PaBIA eBlast May 22 2019

Volume 11 No. 6a

Dear PaBIA,

With the wonders of digital publication, sometimes it runs away with itself…and so it is with this eBlast! Some duplication from the original has been fixed. Thanks for your understanding!

We hope your Victoria Day was all it could be, albeit a bit wet and chilly! Did you by some chance get up to your cottage? If so, you know the markers are in! If not, at least by the calendar, we are only 5 weeks away from our summer season start! So be sure to mark your calendars for Entre Amis at the Ojibway Club which is early this year…June 29th!

In this eBlast:

PaBIA’s 2018 Survey: Deep Dive into Land Use
PaBIA’s Markers
PaB Canada Day 2019
WPSHC – Helping PaBers
PaBIA MP’s Water Testing
May 17th Water Levels
Ontario Birds – The Black-capped Chickadee
Habitat’s Pointe au Baril Build – Rachael Allen, Vol Coord.
West Parry Sound Health Centre’s GBay Walk, Run, Pole!
Not Appreciating Something Until It’s Needed by Earl Manners
PaBIA’s Sailors Want You! Join In!
Yearbook Corrections and Updates
In Memoriam

Markers ARE IN!

The markers are IN place and ready for the season! Desmasdon’s has done it again, with the help of Mother Nature!

MANY THANKS to Dan, Darcy (standing) and Andy who worked diligently to get the markers in so that we may travel safely to our docks without mishap! These poles can each be 30 feet long with cement bases to keep them in (relatively) the same place! This is no easy tasks and usually takes about 4 days to install all 120 markers.

Water Testing in PaB

For the past several years, the PaBIA Marine Patrol, lead by Cath Fairlie, has worked with David Bywater from the Georgian Bay Biosphere Reserve (GBBR) in Parry Sound to provide assistance on their water quality monitoring programs during the summer months.

In 2018 PaBIA registered with the Lake Partner Program (LPP), which includes Phosphorus sampling at the Pointe au Baril Station in May. One might recall the issues over the high levels of phosphorus in Sturgeon Bay several years ago that was believed to be a cause of the Algae Bloom.

Over this past winter, PaBIA registered for 2 additional locations. The two new locations are farther out in the Bay, but these sites have been recommended as locations that will provide GBBR and the MOE with data that they would also find useful.

The May phosphorus sampling includes water temperature and clarity readings which will continue to be monitored throughout the summer months by the Marine Patrol.

The site locations as established via GPS coordinates are:

Pointe au Baril Station, just off the Florence Church dock
Middle Reach, open water just off Pym Rock
Open Water, south of Doran Rock, west of Kishkadena Island

This phosphorus sampling collection must be done in May. This is why there were 3 old guys (Scott Sheard, Earl Manners, and Tom Lundy (pictured)) in a 20 foot boat in rolling seas dressed in winter clothing trying to get this done last week! Thankfully the MP will continue this over the summer.

Should you wish, you may refer to the LPP write-up from MP Protocols manual for further details.

Sailing Roster Is Growing – Join It and Enjoy!

Stephen Griggs, PaBIA’s new Sailing Commodore, is gearing up for the season and wants to encourage ANYONE and EVERYONE who has any interest in sailing to get in touch with him so that you can receive all the information as the season kicks off.

Want to crew and join another boat?
Wish to skipper an idle sailboat?
Enjoy the Committee Boat?

Yearbook Corrections to the Calendar

The Yearbook’s calendar isn’t complete! But as new plans arise, be sure to always double check dates and times through the website calendars…as they are the most up to date.

As you are planning your summer, please know that there are 4 PaBIA Community Picnics 7/8, 7/22, 8/12 & 8/19 to choose from and 1 PaBIA Fishing Derby on 7/15.

Arts On the Bay will be providing entertainment 7/10, 7/24 & 8/7.

Check out the calendars on PaBIA’s website (always available in the right hand column of this eBlast (or on your mobile phone, they are found after the main body of the eBlast, in the Shortcuts column).

2018 Survey Results – PaBIA has spoken!!

I am sure you know by now that the 2018 PaBIA Membership survey results are in, and you can find both an Executive Summary and the full Detailed Survey Report at your PaBIA website.

Land Use and Development is this week’s eBlast survey “deep dive” for your information and interest. It was by far the longest and most detailed section of the Survey, questioning everything from numbers and sizes of buildings to property severance restrictions.

