Musselman's Lake Residents Association (MLRA) official website.
M.L.R.A. is dedicated to making sure that the Community of Musselman’s Lake continues to be a vibrant community where all can enjoy the lake and all the recreation associated with an enjoyable lake environment.
LIVE HEALTHY * WORK HARD * PLAY RIGHT
Fireworks In Ballantrae
Councillor Phil Bannon hosts 2nd Annual
Ballantrae Victoria Day Weekend Fireworks
This amazing fireworks show is being held almost in our backyard at the Ballantrae Community Park and is “FREE”. Don’t miss it on Sunday May 20th at dusk (around 9:30pm). Phil Bannon moved the event to Sunday so you can be sure that more people will attend this year than the incredible 1,000 that attended last year’s event. Most Excellent Productions will be supplying the music that will add the magic to the fireworks.
Food and Drink will be available for purchase.
MAY
2012
18
Think Water Safety
The official start of summer’s water activity season is the Victoria Day long weekend. Be Safe And Always Think Water Safety.
As part of the MLRA Lake Watch initiative, the MLRA added a “Water Safety Tips” section on the home page last year. Also as part of that same initiative we are going to be posting articles and information on water safety on the MLRA website to help educate residents and visitors to the Lake about water safety. Please make sure that you read the posting below thoroughly and pass the information along. Also please make sure that any visitors that you may have to the Lake are aware of WATER SAFETY. You may save a life!
MAY
2012
17
7th Annual Wine And Food Festival
Come out and enjoy an evening of sampling fine wine and culinary delights from local wineries & restaurants. Proceeds support Markham Stouffville Hospital.
MAY
2012
15
CUPPEL Project –
Phase One Complete
Many Hands Make Light Work. Couple hours reduced to thirty minutes!
By Dan Wigmore
It is true...many hands do make light work. The MLRA has been working on the development and implementation of The CUPPEL Project for two years and on Saturday April 28, 2012 the community came together to help implement stage one with great success. The MLRA had put out a call for assistance “Couple of Hours for CUPPEL” to help with planting 50 Aquatic Emergent Plant Species (50 potted plants) in a swale down the west side of Mr. Puhl’s property. This planting is to help slow down and purify the water run-off from Connor Drive and High Crest Road before it enters our lake. Since we had a good number of enthusiastic people show up to help, we were able to shorten the estimated time of two hours, down to thirty minutes. It is really incredible what can be accomplished with a group of dedicated volunteers. Not only do we have to thank the residents that came out to support the MLRA and The CUPPEL Project but we also have to thank the Lake Simcoe Region Conservation Authority (LSRCA).
The LSRCA has played a key role in The CUPPEL Project from the start. On this phase of the project we have been lucky enough to have working with us from the LSRCA, Lori McLean as project coordinator and Brook Piotrkwski as the project on site supervisor. Also supporting The CUPPEL Project from the early days has been both Councillor Phil Bannon and Mayor Emmerson. Mayor Emmerson working with Councillor Phil Bannon provided the much needed funding to get the project off the ground. Councillor Phil Bannon also arranged with the Town to have an essential truck load of mulch delivered to our Phase One site. The key MLRA personnel that you have to make sure you thank for ensuring The CUPPEL Project is alive and well are the MLRA President, Rick Wigmore and MLRA Vice President, Jane Grinnell. These two very busy individuals still managed to make time to meet with the LSRCA several times in person and respond to many phone calls and emails as well, to keep CUPPEL on track. Most of all we have to thank the property owner, Peter Puhl. Without his permission to implement this project on his private property…well…there would not have been a project.
Thanks Mr. Puhl for supporting the MLRA and the community, as always!
Please make sure to take a look at
The CUPPEL Project – Phase One slide show below.
MAY
2012
08
MLRA On WhiStle Radio
Shelf Life with host Catherine Sword talks about the Musselman’s Lake Residents Association.
Rick Wigmore and Charlene Jones from the MLRA were on WhiStle Radio’s Shelf Life with host Catherine Sword to talk about the MLRA and its many events and accomplishments. Catherine Sword not only has her radio show but is also a librarian at the Whitchurch Stouffville Public Library and a regular contributor to this website. This is part two of a two part video. Part one discussed the Winter Carnival and was posted earlier.
Please click on video below to see a video made using WhiStle Radio’s Shelf Life radio show with MLRA guests Rick and Charlene.
MAY
2012
08
Take A Minute To Tune Into WhiStle Radio. It Will Be Time Well Spent.
WhiStle Radio continues to be one way the MLRA reaches more people, to create positive, accurate communication…
By Charlene Jones
Whistle Radio Station Needs a Moment of Your Time.
We have the opportunity here to help lift Whistle Radio, 102.7 fm from its current capacity to serve most of Stouffville, to a level that will allow Whistle Radio to be heard in all parts of our community.
Whistle Radio is staffed by your friends and neighbors. Those voices who announce the music or create spoken word programs are people you see when you are in town. You may even decide to try your hand at learning to record, announce, create programming or volunteer in other ways. The station affords us all a chance to dream and play.
Whistle Radio continues to be one way the MLRA reaches more people, to create positive, accurate communication between those of us here at “The Lake” and those of our neighbors who live in town. Take a minute to follow the directions below. Take another minute to tune into Whistle Radio. It will be time well spent.
