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Volume 167 No. 4
The ice is out!!! People are beginning to return to their beloved cottages. Please be mindful that not all markers are in, but that the newer, more visible permanent markers will greet you! Stay safe out there!
To All Canadians: Have a wonderful Victoria Day Weekend!
Table of Contents In this eBlast:
PaBIA
- PaBIA/Ojibway Yearbooks 2025!
- Off-Season Patrol Winter Complete
- PaBIA Markers
- Main Calendar Dates for Summer 2025
- In Memoriam – Paul Andrew Buchanan, Francie Garber Pepper
OF INTEREST
- ToA Resolution regarding Protocol for Flying the Canadian Flag
- Lighthouse Update
- ToA Large Item Pick up Days
- Take the short survey for ToA: Would You Use EV stations if available in PaB?
- Support WPSHC Walk, Run and Pole Fundraiser – Month of May; June 1 5K Event in PS.
- Your Help is Needed NOW to Save the Lake Partner Program – Water Quality Monitoring
- GBF Human Interference and Intervention
- GBB Massasauga Rattlesnake Resource
- GBB Native Plant Sale Ordering until May 26
- GBB State of the Bay Youth-Led Conservation
- Lake Michigan-Huron Water Levels – May 8, 2025
PaBIA
PaBIA/Ojibway Yearbooks
As of Friday, May 2, the yearbooks were delivered to the Canadian postal depot in Barrie. Much care has been taken to ensure that everyone has received the right number of tags/stickers. Please verify that what you receive is correct. If any concerns arise, please email Elise Findlay for assistance.
Unfortunately, a few errors have been found in the listing of names as a consequence of an undetected bug in the database update done over the winter. This has resulted in a few membership listings that include children and other family members in the listing title where they should not have been. Addresses and contact phone numbers are correct. Please check your listing and the accompanying yearbook update and notify Elise of any further corrections or changes.
PaBIA Markers
Planned for this summer is the installation of 13 more new permanent markers, already purchased but not yet installed. And more are being purchased to have on hand. As Andy and Jesse and crew at Desmasdon’s Construction are able, they will install them as weather and time permit. PaBIA has purchased a new, smaller marker for the entrance to Hemlock Channel, as that marker seems to be the most vulnerable to damage. We again urge care and safety as one navigates all channels, but especially the one at Hemlock.
Desmasdon’s Construction over these next few weeks will be placing the smaller wooden markers as weather permits.
Please remember that with the water lower, ‘new’ shoals will rise up to get your propeller if you aren’t careful!
#3rd and Final Off-Season Cottage Patrols Complete
Bruce Tiffin has finished his off-season spring cottage patrol rounds! Again, if you haven’t heard anything, he didn’t find anything to report at your property!
Known Dates for Summer ’25 – Calendar in Yearbook, pgs. 218-219
PaBIA’s Sailing Tune Up Race, June 28 @ 2 pm
Entre Amis will be held for everyone at the Ojibway Club on Saturday, June 28
Junior Regatta Saturday, July 26 @ 9 am
PaBIA Naturalist Wednesday, July 23 @ 4 pm
Senior Regatta Saturday, August 2 @ 11 am
PaBIA Blueberry Pancake Breakfast followed by PaBIA’s Annual Meeting – Monday, August 4 @ 9 am
NEW Group of Seven Slide Show, Wednesday, August 13 @ 4 pm
Ojibway Club will open the snack bar in mid-June and run until mid-September
Of Interest
Large Item Pick-up Days
Two Saturday dates have been set aside for large item pick-ups this summer. The ToA is trying to accommodate us islanders for planning purposes, so should you have items you wish taken, the dates (different than those in past years) will be July 5 and August 9. From 9-5 pm, they will be at the Pointe au Baril Station docks to receive the items that islanders brought in by boat. Please remember that items are excluded from these two special collections, so please click on this link and look for those exceptions. Attached to this link is the North Archipelago newsletter in pdf format where all the information can be found.
