The lands and waters of the Bruce Peninsula have fed, housed, and supported First Nations peoples for many ages. They have been good stewards of this amazing place. Those of us lucky enough to be here now have a responsibility to do the same.
We live within shouting distance of three STAs (Short Term Accommodations) that until recently housed a widow (seasonal), a senior couple (full time) and a middle aged couple (seasonal). There are now potentially 44 people using these properties at one time. Occupancy is often at the maximum because the rental cost is extremely high. We knew the previous owners well. We have never met or talked with the new STA owners. They are absentee landlords in every sense. Anyone living near an STA knows the immediate issues they present. I am most concerned about the long-term issues.
The STA dwellings near us have wells and septic systems designed for small families. The new owners have turned them into large group accommodations with no upgrades to the septic systems and no consideration for the amount of potable water available.
I lived and taught high school in Gravenhurst. We renovated a cottage on Lake Muskoka to be our year-round home. Meanwhile many other seasonal cottages were also being turned into year-round and permanent residences on the lake. A few years later a massive algae bloom on Muskoka Bay made the water unusable. The Cottagers Association led a drive to find the pollution source. It turned out to be old septic systems leaking effluent with every heavy rainfall. Council determined that no lakefront properties could be sold or renovated unless the septic system met current standards.
The present situation on the Bruce could have the same detrimental effect on water quality. In just the last three years on our shoreline there are no longer Bass breeding every spring, water clarity has been reduced and there is evidence of algae and a significant amount of underwater weed growth. Unhealthy waters will affect everybody.
There is a new organization starting up that is intended to represent waterfront property owners who live on their property either full time or seasonally.
I invite you to email nbploa@gmail.com to become part of the solution to both short-term issues and long-term sustainability.
Jim and Marilyn Dolmage,
Fowlie Road, NBP