Whistle Radio Member:
THIS IS AN IMPORTANT ANNOUNCEMENT FOR EVERY WHISTLE RADIO MEMBER, SHOW HOST, VOLUNTEER AS WELL AS EVERYONE IN THE WHITHCURCH-STOUFFVILLE AREA REGARDING WHISTLE RADIO.
WHISTLE RADIO’S APPLICATION TO THE CRTC FOR AN INCREASE IN POWER AND A NEW LOCATION FOR THE TRANSMITTER HAS NOW BEEN LISTED ON THE CRTC WEBSITE FOR COMMENTS AND SUBMISSIONS FROM INTERESTED PARTIES. THE DEADLINE FOR THESE SUBMISSIONS IS MAY 14TH.
ANY LISTENER OR INTERESTED PARTY WHO WISHES TO COMMENT ON THIS APPLICATION MAY GO ONTO THE CRTC WEBSITE TO MAKE THEIR OPINIONS KNOWN. THE MORE SUBMISSIONS OF SUPPORT THAT THE CRTC RECEIVES VIA THIS FORMAT, THE GREATER THE CHANCES ARE THAT WE WILL BE GRANTED OUR REQUEST.
THE CRTC SITE ADDRESS IS WWW.CRTC.GC.CA. UNDER THE HEADING ‘PUBLIC PROCEEDINGS OPEN FOR COMMENT’ THEN UNDER THE HEADING ‘BROADCASTING PROCEEDINGS OPEN FOR COMMENT’ SCROLL DOWN UNTIL YOU COME TO PART 1 FILE NUMBER “2011-1475-1 WHISTLE COMMUNITY RADIO”. THE PROCESS IS QUITE STRAIGHTFORWARD AND SHOULD ONLY TAKE A FEW MINUTES OF YOUR TIME. IF YOU WANT TO RECEIVE SPECIFIC STEP-BY-STEP INSTRUCTIONS ON HOW TO SUBMIT YOUR COMMENTS, PLEASE REPLY TO THIS EMAIL AND I WILL FORWARD THE STEPS TO FOLLOW.
WE APPRECIATE THE ONGOING SUPPORT FROM THE ENTIRE COMMUNITY AND WELCOME AS MUCH ADDITIONAL SUPPORT VIA THIS PROCESS AS POSSIBLE. THIS APPLICATION IS VERY IMPORTANT FOR WHISTLE RADIO AND THE COMMUNITY.
WITH A FAVOURABLE DECISION FROM THE CRTC, WHISTLE RADIO WILL THEN BE ABLE TO REACH ALL RESIDENTS AND BUSINESSES WITHIN THE BOUNDARIES OF THE TOWN OF WHITCHURCH-STOUFFVILLE. THIS INCREASE WILL ALLOW OUR SIGNAL TO REACH ALL OF THE WHOLE TOWN BOTH FOR OUR 24/7 BROADCASTING AND TO BE THE EMERGENCY BROADCASTER IN THE EVENT OF A MAJOR CRISIS. CAN WE COUNT ON YOUR SUBMISSION SIGNIFYING YOUR SUPPORT?
IF YOU WOULD ALSO BE SO KIND, PLEASE FORWARD THIS NOTICE ON TO ANY OF YOUR FRIENDS, NEIGHBOURS, COLLEAGUES SO THAT THEY MAY ALSO SUBMIT THEIR COMMENTS.
THANK YOU!!! KEEP LISTENING TO WHISTLE RADIO FOR FURTHER UPDATES OR CHECK ON OUR WEBSITE WWW.WHISTLERADIO.CA.
Bob Donald, Vice-Chair 905-642-1882 Business Telephone donaldanddonald@sympatico.ca
MAY
2012
08
Earth Day…”Strangers Became Neighbours”.
This year Ma Nature was in one of her moods. Temperatures dropped and rain fell. In spite of this, Councillor Bannon signaled spring had arrived by sporting his best Bermuda shorts!
By Charlene Jones
Every spring our community contributes to a revolution disguised as a simple ritual. In place of guns and battle, we arm ourselves with plastic bags and plastic gloves. Think about it: in a world where neighbors fight with neighbors, where wars erupt and lives end over property lines, boundaries and ownership, we gather peacefully and commit ourselves to the joint task of cleaning up. Period. No sense of who owns which part of what is being cleaned. Everyone just pitches in.
The MLRA Executive put out the call and under the guidance of our intrepid leader Councillor Phil Bannon, once more people gave: time, energy, plastic garbage bags, coffee, hot dogs, music, and oh yes, bent backs and nimble steps to the task at hand.
This year Ma Nature was in one of her moods. Temperatures dropped and rain fell. In spite of this, Councillor Bannon signaled spring had arrived by sporting his best Bermuda shorts! The rest arrived covered in raincoats and splashed around in boots and gloves; oldsters with greying hair, youngsters brought along by mom and dad, even teens gathered at Cedar Beach. Even teens? Yes, the future appears more hopeful with the sight of those smiling faces in the marvelous slide show provided by Dan Wigmore.
Cedar Beach! Kyle, Janet and their family have owned and operated this venue for over eighty years. Again this spring they generously opened their land as a central hub for all the activity. Their paved parking lot became the holding site for industrial bins that took the garbage. Their tractors hauled the larger items, a couch and kitchen sink among others. Their grounds provided space for the several large speakers of the lively music and inspirational DJ magic of Mike Feld’s Most Excellent Productions! Mike’s friendly voice and upbeat tunes reminded everyone there’s fun in all this work.