Protecting the special balance that we enjoy in Pointe au Baril, between human impact and the pristine natural environment, is one of the strongest held values expressed by our community. As other cottage communities face runaway development, property and building congestion and garishly over-sized cottage architecture, Pointe au Baril has had the foresight, wisdom and responsible governance to preserve our gentler impact and more disperse property density. Pressures will always be there to build bigger, more lavish cottages or to allow for more densely populated properties. The question therefore becomes how do we strike a balance so as to preserve the natural environment that brought us here in the first place?”

As a community, we clearly state through the two sequential 2008 and 2018 survey responses, that we want to continue to vigilantly protect what we have and guard against obtrusive land use and development. Read on and then visit the PaBIA website to read the more detailed answers tabulated there. I guarantee that it will make you even more passionate about your Pointe au Baril and this remarkable community who shares your passion and caring.

2018 Survey Results

“Deep-Dive” #3: PaBIA Land Use and Development

Motivated from the findings below surrounding PaBIA Land Use and Development, here is first an explanation and then a partial list of initiatives the PaBIA Board will be looking into over the next months:

The Township of the Archipelago, of which Pointe au Baril is a part, along with their Councillors and staff are about to begin the exercise of reviewing and amending The Comprehensive Zoning Bylaws to conform to the changes that were made to the newly adopted Township Official Plan. These Bylaws govern every aspect of the human footprint in the Township and allow us to provide the detailed rules to limit and enforce over-building and over-development. It is of utmost importance that the Official Plan and the Zoning Bylaws, that fall out of that Plan, reflect and address the values and concerns of our Members.

Armed with the clear mandate and direction from the survey to protect our Pointe au Baril, the Land Use Committee will be shaping their recommendations and presenting them to the PaBIA Board, and then in turn, to Township Council for their consideration. Our PaB neighbourhood councillors from both Ward 1 and Ward 3, as well as our Reeve, have seen the 2018 PaBIA Membership Survey result, discussed them with our President and look forward to PaBIA’s contribution to the process.

Separately, The PaBIA Board will be working to address the following over the coming months:

Insure on-going, effective and transparent communications with our Councillors. These communications will advocate for and report on the issues and concerns of our Membership.

Work to insure effective township review, judgments and enforcement of Bylaw variances and infractions.

Work closely with the other community advocacy groups and allied Georgian Bay Associations (GBA, GBLT, GBF, GBBR, Our First Nations, amongst many) to form a unified front in the critical job of preserving and protecting this biosphere treasure.

SURVEY FINDINGS

(For a representative list of Respondents verbatim comments, visit the PaBIA website Full Survey Report)

RESULTS – OFFICIAL PLAN

The Official Plan of the Township of the Archipelago makes statements about the goals and ideals around Land Use and Development for the area. Here are a few excerpts:

“The natural environment is the predominant attraction of Georgian Bay cottaging and not the built form. Buildings merely facilitate an opportunity to appreciate the Bay for extended periods of time.”
“The general goal of the Official Plan of the Township of the Archipelago Planning Area is to preserve the unique and high quality of the natural environment…”
“Pressure for increased recreational use of the lands and waters of The Archipelago is inevitable…The goals and objectives of the Official Plan should not be compromised to respond to these pressures.
“The shoreline of Georgian Bay risks being transformed into a conventional cottage community.”
“The conservation of the overall natural landscape and waterscape will be encouraged in an effort to preserve the natural appearance, character and aesthetics of the Township.”
“A regulatory system that is designed to minimize obtrusiveness, preserve the natural landscapes and respect environmental features must necessarily contain a high degree of restrictiveness”

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Agreement with Official Plan

PaBIA members were asked how strongly they agreed or disagreed with the statements above. Over 80% “strongly agree” with the Official Plan. Although 86% of the respondents strongly agreed in 2008, there is no significant difference in the results.

Agreement with Official Plan for Land Use and Development

Q3-How strongly do you agree or disagree with the above statements from the Official Plan for Land Use and Development?

Pointe au Baril Canada Day 2019

9:30 am – 3:00 pm

Pickleball and Shuffleboard Outdoors on the Rink – Weather permitting

Kids’ games including Minnow Races

BBQ lunch 12-2 pm

Sausage on a bun; hot dogs, refreshments, ice cream

Vendors

8:15 pm Boat Parade

Escorted boat parade in the harbour starting from Brignall Banks

Rachell Allen Hired as Volunteer & Social Media Coordinator for PaB Habitat for Humanity Build

We are pleased to announce that Pointe au Baril islander, Rachael Allen, has joined the team as our Volunteer & Social Media Coordinator. Please contact Rachael if you wish to participate during a build day at the Habitat site.

WE ARE BUILDING ! The site has been cleared, septic tank installed, the well has just been drilled and the foundation work starts very soon. Stop by any time and check out the progress.

