|
McRae
Beach Association Inc. *Knowing your community members means fun, security and safety. Protect yourself, your children, your friends and other family members and visitors - join your beach association! 1. Executive Members for 2005-2006: *President Mary Ellen Jamieson 7 Ashwood * Please note that we now have a new President. Welcome and thank you Mary Ellen!
Sunday June 19 Executive Meeting 11 AM 1st park
Bingo - Sunday, July 3 7:00 p.m. to Dusk in 1st Park Beach Garage Sale - Saturday, June 25 (Rain date, Sunday, June26th) - 8:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. - The sale will be advertised locally as "McRae Beach Street Sale". Simply set up your items on your lawn/driveway and have fun! * A second garage sale may be arranged if there is enough interest by Beach Members. Please speak to the Executive if you are interested. Corn Roast - Date TBA - Check bulletin boards near the end of August when corn is ready. Field Day - Sunday, July 31 11:00 a.m. in 1st Park **Agendas, minutes, notices and newsletters will be strategically
placed in the two parks, on the new bulletin board at 17 McRae South,
and on the mailboxes by the "store". Look for them there.
As most of you are aware the above proposals could have a significant impact for our area. As a result, the Executive has been doing their best to keep up to date on what is happening. We are fortunate that a beach member has offered legal services to contact various ministries to request information, under the Freedom of Information Act. Some requests for information require a $5 fee which the Beach Association will be paying for. Any information received will be posted on the bulletin boards and our new website (see #6 below). If any member becomes aware of any relevant information, please bring it to the attention of the Executive. It is important that we keep up with what is happening with these proposals and that our voices are heard.
Our Beach Association has been in contact with the Duclos Point Association regarding the possibility of joining the Rescue Lake Simcoe Coalition. An article in The Advocate detailed the issues facing the lake and emphasized the fact that the lake is at the point of no return in terms of water quality. At the September 2004 Beach Association Meeting all members present agreed that our Beach Association should join this coalition. The first year's membership is free and then the $100 membership fee will be paid for by the Beach Association.
McRae Beach Association Inc. announces its new website which should be up and running by the time you read this newsletter. The site is designed for those who are new to the Beach, for seasoned beach mates and for those who live permanently at the Beach. The url is http://www.mcraebeachassociation.com , just find it once and then bookmark it so you can easily refer to it often. The site contains a copy of the latest newsletter, minutes of past meetings, announcements of future events and a list of the executive. The Around Town page will tell you what goods and services you can find in the surrounding towns and The Lake will give you in-depth information about the simple things you can do around the house or cottage to try to preserve Lake Simcoe. The Info page includes a lost and found, police alerts for the area, general safety tips, and personal Beach classified ads (contact the Webmaster). The site also has a Community Resources page that includes information on garbage pick-up, emergency numbers, and other useful community information. We hope you will make use of this site to keep in touch with what is going on at the Beach, especially when you are away, and that you will send the Webmaster any relevant information you find or ideas about what the site should contain. Happy surfing!
At our last general meeting (September 2004) it was decided that our fees for the year 2004 should remain at $25/household. Our Treasurer, Pat Roughley and her team will be collecting the fees beginning this weekend. Make your cheque payable to McRae Beach Association and ensure that your beach address is included. A membership card will be provided once your fees have been received. Your card entitles you and your family to participate in all activities arranged by your Beach Association and to vote at general meetings (1 vote/household). Currently a significant percentage of the fees collected go to our annual field day and to maintaining our parks for all to enjoy. The privilege of an open space for a game of baseball/volleyball, a place to launch watercraft, 150+ feet of unobstructed shoreline to view our fabulous sunsets, the aesthetics of well-maintained green space during an evening walk, a place to chat with friends and neighbours throughout the day is all ours for a mere $25/household per year. As well, money from the fees collected will be used to continue to access records and information pertaining to the proposed bridge to Georgina Island and the possible casino. Please pay your fees before July 11th. After that time a list of paid members will be posted.
JJ Enterprises has been awarded the contract to look after our grass cutting needs throughout the next three seasons. He will cut and trim both parks each Friday (weather permitting) and also look after the garbage in the cans on site. According to our agreement his schedule will be as follows: May, June, July & August - 4 times each and September & October - 3 times each. As many of you are aware, the parks we enjoy belong to the estate of Thomas McRae. Wanting to keep the deeded right of access to such parks in the hands of those who live or cottage on the original McRae farm, we, as an Association, have agreed to look after the upkeep on such lands.
We need one to two hours of your time in the park closest to your dwelling on Sunday, June 19th at 1:30 p.m. Please bring a rake, a shovel, a paper leaf bag, your muscles and a sense of humour. Together we can make a difference for all to enjoy. Note: long grass indicates debris to be removed.
We are looking for donations, particularly those of interest to our adult and teen members, to round out our prize roster. If you work for, own and/or patronize a company that would like to donate an item(s) to our Beach Association, please bring the donation to 64 Blue Heron at your earliest convenience. Perhaps you yourself would like to make a personal donation. Please attach a "donated by" card to your item(s). All donations will be formally acknowledged. Thank you!
A bulletin board will be soon be placed on James Jones' property so that residents of McRae Beach South can have quick and easy access to all Beach Association information. James has agreed to build the bulletin board and the Beach Association will pay for the materials. Thank you James!
