Trent Lakes staff are going to look into the possibility of adding two additional culverts to the Island Drive Causeway on Lower Buckhorn Lake in response to a petition from local residents concerning water quality and wildlife concerns.
The causeway divides Lost Lake Channel and was constructed in the 1970s. It has one culvert that residents say impedes the natural water flow which has reduced water quality and the health of local wildlife.
Linda O’Meara spoke on behalf of the residents and said that the restricted water flow has caused stagnant water which has increased the presence of invasive species and algae blooms.
She said the lack of water flow has caused the fragmentation of aquatic populations, caused hydrologic and geomorphic changes in the lake and degraded water quality.
“These conditions can result in lower oxygen levels, higher water temperatures and have provided a conductive environment for invasive species to thrive,” her report stated. “All these factors can contribute to a decline in water quality affecting Lost Lake Channel’s ecosystem and the species that depend on it.”
The petition asked council to investigate the issue and to consider adding two additional culverts to the causeway to solve the issue.
Council passed a motion asking staff to report back to council on the issue and to determine what the cost would be to add two additional culverts.
Performing Arts Lakefield hosted the Shuffle Demons on Sunday afternoon at the Lakefield United Church as the season ender for their 2024/25 program. However, Christopher Hall and The Comic Quartret which were set to take the stage on April 6 has been rescheduled, due to the ice storm, for June 8
Sewage system maintenance programs were back on the table at the Douro-Dummer council meeting on Tuesday evening.
Don Helleman (CBO) presented a report outlining the proposed Discretionary Sewage System Maintenance Inspection Program (DSMIP).
The discretionary program came about as the mandatory system that was in place faced challenges from the ratepayers. Council voted to change the program so not all residents were affected.
Council passed a resolution at the December 3 council meeting. The resolution read as follows:
That the Discretionary Sewage System Maintenance Inspection Program be limited to high-risk waterfront and high-density areas, with a voluntary service option available for the remainder of the Township. Further, that staff be directed to prepare a report on implementing a user fee system and include funding for an education program as part of the general levy.
The Lakefield Literary Festival has announced their 2025 line up of authors featuring world renowned Canadian writers including Jane Urquhart.
The 2025 Lakeifeld Literary Festival (LLF) will be hosted on July 18 and 19 this summer.
This year the festival is also introducing a shuttle service sponsored by Selwyn Township. The Shuttle will run from Trent University, stop in Lakefield, and head to each event at Lakefield College School throughout the day on Saturday July 19. The hope is that the shuttle will encourage Trent students and Peterborough residents to take part in this year’s festival.
The LLF program this year includes:
• Friday July 18 @ 7:00 p.m. — Imagining History with Jennifer Robson and Helen Humphreys
• Saturday July 19 @ 10:00 a.m. — Children’s Tent: Lana Button and Nadia Hohn
• Saturday July 19 @ 11:30 a.m. — Family Matters with Martha Baillie and Adelle Purdham
• Saturday July 19 @ 3:30 p.m. — New Dimensions with Sheung-King and Canisia Lubrin
This short documentary is a portrait of a tiny town, Lakefield, Ontario, and its independent weekly, the Herald. Across North America, newspapers are dying, but in Lakefield, Terry McQuitty, the town paper’s publisher, carries on a rich, 150-year-old tradition. Set to the pace of small-town life, Unheralded is a testament to the vital role newspapers can still play, and the close bond between reporter and reader.
