Morning mist over Marsh's Falls Photo by Brian Simpson
What's Happening
New website launched
Marsh's Falls update
Annual General Meeting
Thank you to our donors
Lake of Bays short-term rental survey
Links to check out
New website launched
Our old website served us well but hasn’t kept pace with all that the Foundation strives to be. For several months we‘ve been working with Client First Web Design & Graphics, our Huntsville-based web designer, on a fresh new look and up-to-date content on a platform that gives us much new capability. We launched on Oct 15. There is a lot for you to explore - our history and accomplishments, information on our protected properties, community histories, our projects, what’s happening at Marsh’s Falls, our volunteer photo gallery and much more. Start with a scroll down the (long) home page.
Despite the pandemic we have had a very productive summer at Marsh’s Falls. Volunteers have been busy on many projects that continue the re-naturalization of the site and enhance our educational and recreational facilities. A network of walking trails has been created to highlight the original First Nations portage route, butterfly gardens, oxbow views, lush wetlands, scenic river views and the sounds and sight of the rushing water over Marsh’s Falls.
Like many organizations, the Foundation held a covid-style AGM using Zoom on August 19. Normally at each AGM we feature the history of a community in the Lake of Bays area (in video and print), present heritage plaques to owners of heritage buildings, and often times host a walking tour of the community. Unfortunately none of this was possible this year. Research is underway on the Wahawin community on Glenmount Road, which we hope to present at our 2021 AGM.
We are grateful to the many donors who make the Foundation's work possible. Our priorities for the next year are to retire the debt on the third lower Oxtongue property, build up our Stewardship Fund to provide sufficient annual income to maintain our protected properties, replenish reserves for future land opportunities, continue to defend the natural heritage values of Langmaid's Island and offer more educational materials and events.
Thank you to recent major donors Gabriela Klein and Gerald Panneton, Sally and Alan Bryant, and Jennifer Wiser. Thank you and welcome tonew Life Members Bill and Carole Mackie, Megann Roberts, and the West Acheson Group.
Legacy Circle member Chris Karn was a life-long seasonal resident of Tree Tops on Glenmount Road. The Foundation has received a bequest from her estate which, when matched by her family and friends, provides $12,000 towards educational materials for our Education Centre. Research is underway on how best to utilize these funds but Covid had delayed implementation. Significant work on enhancing our outside educational resources at Marsh’s Falls happened this summer.
The Township is seeking community input on the most appropriate regulations for short-term rentals in Lake of Bays. The survey takes a few minutes to complete and is available until November 9, 2020.