PaBIA eBlast June 5 2019

Volume 11 No.7

Dear PaBIA,

Ah, it’s finally June…may the weather reflect it! As we gear up for the summer, we hope everyone’s minds and hearts are able to turn toward their return to the Bay (if you haven’t already)!

Remember, if you are viewing this on your smartphone, two things:

If pictures aren’t showing, you will need to click on “show images or graphics”
If you are looking for the ‘sidebar’ normally seen to the right when viewing from your computer, you will find all the links at the bottom of this eBlast.

In this eBlast:

Loon’s on its nest! It’s spring!
PaBIA’s NEW Fire Extinguisher Campaign
PaBIA’s 2018 Survey: Deep Dive into Environment
H4H Assistant Site Supervisor Position Available
Canada Day 2019 at PaB Station – Sunday, June 30
GBBR Kids in the Biosphere
Calling All Sailors – Join the Growing PaBIA Sailing Group!
WPSHC GBay Walk/Run/Pole Results 2019
Ontario Birds – Whip-Poor-Wills
Water Levels June 2019
Found – 2 Wooden Structures
Yearbook Update

Loon on its nest near the Ojibway Club…thanks, Gary!

BE PROACTIVE

PaBIA’s Fire Extinguisher Campaign

ON NOW!

Did you know?

No, truly: Do you know where your fire extinguishers are? Do they work? Could you get to one safely in 4 seconds? Is there one near your kitchen, your bedroom, fireplace, sleeping cabins, tool shed?

PaBIA wants to make it possible for ALL residents of Pointe au Baril – not just PaBIA members – to easily purchase enough extinguishers to keep themselves, their loved ones, and our beloved natural landscape unharmed.

Savings for ALL Pointe au Baril Residents

with this special offer on Kidde Fire Extinguishers!

CLICK HERE to order fire extinguishers

This Spring, PaBIA has made a special arrangement with CCY Home Hardware in Pointe au Baril Station to provide the opportunity to purchase an excellent

Kidde Home Series 2A10BC (seen here)

non-refillable fire extinguisher to our entire PaB community at a significant discount.

Normally priced at $62.99, CCY has generously made them available through this PaBIA initiative to anyone in the Pointe au Baril and PaBIA community for just $47.24 + HST each – a 25% discount. (See online ordering instructions below.)

Perhaps you already have a fire extinguisher or two? It is strongly suggested that it’s time to check all your fire extinguishers, and make sure you have a fully charged and untampered extinguisher on every floor of every building on your cottage property.

Have you had the opportunity to read Steve Hilmer’s article in the 2019 Yearbook? If not, please take the time to read it! It will certainly make you think twice about whether or not to reconsider your needs! It might even save your life or that of a loved one!

Of course, you have heard us discuss the fact that fire pumps are very important. And they are! But to extinguish a small fire before it gets out of control, having good, working fire extinguishers close at hand inside the cottage is imperative. Last season’s devastating fires north of Pointe au Baril are a stark reminder that being prepared is absolutely essential.

It is the facts like these 4 second/4 minute truths that beg the following questions:

Is my fire pump filled with gas?
Is the firehose tested and stretched up the rocks to my cottage?
Is the hose even connected to the pump, or just lying along side?

zzzzBut perhaps most importantly,

How long would it take me to complete any one of these steps:

z zzzzzGas up,

zzzzzzzHook up the hoses

zzzzzzzStart the pump.

PaBIA would bet money that it would take more than the 4 minutes! By then, your cottage would be a total lost.

Ordering Instructions:

First consider your needs; then place your order right here by clicking the red button provided. Pick up your order AFTER July 1 at the Pointe au Baril CCY Home Hardware store when you pay for it.

Orders for fire extinguishers will be filled on a first-come, first-served basis ONLY through PaBIA’s website.
Orders can be made at anytime, and will be ready for pick up at CCY beginning July 1st.
Please call ahead to ensure your order is available prior to pick up. Helen/Tony at CCY Home Hardware: (705 366 2211)
To ensure inventory matches requests for these discounted fire extinguishers, all orders MUST go through the website.
Please print and bring your Order Confirmation at time of pick up and payment.

There are other types and sizes of fire extinguishers that you might want to consider. PaBIA has picked the most universal model for this rollout.

Order now as many as you need!!

CLICK HERE to order fire extinguishers online

Have You Filled Out Your Emergency Plan?

Last year and continuing this year, PaBIA encourages all our members to create (if you haven’t already) a neighbourhood call list for the split second fire or medical incidents that might occur without any prior warning!

We continue to encourage each cottage family to cut off the Cottager Emergency Action Plan (CEAP) and Emergency Phone numbers (right) flap from the back cover of the Yearbook AND fill it out. Talk to your cottage neighbors to determine who would be able to help and designate in what capacity.

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 detailed information throughout the season to be ready for the kick off June 29th!

2018 Survey Results – PaBIA has spoken!!

“Deep-Dive” #4: The Environment

Welcome back to the PaBIA Membership Survey “Deep Dive” section of Your eBlast!

Today’s section focuses on the important area of the environment. To be clear, the issues that we face involving the environment on the Eastern coast of Georgian Bay are numerous and daunting, and could easily justify its own dedicated survey to plumb the depths of our membership’s take on the subject. However, within the context of current concerns around septic systems across the township and locally, and given the limited space available in this survey, questions focused primarily in this area. Specifically, questions were limited to understanding cottager septic systems, their inspection and maintenance practices.

Separately, PaBIA Members were asked for general input about their environmental concerns and issues that they would like PaBIA to look into further. The huge response received just underscores how close to everyone’s heart it is; the issues of protecting our precious ecosystem and delicate environmental balance.

