To Think About:

"Here lies the body of Michael O'Day,
who died maintaining the right of way.
He was right, dead right, as he sailed along,
but he's just as dead as if he'd been wrong."
..... anon

On this page:

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Can you Identify this Mystery Slick?

Cottagers on the west side were concerned in the early morning of July 7th by a mystery slick, which when discovered, stretched from Caraquette to Dawson Islands. It was reported to the Ministry of the Environment who sent the OPP to investigate later in the day. While the Seguin is suspected, nothing has been proven. Note the stain left on Catherine's paddle boat when she paddled in to the mess to get a sample.

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Alert Feature

BICA members can now be alerted to any significant updates or changes to the information published on this website
(if you do not wish to receive such alerts, you can "unsubscribe" by signing in to the web site with your ID and password, accessing your profile and clicking on the checkmark (to DELETE the checkmark) opposite this line in your profile:

Subscribe to website changes

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Round Island Swim and Craft and Bake Sale (July 31) for OSPCA

Stephanie Rider completed her swim on Sunday July 11th, to collect pledges for the OSPCA. She left from the Rider cottage, went around the west side, then through the narrows between Browning and Eilean Gowan, then down the east side to home.

BICA presented Stephanie with a cheque at the AGM on July 17th. Pledges of your support are still gratefully received and fund a worthy cause which Stephanie and her sister have been supporting the past few years with proceeds from their craft and bake sale. Call Stephanie at 645-6147 to offer your support. At last count Stephanie had raised over $2600.

This picture was taken about 7 am Sunday July 11th just off Ron and Pat Stevenson's and shows Stephanie in the water progressing around the island. Mom Heather is in the kayak and Dad Steve and sister Courtney are running interference in their own boats. The outside temperature was 59 degrees.

Courtney and Stephanie's annual craft and bake sale will be held this year on Saturday July 31st from 2-4 at the Rider cottage, number 950. All islanders and guests are welcome. Watch your dock for the flyer.

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Happy Canada Day - Display from Walker's Pt Marina

Caught by Ron Stevenson

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Put it On! The case for wearing Life Jackets

Not having a life jacket will cost you $250 (each) if you’re stopped by a police marine patrol. Having one, but not wearing it, could cost you your life. Even though it's not mandatory for most boats, PUT IT ON! Every year, about 180 Canadians will drown while boating, and 400 will die in all water-related accidents. Statistics show that nearly 90 per cent of those who die won’t be wearing a life-jacket - the most common risk factor for recreational boating drownings. Only 11% of drowning victims were wearing personal flotatation devices (PFDs).

Men are the primary drowning victims. Between 1991 and 2000, toddlers and males aged 15 to 24 had the highest drowning rates, followed by males over 24, according to the Red Cross. During that period, there was a 24% drop in the rate of boating drownings and a 29% decline in near-drownings.

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Muskoka Moving Forward: Visioning for the Future

Submit your Vision, Win a prize - no entries received, contest closed

The District is currently in the process of reviewing the existing vision for the region and BICA wants to support this effort by holding a contest to select the vision statement which most closely resembles an appropriate submission on behalf of the cottagers on Browning and adjacent islands. The selection committee will chose the winning submission and award the submitter a $100 prize. To qualify, submissions must be considered acceptable by the judges. BICA will submit the winning entry to the District, as a response from our association and with the author's name. All entries will be published on the web site. The BICA contest closes August 23rd as the District requires submissions by September 1st.

Check the guideline on the District site (see below) which suggests an outline, to include the following: character of Muskoka, Natural Environment, Community Values, Recreation and Culture, Transportation, Community Services and Economic Opportunities.

Submit your entry to browningisland@hotmail.com and watch the website for submissions.

Purpose of the Initiative:
The vision helps to shape the future of Muskoka and guides policies in the Muskoka Official Plan. Collecting public input is a key component of the process and the District wants to hear from all residents, businesses, and organizations via the completed questionnaire or via a submission. To get more information about this initiative, click here (http://www.muskoka.on.ca reference number 5 under the "Hot Topics" tab).