Did you know that even summer cottagers can have The Advocate delivered to them. Just call The Advocate at 905-476-7753 and request weekly delivery between May and October. It's a great way to keep up on local news.
This is a new section that will now be included in each newsletter. If you have anything you'd like included in the future, please speak to a member of the Executive. a) Dumping of Aquatic Weeds - We have had requests from beach members to ask residents to stop dumping their aquatic weeds in the ditches/field across the street. When left there in large piles the weeds rot and smell. Please dispose of weeds properly as outlined in #15 below or use them on your lawn as fertilizer. b) New McRae Beach Sign - We have had a request from beach members to explore the possibility of getting a new McRae Beach sign as the current one is getting old and faded. George, Ward and Norm have agreed to look into this. c) Water Markers - We have had requests by beach members to ask all waterfront properties to consider placing a marker in the water at the 100 ft mark from shore. This marker would help to indicate the legally designated swimming area and encourage watercraft to maintain a proper distance from shore. The markers would also help to indicate the location of water systems. d) Additional Stop Sign for End of Duclos Point Road - Over the past couple of years there have been several requests by beach members to see if an additional stop sign could be added at this intersection due to the fact that many people feel it is unsafe. We have found that this intersection is in the official town records as a 3-way stop, but since the third stop sign would have to be placed in the middle of Mrs. Lovell's driveway, it has not been put in. The Executive has agreed to explore alternative ideas to help make this intersection safer and Nick McRae has agreed to cut back the bushes on the corner property to help with visibility.
Regular yard waste must be placed in either the brown paper bags available at most local hardware stores, or in a reusable garbage can that is clearly marked "Yard Waste". Residents may place lakeshore waste in CLEAR, UNTAGGED bags for free curbside collection on Mondays, our regular garbage day.
A list of volunteers who have agreed to assist the Executive Committee with various activities will be posted on all the bulletin boards. Thank you to everyone who has volunteered. It's never too late to have your name added!
We extend a hearty welcome to all who have made McRae Beach their permanent or summer address since last season. As a reminder to those of us who have been around for some time, the FYI to our new arrivals: ? Georgina Township requires dogs to be leashed or otherwise
restrained at all times
TRUE or FALSE? Soapy water flows onto the road, into the storm sewers,
then into our waters. Careful water use TRUE or FALSE? TRUE OR FALSE? Lawns love 4-1-2 fertilizer -and that's what grass clippings provide -free of charge! A mulching attachment to your mower will chop up clippings so they start releasing nutrients almost right away! Premixed one-size-fits-all fertilizers contain phosphorus that runs right through the ground into our waters. TRUE or FALSE? No one likes dying weeds in our waters, so cutting them seems a good idea. But cutting the weeds, especially in August, causes weed seeds to spread. It is possible to fix the situation permanently and the Conservation Authority knows how. Missing is political commitment. TRUE or FALSE Fertilizing in Spring encourages top growth of grass at the expense of the roots. Fall fertilizing provides nutrients that roots use over Winter. Compost, clippings or phosphorus-free organic fertilizers are best. Chemical fertilizers contain phosphorus that washes through the soil into our waters over stimulating algae and weed growth. TRUE or FALSE … Clippings are 90% water and decompose in a few days. Over fertilizing, over watering and soil compaction are the usual causes of an unhealthy lawn. Mulching mowers can chop clippings. Never EVER put grass clippings on the road as runoff water sweeps them directly into the lake. Oops…more nutrients for the weeds and algae. TRUE OR FALSE … Grass left at 3˝ inches or so develops a strong
root system helping to withstand weeds and drought. Always mow with a
sharp blade, and leave off cutting until the grass is 4˝ inches.
Having a lawn that doesn't need phosphorus-laden chemical fertilizers
that can run off into our waters to stimulate weeds is a win for you and
the lake. Most lawns are coping with abuse, and need some topping up. WAVE volunteers will come and test your lawn with you to see how much phosphorus, nitrogen and potassium you have and what needs to be done to get your lawn healthy without chemical fertilizers. Runoff of phosphorus-laden fertilizers makes our lake sick. TRUE or FALSE … Good soil, key to a healthy yard, needs decomposing plant life, air to help roots grow, water to spread nutrients and soil creatures to mix it all up. To have a great garden without chemical fertilizers containing phosphorus that is damaging our waters, leave grass longer, let clippings lie, aerate and overseed. TRUE or FALSE Returning your yard to a stable, natural environment may
be one of the greatest contributions you can THE WAVE is the first action project of the Rescue Lake Simcoe Coalition citizens group. With the Lake Simcoe Region Conservation Authority, endorsed by the Town of Gerogina For more information you can look at www.thewaveprogram.com
Just a reminder that we must all obey fire regulations,
particularly the following taken from the back of Georgina's No person shall set or maintain: a) any fire involving prohibited materials 19. Please Accompany Your Guests The McRae Beach Association asks that all residents accompany their guests while they are using community parks. In order to maintain the privacy of our beaches, it is important to be able to identify the casual passersby who choose McRae Beach as a nice place to picnic, go for a swim or launch their boat. When you accompany your guests, we all have the opportunity to enjoy our uncrowded beaches and beautiful sunsets.
If you have any comments, suggestions of questions about the information in the newsletter please feel free to contact any member of the Executive listed above. McRae Beach Newsletter Summer 2005 |
|
|