The Five Dumbest Ways to Sink Your Boat
Lac Bataille Beach and Private Roads in the Old Domaine
Neighbourhood Watch -- Neighbours Watching out for Neighbours
Our quality of life at the lake....
Working to maintain it for you!
It is with pleasure that I write these few words in my name as well as those of the Executive Committee. I would like to take this opportuny to thank Mrs. France Joncas for the many years of work she has contributed while a member and as President of our Association for two terms.
A task force was created in order to establish roles and responsibilities of each member to truly reflect the coordinating role of the president and assistance of its committee members. This has proven very successful . (Summary included in Newsletter.)
Our mission is to pursue, as effectively as possible, the steps taken to develop our solidarity and to conserve the beauty and quality of our environment.
I wish to thank all members of PSLL and executive members for their participation and work without which the association could not exist. I also hope that members will continue to pay their very reasonable membership fees of $35 and entice others to do the same. Please join us for a BBQ at the AGM on Sunday, July 22, 2001, 10:00 am at Lac Bataille Beach and greet your neighbours old and new. Rain date, July 29th.
Members
of the Executive Committee
2000-20001
|
President |
Chevreuil Lake Representatives Jane Askin |
| Secretary Dawn Lucas (Acting) |
Corrigan Lake Representative Vacant |
| Treasurer David Hodgkin |
Louise Lake Representative Vacant |
| Barnes Lake Representative Paul Strigner |
Maskinongé Lake Representative Vacant |
|
Bataille Lake Representatives |
Rhéaume Lake Representatives Dawn Lucas Laurent Roy Simon Veilleux |
We began by establishing a list of tasks to be carried out for the effective functionning of the Association. Each member of the executive is now responsible for the accomplishment and follow-up of these tasks. In addition, each member has to write a description of the task in order to facilitate the mandate of future executive members. The persons responsible for these tasks will, from time to time, request help from other members of the Association. In this model of governance, the president's chair is truly a coordinating role.
Here are a few examples obtained from these tasks :
The Executive Committee of PSLL have been hard at work creating a website for your enjoyment. Please log on to http://psll.ca/. We are looking for any photographs that members may have of the domain. If you have a photograph you think would enhance the website, please contact the webmaster at info@psll.ca. Please note that photographs will not be returned.
Lakes Rhéaume and Bataille were stocked with 1,950 12-14"
rainbow trout on November 11, 2000. If you are interested in watching the lakes
being stocked this Fall, please contact your lake representative in October
and we will call you when the date and time have been confirmed.
Please be advised that black bears have been sighted in the area. Do not
approach them, especially the cubs, as mother is never far behind and highly
dangerous. In addition, make sure that your garbage is secure and not an
attraction for them.
A reminder that effective September 15, 1999, everyone born after April 1, 1983 is required to have proof of operatory coompetency. As of September 15, 2009, all operators must have this card.
The operator card is good-for-life. Boaters can obtain their card after
receving a mark of at least 75% on a Canadian Coast Guard accredited exam,
offered over the Internet -- check out BoaterExam.com. Professional mariners will see their
qualifications recognised.
The Online Board Proficiency Exam is a multiple choice exam consisting of 36 questions from which a score of 75% or more (27/36) must be achieved to receive your Pleasure Craft Operator Card (PCOC). The exam will consist of questions selected from four main functions of a boat operator:
The following is an example of how the questions will look and function on
the exam:
| 1. | What is the biggest fish you have every caught? | |
| A) | less than 5kg | |
| B) | between 5kg and 10kg | |
| C) | between 10kg and 20kg | |
| D) | over 20kg | |
The price of the exam is $45.00 CDN with online training or $25.00 CDN
without, which includes the shipping and handling of Pleasure Craft
Operator Card, and all applicable taxes.
To quote a Floridian columnist, Fred Grimm, "Jet Skis are
simply awful to anyone who doesn't happen to own one. They're great fun to
ride. But obnoxious and intrusive to those forced to listen. Or dodge them.
Jet Skis account for 10% of Florida's watercraft, but 36% of its boating
accidents. In California, they represent 55% of the boat crashes. It's also
that sound, that incessant, awful, giant oscillating buzz, like the death
rattle of a giant insect, that offends the rest of us." (sic)
Not to mention the fact that these water scooters spew out 25% of the oil and gas mixture right into our precious lake water.
If you do not own a personal watercraft (Seadoo), don't invite people who do
own one. If you do own one, remember that most of us come to our tranquil,
lake-side home or cottage to listen to the loons and lapping waves, not some
incessant buzzing.
A reminder to all boat owners to familiarize themselves
with the speed limits and no wake zones on the lakes. There is a difference
between obeying the speed limit and producing wakes. Some relatively low
speedscan produce significant wakes due to the motor position. Powerful wakes
are not only destructive to the shoreline but also damage other cottage
owners' docks. Also, should other cottages request that you cut your wake,
please be cooperative. Any abuse can and should be reported to the MRC des
Collines (1-888-459-9911) who will deal with the offender.
