Ecological corridors next to Gatineau Park

(Click on map to enlarge)

The National Capital Commission has been studying proposals to protect watercourses and forested areas adjacent to Gatineau Park from development, as these form natural corridors for movement of wildlife between Adirondack Park in the United States and Algonquin Park in Ontario. The intention is not to maintain pristine parkland, and the NCC is not planning to buy land, but hoping to persuade municipalities to protect these areas for recreation and future generations, as well as for the ecological benefits, thus making the municipality more attractive to current and future residents. (It is already against the law to cut trees in buffer strips next to streams and rivers, or in wetlands.)

Wide corridors could allow the use of ATVs and snowmobiles, if owners agree (according to the NCC).

Five of the twelve proposed corridors are at least partly within the municipality of Pontiac:

1. the Breckenridge Creek watershed (part of which already belongs to the Nature Conservancy of Canada);

2. the Luskville corridor, which consists of the forested area on the shoreline west of Baie Noire, between ch Parker and ch de la Baie, and three watercourses that enter the Ottawa in this area (Ruisseau Bradley, Crique Chartrand and Crique Alarie leading from Luskville Falls);

3. the Ottawa River shoreline from the mouth of the Quyon River downstream to Pointe Cornu (includes Plage Taber, Pontiac AirPark and Plage Stanley), and the forested areas extending north and then east to Gatineau Park, including the Mohr watercourse (the Pontiac corridor);

4. Chats Falls park and the forested area north of 5th Concession and west of ch Alexander, each side of the Quyon river, connecting to Gatineau Park north of Steele Line (most of this corridor is in the municipality of Bristol);

5. the forested areas north of Onslow Corners extending north and west from the west boundary of Gatineau Park, into Thorne and La Pêche (the North corridor).

Council feels that “these corridors will discourage development of the municipality”, and is against anything that “will be a brake on development”. It decided unanimously at its 17 January meeting to inform the NCC of its disagreement with any procedure leading to setting up ecological corridors.

What kind of development do residents of the municipality want? Wall to wall housing? Clear-cutting of forests? Tourism? Local markets? Some residents and visitors may prefer countryside, with trees and bushes on either side of winding streams and rivers, and wetlands teeming with wildlife, as well as farmland. At the moment the only protection against rampant housing development is the CPTAQ (Commission to protect farmland), which is not interested in protecting woodland unless the trees are sugar maples.

Why do residents want to live in the municipality of Pontiac? For low taxes, for the beautiful landscape, or both?

What do you think?

Arts fundraiser

 

“Art vivant dans le Pontiac” – Soirée bénéfice

L’Association des artistes du Pontiac organise une soirée bénéfice au profit de l’association. Toute la population du Pontiac sera invitée à célébrer à l’école de Portage-du-Fort le 14 avril 2012. Le coût de la soirée sera de 8$ et inclura café, thé, desserts et musique. Le groupe de musiciens d’Ottawa, le « HURRY UP AND WAIT », accompagné de ses invités Phillip Holmes, Erica Vezeau, et Kate Morgan réchauffera l’ambiance. Scott Judd sera MC pour la soirée.

Nous vendrons de la bière et du vin.

En plus de la musique et des rafraîchissements, nous comptons présenter un encan d’œuvres d’art.

Tous les profits de la soirée serviront à défrayer les coûts d’opération de l’école de Portage-du-Fort qui abrite la Galerie et l’école des arts et accueille le projet de résidence d’artistes.

Vous pouvez aider de plusieurs façons :

Premièrement, nous vous demandons d’offrir une œuvre pour vendre à cet encan.

Deuxièmement, nous comptons sur vous pour promouvoir l’évènement et vendre des billets à vos amis et connaissances, surtout à ceux qui apprécieront d’acheter des œuvres d’art à bon prix.

Réservez la soirée du 14 avril sur votre calendrier et venez avec vos amis et votre famille célébrer la richesse culturelle de notre coin de pays.

Communiquez dès maintenant avec Chantal Auger latnaq@hotmail.com, ou Valerie Bridgeman, val@valeriebridgeman.com pour confirmer votre intention d’offrir une œuvre pour l’encan. Il sera important de préciser la valeur de l’œuvre et le prix de départ des enchères.

Merci de votre participation.

“Art Lives in the Pontiac” Fundraising Party

The Pontiac Artists’ Association is planning a community-wide party as a fundraiser for the PAA at the Stone School in Portage-du-Fort on the evening of April 14, 2012. We plan to sell tickets for $8 which will include desserts, coffee, and tea. Live music will be provided by the Ottawa band, “Hurry Up and Wait”, with additional guests, Phillip Holmes, Erica Vezeau, Kate Morgan, and Scott Judd as MC.

Beer and wine will be available to purchase.

Besides the delicious snacks, beverages, and entertainment, we’d like to feature an art auction.

All proceeds from the event will go to pay operating costs for the Stone School which houses the Gallery, Pontiac School of the Arts, and is home base for the Artists’ Residency Project.

There are a couple of ways you can help:

Firstly, we are asking for donations of fine crafts or art works for this auction.

Secondly, we will be counting on you to promote the event and to sell tickets to your friends and colleagues, especially those who love to purchase art, possibly at great prices!

So mark April 14^th on your calendar and come celebrate with your friends and family that our small rural population has such a vibrant cultural center!

Please contact Chantal Auger latnaq@hotmail.com or Valerie Bridgeman, val@valeriebridgeman.com to donate to the art auction. It is important to include a value and a starting bid for your donation.

Thanks for participating!

March break horse riding camp

Luskville's Venturing Hills Equestrian Centre is offering a

March Break horse back riding camp

from March 5th to 9th, 8.30 am to 4 pm each day.