Township of the Archipelago
Resolution re Flying Canada’s National Flag
(click to see the resolution in its entirety)
For all cottagers: The ToA wishes to share its resolution re the CN National Flag:
In part, it reads:
- WHEREAS the National Flag of Canada (National Flag) should be given the place of honour among all other flags inside Canada; and
- WHEREAS the National Flag will always be flown on its own flagpole per Canadian Heritage guidelines for residents, private sector, and public sector; and
- WHEREAS it is improper to fly the National Flag with another flag, of any type, on the same flagpole.
Would you Drive Your EV to PaB if There were Recharge Stations? (disregard the dates)
LOCATION
Pointe au Baril
DATE AND TIME
05/14/25 12:00am – 09/30/25 12:00am US/Eastern
The ToA wants to know whether you would drive your EV if PaB had recharge stations. They are trying to gauge the needs of the village.
Spring 2025: The Township’s Archipelago Express
The ToA is excited to share that the Spring 2025 Issue of The Archipelago Express is now available.
Responses to the Questions Regarding EV Stations in PaB
Of the 65 responses to the question, would you use EV stations in PaB should the Township decide to invest in them, 64% said yes, 25% said no, and 9% said maybe.
Lighthouse Update
The PaB Lighthouse has been designated as a historical site, and both the ToA and DFO (Department of Fisheries and Oceans) are committed to maintaining it. The ToA wants to bring the building back up to code but must wait until DFO fixes the ongoing problems. This renovation means that the Lighthouse will be closed to visitors this summer.
However, Emmaline will visit the Pointe occasionally and be available for visitors in the small screened porch.
The wonderful artifacts collected by Emmaline and Bill have been safely removed to be categorized to determine their value and will reside in the Parry Sound Tower Hill Museum.
West Parry Sound Heath Centre Foundation
Annual WPSHC “Walk, Run, Pole” Fundraising Event
- The Pointe au Baril community is once again supporting the annual WPSHC “Walk, Run, Pole” fundraising event. This is a worthwhile cause. We are very fortunate to have the amazing support of the hospital and nursing station so close by.
- Our community fundraising efforts as TEAM PAB consist of residents, seasonal islanders, and anyone who wishes to join.
- To register as a member of the team, go to www.loveourhospital.com > “events” > “Walk Run Pole”
- Last year our team raised $12,580 which the hospital has been extremely grateful for. This year let’s work hard to reach a goal of $20,000.
- To donate please go to https://www.wpshcf.com/fundraisers/teampab
- Fundraising proceeds this year are in support of Surgical Care upgrades at the hospital. Please see the poster attached for more details.
Thank you for supporting this worthy cause!
Georgian Bay Forever’s newsletter this winter is all about human interference and intervention in nature. As humans, our destructive tendencies can often come at a high cost to the environment, but we also have the potential for positive influence.
Read about community stewardship, a cautionary tale about unregulated development on a natural landmark, risk assessment, and more in the first GBF newsletter of 2025.
State of the Bay Videos Highlight Youth-Led Conservation
Youth involved in conservation and cultural caretaking are the stars of exciting new State of the Bay videos released this week by the Georgian Bay Mnidoo Gamii Biosphere (GBB). The series showcases inspiring young people working in the fields of science, Indigenous knowledge, and conservation research. The videos are designed to reach other youth with key messages from the 2023 State of the Bay report. Working with cinematographer Graham Perry, GBB is proud to share stories of youth-led caretaking related to the themes of climate action, road ecology, and fire ecology. All three videos can be viewed on GBB’s YouTube channel.
NEW Massasauga Rattlesnake Resource (click on picture to download)
GBB’s biologists developed a free information sheet with everything you want to know about Massasaugas! You can pick it up at an event or download it from our website today. Learn how to identify them, why they are threatened, how we can peacefully coexist, and how you can help populations.
Order GBB Native Plants Online Today!
There’s still time to order wildflowers, shrubs, and trees from our Native Plant Fundraiser!
Order by May 26th, and pick up your order in either Parry Sound or Port Severn on Saturday, June 7th. All order proceeds support our programs. Thank you!
Your Help is Needed to Save the Lake Partner Program
Every summer, PaBIA collects water samples around PaB in contribution to the Lake Partner Program (LPP). The data is collected in the LPP database and provides long-term data trends for the area. Our efforts join with water testing efforts across many Ontario lakes and help form an effective, broadly based, ongoing water quality monitoring in Ontario.