The Five Dumbest Ways to Sink Your
Boat
|
1 |
PULLING THE PLUG Ever launch your boat without first replacing the drain plug? If you're
lucky, you'll notice the bilge pump working overtime and the slow
settling of the boat before any major damage is done. If you're
unlucky, you'll get on plane fairly quickly and head offshore with
the drain plug on the dashboard of the truck! |
|
2 |
KILLING YOUR BATTERIES The second most common way to sink a boat is simple neglect - leaving
it unattended at the dock. Frequent rainstorms or even minor leaks
cause the bilge pump to drain the batteries. When the juice gets
used up, the pump shuts down and water collects in the bilge. When
enough freeboard is reduced and a drain goes below the water
level, your boat is toast. |
|
3 |
GETTING HOSED This is one item most boat owners don't think about but they should.
Especially on inboards, a broken or burst hose can spell disaster.
Even something as simple as a livewell hose can sink your boat. In
some cases, the hose clamp fails and the force of the water flow
dislodges the hose. If the hose happens to be an exhaust cooling
hose and bursts while underway, there's a big problem. The engine
pumps gallons and gallons of water into the bilge at maximum
efficiency. |
|
4 |
SWAMP THING Many boating accidents occur due to capsizing or swamping. There are
always dangers from breaking inlet waves and quickly developing
storms but many people underestimate the size of boat wakes. A
wave can dump gallons of water into your boat in less time than it
takes to light a cigar. |
|
5 |
COLLISION COURSE Unfortunately, a piling or other flotsam often floats just at the
surface where it's difficult to see. Always maintain a speed
appropriate with conditions and keep a proper
lookout. |
National Survey on Loon Mortality
Assessing the health of wildlife species near the top of the food chain has been shown to be a useful monitor of environmental quality. Loons are proving to be useful species in this regard -- close to 100 loons have been necropsied in the Ontario and Atlantic regions over the past five years. In birds in good body condition, causes of mortality included trauma, possibly from impact with motorboats, and drowning in gill nets. Birds in poor body condition had a variety of disease problems, often two to three in the same individual including chronic lead poisoning from ingestion of lead sinkers and high level of mercury in tissues.
A national survey of loon mortality has been implemented to better understand the causes of mortality in loons and to assess the relative importance of lead poisoning associated with ingestion of lead sinkers. This survey depends on the willingness of the public to report and submit dead loons to appropriate diagnostic laboratories for examination. For information on how and where to submit specimens contact the Canadian Cooperative Wildlife Health Centre (CCWHC) at 1-800-567-2033 or refer to the regional contacts below.
Quebec Region
Daniel Martineau at (450) 773-8521 ext. 8307
André Dallaire at (450) 8521 ext. 8346
Centre canadien coopératif de la santé de la faune
Faculty of Vetrinary Medecine
Saint-Hyacinthe, QuébecOntario Region
Doug Campbell at (519) 823-8800 ext. 4556 (or the main office at ext. 4662)
Canadian Cooperative Wildlife Centre
Ontario Veterinary College
Guelph, Ontario
Other Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratories may accept loon submissions and the regional centres of CCWHC listed above can put you in contact with the appropriate laboratories
Visit the CCWHC's web page at: wildlife.usask.ca
(no www required).
Last Fall two loons were found dead on Lac Rhéaume. One
disappeared before being picked up for analysis and the other was frozen until
the appropriate authorities were able to pick it up. The report is back.
The loon was shot to death with a .22 calibre bullet. It is quite
probable that the other loon suffered the same fate. If you know anything
about this killing or are aware of people who think it's a sport to shoot at
loons, please advise the Association or the police immediately. This is
very serious!
Recycling: What's the Point?
Gil
Boyce
Recently I had an interesting experience when dropping off
my recycling at one of those familiar green metal containers in Perkins. When
I returned to the car, my friend told me he couldn't believe that a one person
household could accumulate so much junk in a two week period! Would he decide
to follow my lead and join the movement? No way.
My friend belongs to a pretty large group. According to the latest figures available from Val-des-Monts municipal offices, 80% of our households avoid the green box like the plague. Only 15% of our waste gets recycled.
Why? Because, non-believers say recycling makes little difference. It's just a way for us to pretend we're doing something for the environment while avoiding the more drastic changes that must be made. Or, they say, it's just too time-consuming and inconvenient.
Well, how much difference does it make? The 4 cubic feet of materials I drop off every two weeks amount to 104 cubic feet in a year. That's about the size of a decent garden shed. The average household would produce a lot more. And there are in Val-des-Monts 2,840 homes and 2,246 cottages (1996 figures). That's a lot of landfill!
