Hatchery offers thanks

[Spiel]

Hatchery offers thanks

 

 

January 7, 2009

Mary LeFeuvre / www.bancroftthisweek.com

 

 

To the editor:

 

 

As we enter the New Year the Board of the North Hastings Community Fish Hatchery would like to wish you a very happy and healthy New Year. While many of our thoughts will be about 2009 we would like to briefly reflect on the past year.

 

A mere 12 months ago the hatchery was nothing but a drawing on a piece of paper and a big hole in the ground. Today we have a facility, while not yet completely furnished, where we are raising our locally adapted, unique genetic Lake Trout called the Jewel. Despite the ups and downs that we encountered along the way we believe it was all worth it. The success of our building phase would not have been possible without the support of the many organizations, businesses and people in the Community. That support ranged from direct cash contributions, merchandise for the various fundraisers and the building; to lending a helping hand for hatchery chores, and we thank you for that generous support. We too would like to thank the following Governments and their agencies/programs for their support; The Eastern Ontario Development Program administered on behalf of Industry Canada by our local CFDC, The Rural Economic Development Program, administered by OMAFRA, The County of Hastings and the Municipality of Hastings Highlands. Our initiative as, among other things, an economic development opportunity, was important enough to gain their support and commitment. Your trust in our efforts is appreciated.

 

Today we have about 8,000 newly hatched lake trout sac fry in the hatchery and in the first week of January, we will have brought back from the Haliburton Highlands Outdoor Association fish hatchery about another 6,000 yearling trout that they have been conscientiously raising for us. These fish will be released in local public lakes this Spring. We invite you to come see the new hatchery in the New Year and see what we have been up to for the last year. You can arrange a tour by calling 613-332-4084.

 

We believe that 2009 will be an exciting year and we will be starting it off with our Annual General Meeting on January 23 at the North Hastings High School. All are welcome.

 

Thank you for making 2008 a great year for the hatchery.