"Environmental stewardship for our community and our park"

2004 Spring Newsletter Waskeslu Cabin Owners Association

Waskesiu Community Council Activity

This has been a winter of very significant activity by your community council. Relations with the park, in many peoples opinion, are at an all time high with a very professional working relationship being one of the top achievements. Council has posted its activities on the new community website www.waskesiu.org for your information. Please check this out and congratulate your elected representatives for the great work they are doing as volunteers on your our behalf.

Townsite Update

You will have all received your spring newsletter from the PANP providing you with the camping season and other information.

WCOA endorses the approach that PANP has taken given that the system suffered some significant damage last fall with an early cold snap. The water will be available throughout the term of the camping season however PANP will shut the system down as required to avoid any damage from freezing. This may mean that water may not be available to the Cabin area for the full term of the camping season.

A number of events have been organized for this season.

1. A FireSmart weekend on June 18-19 to include a workshop on fire hazards and a clean up day to remove fire fuel from the yards. A community barbeque will follow.

2. Arbor Day will be on Sunday, September 5. The 2004 goal is to transplant 150 trees of a variety of species, double the 2003 effort. A community barbeque will follow.

3. The budworm control spray program will continue.

4. Caragana control and eradication will continue.

5. The issue of removal of hazardous trees will be discussed further with the hope of developing a program that will reduce costs for all involved.

6. Friends of the Park will be selling native species plants and seeds in the bookstore this summer. As well, an information corner on native species is being developed.

Council met with Staff Sergeant Bill Royea, the new RCMP detachment head. He comes to Waskesiu with a wealth of experience in northern communities. Council discussed issues of law enforcement, including late night rowdiness with Staff Sergeant Royea. Council requested that more late night patrol be considered. Staff Sergeant Royea asked if a noise bylaw was in effect in Waskesiu. It may be something Council will consider in the future. Every effort will be made to ensure that Waskesiu is a safe and pleasant place to visit. Council looks forward to working with Bill on law enforcement issues.

Superintendent Blair reported that Parks Canada had an agreement with the Department of Fisheries and Oceans to allow for increased height in the Waskesiu River dam once water flow reached .25 cubic metres per second. A good spring runoff is expected given the snowfall this winter.

The process to call for tenders for the construction of a new boat launch inside the Marina breakwater has begun. Construction is to occur this spring. Also, plans are progressing for the construction of a riffle dam on the Waskesiu River next fall.

License of Occupation

The WCOA Directors struck a working group to begin discussions with Parks Canada regarding licence of occupation. While there has been little discussion at this level Community Council has engaged the Superintendent in discussion of a larger more encompassing governance model for the Waskesiu Community.

Council discussed generally the long-term governance of the Waskesiu town site with Superintendent Blair. The primary issue relates to the financing of much needed capital projects such as streets and roads in the community. These discussions will be ongoing for many months.

Spruce Budworm

After considering options, Parks Canada and the Waskesiu Community Council have finalized the 2004 spray program to control the spruce budworm infestation.
The 2004 program is virtually identical to the 2003 program.
Foray 48B, a BtK pesticide, will again be used. After reviewing other possibilities, it was concluded that Foray 48B will be as cost efficient and effective as the alternative product, Foray 76B. As well, the environmental assessment for the project was based on using Foray 48B.
BATAIR, based in North Battleford, will be the applicator again. Two applications will again be made. Spraying times will be determined on weather and larvae development considerations only.
BioForest Technologies, Inc. will again provide the program monitoring services on the same basis as 2003. This will include defining appropriate spray times and monitoring spray deposit and effectiveness, after the fact.
Projected costs are virtually identical to the 2003 costs.
Total donations to date for the spraying program are $74,442, including a $15,000 donation from the Lobstick Golf Course. The total 2003 costs for spraying and monitoring were $49,379, of which $32,919 is to be financed by the donations. Financing is in place for the 2004 program but more donations are required to complete the third year of the program. HAVE YOU MADE YOUR DONATION? Some 330 of your neighbours have!
The communications program that was effective in notifying Waskesiu residents and visitors about the spray program in 2003 will be in place again. Signage will be used.
Our 2004 target is to reduce spruce defoliation to 40 per cent of new growth, which is similar to the provincial program target. In 2003, defoliation was reduced to 60% in the spray zone, compared with 90% in the non-spray zones. We anticipate having the campaign completed by June 30, 2004.

New Website for Waskesiu Community
www.waskesiu.org

Bryan Robertson and his family have devoted countless hours to this website development. The Council website is now live. Council approved an expenditure of up to $1500 to advertise the website by providing an information sheet at the gate. Waskesiu-based businesses will be contacted to advertise on the website. Initial response to the website has been excellent.
The Cabin Owners Association provided some of the initial funding required to get this site operational and now has an electronic means to distribute this newsletter and lots of other important information.
Check out the great work that Bryan Robertson and his family have contributed to our community - you will be very impressed.

Grey Owl Howl

The WCOA directors are actively recruiting a cabin owner or cabin owner family to coordinate this year's Grey Owl Howl. Please advise one of the directors of your interest in organizing this event.

Annual General Meeting

We took forward to hearing from you at the Annual General Meeting 10:00 a.m. Sunday July 4, 2004 at the Assembly Hall.

Membership in the Waskesiu Cabin Owners Association

We would ask you to renew your membership in the Cabin Owners Association this spring. Recent events have demonstrated the need for a strong vital organization that will look after your interests as a Cabin Owner.
Please send your membership fees along with the attached membership renewal form to:
Brian Booth Treasurer 44 Clark Crescent Saskatoon Sask S7H 3L9

Manley McLachlan, President

Name _________________________________________

Lake Address ___________________________________

Home Address __________________________________

Email address ___________________________________

Membership fees are $10.00 per year

If you missed paying last year's fees we will still accept your payment. If you want to pay in multiple years and save us all some postage please do so.

Please send your membership fees along with the attached membership renewal form to:
Brian Booth 44 Clark Crescent Saskatoon Sask S7H 3L9

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