Inconvenient? I keep a blue box, which I bought at very reasonable cost at a building supply store, by the back door. A large bag or cardboard box would do as well. I throw in cardboard, cereal boxes (flattened), paper, bottles (rinsed), cans and tins (rinsed, unless they're of the sugarless diet drink variety) and plastic containers and bags. I put newspapers in a separate bag. Time required -- seconds per day.
I drop off the contents of my blue box at one of the easily accessable metal containers on my way to town. You can't drive anywhere without passing some. Before heading back to the lake, I place my shopping items in the blue box to keep them from rolling around in the trunk. Time required -- a few more seconds per trip.
For those for whom money talks (and that's probably most of us), there are several financial bonuses to recycling in Val-des-Monts. First, recycling saves money. A glance at your latest tax bill will show you how expensive garbage service is. About 1% of the Municipality's annual budget goes to help pay for decontamination of previously used landfill sites. Recycling will reduce these costs in future.
Secondly, the recycling program in Val-des-Monts helps reduce youth unemployment. CFER (Centre de formation en enterprise et recuperation Outaouais), the non-profit organization in Hull which processes our recylables, also has the mandate to train young people, age 16 to 21, in acquiring job skills. Think how this cuts welfare costs and produces new tax payers!
To me, recycling makes a lot of sense. As for my friend, I remain
optimistic.
The Ottawa Citizen and National Post are
available to residents of PSLL by calling the Ottawa Citizen at (613)
596-1950. With a single telephone call you can switch your current
subscription with the Ottawa Citizen or the National Post back
and forth between your permanent residence and your cottage. Your newspaper
will be placed in a yellow Citizen box, marked with your name, next to
the mailboxes at the Beach. Call (613) 596-1950 for other subscription
options.
Municipal News
Margaret Carey
New School in Sector St. Pierre de Wakefield
A new school is expected to be built on Chemin du Parc, Parc Thibault starting June/August 2001 with a tentative opening date of December 2001/March 2001. This is welcome news for the parents and students of the sector.
Public Works -- Ward 3, Perkins
Here is a list of proposed upgrading, ditching and widening of roads in Sector 3:
The proposed four year plan for paving is as follows:
Water Testing
The Municipality of Val-des-Monts is not responsible for water testing. This is the responsability of each property owner.
You can pick up "sterile sampling bottles" from the following establishment:
MicroB Laboratoire d'analyses microbiologiques
184 Freeman Road
Hull, Québec
J8Z 2B5
Tel: (819) 778-0020
Fax: (819)778-0659
The laboratory is open from Monday to Friday, 8:00 am to 4:00 pm. No samples are accepted on Fridays.
For more information as to cost or samples please contact Mr. Felix Skora at the laboratory.
CLSC (Centre Local de Service Communautaire)
Community Health Centres
|
Perkins |
CLSC-CHSLD des Collines
|
| Cantley |
CLSC-CHSLD des Collines
|
| Politimore |
CLSC de la Vallée de la Lièvre |
Contact Information for the MRC
Police
MRC des Collines Police
7 Edelweiss Road
La Pêche, Québec
J0X 3G0
| 9-1-1 |
EMERGENCY (Fire, Police and Ambulance) |
| 1-819-459-9911 |
Non urgent calls, but where a police car is needed |
| 1-888-459-9911 |
Toll free number for non urgent calls, but where a police car is
needed |
| 1-819-459-2422 |
Information |
| 1-877-459-2422 |
Toll free number for information |
| 1-800-463-5060 |
Anti-Poison Centre |
| 1-819-459-2626 |
Fax number for Administration |
| 1-819-459-1444 |
Fax number for Operations |
Lac Bataille Beach and the Private Roads in the Old
Domaine
The Association is now the legal owner of Lac Bataille
Beach. This will now eliminate the possibility of selling the beach to either
private or commercial concerns, as was the intent.
In addition, PSLL is also the owner of all private roads in the Old
Domaine. For this reason, the Association must now carry a liability
insurance for the beach and roads. The insurance will cost $600.00, plus an
additional $500.00 for property taxes, for a total of $1,100.00 per annum.
Each owner will remain responsible for the maintenance and upkeep of their own
private road . All members of the Association are covered by this
insurance policy.
Neighbourhood Watch
Neighbours watching out for
Neighbours
We are not officially members of a neighbourhood watch
program but this does not prevent us from becoming a good, caring neighbour.
It is easy to keep an eye open in our area. If you see someone who looks
shifty, cars which go back and forth, suspiciously parked cars, write down
their license numbers and call MRC des Collines Police at 1-888-459-9911.
What is neighbourhood watch if not neighbours watching out for each other's
properties during times when burglaries are likely to occur. A good neighbour
is worth their weight in gold.
We should also remember the
program "Operation
Identification". The Municipality of Val-des-Monts will lend you an
electric engraver so that you may inscribe your valuables.
© Association Perkins-sur-le-lac