Our cadre of community warriors hauled, picked, pulled, dragged and bagged plastic bottles, pop cans, wires, poles, highway pylons, pieces of cardboard, old tires, an assortment of cement bricks, even that kitchen sink! Yes, this year’s treasures from around the shore and under the waters provided an eyeful of interesting speculation: how does a highway pylon end up in the lake’s sandy bottom? Where does the sink come from? Which poles were meant for which docks? How much of the mess lands in the lake, scraped by winter winds and ice, from local docks?
What is not a mystery is how the junk from the lake’s bottom arrived at the shore for proper disposal. Protected by a wet suit, Tyler Clair slipped over the side of Kevin Wigmore’s small boat, entered the chilly waters and reclaimed the sunken treasures! Thank you Tyler and Kevin!
The people who participated on Saturday in the clean-up provided us with a cleaner, healthier lake, a prettier, more enviable shoreline. There was another change created in their actions: strangers became neighbors, respect for neighbors grew and our community roots strengthened through minds turned to one end.
Thanks to everyone for turning out and helping out.
APR
2012
30
Communities Unite
For The Environment
The MLRA Earth Day Spring Clean Event
Is Growing.
Even though it was just a wee bit chilly, a little overcast and a lot windy, this could not keep residents away from the MLRA Annual Earth
Day Community Spring Clean Event. This year our event also included our neighbours in the communities of Camelot and the Ballantrae
Golf & C.C. With Councillor Phil Bannon’s assistance Ward 2 will have even more communities join the team next year and pitch in.
Thank-you Councillor Phil Bannon for all your hard work to make this event a success. Not only do you coordinate everything with
the Town but you also participate in the event each year.
Thank you also goes out to…
Town of Whitchurch Stouffville for supplying bins, bags, gloves and tree saplings.
Tim Horton’s who supplied the coffee and donuts.
Most Excellent Productions once again came through with the entertainment and Mike Feld multitasked as cook.
AquaVantage Marine (Ian Feld) supplied the truck and trailer for transporting volunteers to and from clean ups sites.
Gibson Printing supplied the flyers.
Ravenshoe Group supplies our website and email services.
Cedar Beach – Kyle Jenkin and Janet Davies once again supplied not only the venue but the heavy equipment and labour to operate
it. Kyle and Janet also participate in the event and are not afraid of getting thier hands dirty.
Thank you to all the volunteers that showed up this year and in previous years. You have helped make your community a better place
to live through all your efforts.
Please take a look at the photo slide show to see the fun we had at our
2012 MLRA Earth Community Spring Clean Event!
APR
2012
30
CUPPEL Project Is Proceeding!
HELP WANTED THIS SATURDAY MORNING,
Residents with shovels and/or rakes to donate a couple of hours from 9am – 11am on Saturday April 28th 2012, to
start phase one of
The CUPPEL Project.
HELP WANTED this Saturday morning. Residents with shovels and/or rakes to donate a couple of hours from 9am – 11am to start phase one of the CUPPEL Project.
We will be meeting with a representative of the Lake Simcoe Region Conservation Authority (LSRCA) at Lake Resident, Mr. Peter Puhl ‘s property, 41 Connor Drive at 9 a.m. We will be planting 50 Aquatic Emergent Plant Species (50 potted plants) in a swale down the west side of Mr. Puhl’s property. The planting will help slow down and purify the water run-off from Connor Drive and High Crest Road before it enters our lake. The cost for this project with residents donating the labour is $689.92. The LSRCA will cover 83% of the cost of the plants through the York Natural Planting Partnership and the Lake Simcoe Conservation Foundation. This leaves a balance of only $129.67 to be picked up by the MLRA, out of the CUPPEL fund generously set up under the MLRA by Mayor Wayne Emmerson.
We are sorry for the late notice but we needed to work with the date available to have an LSRCA representative on site to supervise the planting. As previously mentioned this is phase one of 9 potential CUPPEL projects identified in a previous study. We would like to thank our VP Jane Grinnell who has been the main liaison with the LSRCA and is responsible for getting the project back on track. We would like to thank Councillor Bannon for acting as liaison with Mr. Puhl to get his permission to proceed with the project and for getting the Town to donate the mulch needed for the planting. We want to especially THANK Mr. Peter Puhl for kindly agreeing to proceed with the planting on his property. Without his cooperation this project would not be proceeding.
We look forward to seeing you Saturday at Mr. Puhl’s. The more residents who show up the quicker we will get it done. There will be volunteer sheets available to students who want to log this as part of their community hours.
APR
2012
23
Join The Fun…
Meet Your Neighbours
The MLRA Earth Day “Spring Clean” Event
Cedar Beach Park, Musselman’s Lake
Sat April 21st, 2012 from 9am to noon
Rain or Shine! (please plan to bring your raincoat)
Yes, it’s that time again. Time to come out and “Spring Clean the Community”. Join the fun...meet your neighbours. Most Excellent Productions will once again be supplying music and entertainment to energize and enlighten you. There will be coffee, donuts and a BBQ lunch provided to those who help “Spring Clean The Community”. Councillor Phil Bannon has also arranged to have some free tree saplings available for volunteers to take home to plant.
