More Public Access to Lake Simcoe Disappearing

[ranger520vx]

 

This is becoming a trend in Georgina Township over the last while. This has been a traditional access point to ice anglers and a great place to take a child fishing from shore.

 

I cant put to words how ticked I am.

 

Just this spring several public parking spots were eliminated at Jacksons Point by the same Town Council and the owner of the Marina ( a relative of someone on Council) given the ability to charge for those spots.

[Hookset]

Truly Sad,

 

And once it's gone it ain't ever coming back.

Just finished fighting a zoning bylaw change myself.

Different circumstances but it pays to fight if you want to give it a shot.

If nobody fights it, it's a done deal.

I got a ton of help from some people on this site actually.

If you are looking for info PM me.

 

Pretty sad regardless.

 

 

Hookset.

[tonyb]

Mix garbage, peeing in the snow, and noisy quads/sleds in the wee morning hours on weekends and presto you've got another recipe for a closed access point.

 

There will be more closures and they will stretch further and further out from the radius of the GTA...

[Terry]

I have accessd the water there for 40 years

 

I think I should fight for a right of way over whatever they put there

[BFSC Kevin]

oh no...

:(

[mooseroo]

Public access to Lake Simcoe is of economic importance to the town. Let them know that we (the fishing community) use this routinely and that it would be harmful to the community and the economy to lose this public asset.

 

I took a quick crack at a sample letter. Put your own passionate spin on it. Describe how you taught your kids to fish at this location, how you regularly use this to access the lake for ice fishing... etc. If they see value in it beyond the one or two residents that gain more back yard, they will save it.

 

Even if you are not from the town, print off a copy of this letter, put your spin on it, and send it to the town. If they get enough letters, they may not close this access and we all gain another place to use the lake without having to tiptoe across someones lawn. A fifty cent letter might just save a nice little public dock!

 

Attention: Roland Chenier

Town Clerk

26557 Civic Centre Road

RR#2

Keswick, Ontario

L4P 3G1

 

Dear Mr Chenier,

 

Please accept this letter in opposition to the proposed by-law to stop-up and close a portion of Raines Street and the sale of said property, the Roches Point Dock, and the adjacent water lot.

 

I use this public land for access to Lake Simcoe for sporting and recreational activities year round. This public access is routinely used as such and would be a great loss to the community, the sport fishing businesses in the area, and the sport fishing community both within Keswick, Georgina, as well as those abroad that use this access point frequently.

 

Multiple public access points to Lake Simcoe creates a draw for recreational and sport fishing enthusiasts. This particular access is valuable to me and would be sorely missed. Please note my objection to this by-law.

 

Sincerely,

Your Name and Address

[mooseroo]

I have accessd the water there for 40 years

 

I think I should fight for a right of way over whatever they put there

 

They probably won't be putting anything there. The land owners on either side probably want to buy the property to augment their yards. In doing so, they limit the access of others. Selfish.

[ranger520vx]

Thanks Mooseroo for taking the time to show some concern on this issue. I certainly will be using your letter as a template. Im not local to Georgina and given the state of affairs I'm hearing about ( no boat trailer/ atv laws in your driveway), never will be. I remember hearing the horror stories from the individuals that bring the ICE FISHING CONTEST to Keswick yearly in dealing with that Council. They blow sugar on you one minute to host the event, then have local Gestapo hand out 3,000 parking tickets @ $30 to the participants.

 

I do spend an hour and half getting to Lady Simcoe and leave my share of loot over 30 days I spend on average up there annually.

 

It will more then likely be a condo development.

 

So if people out here care about this, I will cover the cost of the stamp if you Private Message me with your letter of oppsition to this loss of public access. I will then print and forward them off to the pencil pushers.

[Terry]

I sent you a copy

 

I hope everyone that uses simcoe does the same

thanks ranger520vx

I hope it makes a difference

Terry

[misfish]

Although I dont use this area, I too will send something in.

Way to much is being taken away from us these days.

[ranger520vx]

The plot thickens....

 

I've been informed that this Wharf was "downloaded" about ten years ago by the Federal Government to Georgina Township, who now can do as they see fit.

 

SO...........we've all paid federal taxes for the upkeep of this wharf for well over 100 years and this council and jurisdiction is going to reap huge financial gain.

 

JUST FN WRONG!!

 

I just have engaged OFAH on this as well as they have access to legal resources on these type of issues.

[Terry]

yeah

the fed gov. downloaded almost all the gov. docks around to the local gov.....but I believe we as Canadians should have public access to any and all lakes

 

I grew up there and we called it the government dock

[misfish]

I grew up there and we called it the government dock

 

WHEW,I thought you were going to say it was your dock.LOL Just trying to make light of the siteation.

[Kirk]

You would need a municipal lawyer

 

If the Township owns it and can sell it to a private owner...then its dead for access. Yuo'd need a municipal lawyer to see if there is anyway to stop the township from selling it or retaining some sort of public access. The trend on that lake is to kiss it goodbye for public access.

 

My wife and sons first drive onto a lake from there... when he was about 18 months.

[Fish Fin-atic]

Hi, I'm new on this forum, was directed here from the fishinglakesimcoe site where it seems nobody cares about their rights to access the lake - go figure. Thanks to Chrominator13 for the link, thanks for the form letter mooseroo, here's my twist on it, if there's anything anyone thinks I need to change or add, please advise, and if anyone knows other addresses to send this out to, please let me know. Otherwise, feel free to modify and use it for your own letters everyone.