Submissions and replies will be collected until September 1, 2010.

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Bracebridge Falls - important information

Below is a copy of the letter from our President, sent 05/11/2010 to Browning Island residents.

Dear BICA member.

I am forwarding to you a letter concerning the Bracebridge Falls, sent to the Association by Heather Ryder. Heather as you know is one of our active members. Sandy Pyper has been the most active person involved in investigating this issue. You may wish to contact him, or Heather, re any further information you may require.

Please read the attached letter, and make up your own mind with respect to any action you might wish to take. Although the attached information is not directly related to BICA business, in that it has never been discussed by the Directors, nor the members-at-large, I consider that the issues are important and urgent enough, that I have agreed to send this document to you for your information, consideration and/or action.

Sincerely

Larry Burt
President, BICA

To BICA Members,

Hope you have had a great winter and are excited to start the season early (despite the current cold weather)!

There is an important issue regarding the Bracebridge Falls that we want to bring to your attention:

Bracebridge Generation has plans to increase its generating capacity which could significantly reduce flow levels at both the Bracebridge Falls and Wilson Falls by as much as 62% or 7 1/2 months per year at Bracebridge Falls. During the other 4 1/2 months there would be increased flows but these flows would be a small fraction of the current flow.

As is all too common in the town of Bracebridge, the public notices and open houses were held over the winter months and we are now very short on time to respond with our concerns. The timing is critical as this Thursday is the cut-off date for e-mails to the Ministry of the Environment to escalate this to a higher environmental review. If a Level 2 Review is not requested by May 13th, the current plans will go ahead.

Please take a moment to e-mail a letter to: EAABGen@ene.gov.on.ca and copy Jim Bertulli, who is with the environmental planning company handling this file, at bertullij@mmm.ca. Here is a sample letter:

(NOTE: WHILE THE TEMPLATE LETTER IS A START, YOU ARE ENCOURAGED TO ADD TO IT YOUR THOUGHTS, FEELINGS, RESEARCH, PHOTOS .....IN FACT ANYTHING THAT WOULD BACK UP YOUR ARGUMENTS AGAINST THE PROPOSED PLAN, ANYTHING THAT WOULD SUPPORT MAINTAINING THE PRESENT FLOW RATES AND/OR YOUR IDEAS OF WHAT AN ACCEPTABLE PLAN WOULD BE.)

Sincerely
Heather Ryder

TEMPLATE LETTER

MINISTRY OF THE ENVIRONMENT,
ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT AND APPROVALS BRANCH
2 ST.CLAIR AVE WEST, FLOOR 12A,
TORONTO, ON, M4V 1L5
ATTN: A. GARCIA-WRIGHT, DIRECTOR

Re: BRACEBRIDGE FALLS GENERATING STATION, GENERATING EQUIPMENT UPGRADES and WILSON'S FALLS GENERATING STATION RECONSTRUCTION

Dear Director,

As you know the Ministry of Culture and Tourism defines waterfalls as cultural assets. The above mentioned waterfalls are also tourism assets.

I am writing to request that you order the abovementioned proposals undergo a "part 2 Individual Environmental Assessment."

It is my belief that it is inappropriate to permit the proponent any (increased) diversion of flow as requested in the respective applications. The existing “scenic” flow regime is required to maintain the character of these falls for cultural, tourism, recreation and other uses. Any diversion of the existing scenic flow will cause an impairment of public values that cannot be mitigated. Accordingly, a part 2 order is required so that you may make a decision to refuse the request for increased flow diversion.

Warmest regards,

My Name is:
My Address is:
Today's Date is:

Please see the following websites for more detailed information:

http://www.protecttheroar.ca A group called "Protect the Roar" has been formed to prevent the drastic reduction of flow at Bracebridge and Wilsons Falls as proposed. Sandy Pyper, an owner on Browning Island is heavily involved in this fight.

http://www.cottagecountrynow.ca/community/southmuskoka - for the article in The Bracebridge Examiner

http://www.bracebridgegeneration.com - for Bracebridge Generation's proposal

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2010 Spring Newsletter

Download our 2010 Spring newsletter, including up-to-date island map and listing of island residents, from the members' tab.