APR
2012
19
A Fish Die-Off Reported
Not nearly as dramatic as Die-Off in 2009
Councillor Phil Bannon has notified us that a resident of the Lake reported to the Town about a large number of dead fish have been seen on the Lake. Town Staff contacted and met with both LSRCA and MOE staff at the Lake and estimated over 200 hundred dead fish. Mainly sunfish, perch and small mouth bass were found. LSRCA staff are taking water and dead fish samples for further examination. They seem to think it may be a ' stratification' problem where specific depths in the lake are deficient in oxygen but are waiting for test results to confirm.
This die off appears to be only about 200 fish and not nearly as dramatic as 2009 when we had a die off of approximately 4,000 Crappies.
APR
2012
18
Mark It On Your Calendar!
Cedar Beach Is The Place To Be On Sat. April 21st, 2012
The MLRA Earth Day “Spring Clean” Event
is on Sat. April 21st, 2012 from 9am to noon
at Cedar Beach Park, Musselman’s Lake
Yes, it’s that time again. Time to come out and “Spring Clean the Community”. Join the fun...meet your neighbours. Most Excellent Productions will once again be supplying music and entertainment to energize and enlighten you. There will be coffee, donuts and a BBQ lunch provided to those who help “Spring Clean The Community”. To help get you motivated for this year’s BIG Earth Day Event please make sure you take a look at the music video and photos from a previous year’s very successful event that can be found below.
Click here to download the Earth Day 2012 Flyer
APR
2012
11
How To Cut Your Energy Bills
The chapter headings sound topical, this being April, the month that has become known for Earth Week.
By Catherine Sword
Co-ordinator of Public Services
Whitchurch-Stouffville Public Library
Part of a librarian’s job is basic housekeeping. Recently we withdrew an old book from way back. 1976. I know how funny that sounds, but no library can keep everything and not everything needs to be kept. This particular book was “how to cut your energy bills” and it made me stop. The chapter headings sound topical, this being April, the month that has become known for Earth Week.
We’ve all seen the Suzuki ads on tv – change the lights bulbs. Get rid of that old fridge in the basement. This old book could have been a Suzuki checklist – weather barriers, heating and cooling, and even complementary heating sources. Yet the information, not to mention the styles in the photos, is outdated. There are newer books to check out if this is of interest to you. To name a few:
However, there is one book that you may be surprised to see in our library.
So, You Want to Go Carbon Neutral?: it takes a village
This small book is an inspiration and challenge for small communities to work towards being carbon neutral. It tells how Eden Mills, the first North American Village to take up this challenge, has begun the process. They haven’t yet made the goal, but they’ve gone a long way towards the finish line. Check out their website at www.goingcarbonneutral.ca and be inspired.
For me, as I read the book (and it’s a quick read of only 46 pages), I couldn’t help but think of your community. Eden Mills is a small village within a larger municipality. They instigated a porchlight project which reminds me of the street lights being tested on a couple of streets at your lake. Their defined area included 165 households and 350 people. They live close enough to a university (Guelph) to take advantage of some students to measure their environmental footprint.
A lot of people their residents are making changes to their own homes, but also at their community centre. They involved the schools and the elementary students had a “garbage weigh-in” which seems such a simple thing and yet resulted in some interesting changes.
Almost makes you want to try some of this out.
APR
2012
10
Musselman’s Lake Is At the Cutting Edge Of LED Streetlights
Next Generation LED Streetlight testing continues at Musselman’s Lake with amazing results.
In a story we posted October 25, 2011 we talked about the three-phase streetlight test launched by Councillor Phil Bannon and the Musselman’s Lake Residents Association (MLRA). It was noted that we are in the third and final stage – the testing of leading edge streetlights using LED technology. We are now in the third and hopefully final stage of the LED Streetlight test on Byron Street.
To review what’s happening on Byron, we replaced the traditional inefficient 100watt streetlight that contains Mercury and Phosphorus with a new 90watt ProTerra LED fixture that contains no Mercury and no Phosphorous. Even though the new light was a lower wattage, the clarity of vision was far superior over the traditional light and we found the light was actually too bright. ProTerra recommended to the MLRA that we try their new 75watt light. This new 75watt light prototype design includes next generation LEDs and also provides a more directional light output courtesy of ProTerra’s patented lens technology. ProTerra using the Town’s installer, Fellmore Electrical Contractors installed their new prototype 75W LED streetlight a couple of weeks ago in front of #2 & #4 Byron Street and…the result was the 75 watt light was even a little brighter than the 90watt LED light installed earlier in front of #10 & #12 Byron.
Byron Street with the 75W ProTerra LED test light in
foreground and 100W traditional light behind.
Based on the results of the performance of the 90W version that was
installed back in October and now with the impressive results from the new 75W prototype, ProTerra has offered to proceed to test their 50W version of the streetlight to replace the traditional 100watt light for even greater savings in hydro and a further reduction in the Town’s carbon footprint. In addition to the amazing energy savings, the ProTerra LED lights contain no mercury or phosphorus (RoHS & LEED compliant), are long lasting with little or no maintenance producing further savings by reducing maintenance and disposal costs. Since LEDs produce only visible light and not non-visual light such as UV and Infrared as do the traditional lights, they provide great visual clarity so street signage is easier to read and road hazards can be recognized earlier.
We get a better, safer light while saving both money and the environment.
A further update will be posted once the 50W LED light has been installed for testing within the next couple of weeks.
Through extensive design and engineering ingenuity on the part of ProTerra, combined with the positive feedback from the MLRA and residents we are now approaching perfection in an environmentally friendly streetlight. It’s exciting that this small community of Musselman’s Lake has become the focus in developing cutting edge, environmentally safe streetlights.
