Now that the ice is out and the spring flowers are starting to bloom, it’s time to kick-off the 2021 season!

While we don’t know how this season will play out or when we’ll be able to get back to normal, the SDRA is keeping busy with a multitude of projects. Here is just a quick snapshot of what we’ve been up to.

• Addington Highlands Shoreline Camping Working Group – Following the presentation to Council last year by Vice-President Marianne Plumb, the Township established a working group to discuss the issue of disruptive shoreline camping. President Joel Arthurs was asked to represent local property owner associations at the working group. While there have only been three meetings, two of which the Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry (MNRF) participated in, we feel we have had good conversations. You’ll be able to hear more about this in the 2021 newsletter.

• Mazinaw-Lanark Forestry Inc (MLFI) – Last year, MLFI began the process of public consultation on the next 10-year plan for forestry activities in the area. Board Director, Jim Chinnick has done an amazing job digging through the extensive documentation and representing the SDRA in meetings with both MLFI and the MNRF. There will be lots more to read about in this years’ newsletter as well.

• While we would have liked to have had all of our in-person events back up and running this year, in an abundance of caution we will be holding the 2021 SDRA Annual General Meeting on Zoom. In addition, after consultation with the volunteers, whose support is crucial to running it, the Lake Festival has been cancelled. Whether Ron and Esther’s Pot Luck will go ahead, will be determined at a later date. On a more positive note, we are planning to have the Canada Day Boat Parade and dock decorating contest again this year and the end-of-summer fireworks show. Stay tuned though, as we are looking into other activities that don’t require mass gatherings.

• Finally, we have updated the membership payment options to include e-transfer! While we are happy to be able to continue to provide both the mail-in cheque and PayPal options, every payment completed through PayPal does cost our association a portion of the membership revenue.
• You can renew your membership and get instructions on e-transfer on our website, at https://www.skootamatta.ca/membership/

If you’d like to read more about how your membership is used, and where the dollars go, please check out our membership brochure. 

Thank you, as always, for your support of the SDRA.