Bylaw update pertaining to snow removal & parking
This winter season we are starting to see an increase in roadway obstruction concerns regarding improper driveway snow removal. In a number of different locations, property owners and/or their contractor have not been fully clearing the municipal plowed portion of the roads when they push driveway snow across from or to the side of their entry. In turn, this becomes a safety concern to both municipal plow/sanding crews; as well as for the public road traffic. Property owners as well as plowing contractors should keep in mind that fines up to $2,000 per incident are applicable and that both may be charged if a contractor is doing the clearing. Your compliance is encouraged.
This season’s temperatures have finally stabilized to allow for safer ice fishing in most locations. This in turn has increased illegal parking on our roadways, particularly on McKellar’s Lakeshore Dr. The road crews have made it a point to keep open free parking just up from the public beach, but it appears some prefer to risk a ticket and/or being towed and impounded, rather than walk a short distance. Parking anywhere on municipal roadways through to April 15 is illegal and will be enforced.
McKellar Sunshine Seniors
McKellar Sunshine Seniors euchre winners on Thursday, Feb. 21 were: first, Joyce Hopkins and tied for second, Cliff Cribbie, John Hake and Marg Huibers. There was also a three-way tie for most lone hands: Judy Muir, Bruce James and Jean Miller. The carpet bowling winners were Vivian Smith and Margaret Hutchinson.
McKellar Sunshine Seniors euchre winners on Thursday, Feb. 28 were: first, Norma Johnson, second and Bill Brillon; third was a three way tie between Shirley Keating, Ralph Wye and Jean Cribbie. Marg Huibers won for most lone hands. Carpet bowling winners were Vivian Smith, Chris Huibers and Dennis Hutchinson.
A regular euchre tournament will be held on Thursday, March 7. Check-in time is 10 a.m. and the games begin at 10:30 a.m.. The cost is $10 which includes lunch served about noon. There are big money prizes, lucky draws, Share The Wealth and a silent auction. Everyone is welcome.
St. James Outreach Committee
The outreach committee of St. James United Church is having a karaoke and coffee house fundraiser on Saturday, March 9 with a St. Patty’s theme and one on Saturday, March 23 with an Easter theme. Both are held at St. James United Church between 7 and 10 p.m. The cost is $5 per person and should you choose to donate baked goods or articles for the live auction or have questions, contact Eva Hamlyn–Kellar at 746-5210 or Micheel at 705-774-9251. Monies raised will be used in support of St. James Centennial Church and McKellar United Church.
Deception
He was deceived and the plan that had been in place was synchronized to perfection. It wasn’t a nasty deception that his wife, family and friends had pulled off, but a deception secretive to surprising him on his 70th birthday. Knowing his intent was to go to church that morning, the visiting family members created the illusion they would be returning home while John and his wife Rose drove to the Sound to attend services. No sooner than the flying snow from the family car settled the pre-orchestrated preparation began knowing that their timelines would be tight.
John Peters, long time resident of McKellar and a local elementary school teacher who delighted many young children posing as the ‘real deal’ Santa Claus (the glasses, beard and hair were genuine), returned home to find cars about the driveway that he did not recognize and was totally surprised by family and friends invited to his birthday celebration. John, may you have many more.
Generosity story for Adopt-a-Home Project
“Up until the day before we had less than 10 people signed up so it looked like the only thing newsworthy was going to be lack of participation. Not a story we would want to use to promote the Habitat cause.
“However, we had a flurry of sign ups at the last minute and ended up with about 20 riders. A few riders brought in much more in donations than the $100 minimum, so we ended up making $3,200 for Habitat for Humanity and the Parry Sound Adopt-a-Home Project. We were very happy with the results.
“We had a great 150 km ride up to a place I think they call Old Baldy, (no, not named after myself) which is near another great lookout point they call Pikes Peak. I think they are both up just north of McKellar but I am not sure. I was just following the group which was led by Jamie Blake out of Memories of Muskoka (Seguin Township). This was the same route he took us on last year.
“In my mind the most notable part of the day was that the winner of the $400 cash door prize immediately donated the cash back to Habitat for Humanity. The generous winner works locally in the area and to the best of my knowledge is not independently wealthy - just a great kind of person. A similar thing happened last year when the winner of the Maple Leaf hockey tickets donated them back to Habitat and we were able to raffle them off for an additional $1,500 that went to Habitat.
