Dear Lake Neighbors and Interested Parties
We can finally tell you what our tentative plans for development are.
Northern Harbour would like to proceed on a combination of new docks, an art park and off shore RV parking that will improve the lake experience, protect the environment with a minimal footprint and create a unique experience for you and visitors passing through Kenora.
Let me share with you how our proposing docking and shoreline improvement will protect and enhance your cottaging and boating experience.
My proposal will offer, for those with cabins part way down the bay on the east side, a regulation size road to your property that Northern Harbour will build and maintain. The docks will take 25 to 30 years to build and will start near the north end so it will be a long time till they get anywhere near your cottage or Howie Blatt’s or George Bones’ islands.
Boats that dock at Northern Harbour go out of the bay on Friday or Saturday and return on Sunday, which is only 2 trips down the bay a week and we do not expect this pattern to change in the future.
The only problem brought to my attention was excess boat wake from some boats, since then we notified our customers that if they wanted to dock here they had to make the bay a no wake area and use the west track coming and going.
There are three main groups that enjoy Lake of the Woods, cottage owners, fisherman, and day boaters and live aboard boaters. All enjoy different parts of the lake. Cottage owners stay around their cottage area, go fishing, skiing, and day trips.
Fisherman and day boaters go where the fish and public beaches are, cottages on day trips.
Live aboard boaters go to wilderness anchorages where there are no cottages. They tend to stay there until it is time to return to harbour and home. They normally have a small boat to run around with and leave the big one anchored. That is why you do not see too many big boats around the cottages. They use different parts of the lake.
The Ontario government has set aside public lands, park lands and conservation areas in the south centre of the lake accessible only by boats and this is where the live aboard boater goes.
The live aboard boater uses a different part of the lake than the cottage owner does. Northern Harbour is the best location for more docking on the lake. We are closer to the anchorages that the boater’s use with the least amount of cottages on route. Pine Portage Bay is wider than Devil’s Gap or Keewatin Chanel which provides safer operation of boats.
This development is good for Lake of the Woods, local residents, Manitobans and U.S. people who use the lake and good for the economy of Kenora and area.
Following is more detailed information on our development. We need the support of the people on the lake and in the area for this to happen. Please let us know your comments or concerns.
We will be at the Mid Canada Boat Show on March 4th to 7th 2010.
Click here to download for more detailed information on the development.
Click here to download a map of the proposed development.
Click here to download a document to provided your comment.
Sincerely,
Gary Hall
Northern Harbour