$350 for the week, plus taxes.
Call Debbie Bradley for information or to book your place:

819 455 2574.

Teenage Mental Health

The following link leads to a short film made on Teenage Mental Health with DIFD (Do it for Daron) and The Royal Ottawa Hospital.   

Five inspiring people share their story about depression, suicide and youth mental health.

Very inspirational: "Our Kids Matter and it's worth talking about." by Stephanie Richardson - Mother of Daron

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NCBcN0st_e4&feature=youtube

Please pass it along to help spread the message.

Final season for snowmobiling on Curley Lake road

Translation of article in Le Droit, 30 January 2012, (original in post below)

Snowmobilers can travel on ch Lac Curley, through Gatineau Park for a final season, unless the courts decide otherwise.

The mayor of the municipality of Pontiac, Eddie McCann, confirmed that agreement was reached on 11 January with the National Capital Commission (NCC) on the passage of snowmobiles in this area, near Lac La Pêche.

Last December, however, the NCC announced its intention to close down the trail, while the municipality stated its wish to open it.

"We agreed that snowmobiles can move this season on the trail. But if we have no agreement for next season or if the cause is still before the courts, we can not open the trail in 2012-2013. Each party has given in a bit to reach this agreement. For our part, we maintain that Curley Lake Road is a municipal road, even if not used by cars, and located in the heart of Gatineau Park, and even if the NCC claims that it owns the road", said Mr. McCann.

An agreement for now
The Senior Vice-President, Environment, Capital Lands and Parks, at the NCC, Michelle Comeau, confirmed the signing of an agreement, even if snowmobiles have no place in Gatineau Park. "Snowmobiling is not an activity consistent with the plan of Gatineau Park, or its conservation plan. We've been trying since 2005 to encourage snowmobilers to find another route for their traill, but it did not work. We still hope to come to an agreement with them," said Ms. Comeau, saying it is too early to discuss a possible legal battle in this case.

The dispute is reminiscent of that which opposed the NCC and the municipality of La Pêche for several years, about the use of a portion of Kennedy Road, which passes through Gatineau Park, between Wakefield and Masham. Closed for decades, and converted to a cross-country ski trail, Kennedy Road had been reopened by the municipality as a snowmobile trail. The NCC challenged this in court and, ultimately, won the case. The old road is again a cross-country ski trail.

Ultime saison pour la motoneige sur le chemin Curley

• 30 janvier 2012 • Le Droit • CHARLES THÉRIAULT ctheriault@ledroit.com

Les motoneigistes pourront circuler sur le chemin du lac Curley, à travers le parc de la Gatineau, pour une dernière saison, à moins que les tribunaux en décident autrement.

Le maire de la municipalité de Pontiac, Eddie Mccann, confirme qu’une entente est intervenue le 11 janvier dernier avec la Commission de la capitale nationale (CCN) sur le passage des motoneiges dans ce secteur, à proximité du lac La Pêche.

En décembre dernier, la CCN annonçait pourtant son intention de fermer définitivement le sentier, alors que la municipalité affirmait sa volonté de l’ouvrir.

« Nous nous sommes entendus pour que les motoneiges puissent circuler cette saison sur le sentier. Mais si nous n’avons pas d’entente pour la prochaine saison ou si la cause est devant les tribunaux, nous ne pourrons pas ouvrir le sentier en 2012-2013. Chaque partie a cédé un peu pour en arriver à cette entente. Pour notre part, nous maintenons que le chemin du lac Curley est un chemin municipal, même s’il n’est pas utilisé par les automobiles et qu’il est situé au coeur du parc de la Gatineau, et même si la CCN prétend que le chemin lui appartient », a déclaré M. Mccann.

Une entente pour l’instant
La vice-présidente principale de la direction de l’environnement, des terrains et parcs de la capitale, à la CCN, Michelle Comeau, a confirmé la conclusion d’une entente, même si la motoneige n’a pas sa place dans le parc de la Gatineau. « La motoneige n’est pas une activité conforme au plan directeur du parc de la Gatineau, ni à son plan de conservation. Nous tentons, depuis 2005, d’inciter les motoneigistes à trouver un autre endroit où faire passer leur sentier, mais ça n’a pas fonctionné. Nous espérons encore nous entendre avec eux », a commenté Mme Comeau, précisant qu’il est trop tôt pour évoquer la possibilité d’une lutte judiciaire dans cette affaire.

Ce litige rappelle celui qui a opposé la CCN à la municipalité de La Pêche, durant plusieurs années, à propos de l’usage d’une partie du chemin Kennedy, qui passe dans le parc de la Gatineau, entre les villages de Wakefield et Masham. Fermé depuis des décennies et converti en sentier de ski de fond, le chemin Kennedy avait été rouvert par la municipalité qui y faisait passer un sentier de motoneige. La CCN a contesté devant les tribunaux et, au bout du compte, a gagné sa cause. L’ancien chemin est redevenu un sentier de ski de fond.

Art school seeks teachers

The Pontiac School of the Arts is currently seeking instructors from the Western Quebec or Eastern Ontario area who would like to present a course at the school this fall or winter (2012). We are looking for anyone with expertise in any form of visual art or the creative arts such as drawing, painting, sculpture, photography, printing or textile art.

In the past we have have held classes in disciplines as diverse as twig furniture building, writing, dance and instrument making.

The "Stone School" in Portage du Fort is rapidly becoming the cultural heart of the Pontiac. With our mission for the School to inspire creativity in everyone, finding teachers who are knowledgable and passionate about their art is vital.
Go to www.artpontiac.com for all details about becoming a instructor at the Pontiac School of the Arts.