Temagami Times Fall 2012 Page 3
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VOLUME 42 . NUMBER 3 . CIRCULATION 2,000 A FREE PUBLICATION T T THE VOICE OF THE TEMAGAMI LAKES ASSOCIATION (TLA) FALL 2012 Council Shares Is this the a Vision for End of an Era? Temagami For well over 100 years passenger trains have been running through Temagami. By Mayor John Hodgson They are a part of our culture, our history and our heritage. Now it seems as though “If you don’t know where you’re we are at the end of an era. The Ontario going, any road will get you there.” Northland Transportation Commission (Lewis Carroll’s Alice In Wonderland) (ONTC) passenger train, the Northlander, As a municipality, we do need to know that pulled out of the station on September where we are going and need to have 28, 2012 was heralded as the final passenger a plan in place to get there. Strategic train. The end of the line – so to speak. planning is vital to success. The Temiskaming and Northern On- The strategic planning process usu- tario Railway was formed in 1902 and by ally starts with a “vision” of the future, around 1903, Temagami had a “request summarized in a “Vision Statement”. stop” in the community of Redwater. In Then a series of steps, or tasks, are iden- 1907 our historic Temagami Train Station tified that need to be accomplished in Perfection on Lake Temagami. Photo by: David Cain was built. order to reach that goal. The planning Despite the efforts of northern Ontario communities, the ONTC discontinued pas- horizon is usually for a period of 10 TLA POTABLE WATER INITIATIVE or 20 years and needs to be reviewed senger train service as part of the plan for periodically. Tests Drinking Water on Lake Temagami the divestiture of the ONTC assets. Is there In November of 2011, Council and a possibility that the next owner of the rail- senior municipal staff met to begin the By Diana Van Vlymen, with contributions The samples had to be sent to Near way will reinstate the passenger train? Who visioning process, with the assistance from Peter Healy and Daniel Sauvé North Labs within 48 hours of testing, knows? of a consultant well versed in mu- and the analysis required one day for bac- There are those who maintain that with nicipal strategic planning. During the An important concern for all patrons of teria culturing, thus samples could only proper marketing, passenger train service meeting, Council brainstormed ideas Lake Temagami is whether we can drink arrive Wednesday or Thursday, at the lat- could be a viable business. But for now, it is and identified four common themes. from the lake. Drinking the wrong water est. As the Temagami Chamber of Com- gone. Growth and Development; Quality of could make you sick. With this in mind, merce routinely sends water samples to “Every community served by the North- Life and Healthy Community; Tema- the Temagami Lakes Association created Near North, and the TLA is a member of lander train is also served by ONTC motor gami Brand and Wilderness; and Gov- and ran a potable water-sampling program the Chamber, we sent our samples at the coach service. This bus service will continue as usual.” says the ONTC. The Polar Bear ernance. We also performed a SWOT for cottagers this summer through Near same time. The bus taking these samples Express train service between Cochrane and analysis (Strengths, Weaknesses, Op- North Labs in North Bay. left Wednesday at noon, thus the samples portunities and Threats). Moosonee will continue scheduled service, Near North Labs have a microbiology were collected on Tuesdays. We then used this information at least for now. facility, through which they conduct wa- A limited time was available for sam- to decide upon the vision statement: ter quality analysis for private and com- pling, and required driving across the “Temagami is a healthy community, The final ONTC passenger train to which balances quality of life and live- mercial parties. The program was run whole body of the lake (one day involved Toronto pulls into the Temagami station. lihood and the quality of our natural in July, while the summer students were Outlet Bay, the NW arm, and the NE Photo by Doug Adams. environment.” It is important to note not busy with the environmental water- arm). A complicating factor was that that this vision is a statement of what sampling program. Cottagers had the op- cottages were not always occupied so we Council envisions for the future of tion of having one or two samples taken: could not complete one area of the lake Temagami, not a description of the way from the kitchen tap and in the lake close each week. Nonetheless, the program was we see Temagami at present. to the intake, though cottagers had the completed with as many samples taken The next step was to generate ideas option to change the sample locations as as possible and transferred to Near that would achieve the Vision we had desired. North’s care and results distributed continued on page 8 