised about a restriction that does not allow ramps to be used to tie up boats, this was removed.  The spirit of this restriction was to distinguish a dock from a ramp.
 
There was recognition that an 8’ ramp allowance was appropriate and the Planner was directed to make this change.
 
Though Council initially leaned on option three with concern for the risk of a 3,300 square foot dock resulting, they then said they wanted to combine it with option one so that there was a maximum square footage, to eliminate the risk of a 3,300 square foot dock.  Council must have raised this risk over a dozen times though they all conceded it was unlikely and none were aware of an existing dock so large. 
 
In the end, when Council returned and passed the bylaw at 3pm, I had in my hands, the document that had the original draft from Feb 25, as well as the June 15th memo of options, as well as the bylaw quickly drafted on June 21st by Chris Jones during the lunch break.  I was the only observer in attendance at 3pm when the meeting reconvened.  Though observers were silenced in the morning, the mayor advised concern for completing the full Council agenda compelled him to not accept input/questions from observers.  Being the only observer at 3pm, I raised my hand in hopes that Council would recognize that taking my questions would not lead to a long string of others, the mayor agreed to take my questions.  My first was clarification, it was appearing that they were about to pass the bylaw but I wasn’t sure, I asked if this was the case.  Yes, the mayor confirmed that this was likely within the next five minutes.  I was actually confused what was being passed.  I’m not sure if the document handed out moments before, crafted by Chris Jones within the past hour, was the full document or just the revisions.  I wasn’t sure if it was primarily option 3 with a cap on size or if it was option 1 with linear feet limitations added.  I did not ask, but I did ask if the public would be given opportunity to see a clean copy of what was being considered before a decision – but added if the intent was to finalize within five minutes, this wasn’t likely.  This was confirmed by the mayor.  This was disappointing as I was confused what was being passed and the public therefore would not be in a position to comment on the final piece either. 
 
My second question was concern for the timing of when this bylaw would take effect.  This was raised before the break by Councillor Miszuk before the lunch break.  I advised Council that, as a dockbuilder, we have active orders right now, some where the design is complete and deposit taken, others mid construction, others that are complete and awaiting delivery and installation.  I was concerned with …Do those dock orders that don’t comply have to be restarted with a new design?  If we have a half built dock, there could be significant cost issues to start over.  Does the concept of ‘grandfathering’ apply to docks actually in water or also docks in construction or firm orders with a firm design and deposit?  The deputy mayor suggested that if there was a deposit it should apply.  The mayor deferred to the Chief Building Inspector who said it would be docks in the water but deferred to the Planner Chris Jones.  Chris Jones advised that the date it would be effective would be June 21 if the bylaw survives the appeal period.  If it doesn’t then it would not be effective June 21.  The Mayor recognized the dilemma in needing to know what to do with current orders.  I told Council that there needs to be an ‘education period’ for the public and to give the dockbuilders an opportunity to tell clients as of a certain date, these are the new rules.  There was no way for us do that for active orders as the new rules only became known on June 21.  The Mayor advised that he does understand but a legal opinion would be needed.
 
The meeting ended and to be honest, I’m not totally sure what was passed as the meeting was live when the document was passed around and there was no time to absorb it.  I believe it was simply defaulted back to the Feb 25th draft bylaw with changes that were directed to the Planner by Council during the morning session of the meeting.
 
Attached is a digital copy of the final bylaw that was passed sent to me by the Town Clerk.
 
The Town Clerk must provide notice to the public within 15 days, this will outline the process for appeal.  There are then 20 days from the date that the bylaw is passed to appeal the decision to the OMB. 
 

Today is the first day of Summer, from here on, the days get shorter.  Spring ended with a storm and we finally lost our uncomfortable streak of humidity.  As the afternoon progressed yesterday, the lake became more rough and the winds picked up.  With temps in the mid thirties, the morning was sticky hot with a strong sun and no wind and.  The carpenters day abruptly ended with rain pelting down, turning to hail the size of gumballs and thunder and lightening.  The power flickered and while we expected to lose it, we didn't.  Throughout the evening, the weather flipped from rain to sun, from strong winds/rough lake to calm waters.  

School will be finished soon and everyday will be like a weekend with families staying at their cottages through midweek as well.

So, there are downsides to summer.  Ants being a summer problem...they have also arrived.  We have had several people drop into the store for ant remedies, others have called in the big guns and have hired a professional service such as Kawartha Pest Control.  Carpenter ants are a problem in this area and if you have them, 'over the counter' remedies will not resolve the problem.  Kawartha Pest Control sprays for ants and once done, they are GONE.  This service is more costly than a can from the hardware store but it works, killing all the ants while the can will kill that just one ant.  Either call Jack direct or give us a call and we can arrange for him to send his staff to visit.