MAR
2012
07
Winter Carnival
Face Paint Photos
Face Painting at the Stouffville Winter Carnival is
a whole lot of fun and these photos share
the fun with everyone.
Thanks to Lucie from Ravenshoe Group, we once again have some really great Face Paint Photos to share with everyone. Please click the play icon on the image below to view the slide show of Face Paint photos on Flickr. If you wish to obtain the jpeg image of your Face Paint photo, please note the image number (example – IMG_9999) and email the request for your Face Paint photo with the IMG# number to mlra@musselmanslake.ca. We will email the jpeg image to you within a few days (no charge). ENJOY!
Thank You to everyone that contributed photos
to this must see slide show.
This photo slideshow of the very successful 9th Annual Stouffville Winter Carnival is composed of photos from several contributors. Thank you to everyone that shared their photos with us so that we could all enjoy them. The much anticipated Face Paint Photos will be posted next week.
FEB
2012
24
Where Can You Have An Unbelievable Amount Of Fun?
Carnival goers of all ages agree…The Annual Stouffville Winter Carnival was a whole lot of fun!
By Charlene Jones
Where can you have an Unbelievable amount of fun? At our annual Winter Carnival, that's where! From
the mouths of the young and those young at heart who attended the Winter Carnival, come these words to
describe this year's most successful Carnival ever:
The Hay Ride was still popular even in the cold temps. Stouffville Winter Carnival
2012.
Photo - Kate Gilderdale
Kaija’s face is aglow with a colourful butterfly. Stouffville Winter Carnival 2012.
Photo - Dan Wigmore
Five year old Kaija, her face aglow with blues, yellows and pinks, enthused about the Carnival, her first.
She “liked the hot dog best.” Kaija was also delighted “by all the stuff on stage and the people!” She gave a
special thumbs up to Doo Doo the Clown.
9 years old Max stated, “ I liked the skating best, how we skated on our boots.” Next Max, who attended
with her father Bruce, accompanied by 8 year old Jenna and Jenna’s Mom, Krys, admired the “Stage show,
with Doo Doo the Clown. He was really funny, because he pulled up his green bottom and there was a bunch
of flowers!”
Town Staff made sure the rink was flawless for all to enjoy. Stouffville Winter
Carnival 2012. Photo - Kate Gilderdale
Jenna agreed Doo Doo was a big hit, “very friendly and funny.” Jenna also enjoyed “that we would win stuff.
I got a Wiggly Movie and Max got a Barney movie.”
Bruce who confessed he is a fan of small town autumn fairs, suggested the “outdoor rinks were a thrill,
especially with the music. That part was great.” He and Krys were bowled over by the local dance troupe,
York Dance Academy. The quality of all the local acts on stage impressed both Bruce and Krys, as being
“better than only local talent,” and “something much more like professionals.”
Doo Doo The Clown was UnBelievable along with Most Excellent Productions.
Stouffville Winter Carnival 2012.
Photo - Kate Gilderdale
Maria, a first time Carnival attendee observed “The Carnival is really good for people new to Stouffville,
so they might learn about the Museum, Charlinda’s Fine Chocolates, the Library, the Tennis Club and all the
other amenities, services and clubs Stouffville area has to offer. The Police Kit, “ Maria continued, “was a
particularly good thing, with child find and finger printing...oh, and the Give-Aways!” Maria exclaimed. “There
were so many Give Aways, colouring books, crayons, balloons, on and on...” Maria focussed on the Police
colouring book,” It has symbols like a Stop sign so the children can learn what the signs mean as they colour.”
Maria also pointed out that the Library demonstration by Catherine Sword was very useful, teaching them, as it
did, how to access the Library’s abundant collection from home. The Library demo was a new addition this year
to the Carnival and was a great draw! We look forward to the Library presentations in years to come.
Catherine Sword was very busy with an exciting library demo. Stouffville Winter
Carnival 2012.
Photo - Kate Gilderdale
Ms. Sword herself commented on the spectacular face paintings emerging from the very busy face painting
table. A neat fox, a vampire, and was that a dragon walking by? “ After all it is,” Catherine observed, “the year of
the dragon.”
Councillor Phil Bannon with Doo Doo The Clown and some of the many, many
young carnival goers that were having a whole lot of fun at the ever popular Annual Stouffville Winter
Carnival.
Photo – Most Excellent Productions
The conga line, headed by none other than Doo Doo the Clown helped to wrap up an extremely exciting,
busy day. Who knew the string of kids in the conga line might be that long?
“And hey!” Catherine continued, “There was Phil Bannon in a bright red coat waving and bobbing a bright purple
balloon.”
Krys summed it up with “It’s romantic, small town romantic.”
We are delighted to offer this sampling of words from those who attended the Carnival and to acknowledge
the outstanding support from so many of our wonderful sponsors:
9th Annual Stouffville Winter Carnival Sponsors
Cedar Beach and the Davies/Jenkin Family
Charlinda Belgian Chocolates
Clarkson Auctions & Movers
Country Style
ExpoSystems Canada
Fieldgate Homes
Gibson Printing Co. Ltd.