Encouraged by the results below, the Environment Committee and the PaBIA Board in general will look into the following initiatives over the immediate term.

Work with Township through our elected councillors to ensure all septic systems are to code, correctly inspected on the appropriate cycle and that maintenance is performed within the required timeframes.
Continue all the important efforts to test for and protect water quality across our community, and as part of the greater Georgian Bay.
Continue to lead and support invasive species irradiation in all its forms.
Remain up-to-date and advise our Members in all aspects of environmental threats, protections and best practices.
Work to involve more PaBIA members across the Environment Committee of the Board to take advantage of the depth of knowledge and experience that has surfaced through this survey – we need all the help we can get!!
Work with all the regional stakeholders, associations and our First Nations to mount coordinated efforts in the face of daunting environmental concerns.

Survey Findings

Septic Systems

Most respondents have a traditional or advanced septic treatment system with a weeping bed (70%) or a septic holding tank (17%). While over 60% of those have had their system inspected and cleaned in the past 5 years, that means that 40% have not.

PaBIA should continue to educate Members on the importance of having their septic systems inspected and cleaned every 5 years. More education is needed on this matter to ensure Members know about inspections and cleaning.

Septic Systems of PaBIA Members

Those with traditional septic systems and those with holding tanks were asked about the last time they had them inspected and cleaned. It is recommended that septic tanks be inspected every 5 years and cleaned when required.

Maintenance of Septic Systems

Open-Ended Question Responses

Water quality is a key concern including algae, detergents, old motors leaking oil, bilge pumping, discharge from cruisers, etc.
Speeding boats was also a major concern not only for safety, but also the impact of waves on the shoreline.
Noise pollution was also mentioned mainly from the use of jet skis.
Maintaining the natural habitat is important as it covers forest management, endangered species and natural wildlife; just as eradicating the invasive species is essential to nature’s eco-balance.
Some respondents would like to see some regulations for cruisers and transient visitors. Light pollution was also an issue.

Please visit the PaBIA website and read the written responses that Members contributed to this section. You will be amazed at the variety and depth of concern that our Members express. It will surely motivate you to get closer to these issues, and maybe even become an activist, if you are not one already!

WPSHC Walk/Run/Pole – Do It For Life Results

“Thank You Pointe au Baril!” from the West Parry Sound Health Centre Foundation. The Pointe au Baril Cottagers Team and Team Desmasdons, ran, walked or poled on Sunday May 26^th amongst 200 like-minded adults and children to raise funds for our local hospital.

Mother Nature cooperated and brought us sunny skies and comfortable temperatures for the run. So far, this year’s event has raised over $70,000 with donations still coming in. Thanks to YOUR generosity, the Pointe au Baril Cottagers team retained their title of top fundraising team with over $22,000 in donations. Many thanks to Desmasdons for being corporate sponsors once again, fundraising runners-up and to their many staff who took time off from busy season to participate in the event!

The PaB Cottager team was again led by Helen Bryce, our fundraiser, organizer and cheerleader extraordinaire. Team members were Sandy Boeckh, Anne Randell, Sarah Bradshaw, Sue Bongard and Malcolm Marsh. (Linda Watts and Doug Bryce cheered us on the due to injury/illness.) Please consider joining our growing team next year! It is a fun, friendly, community event and much of the route winds along the scenic, waterfront trails.

The hospital will purchase new breathing assist equipment as well as an autopulse resuscitation system so that one is always available in the ER and in the ambulances. It can be used for patients of all ages from childhood to adults. Thank you again to our many donors who have made it possible for the health centre to purchase new, critical equipment to enhance local health care!

Pointe au Baril Canada Day 2019

Habitat for Humanity PaB Build –

Assistant Site Superintendent Job Available

The Pointe au Baril Habitat house foundation is almost complete. Thanks to all who have helped to make this possible. Now we need volunteers and donations to buy more materials to build a home on top.

Now 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.

Spread the word to your young adult siblings /children/grandchildren!

H4H is looking for someone to fill the summer job of Assistant Site Superintendent – truly a learning experience and résumé builder! For details, contact Bob Fisher or inquire by clicking here!

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

Ontario Birds

Whip-Poor-Wills

(click on the picture to listen to its call)

Habitat: Leafy woodlands. Breeds in rich moist woodlands, either deciduous or mixed; seems to avoid purely coniferous forest. Winter habitats are also in wooded areas.

Often heard but seldom observed, the Whip-poor-will chants its name on summer nights in eastern woods. The song may seem to go on endlessly…by day, the bird sleeps on the forest floor, or on a horizontal log or branch.

Feeding Behavior

Forages at night, especially at dusk and dawn and on moonlit nights. Forages by flying out from a perch in a tree, or in low, continuous flight along the edges of woods and clearings; sometimes by fluttering up from the ground. Captures insects in its wide, gaping mouth and swallows them whole.

Eggs

2 whitish, marked with brown and gray. Incubation is by both parents (usually more by female), 19-21 days. Young: Cared for by both parents. Adults feed young by regurgitating insects. Age of young at first flight about 20 days. May raise 1 or 2 broods per year; female may lay second clutch while male is still caring for young from first brood.

Water Levels – May 23, 2019

Lost & Found

We have found these 2 wooden structures floating in our Bay close to A501A1, just west of the Wreck. Appears that they have come in through either a big NE wind from the Skerryvore/Mainland area or a big NW wind from the Pym Rock area. Contact Tim Bradshaw.

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!

Chute, Douglas

McDonald, Andy and Karen

Prosser, Keith & Patricia