VOLUME 38 NUMBER 4 PUBLISHED BY THE WHITESHELL COTTAGERS ASSOCIATION INC. WWW.WHITESHELLCOTTAGERS.COM AUGUST 2019 President’s Report By Alan Roberts, WCA President e are now passed the middle of summer – and it has Wbeen glorious – even compared to our normal beauti- ful weather. A HOT fi rst half of July to warm up the deeper lakes, with a nice mid-summer break to the mid 20s in the la� er half – delightful. Even some good rainfall (fi nally) to keep the lake levels where they should be. Rainfall in July and August is critical to maintaining the water levels, as we lose almost three-eighths of an inch of water a day to evaporation during this period (even more on shallower, warmer lakes). This leads me into the few issues that I wish to address: Fun in the Sun Betula Lake Water Level Survey While I’m on the water levels thing, congratulations to the here’s still lots of fun to come in the summer sun. Our Lake TReports on pages 10 to 12 and 20 to 28 are all about what your dedicated group who led the survey of all the co� agers on Whiteshell neighbours have been up to, and the many events still Betula Lake in June and July. This was a diffi cult survey, get- ahead in the second half of summer. Meanwhile, the Whiteshell ting useful feedback from a large number of people on a sub- Cottagers Association raffle of a Ford EcoSport SUV is heading to the finish line, with proceeds going to some great causes. See ject that is very diffi cult for most people to relate to in defi ni- page 14 to find out where you can get your ticket. Thanks to Kerri tive terms. We owe a debt of gratitude to Neil McMillan, Tom Pleskach, Nutimik Lake, for the above photo. Cu� s, Dave Bell, Kerry Davies and Angela Hogan for making this a powerful tool in our eff orts to improve the water qual- ity on Betula. Well done! My hat also goes off to all those who Whiteshell on our website at www.whiteshellco� agers.com added such well wri� en comments in their responses. I think and for the North Whiteshell contact [email protected].) that I read them all, and there wasn’t a negative one in the This program has been developed with the objective of re- group. They had varying degrees of diffi culty in ge� ing their ducing the amount of labour, maintenance and infrastructure points across, but they all managed to do so, in a constructive required to manage the garbage and recycling programs in and positive manner. Thank you to all those who responded. the Whiteshell. It is also expected to reduce the abuse of the We will use your strong vote of support to advance your system where some co� agers (and others) expect it to handle water quality interests as quickly as we can. refuse of all kinds, including construction waste, used furni- Garbage & Recycling System Improvements ture, appliances, etc., rather than hauling (and paying for) its The ill-fated upgrading of the garbage and recycling system disposal at sites designed to handle this sort of refuse. has been put on hold, due largely to a failure to communicate The WCA has been in general support of the program since eff ectively, or involve co� agers (including the WCA) in what being advised of it in February of this year, because it con- we still believe, is a very worthwhile eff ort. The hiatus is in- forms with the principals of good materials handling systems tended to provide the time necessary to: A) Avoid embarrass- design, and off ers substantial savings in resources and costs. ing the government during the lead up to the next provincial However, there was precious li� le detail of the proposed sys- election; and B) To allow time for more eff ective liaison be- tem available at the time and there has been no discussion tween co� agers and Parks’ administration. Now is the time since. Detailed discussions on the design of the new system to express your opinion regarding the changes that have been are now expected to get underway in late September. proposed. (See the graphic description available for the South Continued on page 5 IN THIS ISSUE ... MPPCOA UPDATE 5 LAST CHANCE AT SUV 14 DR. OFFICE NEWS 6 BOARD OF DIRECTORS 16 16 ENVIRO REPORT 6 WHAT’S COOKING? 