Gottardo Construction
Lafarge
Lee Sand & Gravel
Musselman’s Lake Residents Association
Ravenshoe Group
Rice Commercial Group
Savoia Developments
Stouffville Sun-Tribune
Tim Hortons
Town of Whitchurch-Stouffville
United Soils Management Limited
With all group activities, a great amount is accomplished by a relative few. To those few, namely, Rick and
Linda Wigmore, Lisa White, Jane Grinnell, Mike Feld, Dan Wigmore, Mike Murphy, Kevin Wigmore, Lucie Clairmont,
Andrew Dickson and Kelly Missen, led by our inspirational Councillor Phil Bannon we offer our heartfelt thanks and
kudos for a job well done!
FEB
2012
16
Cold…What Cold? Winter Carnival Just Keeps Getting Better
Thank you to all that attended the Winter Carnival and also thank you Councillor Phil Bannon for making it happen.
Councillor Phil Bannon with Doo Doo The Clown and some of the many, many young carnival
goers that were having a whole lot of fun at the ever popular Annual Stouffville Winter Carnival.
Photo – Most Excellent Productions
Even though temperatures were in the -15 degree Celsius range that did not deter people from coming out to the ever popular Annual Stouffville Winter Carnival.
Charlene Jones will have the complete Winter Carnival story later this week. Please send us any Winter Carnival Photos that you wish to share with everyone to us at mlra@musselmanslake.ca. We will show these on our MLRA Winter Carnival Slide Show which will be available next week. Face Paint Photos will be available the week following that and there will also be a Winter Carnival video with the link available on the MLRA website that will include some of the slide show photos in a few weeks.
Please check back to our website often and watch for…
The Winter Carnival article by Charlene Jones will be later this week.
Photo Slide show will be available next week.
Face Paint Photos will be available the following week
A video to follow after that.
Please send us any of your photos that you wish to share with everyone as part of the Winter Carnival Photo Slide Show.
You may include a short caption.
FEB
2012
13
There’s Something for Everyone at the Stouffville Winter Carnival. Don’t Miss It! Bring Your Skates!
Whitchurch-Stouffville 9th Annual Winter Carnival
Sat. Feb. 11, 1 - 4pm
presented by
Councillor Phil Bannon
in association with the
Musselman’s Lake Residents Association
Most Excellent Productions, Doo Doo The Clown, Ballantrae Public School Choir, St. Brigids Choir, Whitchurch Highlands Public School Primary Choir, Brittany Hunt, York Dance Academy, Hay Rides, Pony Rides, Petting Zoo, ATV rides, York Regional Police, Stouffville Fire & Emergency Services, Bon Fire, Hot Chocolate, Beavertails, Leadbetter Rolling Stoves, Town of WS, Library, Museum, Scouts, Stouffville Community Policing Centre, Ballantrae Community Tennis Club, Face Painting, Nineteen On The Park, Charlinda’s Chocolates, Boston Pizza
Last Year's Winter Carnival
FEB
2012
10
Winter Carnival On WhiStle Radio
Shelf Life with host Catherine Sword covers Winter Carnival
Rick Wigmore and Charlene Jones from the MLRA were on WhiStle Radio’s Shelf Life with host Catherine Sword to talk about the Stouffville Winter Carnival and it’s many events. Catherine Sword not only has her radio show but is also a librarian at the Whitchurch Stouffville Public Library and a regular contributor to this website.
Please click on video below to hear WhiStle Radio’s Shelf Life radio show with Rick and Charlene.
Please note the MLRA has added BUTTONS with links to both the WhiStle Radio website and also the Stouffville Free Press website on the right side of our Home Page for quick and easy access to these very informative local sites.
FEB
2012
07
Yes Folks! It’s Winter Carnival Time Again
Special thanks to Walt Radda and the Stouffville Free Press for this Winter Carnival Cartoon
Imaged supplied by and used with permission from the Stouffville Free Press
FEB
2012
02
Don’t Take A Chance
With Your Life!
Know How Thick The Ice Is
Ice Thickness Chart from the ND Game & Fish Dept
FEB
2012
02
UNBELIEVABLE!
Yes...Doo Doo (The Unbelievable) Clown will be
at the Whitchurch-Stouffville Winter Carnival on
Sat. Feb. 11th, 1-4pm
Come for the Beaver Tails, ATC Rides, Petting Zoo, Hayrides, Bonfire, Face Painting, Choirs, Mascots and Food but don’t miss…Doo Doo The Clown. Doo Doo is a big hit every year with the young and young at heart.
The short video below highlights Doo Doo the Clown at last years’ winter carnival.
JAN
2012
25
Ice Safety and Fun
How does one tell if it’s safe to walk out on the ice?
By Catherine Sword
Co-ordinator of Public Services
Whitchurch-Stouffville Public Library
Ice Safety and Fun
How does one tell if it’s safe to walk out on the ice? This is a question that had me searching the library catalogue and of course, there isn’t one book on ice safety so I thought creatively. Who would need this information? This then led me to Stephen Gorman’s book, The Winter Camping Handbook. Lots of good notes in this book including a few pages with guidelines on the top of the day - ice.
Ice Skating at the 2011 Stouffville Winter Carnival at Musselman’s Lake
I was amused that one guideline is “Generally, 1 inch of black or hard ice will hold an average-sized person, but 2 inches are safer for this. Six inches will hold a moose, 8 inches a moose convention.”
Now don’t be distracted by the moose. The key here is actually the word generally. Also note that the one inch rule is for one person, not a group. A good website linked here has information that is also very helpful.