Continuing to participate in the Lake Partner Program will ensure that the community is aware of any changes to water quality. However, the Ministry of Environment Conservation and Parks has yet to renew its agreement with FOCA, putting the current year’s sampling season at risk. FOCA (Federation of Cottagers Association) is concerned about the loss of:
- Water quality data and
- Laboratory facilities to support research on phosphorus, blue-green algae, and water transparency levels that affect water quality.
A Call to Action: please send an email to our elected officials using the linked template to ensure that this water quality monitoring program continues.
The email can be sent to the following:
Hon. Doug Ford, Ontario Premier premier@ontario.ca
Hon. Todd McCarthy, Ontario Minister of the Environment, Conservation & Parks minister.mecp@ontario.ca
Hon. Graydon Smith, Parry Sound MPP Graydon.smith@pc.ola.org
Please copy FOCA: cc: Communications@foca.on.ca
Questions: Emma Manners, Director of Environment
In Memoriam
Paul Andrew Buchanan, past PaBIA member, A510-76, husband of Martha Cumming, father of Stewart and Meredith Buchanan, March 12, 2025.
Francie Garber Pepper, A289 ‘Little Island’, wife of John E. Pepper, mother of John S. (Maggie), David (Alana), Douglas (Kim), Susan (Jonathan Bradshaw), sister of Helen Garber and David (Valerie) Garber, grandmother of ten and cousin to the extended Garber and Woodward families, March 28, 2025.
Yearbook Update
With each eBlast, we will provide you a list of names of those members who have provided updated contact information. The details of all the changes since the 2023 yearbook came out in early May are provided in THIS printable format for you to print out and insert into your own Yearbook! Changes as of June 23 are below.
For reporting Markers’ problems
contact Tom Cavers by cell (pg. 267 in yearbook) or email
For contacting Secretary-Treasurer and Asst. Sec. Treas.
Nancy Rogers and Elise Findlay: contact.pabia@gmail-com)
Updates Since March 15
Biller, Andrew & Vanessa (addition)
Blyth, Sam (addition)
Carins, Melanie (See Hall, Jason) (addition)
Dent, Steve & Maclaren, Janet (addition)
Hall, Jason & Cairns, Melanie (addition)
Hilmer, Kelly (addition)
Hilmer, Steve & Megen (PaBIA addition)
Prosser, Keith & Trish (addition)
Vitton, Michael & Betsy (PaBIA addition)
Listing Title Corrections:
Affleck, Jennette (correction)
Alderdice, Douglas (correction)
Armitage, Kirsten (correction)
Cammaert, Rose (correction)
Crowley, James (correction)
De Campos, Dimas (correction)
Dean, Bradley (correction)
Digby, Martha (correction)
Fairlie, Tam (correction)
Fearon, Russ (correction)
Fischer-Dodge, Laura (correction)
Foote, Greg (correction)
Fort, Duncan (correction)
Frew, Sherilee (correction)
Garber, Betsy (correction)
Graham, David (correction)
Green, Lauren (correction)
Hall Family (correction)
Heward, Geoffrey (correction)
Ingham, Ruth (correction)
Johnson Family (correction)
Lofft, Jennifer (correction)
MacDougall, Fraser (correction)
Neely Family (correction)
Olver, Ed (correction)
Osawa Camp c/o Dana Hooper, Treasurer (correction)
Richardson, Jason (correction)
Roberts, Roberts & Langtree Families (correction)
Schengili, Erika (correction)
Solbu, Anne (correction)
Van Ordstrand, Mary (correction)
Vree, Susanna (correction)
Weeks, Weeks & Cadwell Families (correction)
Wells, Peter (correction)
White, Sarah (correction)
Water Levels
Lakes Michigan/Huron Water Levels May 8, 2025.
To better read the charts, please click on the chart for the Daily or Six Month Forecast Water level chart and the corresponding websites
Please support PaBIA’s Yearbook Advertisers 2025
This site’s advertising feature was created to provide assistance for special local information & events for existing Yearbook advertisers only.
Emergency
• PaB Nursing Station
• Canadian Coast Guard
Search and Rescue
800-267-7270
• PaBIA Emergency info