Today is Father's day, a day for dad to enjoy his family.  

When did Father's day begin?  In Spokane Washington, on June 19th in 1910, Sonora Smart Dodd celebrated the first Fathers Day.  Sonora's father was a war veteran who had raised 6 children as a single parent.  It was only a year earlier when Sonora had first heard about Mothers day.  Sonora first approached her Pastor with the idea of Fathers Day and had proposed it to be on her own father's birthday, June 5th.  The Pastor felt he should plan a sermon around the event and needed more time to prepare so the date was set as the third Sunday of June. The celebration continues more than a hundred years later and remains the third Sunday of June.

On Tuesday June 21st, 2016, the Dock issue will be before Council once again, this time may be the last.

Chris Jones, the Planner who has been working on this issue for the Township, has prepared options & recommendations for Council's consideration.

In his report, he has outlined three options for Council;

1) Maintain dock regulation in the manner recommended and deliberated by Council.  This essentially is a recommendation to approve the February 25 draft of the bylaw.  If this happens, cottagers would have to cope with the problematic elements that this bylaw included and that they spoke against though presumably Council has the ability to exercise their own revisions.  Council received MANY public objections to this draft bylaw. 

2) Eliminate dock regulation with the exception that two regulations currently found in Zoning By-Law 26-2013 would be maintained and modified to ensure they are applied outward from the high water mark.  THIS is the option that most waterfront owners who have raised objections would likely appreciate though it is not an option that Mr Jones opines as a preferred long term way to manage the development of docks and marine facilities.  

3) Maintain all dock regulations with the exception that maximum dock surface area would be replaced with a regulation that limits dock width to a maximum cumulative width of the shoreline.  This option is taken in part from a submission received at the May 28th meeting.  Mr Jones report advises that the shortcoming of such a regulation could lead to the creation of larger docks.  Though it has never been articulated that there is an active effort to prevent larger docks, it is inferred by the small to medium size dock limitations - and whether you would be able to have a medium is all conditional to the length of ramp you require.  It has never been shared why there is a problem to have a larger dock.

The meeting will be help on Tuesday June 21st at 10:45 am in the meeting room of the Township of North Kawartha at 280 Burleigh Street in Apsley.  This meeting is open for the public to attend as observers.

This will be a very difficult decision for Council, we hope it is a decision that will be good for waterfront owners and will not impact the way they enjoy their cottage in a negative way.

We'll take advantage of this forum to give thanks and recognition of the work of the staff at Emergency Services in North Kawartha.

Anstruther Lake has approximately 250 cottages, of which, approximately 150 are only accessible by water.  While this feature may be appealing for privacy, it can be unsettling if there is ever a need for emergency services such as ambulance or fire.

Over the years, we have seen emergency services come to the lake many times for not only calls from cottages but also visitors in the Park (campers & paddlers).  

It is only June and there have already been a couple of instances where emergency services have been called.  One call involved an injury in which the individual required care and transport across the lake and had called the Marina to reach out for help. The individual was a visitor to the lake, so was not familiar with what address to report, which is why the initial call was to the Marina and not 911.  If there is an emergency at your cottage, dial 911 directly for assistance to speed up their arrival.  

When we placed the call to 911 on behalf of the lake visitor, we also advised the dispatch that the injury was at a water access property and that a boat needed to also be dispatched.  

While we would have willingly offered a ride, we know that police will travel in a private boat but paramedics can only travel across the lake in a boat from the fire department.  From the moment that call was placed, paramedics were parking at the boat ramp in less than 15 minutes and the fire department boat was less than 5 minutes behind.

While we all hope that cottage time will be safe, if ever there is a need for emergency services here, we are in great hands with the staff of the fire department, OPP and paramedics in North Kawartha.

The weather forecast this weekend in North Kawartha is all a cottager could hope for.  Hot already today with not a cloud to be seen, temps are expected to reach 28 today and 31 for both Saturday and Sunday.  Definitely need sunscreen this weekend.

This weather also means it is AquaLily Pad season!  Great for the whole family, AquaLily Pad is the best brand available, made of the sturdiest material to increase durability.  Fill it with all your friends and this mat will NOT sink.  

​AquaLily Pads are available at Anstruther Marina, get yours now, last year we sold out by the August long weekend.  Also available is the Maui Mat, identical product except the colouring and name appeal to a more mature crowd.

Not the property mentioned in the last post, a property on the south end of Anstruther beside crown land has just been listed by Judi Coyle.  The signage will go up soon and photos were taken yesterday.  For more info, google Judi and give her a call.