The ice is late this year so Robert has just started the first round of winter inspections, and the recent snow is insulating the ice, making travel tricky. There is still no/bad ice in the outer bays, so the complete inspection report will be a while yet. Heavy winds caused a lot of trees to come down, and hydro has been out extensively through Dec-Jan. So far he hasn’t seen any major damage to cottages. This may be a year when we only get one full round of inspections, depending on how fast spring comes!
Mary Catherine Copp
MARY CATHERINE COPP
1954-2023
With broken hearts, we announce the passing of our beloved Catherine on January 16, 2023 with her husband, David McBride and her sister, Leslie (Chris van Dop), by her side. Predeceased by her parents David and Mary Copp, she is also survived by brother Andy (Irene) of North Carolina. Dear to her heart were her niece and nephews, Emily and Peter van Dop and Jon (Lauren) and Alex Copp (Krista).
Catherine was fearless in addressing her cancer recurrence in mid 2022, a true Warrior Princess, and appreciated the care given by Dr. Molckovsky and others at the Grand River Regional Cancer Centre.
Graduating with an M.A. from U. of T. in Library Sciences and a B.A. from Trent, Catherine worked for many years as a career consultant for KPMG and then Knightsbridge, retiring in 2015 as the Regional Manager for Southwestern Ontario.
Catherine and David married in 2009 after many years of courtship. It truly was “happily ever after”. They shared a diverse and eclectic group of friends who have been incredibly loyal and supportive during this difficult time. They travelled to interesting and exotic parts of the world and took regular trips to Catherine’s “favourite place”, the family cottage on Georgian Bay. Catherine hosted David’s annual 40th birthday canoe party for decades, keeping a wonderful tradition alive.
Catherine had a love of music, the arts and literature. She spent many years as Chair of the board of directors of the Kitchener-Waterloo Symphony and provided critical leadership during the transition to a new CEO. Catherine and David established an endowment fund to recognize Catherine’s long-time passion for the Symphony (see below).
Catherine's family will receive relatives and friends from 4 to 7 p.m. on Wednesday, February 8th, 2023 at the Henry Walser Funeral Home, 507 Frederick Street, Kitchener, 519-749-8467. Memorial service will be held at 1 p.m. on Thursday, February 9, 2023 at St. John the Evangelist Church, 39 Henderson Street, Elora. Reception to follow at the Elora Mill.
As expressions of sympathy, donations to the Copp/McBride Family and Friends Endowment Fund would be appreciated by the family (cards available at the funeral home).
Visit www.henrywalser.com for Catherine's memorial.
Caretakers Site Report
Please click here for the Caretakers Site Report Fall 2022
Large Item pick-up Monday September 12 from 10:00am - 2:00pm
Further details for the large item pick-up.
1) We have arranged with the Municipality and a community volunteer to allow for items to be dropped off on the Main Dock between 11-1 on Sunday the 11th. Please note the following rules
a. You MUST put your things in a neat and organized manner on the tarp on the dock.
b. Acceptable Items:
· Appliances (stoves, dishwashers, washers, driers, fridges, freezers, air conditioners)
· Furniture (couches, chairs, tables, shelves, portable cabinets, portable bookshelves, beds and dressers)
· Metal Items (barbeques, hot water heaters, bicycles, etc. – max length – 3 m (10’))
· Mattresses
· Outdoor items (chairs, picnic tables, umbrellas, lawnmowers (oil and fuel removed)
c. You CANNOT leave any of the following:
· Household bagged garbage
· Blue Box Recycling
· Motorized vehicles
· Boats of any types
· Propane camping cylinders/tanks
· Household hazardous waste
· Dock cribbing/dock foam
· Construction/renovation waste (insulations, drywall, plywood, doors, windows, plumbing and electrical items).
· Stumps, rocks, sod, landscape materials, wood
· Boat shrink wrap
· Sheds, dog houses
· Old tools and small electrical appliances (microwaves, toasters, portable heaters, etc.).
· Electronics (TVs, computers, printers, satellite receivers).
d. Please be kind and courteous to the volunteers who will be ensuring the items dropped off on Sunday meet the requirements by reviewing the above list BEFORE dropping off your items.
e. We ask that you DO NOT drop off your items outside of the designated time limits. This is to ensure the items meet the municipalities requirements, as any unallowable items will simply not be taken and will be a burden the Club has to deal with.
2) On the Monday we have arranged for a volunteer to be present during the drop-off window and to help Whites' barging load items from the dock onto the barge. If you are dropping off items on Monday, please ensure you follow ALL the same regulations above. Please be calm and courteous to the volunteer, so in future we will have volunteers!
3) We are aware that some items that we need are not included as a part of this large item pick-up. This is something that we need to consider paying for separately as a Club to manage the garage issue.
Thank you for you cooperation and understanding in making sure this large item pick-up goes smoothly.
Main Dock 2022 Meeting Minutes
The Main dock meeting minutes can now be viewed here, http://www.gohomebay.org/2022-summer-meeting
Large Item Pick up
We have arranged for large item barging to take place at the following locations and dates.
