Survey request for Kashwakamak Lake community

Kashwakamak Lake Association | Sep 29, 2011

Submitted by Kashwakamak Lake Association

Volunteers have been hard at work in cottage country. In July, the Kashwakamak Lake Association (KLA) held its annual general meeting in Northbrook, where the newly formed Kashwakamak Lake Sustainability Planning Committee presented a proposal to create a sustainability plan for the lake.

The goal of the committee is to bring together common interests of the community to develop a sustainability plan. This plan should support the history of enjoying the lake while preserving the natural environment for the future generations to enjoy. “Sustainability is about ensuring future generations have access to the same opportunities and quality of life that we do,” explained Scott Bennett, the presenter and one of the ten volunteer members of the Lake Sustainability Committee.

Other lake communities have done this in Ontario, including Crow Lake and Bob’s Lake. The KLA board approved setting up this committee in 2010 when it became clear that there was a will for this to happen.

While many of these plans have been in response to significant issues, the plan for Kashwakamak is proactive with the aim of understanding what the concerns are and what the community values. “The outcome of the plan is unclear, but that is intentional,” Scott said. “We need to hear from the lake community before we know what we need to focus on.”

Several concerns were raised during the meeting. One was that this plan would add regulations for the lake but as Scott clarified, “This is not about adding rules and regulations to the lake; rather it’s about determining what the community wants for the future, and working towards that.”

The proposal to begin the planning process was approved at the KLA meeting, with the understanding that the plan will need to be approved by the KLA membership once it is completed. As part of the process, the committee is now asking all residents, cottagers, visitors, and businesses on Kashwakamak Lake to take a few minutes to complete the two-page survey and give their input.

“More than one person in a family can respond to the survey,” Scott explained. “In fact, we want to get a generational view of how the lake is used and what different age groups value. It’s also important for us to hear from visitors to the lake, so we’re asking local businesses with cabins and campers to encourage their guests to fill out the survey as well,” Scott added.

The survey is available online at www.kashwakamak.ca/index.php/sustainability.

For questions, please contact the Kashwakamak Lake Association by contacting Judy McIntyre at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or 613-233-3564.