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BICA Kids Eco-Club

The BICA Kids Eco-Club returns this summer, bigger and better! Our goal is to get the "next generation" of BICA cottagers involved in helping protect our islands, our lake and our wildlife. Children ages 13 and under who are interested in joining the BICA Kids Eco-Club should send their name and mailing address to Mary McPherson at mary.mcpherson@sympatico.ca by June 20, 2010. They will receive a mailing with a BICA Kids Eco-Club pin, an official membership card, a LoonWatch poster and some ideas and projects to keep them busy and environmentally aware at the cottage this summer. Club members will be encouraged to submit stories, photos and ideas which we will post on the BICA Web site to inspire all cottagers!

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2010 SUMMER THEATRE CAMPS! - Check this out
The Rene M. Caisse Memorial Theatre
Super Sonic Summer Camp Line-up
(Ages 3-15 this year!)

http://www.renemcaissetheatre.ca/Educational-Programs

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Property Assessment

Members can obtain an update and guidance regarding the 2009 assessment from the Assessment and Action Tab on the right hand side of the screen.

Your BICA executive attended a meeting on January 28th, sponsored by the Muskoka Lakes Association and WRAFT (see Links page for access) at which the Municipal Property Assessment Corporation presented their methods for calculating your assessments. The presentation will be posted and we'll provide the links once it is. It makes interesting reading and will explain how MPAC arrives at your assessment using statistical methods, a set of objective and subjective parameters as well as site visits in many cases.

Last November, your executive was also represented at the annual WRAFT meeting dealing with our new cottage assessments. A summary is provided under the Assessment tab.

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Parking at St Elmo Dock

Members, view president Selby's December 2008 letter to Bracebridge mayor Don Coates re the state of parking at St Elmo.

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Using Boat Gasoline with Ethanol?
Download valuable information under the MEMBERS tab before you store your boat this winter.

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Bala Falls Power Plant

The MLA is fighting the proposal to have a power plant located at Bala falls which would alter our lake level in the off season.

Both WRAFT and MLA would appreciate your support as mentioned in these articles. We have attempted to make is easy for you to make your input to these issues.

Call to Action - Prevent the demise of the Bala Falls from the private sector interests of the Swift River Energy Hydro Project. The MLA needs our help to take action on the proposed Bala Falls. Please read this message and the Things You Should Know About the Bala Falls article and pass it on to your concerned Muskoka friends whether MLA members or not, cc the MLA office at info@mla.on.ca. Please also send the attached letters to your MPPs.

Click on the links below for more information and to access the article and letter. Call to Action - Prevent the Demise of the Bala Falls

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Browning Island, A History

"Cottaging in the 'good old days' was quite a different experience, as cottagers on Browning Island aptly demonstrate in their recollections of Muskoka summers (and the odd winter) dating back to the early 1900s: food chilled by blocks of ice cut from the lake; a wandering cow munching oranges in the kitchen; excursions up the lake on elegant steamboats; a floating store that called at the dock every week; and of course who could forget that fashionable swimming attire!

"More than just a charming, sometimes poignant, often humorous peek at cottage life in another era, this book provides a unique history of the island that has been the special place for several generations of summer residents."

Copies of this delightful book are available from the Membership Director - $5.00 each or 3 for $12.00 plus postage.

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Renting? Want to find a cottage for rent? or Renting your Cottage? See the Marketplace Tab

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Septic Inspection Due for a septic inspection? Steel tank? See Members tab

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BROWNING ISLAND EXECUTIVE 2009-10

Note: The listing of BICA Directors and Executive is not accessible to non-members. You must be logged in to access the listing.

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BICA extends a warm welcome to new members.

For membership and annual dues information
please contact The Membership Director

Members, post your "cottage for rent" ads here too.