It’s not that the book’s information is inaccurate. This is one of those cases where it’s absolutely necessary to read what the words are saying. No speed reading or glossing over the phrases. When it comes down to it, the question of when is it safe to walk on a frozen body of water is as slippery as … well, as ice. Learn as much as you can, and yes, I do recommend this book as a starting place. Over a few short pages you’ll learn about the characteristics of ice, ice hazards and even ice rescue.
Having fun on the ice at the 2011 Winter Carnival at Musselman’s Lake
Now while you wait for the moose convention, or at the end of the season as you watch the frozen playground break up, borrow some books from the library. Here are a few for fun.
Skating
Jean Riley Senft. Triumph on Ice: the new world of figure skating
Jospeh Alan Gustaitis. Speedskating. This is part of a juvenile series on Winter Olympic Sports. Link to this title, then click on Full Display to see a list of other titles.
Hockey
Shane Malloy. Art of Scouting: how the hockey experts really watch the game & decide who makes it
Andrew Podnieks. Canadian Gold: 2010 Olympic winter games
JAN
2012
25
There’s Something for Everyone at the Stouffville Winter Carnival.
Don’t Miss It!
Whitchurch-Stouffville 9th Annual Winter Carnival
Sat. Feb. 11, 1 - 4pm
presented by
Councillor Phil Bannon
in association with the
Musselman’s Lake Residents Association
JAN
2012
24
Councillor Phil Bannon
Updates Residents On Community Park
On Tuesday Jan 17th, 2012 Town Council agreed to proceed with town staff’s recommendations on both the closing date extension to June 18th, 2012 and the allocation of $250,000 in the 2012 budget for the park.
Town Staff are advising Council and members of the Public that the Municipality and the James Coultice Estate require additional time to submit documents and supporting material to the Canadian Revenue Agency as the Estate pursues a valuation for a charitable receipt for the dedication of the proposed neighbourhood park and environmentally sensitive lands to the Town of Whitchurch-Stouffville.
The amended Conditional Offer & Purchase Agreement established a Feb. 24th, 2012 date by which the James Coultice Estate was to advise the Town as to whether their discussions with the CRA had been successful.
Town Staff and representatives of the Estate have been working through the late summer and the Fall of 2011 to finalize the land acquisition. Discussions between Staff and representatives of the James Coultice Estate over the last two week period have occurred and as such it is recognized that additional time is required to finalize the transaction. Staff and the Solicitor for the Estate have agreed upon a new clearance date on the Conditions for the Offer & Purchase Agreement of June 18th, 2012. This additional time will allow for the finalization of the Reference Plan to create the appropriate property description, and, to complete discussions with the CRA.
On Tuesday Jan 17th, 2012 Town Council agreed to proceed with town staff’s recommendations on both the closing date extension to June 18th, 2012 and the allocation of $250,000 in the 2012 budget for the park.
This is to express our appreciation…Kate and Bruce, Stouffville Free Press.
We hope you will continue to keep us informed, so that we can do our job to the best of our ability.
This is to express our appreciation of Charlene Jones's lovely article about the Stouffville Free Press.
Our paper benefits enormously from the information and photographs supplied by members of the MLRA. As a community monthly with limited resources, we rely on residents to keep us posted about what's happening in their part of Whitchurch-Stouffville, and without that input we would not be able to cover the news, events and people that make this a wonderful place to live.
We hope you will continue to keep us informed, so that we can do our job to the best of our ability.
With many thanks,
Kate Gilderdale and Bruce Stapley
Stouffville Free Press
JAN
2012
20
There’s Something for Everyone at the
Stouffville Winter Carnival.
Don’t Miss It!
Whitchurch-Stouffville 9th Annual Winter Carnival
Sat. Feb. 11, 1 - 4pm
presented by Councillor Phil Bannon
in association with the MLRA
Councillor Phil Bannon, Mike Feld (Most Excellent Productions), Doo Doo The Clown, and
Kyle Jenkin (Cedar Beach) were on the Lake making preparations for last year’s Winter Carnival.
Cedar Beach Park at Musselman's Lake
Saturday, February 11th, 2011,
Pony Rides - Ice Skating - Face Painting - Hay Rides - ATV Rides - Hot Dogs - Hot Chocolate - Beaver Tails and much,
much, more!
Last Year's Winter Carnival
JAN
2012
16
Media Reflects.
… Kate Gilderdale and her dedicated team at the Stouffville Free Press provide ample example that good news, positive reporting, humor and caring do reflect the face of this community.
By Charlene Jones
Kate Gilderdale, editor of the Stouffville Free Press, tours Musselman’s Lake
Media reflects. We learn about who we are, as a community and as a people from the reflections we find in our media. Perception is truth so as we perceive ourselves through the eyes of our media, we grow to be.
Although we have been told “people don’t want good news,” the good news is Kate Gilderdale and her dedicated team at the Stouffville Free Press provide ample example that good news, positive reporting, humor and caring do reflect the face of this community. And being upbeat in no way excludes vital information or needed notification.
The Stouffville Free Press is aptly named. Free from claptrap, downers, dirt mongering, mudslinging and gossip, the Stouffville Free Press also remains free of sloppy reporting and degrading information paraded as “in-depth” coverage.
Instead Ms Gilderdale and her team spread the word: neighbour to neighbour, business to business, customers to business, Council to the citizens who elected them, citizens to those Councillors, arts events to patrons.
