Fellow LJNA members and 

Lake Joseph neighbours, 

We are putting out this newsletter to reach you in time for Family Day weekend. It’s a great time to be up at 'Joe'. The lake is frozen, there’s lots of snow to play in and several fun outdoor activities are planned locally. Our editor, Karen McCullough has included some highlights below.

We were very saddened to learn of the sudden passing of David Conn, former mayor of Seguin. Long time members will remember his many presentations at our AGM. Cecil, LJNA past president who knew him well, has written a short tribute below. The LJNA sends heartfelt condolences to David’s wife Joan, his family and many friends.

It's never too soon to start dreaming of summer. The board has begun to plan our calendar and we would love to hear your ideas. And if you have an idea for a story to cover or an article to submit, you can reach Karen at Editor@ljna.org.

We hope you enjoy this update.  Have a great Family Day Weekend!

Warm regards,

Nancy Cohen, President

LJNA Update

Blasting and Excessive Site Alteration

This month LJNA Directors James, Buchanan, Frances Carmichael and Nancy Cohen met with Seguin’s new Director of Planning, Taylor Elgie, to introduce ourselves and to follow up on our December letter on Site Alteration. We were joined by the Mayor Ann MacDiarmid, our Ward 4 Councillor Terry Fellner and CAO Jason Inwood.

It was a very productive discussion focussed on bringing in timely and reasonable controls to limit the impact of site alterations on the lake environment and neighborhoods. We were also pleased to learn that Seguin is continuing to make improvements to bylaw enforcement.

Summer Calendar Planning

Do you have an interest or hobby that you would like to share with others on Lake Joe? 

So far the LJNA will bring members together this summer for: the AGM (of course), the summer print newsletter dock drop, our annual water testing, the new benthic testing program, and a celebration to launch our fireboat. 

But we are also interested in organizing new activities such as a nature walks, hikes, rides, cruise or paddles. We always welcome your ideas!

Contact Nancy at info@ljna.org for more information and if you would like to help.

Upcoming Municipal Elections - Help Get The Vote Out

Another important item on this year’s calendar is the municipal elections (Oct 24, 2022). Decisions at the municipal level have an important impact on our local environment, taxes and services. Traditionally the LJNA is very involved in getting the vote out. Stay tuned for an opportunity to hear from candidates this summer. 

Are you a political junkie, or budding journalist and want to get more involved?

You can help our members learn about the issues and help ensure their voices are heard.

Contact Nancy at info@ljna.org

Stay Informed

LJNA Past President Cecil Hayhoe Reflects on

Passing of Former Seguin Mayor David Conn

David Conn

Mayor of Seguin

2003-2014

LJNA members will remember former three-term Seguin mayor David Conn, who passed away January 25, 2022 at the West Parry Sound Health Centre. 

Dave was elected Mayor of Seguin in 2003 at a critical time when the Official Plan needed to be redone following the recent consolidation of five Townships into Seguin. He oversaw a very thorough process with wide consultation with all the residents of Seguin, and put in place the “Environment First” approach which has been a guiding  principle ever since.

Dave was also instrumental in putting our Township on a solid financial footing while promoting growth and economic priorities for all residents of Seguin.

I believe LJNA members and Seguin will continue to benefit from Dave’s leadership and initiatives for many years to come.

Seguin Update from Councillor Terry Fellner

Another year has come and gone and we are already one month in to 2022. Hopefully everyone has had a good winter so far. January was extremely cold this year, so it’s nice to see the sun getting stronger and the days longer.

Good news: construction has commenced on the new airport expansion. Once this is completed the new expanded facility will a far safer one with the ability to accept larger planes. Many thanks to Neil Pirie, General Manager, the staff and the Airport Commission board members for their hard work to make this dream become  a reality.

Work continues on the new pool and wellness centre. We have begun the process to select a Project Management firm to oversee and manage the construction of the facility. Once we have this firm on board work can continue to develop final plans for the facility, tender out the various components required and commence work. We hope to break ground later in 2022.