Cognashene – Arthur Island on Thursday, September 1st between 10am and 2pm
Go Home Bay – Madawaska Resort on Monday, September 12th between 10am and 2pm
Present Island on Thursday, September 15th between 10am and 2pm
We will require a Community Leader to ensure that the process goes ahead smoothly. We need to make these events a success.
We will also provide the services of an MLEO to assist with any issues that may arise.
Acceptable Items:
Appliances (stoves, dishwashers, washers, driers, fridges, freezers, air conditioners)
Furniture (couches, chairs, tables, shelves, portable cabinets, portable book shelves, beds and dressers)
Metal Items (barbeques, hot water heaters, bicycles, etc. – max length – 3 m (10’))
Mattresses
Outdoor items (chairs, picnic tables, umbrellas, lawnmowers (oil and fuel removed)
Unacceptable Items:
Household bagged garbage
Blue Box Recycling
Motorized vehicles
Boats of any type
Propane camping cylinders/tanks
Household Hazardous Waste
Dock cribbing/dock foam
Construction/renovation waste (insulation, drywall, plywood, doors, windows, plumbing and electrical items)
Stumps, rocks, sod, landscape materials, wood
Boat shrink wrap
Sheds, dog houses
Old tools and small electrical appliances (microwaves, toasters, portable heaters, etc.)
Electronics (TV’s, computers, printers, satellite receivers)
Next week we will be posting these events on our website, social media and on Voyent Alert. Please share with your associations and any questions feel free to contact me.
Please note: The only other point not raised in that message is that if the day for you community does not work for certain members of your community, then they should feel free to attend any of the other large item events.
Please take note that it is incumbent on each community to recruit volunteer community leaders to provide additional oversight during these events.
Launch of Georgian Bay as UNESCO Geopark
Virtual Event- Launch of the making of Georgian Bay as a UNESCO Geopark Thursday August 11, 4 pm. Featuring Nick Eyles Geologist University of Toronto, Link to be provided on facebook and Insta Thursday.
Find out what a Geopark is and why Georgian Bay should be recognized as a UNESCO Geopark and what it brings to the local communities.
Nick Eyles Professor of Geology, University of Toronto says:
Georgian Bay is a special place, a unique North American ecosystem that reflects its diverse geology and landscapes. Today it is threatened by piecemeal development as the urban frontier slowly moves northward. Establishment of a prestigious UNESCO Geopark in Georgian Bay, the largest and most diverse in Canada and with it the associated promotion of fundamental environmental research into its diverse ecosystems, supported by public education, will ensure over the coming decades that the Bay becomes a robust ‘territory of resilience’ capable of not just withstanding development pressure but actively shaping future urban growth. Henceforth, because of the UNESCO Geopark designation, all development in Georgian Bay will need to demonstrate environmental best practice and promote and showcase nature-based planning solutions that enhance and do not erode, the environmental integrity and sustainability of the Bay’s landscapes, its many ecosystems, and its peoples.”
Community Brainstorming Session
Community Brainstorming session - The Main Dock: Past, Present, and Future.
The Go Home Bay "Hub" Committee would like to invite everyone to participate in our first community "Hub" brainstorming session.
When: 11:00 am to 1:00pm Saturday, August 20th at the Main Dock This is an all-age, all-inclusive brainstorming session where as a community, we will start to put ideas to paper to help us build consensus on what a community hub could be.
The theme of this session is - The Main Dock: Past, Present, and Future.
If you have an opinion on what the Main Dock, could be, should be, or would be, then please come join us. We want to hear your thoughts on things like coffee, yoga, the washrooms, the Post Office, the diving board, summer jobs, sailing, camp, etc.
We also want to hear new ideas, for the Main Dock. Maybe ideas like a shop, a place to play bridge, maybe it's table tennis or pickleball, or maybe it's a quiet spot and reliable wifi for that last-minute meeting. Brainstorm with us on what the Main Dock could be.
All you need to do is show up and share your ideas - paper, pencils, etc. will be provided. Be prepared to learn, sketch, and play with the idea of what the Main Dock as a community hub could be.
To be clear - this will be a brainstorming session - an information-gathering consensus building exercise to see what, as a community, we think about the Main Dock and what it could be. Maybe we want it to stay the same. Or maybe we want it to be something it once was. Or maybe there's a new future for the dock. It's up to us as a community
Update Re: Diving Board Dock
The board had decided to try the swim dock out behind pig island due to concerns about installation and damage to the dock while we figured out a long-term solution. (See note here). We heard and have accepted the will of the community that it does not work behind Pig Island and understand the desire to have it back at the main dock. The board has approved, at our meeting on Wednesday, to accept the proposal of a number of volunteers to move it, install it, and move it back behind Pig Island at the end of the season. The board has done research for long term solutions, details of which will be presented at the dock meeting.
Baxter Ward town hall, re: Solid Waste
Baxter Ward Town Hall Meeting Report – Doug Grundy
I attended the Solid Waste Town Hall held last evening by Hutchison Environmental at the Baxter Ward Community Centre. I hope that these comments will add to the detailed and helpful information that Donna Douglas provided following the Mactier Town Hall.