continued on page 6 Group Box 129 • Temagami • Ontario • P0H 2H0 • (705) 237-8927 • Fax (877) 281-4687 • www.tla-temagami.org page 2 Temagami Times Fall 2012 page 3 The Temagami Times President’s letter Fall 2012 Issue This issue of the Temagami Times is full of good news and impressive activity. Read all about it in the articles about water sampling, the special champagne corn roast event, drinking water, lake pH levels and loons, campsite monitoring, and other This publication is published in the TLA activities. If you are a TLA member, and you wonder where your dues go, read on! Consider recruiting other family Winter, Fall and Summer by the Temagami Lakes Association. members to join. PUBLICatIONS MAIL AGREEMENT If you are not a TLA member, read on! See how a modest investment of dues translates NO. 40050220 into meaningful activity and tangible results: comprehensive, scientifically credible water quality PreSortation services provided by testing throughout the lake; a complete accounting of 170 campsites on Lake Temagami, with Flagship Software Ltd. visits to 80 of them to monitor for trash, privies, and other conditions; bacteria sampling of EDITOR: Elaine Gunnell cottage drinking water. None of these accomplishments would have been possible without the LAYOUT: Imaginus North Inc. energy of dedicated TLA staff and volunteers, and the support of members. ADVERTISING: Peter Healy Huge thanks to Diana Van Vlymen and Daniel Sauvé, the environmental science uni- 705 237 8927 Fax 877 281 4687 [email protected] versity students employed by TLA this past summer to lead our water sampling and campsite DEADLINE FOR NEXT ISSUE: monitoring efforts, as well as provide all the other summer TLA services. Peter Healy, TLA’s January 31, 2013 Executive Secretary, deserves our thanks for organizing our students and making this such a *The opinions expressed by the authors productive summer. Finally, hearty thanks to our former President, Andrew Healy. His leader- or advertisers in this edition are not necessarily ship, love of the lake, and vision for what can happen played an important role in the TLA those of the Temagami Times or the Temagami Lakes accomplishments of 2012 Association. As contributing authors write articles for the Times on a voluntary basis the TLA cannot take responsibility for errors or omissions which may Chip Kittredge, President accidentally appear in Times articles. Island 1158 THE TLA BOARD OF DIRECTORS President: Chip Kittredge 1st Vice President: Ted Tichinoff 2nd Vice President: Gerry Kluwak Treasurer: David McFarlane Directors: Pete Calverley The TEMAGAMI TIMES welcomes signed letters or emails on any subject. Will Goodman Andrew Healy The editor reserves the right to edit for length, clarity and relevance. Letters containing libelous remarks, personal attacks Tim Richardson Justin Metz or inaccurate information will not be published nor will open letters or copies of letters sent to public officials or governments. The opinions expressed are the letter writers’ own and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Temagami Lakes Association. The term of office for a Director is 3 years. Elections are held every year in the summer. As contributing authors write articles for the Times on a voluntary basis the TLA cannot take responsibility for errors or omissions which may accidentally appear in Times articles. SKYLINE RESERVE TENETS FOR TEMAGAMI ones are to be installed to prevent new The mainland surrounding Lake Tema- public access roads to Lake Temagami gami and Cross Lake is to be zoned as and Cross Lake. a landscape ecology zone to preserve the New ski-doo trails accessing Lake Tema- beauty, restore the integrity and preserve gami/Cross Lake are to be no wider than the wilderness aspect of the Temagami ten feet and for winter ski-doo use only. Forest. This ecology zone would consist Proposals for these access points to Lake of 2 reserves which would be protected Temagami and Cross Lake are to be re- from natural disturbance e.g. fire and viewed and sites inspected by the new insect infestation, but would have separate governing body prior to construction. management goals and prescriptions. 2. Ecological Buffer Reserve: This ami and Cross Lake is supported by our MAINLAND DEVELOPMENT would surround the skyline reserve to pro- three groups. We define the existing public There should be no mainland develop- The two reserves would be the following: tect the natural forest and wildlife habitat road access points to consist of the village ment on Lake Temagami and Cross Lake 1. Skyline: The Lake Temagami and ecosystems of the Temagami region. It waterfront, Finlayson Park, Strathcona with the exception of those potential lots Cross Lake reserves must protect any part would have a broader range of controlled Landing and the Lake Temagami Access immediately adjacent to the Township of of Lake Temagami or Cross Lake with no activities but no new public roads would Road landings.