 

Attention: Roland Chenier Thursday, November 1, 2007

Town Clerk

26557 Civic Centre Road

RR#2

Keswick, Ontario

L4P 3G1

 

Regarding the proposed by-law to stop up and close a portion of Raines Street and authorize its sale as well as the sale of the Roches Point dock and adjacent water lot.

Dear Mr. Chenier,

 

Please accept this letter in opposition to the proposed by-law to stop up and close a portion of Raines Street and the sale of said property, and in particular, the Roches Point Dock, and the adjacent water lot.

 

I have been using this this public land to access Lake Simcoe for the purpose of fishing and boating since my earliest memories, as has my father before me. This public access is routinely used for this purpose (and has been used as such for over a century thanks to Canadian citizen's federal tax dollars) The removal of said access point would be a great loss to the community, most businesses in the area, and the sport fishing community both within Keswick/ Georgina, as well as those who of us who travel to this destination from further abroad.

 

Under the posted notices the land is described as "surplus land", implying there is more land there than is needed; that cannot be further from the truth. The Roches Point dock is one of the few remaining public lake access points on the south side of Lake Simcoe, and every year it seems there are more restrictions to accessing these points. It seems the lakeshore properties have been sold to the highest bidder with no regard for the public interest. Let us not forget that Lake Simcoe has been available for general public access since the retreat of the last glaciers. Only recently have a handful of people (no doubt with strong political influences) been allowed to build properties on it's banks and exclude others from "trespassing on their land" forcing the general public to rely on the ever-decreasing lake access points available; what right do these few people have to prevent the general population from accessing this water body?

 

Multiple public access points to Lake Simcoe are a necessity, and should be everybody's right as a Canadian and Ontario citizen, not a whimsical political decision to be made lightly. Please note my vehement objection to this preposterous by-law. If there is anything else I can do to prevent this proposed by-law from passing, please don't hesitate to contact me.

 

Sincerely,

[lunkerbasshunter]

that sucks, hope they know what they are doing

 

CHeers!

[ccmtcanada]

Fish Fin-atic....very eloquently spoken!

 

I just recently acquired my first boat, and although I have not fished Simcoe before, I would like to in the future! thanks for taking the time to write here on OFC

[ranger520vx]

Fish-Fin-atic-welcome to a board that cares a little more. Im Chrominator13 on the FLS board. It seems that the date of the next Meet & Greet is more important then access to this lake.

 

I will make the most of the bank holiday on November 12th by fishing in the morning then attending the Council meeting in the evening.

 

I've received 4 letters from members here to date.

[Northernpike]

The Town will be voting on this Tuesday Mar. 25 at 7 pm.

Staff has recommended that they sell it!!!!

Your letters and mine do not appear in the staff report to Council.

Apparently Council never got to see them!

Residents of the dictatorship of Georgina should be outraged!!

[Terry]

yup, instead for more access they are doing everything they can to stop people from accessing Lake Simcoe...it's a real shame and shame on the town of Georgina

[Guest lundboy]

I just recently acquired my first boat, and although I have not fished Simcoe before, I would like to in the future! thanks for taking the time to write here on OFC

 

As far as getting your boat into Simcoe, you would have to pay to use a ramp at one of the marinas around the lake (which are getting fewer and fewer). This particular spot would not be suitable for boat launching or parking of trailers. This spot is great for local kids to fish from however, and for winter access to the water. By removing this public access the town is just taking away another venue for the local kids, which will just give them one more reason to hang around and cause trouble somewhere else. Far too often the short sightedness for short term monetary gain, gets into the heads of the local council "Gods".

 

Unless you have a paid membership to one of the 10-20 "private beaches" located around the lake in Georgina, you will be out of luck soon.

 

It's a shame actually, Simcoe has far too few public access points already. One less is not good.

Edited March 22, 2008 by lundboy

[Mike Pike]

All the petitions in the world, including those that mention how much you and your children enjoy access to the lake, will amount to nothing more than a hill o' beans.

 

The residents have spoken and their politians have listened. Despite the fact that the residents bought their homes by the lake where traditionally there has been parking and access, now they want those areas closed off, sighting garbage and noise, etc.. Probably the same garbage and noise that was there when they bought their properties.

 

There is garbage along the side of our highways so I guess we should just shut them down too.

 

Oh well, they want the lake to themselves and they shall have it.

 

I hope there is enough of a local economany to sustatin those businesses around the lake because there will be no money coming from the outside anymore. But I'll bet they don't care because many residents work outside the town and don't depend on toursits dollars to keep their own household incomes going.

 

We're being shut out. So, to the reisdents of Lake Simoce, you can have your lake. I don't wanna go anywhere I'm not wanted.

[lookinforwalleye]

While I enjoy fishing on Simcoe a few times every year and I will be sorry to see another entry point taken away I understand the frustration of the local residents it is disgusting to see the filth that some people leave behind.

I know if I had a property near an access point and had to put up arseholes pissing on my lawn and throwing their garbage were ever they please I would be supporting a access ban.

[Terry]

yeah, but

the lake access spots where there long before houses where there..just cottages where all around the lake...I hate it when people move into an area that has lake access or a smelly factory, knowing they are there then complains about the people using the lake access or complain about the smell of the factory...........

[lookinforwalleye]

yeah,yeah but the fact still remains I would not want trash left on my property and I would assume you would not either.