Since we go in and out of King Bay, I will speak to the two collection sites available to us, the first being the collection bins located along the road between King Bay Marina and the Community Centre and the second being the fenced in collection bins located along 12 Mile Bay Road. The bins at King Bay are unlicensed and within a couple of years will need to be removed in order to comply with provincial regulations. The bins along the 12 Mile Bay Road are a site that has a Certificate of Approval from the MOE, but when that Certificate expires, that site too will no longer qualify for approval. The regulations now in effect would require both of these sites to be significantly enhanced (i.e. underground liners installed, proper sand and gravel etc. – I do not know all of the technical requirements) at a cost which I suspect is prohibitively expensive. This is the same issue for most of the collection bin locations at marinas in Honey Harbour. It would appear that there is pressure from the MOE for municipalities to address unlicensed collection sites (bins) in order to ensure that if the auditor general reported on MOE compliance there would not be a slew of unlicensed sites.
The Township, and I am told the District, understand the role that the collection bins serve in collecting garbage, particularly from water access communities. Based on the presentation from Hutchison Environmental, the Township (and, again, probably the District) want to find a way to retain the current collection bin system because overall it is cost effective and it is not really creating any environmental issues. Hutchison Environmental has been engaged by the Township in order to assist the Township in its efforts to retain the current system despite the challenges posed by MOE regulations. The Town Hall meetings are an effort by Hutchison Environmental to gain a clear understanding of the wants and needs of our communities for solid waste removal.
Hutchison Environmental had a slide show presentation last evening. They presented some of it but the 35 residents present quickly started asking questions and making comments, with the result that the presentation was not fully completed and the focus was centred on the community discussion. I will be sending an email to one of the Hutchison Environmental representatives today requesting a copy of the presentation and I will make it available once received. Among other things, it will emphasize the volume of garbage moved through the collection bins. If my note is correct, I think that they indicated that 50% of Georgian Bay Township’s waste flows through the 11 bins located in Honey Harbour.
Based on what Hutchison Environmental has heard so far in its meetings, it has determined that there is a need with respect to the bins and garbage collection generally to improve accessibility, fairness and sustainability.
There was some discussion last evening about “authorized users” with respect to the bins. The bins are to be used only by residents of the Township who do not receive curbside pickup. There are road access cottages within the Township who receive curbside collection and they are not “authorized users”. Boaters (power and sail) who are not residents are also not “authorized users”. All cottagers at Go Home are, of course, “authorized users” as we do not receive curbside pickup. The Township has identified an issue that some residents who enjoy curbside pickup are using the bins, when they should not. Of course, for some of them, mid-week pickup is not useful when they are weekending.
For those that use the transfer station (some or all times) there was a complaint about the mandatory minimum fee for each visit, accessibility based on hours of operation and the cost of manning these sites. Concern was also raised about the attitude of staff who actively berate residents for the amount of garbage or sorting of items (there was a somewhat humorous story from one person who was told that is ball of plastic wrap could only be thrown out if place in a proper plastic bag!).
There are issues with the bins. Garbage overflow, the dropping of large items which should not be left at the bins but should be taken to a transfer station etc. In that regard, we all have a responsibility to make sure that we use the bins properly.
Hutchison is looking for input regarding our wants and needs. They intend to use that input to reinforce the role that the bins play in waste management and in order to come up with practical ways of making the sites compliant and safe. In a discussion that I had after the meeting with David Leader (the lead partner of Hutchison), he indicated that there may be a way, MOE willing, to grant an order that will except the collection sites from full compliance with the regulations. That would allow the current system to continue. Demonstrating the need is probably not difficult but coming up with solutions that ensure that these sites are properly used and environmentally safe (and thus deserving of the exception) may be the more difficult task. Good suggestions are welcome.
As for suggestions, I had two suggestions for David – one simple and one more complicated. The simple solution was to have a tool at the garbage bins that would allow someone to push deposited bags away from the door of the bin so that the bin can be properly filled (to address the current problem that bags fill up the front but leave the back empty – no one wants to push bags back with their hands). I gather that the MacTier meeting also suggested steps so that shorter people would have an easier time dropping in bags. My more complicated solution was explaining to David our old days system of when Leonard Roi would pick up garbage at docks. If something like that could be organized with appropriate approvals (noting that the suggestion earlier this year that a student in our community collect and take garbage to King Bay is illegal without appropriate permits!), perhaps that garbage could be picked up in Go Home and taken to the marina and deposited directly in a garbage truck, thereby reducing the flow through the bins. Of course, many present suggested that the bins be collected more frequently, particularly around long weekends.
In summary, I concluded that Hutchison understands the problem. They, and the Township, are on our side. The issue is the looming enforcement of the MOE regulations which, on a broad basis make sense, but create issues for our particular location. In my discussion with David, he agreed that it would be good for him to receive input from the Club on behalf of all of our residents and also support from residents. His email is David.leeder@environmentalsciences.ca.