22-23 CLIMATE DISCUSSION 7 FREEDOM ROAD OPENS 29 TRASH TALK 8-9 PHOTO CONTEST INFO 30 Publication Agreement No. 40009463 2 WHITESHELL ECHO AUGUST 2019 22 3 WHITESHELL ECHO AUGUST 2019 4 WHITESHELL ECHO AUGUST 2019 AUGUST 2019 WHITESHELL ECHO 5 President’s Report from page 1 Operating and Lease Fees must be reduced, regardless of very creative people. This Deborah Seguin who taught As you may be aware, discus- whether it gets paid out of gov- past winter and current sum- us the meaning of the word sions to develop a new basis for ernment coffers, or whether it, mer are showing this to be salesmanship. calculation of the annual Op- as we hope to achieve, gets paid true in spades. The fund rais- Cheryl Bryant who gave us erating and Lease Fees for cot- out of the lease fees we pay an- ing car raffle (see pages 6-8) is a presence at many of the lo- tages in Parks throughout the nually. our way of making the WCA cal lake events throughout the province have been underway We are advised that this sys- a more important, more rel- Park. for some time. This effort has tem reconfiguration will re- evant and more recognizable Stacey Erlendson who gave also included an increase in the duce the annual cost to some- component of the Whiteshell our team a recognizable face transparency of costs to operate thing in the order of 25 per community, and is due in and showed us what market- the parks. From the informa- cent of the total lease fee rev- large part to the efforts of a ing is all about. tion we’ve received thus far, the enue stream. few individuals: Obviously I’ve not listed garbage and recycling program Key Supporters of the WCA Kerry Davies who devel- many other major and minor consumes approximately half As you can tell from this oped and sold the concept to contributors, without whom of the total revenues from lease and my past status reports, the rest of the Board, then led our success this year would fees. This level of expenditure the WCA is made up of a the effort to sell it to the co�ag- have been much less notable. is grossly out of line with the number of hard working, and ers and public at large. Our Team DID WELL! benefit we get, and one which The Whiteshell Echo Manitoba Provincial Parks is published by the Whiteshell Cottagers Association Incorporated Cabin Owners Association (MPPCOA) Update President Alan Roberts President Elect Past President Ronald S Smith Vice President Ian Baragar Treasurer Jill McGavin Send address changes to 1975 Corydon Ave. Suite 2D Winnipeg, MB R3P 0R1 Phone/Fax 1 (204) 487-0556 Email [email protected] Echo Committee Bruce Wagg Co-chair Sharon Philp Co-chair Glenda Peacock From left to right are Nick Eliuk, President, Beresford Lake COA, Jack Elliott, MPPCOA Past Chair, Duck Mountain Teresa Lopata COA, Nichola Wigle, MPPCOA Secretary, Moose Lake COA, Rob Loiselle, Secretary, Beresford Lake COA, David Karen Kaplen Martin, President, Hecla North Shore COA, Ronald Smith, MPPCOA Treasurer, Whiteshell Cottagers Association; Dawne Kepron Dean Amundson, MPPCOA Chair, President, Hecla Historic Village COA (HHVCOA); Brian Gudmundson, MPPCOA Tom Walker Vice President, Long Lake COA and his dog, Elska. Sandra Kline Pat Love COA President), David Mar- By Dean Amundson, tin (Hecla North Shore COA Articles in the Echo are not Chairman, Hecla Historic Village Association President) and Robert Lo- official statements of the WCA Chairman, Manitoba Provincial Parks iselle (Beresford Lake COA), unless indicated. Cabin Owners Association The Echo is published five times a year and Dean Amundson (Hecla and mailed in the first week of Historic Village Association). February, April, June, Iris Griffin was in a�endance August and October. he writ has been service fees for co�age own- dropped. Politicians are ers? This is an opportunity representing the MPPCOA Next Issue T Advisory Commi�ee. In ad- October 2019 in election mode and will be to get their commitment. Deadline: Sept. 1, 2019 contacting us to try to con- The MPPCOA Annual dition, Nick Eliuk, Beresford vince us to give them our General Meeting was held in Lake COA President, a�end- Editor ed as an observer. Repre- James Buchok vote. Emails, phone calls, Hecla Village June 8. Seven Phone: (204) 831-7274 snail mail, summer festivals, co�age owners associations sentatives from Grindstone Email: [email protected] parades, we cannot avoid the were represented: Jack Ellio� COA, Wallace Lake COA Website: and Booster Lake COA were www.whiteshellcottagers.com politicians. So let’s put them (Duck Lake COA Director), Publication Agreement on the spot. Where do they Ron Smith (Whiteshell COA unable to a�end. During the 40009463 stand on a policy for the res- Past President), Brian Gud- meeting Brian Gudmundson olution of the issue of collec- mundson (Long Lake COA), tion of Crown land rent and Nichola Wigle (Moose Lake Continued on page 6 6 WHITESHELL ECHO AUGUST 2019 Environment Committee Report Compiled By lake down to the midpoint of Neil McMillan the range.