Feature Article June 19, 2002
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Our Greatest ChallengeDuring the past 20 years, cottagers around local lakes have organized to address local issues. They have initiated programs to preserve the lake environment and the quality of life. There have been efforts to improve water quality, preserve shorelines, protect property, improve fishing and help wildlife. As time has passed, many associations have begun working with local municipalities, providing input to official plans and the associated by-laws. Associations have also recognized that many challenges are common throughout the region, and affect entire watersheds. Thus, they are starting to work with the Conservation Agencies and other organizations.
Now, however, both municipalities and lake associations face a challenge that will eclipse all others: the future development of our lake region. It is estimated that the population of Ottawa will double during the next 20 years. Much of that growth will be on the western and southern side of the city. Many of our lakes are less than an hour from those areas. Kingston will continue to grow in a similar fashion. Our region is approximately three hours from both Toronto and Montreal. At the present time, lakefront property in this area is relatively inexpensiveespecially compared to prices in the Muskoka region.
In October 1999, the Wall Street Journal, ran a special feature on affordable and desirable places for second homes. They highlighted five locations within the US and a similar number throughout the world - in Mexico, Belize, Thailand, Greece and Canada. The Canadian location was the area north of Kingston, and the paper showcased a cottage in South Frontenac Township. Their reasons for recommending our area included affordable properties, the favourable exchange rate, good roads, proximity to the northeastern US, and our unspoiled region.
As lifestyles change and many individuals approach retirement age, people are looking to establish permanent homes on lakes. In the age of computers and modern communications, many individuals are choosing to work from home. These people are upgrading cottages built 30 to 50 years ago and converting seasonal dwellings to year-round homes. As new residents settle in our area, they will demand services that have not been provided in the past. They will become influential voices in local municipal affairs. Property values will increase, and taxes will rise as well.
All this will place unprecedented pressures on our region. Lake associations and municipalities together will have to deal with these challenges. In some regions of Ontario, cottage associations have begun developing lake plans to supplement township official plans. This is a new concept. In approaching planning, they have attempted to consider social, physical and economic factors to determine the development capacity on specific lakes. Already the Lake of Bays Township has embraced this concept. In our region, the Charleston Lake Association has just received a Trillium grant to prepare a lake plan.
During the coming decades, the nature of our region will change dramatically. Working together, our lake associations and municipalities must ensure that development is controlled and sustainable. It must not destroy the unspoiled nature that makes our region truly special. This will be our greatest challenge.