Please donate so that more materials can be purchased enabling work days to continue.

Hope for our Habitat family

New Village and Islander friendships

New skills

Team spirit

A step, a wall … an energy efficient home

So, let’s get started

Check out the latest news

Make a donation

Spread the word

Not Appreciating Something Until It’s Needed…by Earl Manners

Who goes to the cottage and thinks about having a hospital nearby? I certainly do now.

On a beautiful day last August in Pointe au Baril over thirty cottagers gathered to volunteer to cut phragmites, an invasive plant that has begun to find its way into local bays and shorelines. Joining the group responsible for cutting phragmites in Mud Channel, I never imagined my adventure would lead to the West Parry Sound Health Centre.

While working in the water, I tripped over a submerged log with branches. The hit to my shin felt like a stinger. My shin was not cut so I didn’t give the bump another thought.

That night, I woke up to a throbbing, swelling leg. I put a damp cloth on it and went back to sleep hoping the symptoms would subside. By morning, my leg had swelled further and was bruising. The next afternoon my leg was worse. A visit to the nursing station had me directed on to the West Parry Sound Health Centre.

In the Emergency Department, I was seen by a doctor and nurse. Blood tests were taken and sent to the Lab that was in the hospital. I was put on an antibacterial drip. Some of the tests needed more detailed work. I was told the Lab would call with the results and was released with a prescription for antibiotics. At nine o’clock the next morning, I received a call from the Lab. I was given strict instructions to return to the Health Centre immediately. I was to go to Emergency Reception and … (read the article in its entirety)

West Parry Sound Health Centre – This Weekend

Walk, Run, Pole – Do It For Life

Pointe au Baril Cottagers Team (PaBC) and the Desmasdon’s Marina Team are gearing up for the 2019 Georgian Bay Walk, Run, Pole – Do It For Life on May 26 in support of the West Parry Sound Health Centre.

Last year PaBC raised over 25K and the hospital was truly thrilled. Helen Bryce, as Team Leader for PaBC has issued a challenge to the Sans Souci Cottager association to compete for the “top cottager team” fundraiser prize (which PaBC won last year). With your support, we can win the fundraising competition in aid of this critical health centre – please support us! We are looking for more team members so please email Helen if you or someone you know might be interested. Read on for more…

Desmasdon’s Team raised over 5K and then matched that in sponsorship for support totalling over 10K in 2018! We are hoping to exceed that this year with your help and the increased participation of the Beacon Marine Team with their staff and customers. Please consider supporting our team as we all do our part to invest in strong health care here in the Parry Sound area. We have made this a priority as good health care is essential to all our families both local and seasonal alike. We have a large group of staff members and their families coming together for a very important cause, and really hope you will join us with your financial support. THANK YOU!

This is your last opportunity to sponsor a member of either the PaBC’s or Desmasdon’s Team,

click here

and type in the name of the person you wish to pledge.

There are TWO Teams from PaB worth supporting!!!!

On May 26

For WPSHC

Let’s support them both – for a very worthy cause!!!

Or sign up as an individual participant here

Ontario Birds

Black-capped Chickadee

(click on the picture to listen to its call)

Habitat: Mixed and deciduous woods; willow thickets, groves, shade trees. Most common in open woods and forest edge, especially where birches or alders grow; avoids purely coniferous forest. Where it overlaps with other chickadee species in the north and west, Black-capped is mostly restricted to deciduous groves. Will live in suburbs as long as nest sites are available.

Little flocks of Black-capped Chickadees enliven the winter woods with their active behavior and their cheery-sounding chick-a-dee callnotes as they fly from tree to tree, often accompanied by an assortment of nuthatches, creepers, kinglets, and other birds. This is a very popular bird across the northern United States and southern Canada, always welcomed at bird feeders, where it may take sunflower seeds one at time and fly away to stuff them into bark crevices.

Water Levels May 17 2019

In Memoriam

Mary Lorriman, past PaBIA member, A206 ‘Pollux Is.’, wife of the late Garfield Lorriman, mother of Jim (Lisa Garber), Doug (Donna), Scott (Marleen), Bob, Ted, Pete (Anne), May 2019.

Christel Schwarz, A-41, mother of Christine Schwarz (Erik Frederickson) Petra McCartney, Suzette Schwarz (Steven Domm) grandchildren Myelle, Johannes, Dexter and Odin Schwarz, May 2019

Yearbook Updates

Each week, we will provide you a list of names for those who have provided updated information. However, the details of those changes is provided in a printable format for you to print out and insert into your own cottage copy!

Barrett, Christine (correction)

Wheler, Rob & Margaret (correction)