Message from the President

 

Season's greetings one and all. It already seems like a long time since we were all boating up and down the South Channel. But, I am sure it will be no time before we are back there again. On the other hand, I am sure the snowmobilers and skiers are counting the days till the ice forms and in no hurry to see it go.

 

Your executive has been busy on a few items recently. The semi-annual Deerhorn conference was held in Toronto on November 9 and attended by myself, Eleanor Reed, Denys Reed and Claudette Pintwala. The theme for the day was the Township of the Archipelago's Official Plan. The Plan needs to be updated and the Township was looking for input from the Cottagers associations and other special interest groups. The response from the South Channel was that we need to make sure we do not weaken or water down the Official Plan, in order to ensure we are able to protect and maintain our area. Each group was asked to list the areas where they thought the official plan should concentrate. The South Channel listed the following:

 

Population density

Ecological footprint

Crown land initiatives

Water Quality Review

Air Pollution

Great Lakes heritage coast

Aqua-culture

 

The township will be having public consultations over the next while and in the summer months and cottagers

are encouraged to participate. 

 

Those of you who attended the AGM in 2002 will recall the very interesting presentation made regarding the West Parry Sound Health Centre. This is a cause from which we can all benefit, for who among us can be assured we will never need medical care when we are up at the cottage. Your executive is proposing that a donation be made to the West Parry Sound Health Centre. We would like your comments and suggestions and would invite you to direct them to myself or any member of the executive. We hope to confirm a donation at the 2003 AGM.

 

Regarding executive membership, please be aware that Steve Sprague has left the executive of the South Channel Association. On behalf of the executive and the membership I would like to thank Steve for his participation.

 

Executive members who can be contacted by e mail are as follows:

Tracy Biggar --             tracy.biggar@css.gov.on.ca

Eleanor Reed -- denysreed@hotmail.com 

Stan Topping -- stopp@infoblvd.net

Don Wheeler -- wheelerd@onlink.net

 

 

Tracy Biggar