Improved access to Desert Lake could be in the cards, just not this year

Craig Bakay | May 23, 2018

Providing an improved boat launch access to Desert Lake is definitely on the radar, but it won’t be done this year, said South Frontenac Public Works Manager Mark Segsworth.

Referring to a public information session held May 14 at The Waterway Inn, Segsworth said they presented a bridge design “to make navigation possible from Holleford Lake to Desert Lake” but the feedback they received from the 20 or so people in attendance made a lot of sense.

“There were lots of suggestions,” Segsworth said. “It was good, lots of interest.

“(The boat launch) is well used and the only public access to Desert Lake and it’s something we have to look at.”

Coun. John McDougall, who was also at the meeting, agreed.

“I was somewhat surprised (at the amount of interest) but I shouldn’t have been,” McDougall said. “The causeway is so important as is a place for people to put boats in.

“The comments came up that we should do something similar as to what was done at the Sydenham docks.”

Segsworth said right now, his plan is to summarize what was said at the meeting and bring that to the Public Services Committee in June.

But docking improvements will take some time.

“We have 75 lakes in South Frontenac,” he said. “And we don’t have enough in the budget this year to address everyone’s requirements.

“But this could be a good multi-year project.”