Recently Park to Park (P2P) was awarded a $102,000 grant from Fed Nor for signage and marketing for the Seguin Trail, emphasizing the historical background of the trail. P2P made significant advances last year in the reconstruction of the trail and this work will start up again in early spring moving in an eastward direction.

As stated previously I am committed to bring in tighter controls on the development of lakeshore lots particularly in Ward 4 and 6. Developing a new policy is continuing during the winter months, and I hope to have a policy document for council to review and approve before the end of winter.

At the end of last year Seguin submitted a request for a Ministerial Zoning Order on approximately 700 acres adjacent to the Town of Parry Sound. The main goal is to allow for the development of attainable residential units. The lack of attainable housing in our township and region is at a crisis level. We believe this can be a mutually beneficial solution to the crisis. Discussion is on-going with surrounding communities, and we hope to have a favorable decision from the Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing in the next few months.

The best days of the winter are here, the ice is in, we have a decent amount of snow and the trails are open. I hope you all have a chance to get out and enjoy your passion during the rest of the winter.

Dock Bubblers

Running a bubbler in the winter to keep ice from forming around your dock is important for the protection of your dock and boathouse, but safety and liability must be taken into consideration. Read the one-pager from the Federation of Ontario Cottage Associations (FOCA) on good bubbling practice. 

In the Community

Congratulations to North Lake Joe Olympians!

We learned that three women from North Lake Joe represented Canada and the USA in the Beijing Olympics this month. Congratulations Ali, Jennifer and Tricia! We are proud of you! Are there are any other 2022 Olympians out there we don't know about? 

Ali Nullmeyer

Team Canada

Sport: Alpine Skiing

Event: Women's Slalom

Jennifer Hawkrigg

Team Canada

Sport: Snowboard

Event: Women's Parallel Giant Slalom

Patricia Mangan

Team USA

Sport: Alpine Skiing

Event: Women's Downhill

New(ish) Business in Humphrey

Sandy Plains Variety

39 Sandy Plains Road

Humphrey

Open 8 am - 8 pm

Meenu and Kusum Puri bring a wealth of experience in running community stores to the newly acquired Sandy Plains Variety in Humphrey. They’ve been residents of Seguin for the past six years, so I asked them what they like about it. They find people to be welcoming, warm, and happy around here which in their opinion, is very important for any community to thrive and grow. 

The Puris purchased the business in December 2021. Sandy Plains now carries more daily food items such as soups, fruit juices, frozen food and snack foods. They also stock pet food, some hardware, kitchenware, first aid and camping goods. And Sandy Plains continues to be an LCBO outlet. As the business builds they hope to increase the offerings. In fact they welcome your input as to what you would like them to stock. 

They are open from 8 am to 8 pm now, but will extend those hours in the high season.

New Skating Loop in Seguin

This year Seguin made an outdoor skating loop on the baseball diamond directly across from the arena. During daylight hours you can skate any day, as long as you wear a mask. Friday evenings the township hosts Frozen and Fiery Skate Nights. 

Register online at https://forms.seguin.ca/Frozen-and-Fiery-Skate-Nights-in-Seguin to reserve a spot, as numbers are limited. This popular event is booked up for the first part of February, but spots are still available starting Friday, February 18. Tip: bring a camp chair to change your skates or sit by the fire.

Note: Humphrey Arena is now open for rentals and public skating with Covid protocols in place.

Dog Sled Run Up and Running This Weekend!

The Seguin Sled Dog Mail Run, cancelled last year due to Covid, will take place again on Saturday, February 19. Six teams of dogs bearing “sledvelopes" with specially prepared letters will set out from the Humphrey Arena at 10 a.m. They will travel through the bush to to be met by the postmaster in Rosseau, arriving between 11:30 and noon. The community is invited to cheer them on in both Humphrey and Rosseau.

Want to view a past issue of the LJNA E-News?

We’ve loaded several years of them on the website.

Click here to access them.

The Lake Joseph North Association (LJNA) represents the interests of shoreline residents on the Seguin section of Lake Joseph, including Portage Lake.  

Volunteers bring fresh ideas and perspectives to our work. Interested? 

Contact us at info@ljna.org.