From simple activities common to all communities such as garage sales, and seasonal enhancements like the Winter Carnival, to articles focusing on our large country as in “The Far North” by Dianne Charlton, the Stouffville Free Press delivers. Featuring light-hearted articles through to thorough, unbiased political reporting, the Free Press offers respite from the daily deluge of bad news, sad news, hysterical reporting and hyper reporters’ apocalyptic visions spooned up by most media. Instead, the Free Press provides a reflection of our community as concerned people, interested, intelligent and able to make discriminating decisions. A circulation base of 13,000 readers testifies to that.
In October, 2011 The Stouffville Free Press received from our Chamber of Commerce the Community Impact Award. Our Chamber could not have chosen better. Through a positive, caring attitude in their paper, the team at Stouffville Free Press offers a wholesome reflection of who we are. Through seeing ourselves this way, we become more of the same.
And that is impact, indeed…a community that is a joy to live in.
Congratulations and thank you Kate Gilderdale and the Stouffville Free Press.
Please note the MLRA has added a link to the Stouffville Free Press website in our “Links” section.
JAN
2012
12
Happy New Year!
MLRA wishes everyone the best in 2012!
Think Water Safety!
…let me just express thanks to my neighbors, whoever you are, for an unexpected gift on New Year’s Eve…
By Charlene Jones
Life on our lake brings surprises big and small. Sometimes wandering around the tiny bit of land we call ours, a luminous green and purple, blue streaked bit of bird slips past, lighting up the inner world with the notion “hummingbird.”
Or a quick stroll to the dock interferes with the grazing ritual of the Great Blue Heron who graces our area. Its sudden winged flight reminds always of the how much life exists in unexpected ways, unexpected places but so close at hand.
Such it was on New Year’s Eve. My husband and I, ready for an early eclipse in deference to the young and hearty who continue to party, made our flannelled way toward bed when the sudden pop of sound grabbed our ears. We turned, followed and found outside our window a brilliant display of fireworks!
The liquid lights shot into the dark across the way directly in front of our windows. He and I sat together, holding hands, delighting in this sudden impulse of joy, signaling the end of last year and greeting, in fine form the one about to be born.
Fireworks, the most ephemeral and shimmering, the most instantly here and gone of all our ways to celebrate symbolize more than anything the haunting fleeting nature of life: here today and gone tomorrow.
For now, rather than ramble into philosophy let me just express thanks to my neighbors, whoever you are, for an unexpected gift on New Year’s Eve, a flashing reminder of why I love to live here.
JAN
2012
03
Lake Watch Initiative
As part of the Lake Watch Initiative, the MLRA website is going to be used to help educate residents and visitors about water safety.
As part of the MLRA Lake Watch initiative, the MLRA added a “Water Safety Tips” section on the home page last year. Also as part of that same initiative we are going to be posting articles and information on water safety on the MLRA website to help educate residents and visitors to the Lake about water safety. The posting on Ice Safety below is the first such posting. Please make sure that you read it thoroughly and pass the information along. Make sure that any visitors that you may have to the Lake are aware of ICE SAFETY. You may save a life.
Thank You,
MLRA
JAN
2012
03
Ice Safety
Know The DANGERS Of Ice
This important lifesaving information is from the Canadian Red Cross and is posted on this website under Water Safety Tips on the home page for easy access.
Ice Safety Know the dangers of ice
Ice Factors
Many factors affect ice thickness including: type of water, location, the time of year and other environmental factors such as:
Water depth and size of body of water.
Currents, tides and other moving water.
Chemicals including salt.
Fluctuations in water levels.
Logs, rocks and docks absorbing heat from the sun.
Changing air temperature.
Shock waves from vehicles traveling on the ice.
Ice Colour
The colour of ice may be an indication of its strength.
Clear blue ice is strongest.
White opaque or snow ice is half as strong as blue ice. Opaque
ice is formed by wet snow freezing on the ice.
Grey ice is unsafe. The grayness indicates the presence of
water.
Did you know ice thickness should be:
15 cm for walking or skating alone
20 cm for skating parties or games
25 cm for snowmobiles.
Check with local authorities before heading out. Avoid going out on ice
at night.
When You Are Alone On Ice
If you get into trouble on ice and you're by yourself:
Call for help.
Resist the immediate urge to climb back out where you fell in.
The ice is weak in this area.
Use the air trapped in your clothing to get into a floating position
on your stomach.
Reach forward onto the broken ice without pushing down. Kick
your legs to push your torso on the ice.
When you are back on the ice, crawl on your stomach or roll
away from the open area with your arms and legs spread out as
far as possible to evenly distribute your body weight. Do not
stand up! Look for shore and make sure you are going in the
right direction.
When You Are With Others On Ice
Rescuing another person from ice can be dangerous. The safest
way to perform a rescue is from shore.
Call for help. Consider whether you can quickly get help from
trained professionals (police, fire fighters or ambulance) or
bystanders.
Check if you can reach the person using a long pole or branch
from shore – if so, lie down and extend the pole to the person.
If you go onto ice, wear a PFD and carry a long pole or branch to
test the ice in front of you. Bring something to reach or throw to
the person (e.g. pole, weighted rope, line or tree branch).
When near the break, lie down to distribute your weight and
slowly crawl toward the hole.
Remaining low, extend or throw your emergency rescue device
(pole, rope, line or branch) to the person.
Have the person kick while you pull them out.
Move the person to a safe position on shore or where you are sure the ice is thick. Signal for help.