“Again, the real story is the generosity of people in this area.” shared Peter Hubert.”
Sun and sand
Despite a few errors, the final score was 6-4 for the team. Local Parry Sound residents Marge and Ken Horton has Ken playing the team’s rover position, one of 17 teams in men’s three-pitch, and Marge, his major fan participating in choirs and often singing solos. The fans had a seat location in the sun or in the shade. In the shade one would be sand blasted by the wind driving sand off the infield. Though the atmosphere is very friendly, one might pick up snippets of tension that often surface with the competitiveness associated with establishing the teams vying for position moving shortly into the playoffs. Of the many things offered by the community of approximately 4,500 in Bonita Springs, south west Florida, what had the Horton’s settle here as snowbirds was the love of playing baseball and of course the warmth, the sun and the friendly nature of the many other Bonito Springs residents.
The good news
At a molecular level, phosphorus plays a crucial role in bonding the plant’s DNA. ATP (adenosine triphosphate) is an integral protein molecule that helps the plant in creating energy within the mitochondria of cells through photosynthesis. Thus, an abundance of phosphorus allows a plant to better synthesize and produce more energy. High phosphorus fertilizer can establish a healthy root system enabling plants to better adjust to soil conditions and resist diseases.
Phosphate also enhances the growth of plankton and aquatic plants both providers of food for larger organisms, including: zooplankton, fish, humans, and other mammals. Increased phosphate levels are initially beneficial in that this may result in increased fish population and overall biological diversity of the system. But with phosphate loading in the lakes or surface water ecosystems this buildup accelerates the aging process of lake or surface water ecosystem. Eutrophication (the process by which a body of water becomes rich in dissolved nutrients from fertilizers or sewage, thereby encouraging the growth and decomposition of oxygen-depleting plant life and resulting in harm to other organisms) reduces the stability of the ecosystem. The natural cycles become overwhelmed by this excess loading. The system then reacts by producing more phytoplankton/vegetation than can be consumed by ecosystem. This overproduction can lead to a variety of problems ranging from anoxic (absence of oxygen) waters (through decomposition) to toxic algal blooms and a decrease in diversity, food supply and habitat destruction.
Golf courses impact the environment through alterations to habitat. With the Manitou at the Ridge Golf Course in McKellar, all materials on site were used to build sub grade for the course stated general manager and course superintendent Drew Racher, who was present from the golf course’s conception. Racher, who obtained Bachelor of Agricultural Science (Major in Horticultural Science and Minor in Business) from the University of Guelph, is concerned about phosphate loading and is able to walk the fine line demanded by the Ridge’s clientele for quality turf grass and environmental impact concerns of clientele and neighbours living on and near the lake. Racher applies golf course fertility programs that promote optimal turf grass health while safeguarding environmental quality while capturing efficient use of budget dollars. Of approximately 150 acres of the 300 that comprise the Ridge, 24,000 cubic metres of rock were blasted to create some of the holes and fairways, the remaining rubble used to fill in low areas within the course. The remainder was left natural and as was. Using local imported sand (approximately 230,000 cubic metres); an average depth of one half meter was used to contour the course. Many natural buffers (about 150 acres) remained interspersed throughout the course. Racher uses strategies to reduce nutrient leaching and runoff which are considered best management practices and include the use of buffer strips of unmaintained and/or higher cut vegetation adjacent to waterways, soil amendments that reduce leaching potential, avoidance of overloading the turf system with nutrients, working closely with climate and weather data, appropriate irrigation practices, soil testing, accurate application methods and proper product selection. And he’s got the test results to prove the results.
Comparing results from test sites where water enters the course with test site where water leaves the course not only indicate phosphate levels the same as and in many cases lesser than those results from entry, but also for pesticides and herbicides, demonstrates this concern.
Easter season at McKellar United Church
Here are the dates for services and events during the 2013 Easter season: Palm Sunday service will be offered at both churches, at usual service times; Maundy Thursday will be on March 28 at 7 p.m. at the McKellar United Church; Good Friday, on March 29, will start by meeting at the Dunchurch Community Centre at 10:30 a.m., and a walk to the Dunchurch Knox Church for service at 11 a.m.; Easter Sunday is on March 31 and services will be offered at both churches.
On April 14 the Orillia Silver Band will visit both churches: 9:30 a.m. at McKellar United Church and 11 a.m. at the Dunchurch Knox Church.
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