SummerFest Planned for Muskoka

Politicians were thinking ahead to midsummer last week when they approved several bylaw exemptions for Muskoka SummerFest.

This will be the second annual SummerFest and, this year, the event will include live music and entertainment, local cuisine, a kid zone, a wine/beer/spirits tent, shopping, exhibits and cultural activities, among other attractions.

The event is planned for July 10-12 in Bracebridge’s Kelvin Grove Park. A temporary road closing, noise exemption and sign variances were all approved at the town’s recent general committee meeting.

The noise exemption will permit amplified sound in the park and Bracebridge Bay areas on July 10 between noon and 10 p.m., on July 11 between 10 a.m. and 10 p.m. and on July 12 from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m.

The temporary road closure affects Wharf Road from Ontario Street to Dill Street, including one lane of Ontario Street from Wharf Road to Manitoba Street for four consecutive days, beginning July 9 at 7 p.m. through to 11 p.m. July 12.

The sign variance allows festival organizers ExpoFest Event Management to place directional/promotional signage on municipal road allowances, advertising Muskoka SummerFest.

Lakeland Power has said it would see what it could do about having low flows at the falls for the event. Lakeland operates hydroelectricity generating plants on the Muskoka River, and can restrict flow levels if necessary.

Town clerk Lori McDonald explained that event organizers will make use of a barge in Bracebridge Bay during the event. “They may not want major forces of water pushing up against it.”

The Bracebridge Examiner and Gravenhurst Banner - Town approves plans for SummerFest

Technorati Tags: summerfest, muskoka, tourism, attractions, ontario

Fishing the Niagra River

Fallsnewspress.com - Niagara River provides fishing challenge in all seasons

Most fishing spots have a prime season for catching fish.

For most waters, spring and summer are the common hot times. Mention fall and winter and many anglers just shrug their shoulders.

Well, the Niagara River is a unique fishing spot because it is hot during all four seasons of the year.

Connecting Lake Erie to Lake Ontario, not only does this rather short river have large amounts of resident fish, but it also experiences migrations of fish from lakes Ontario and Erie.

The most common tactic for catching these fish uses a three-way swivel rod with a pencil lead for a sinker. A fluorocarbon leader tied to a hook baited with live bait completes the outfit.

The means angler is actually fishing -- feeling the bite and setting the hook the old-fashioned way.

Here's a brief primer on some of Niagara's top fish:

Salmon

King or Chinook salmon start making forays into the lower Niagara in September.

Migrating upstream from Lake Ontario, some of these fish exceed 30 pounds. These are the giants that test the mettle of the angler and his tackle. Clusters of salmon eggs are the bait of choice for salmon.

During the salmon season, an occasional steelhead (rainbow trout) and brown trout also are landed.

Once in a while, a sturgeon will grab the bait. Though some exceed six feet in length, if landed, they must be released.

Technorati Tags: fishing, niagra river, ontario

10 Tips for Planning a Great Ontario Cottage Vacation

If you’re planning a cottage vacation this summer, get started on the planning early. It’s all part of the fun - get the kids involved and have regular family meetings to talk about what you should take with you, what you plan on doing when you get there, and who has responsibility for what.

Here’s a few tips to get you started.

Read the contract and Terms and Conditions thoroughly.

Make sure you know when check-in an check-out are. Don’t plan on arriving earlier than the appointed time. Owners have only a short amount of time to changeover a cottage between guests and often have a lot of work and general maintenance to do. Arriving early does not mean you will gain access to the cottage or the waterfront and you may have to leave and come back again at check-in time

If you plan on taking your pet, make sure the cottage owner permits them.

Taking a pet to the cottage is a privelige and not a right. Often, owners will not permit pets in their property because their children have allergies, or they simply do not like dogs or cats. Please respect that and don’t put the owner in the embarrassing position of having to ask you to leave and find alternative accommodation for your pet.

Buy a good map of the area, plan your main route and an alternative.

The main cottage country roads get very congested at the weekends in summer. Buy the MapArt book that covers the area you are visiting and plan your route well in advance. Make sure the directions you have from the owner or agency can be followed from the map. Put the directions, address of the cottage, and access details in a clearly labelled plastic folder. This should be the first thing you put in the car, and the last thing you check!

Write a packing list and get all the family to add in their lists.

When you arrive at the cottage late at night, 15 kilometres down a cottage country road, it’s not the time to realise you forgot to pack the toilet paper. Most cottages will have a supply so that is perhaps an extreme example, but good packing lists are vital to remembering all those little things that make self catering more comfortable. Check out our tips for packing.

Check what time the stores shut in the area.

Cottage country stores stay open later in the summer season, but not as late as the city. It may be better to stop earlier rather than later if you are planning on picking up groceries on the way.

Buy water shoes.

Zebra mussels are commonplace in many lakes now despite all efforts of lake associations to prevent them. They are razor sharp and can cause quite painfulcuts. I’d recommend taking water shoes wherever you go, particularly for the children. They are also useful if you’re in an area where the lake bed is soft and squishy, unless you like it squidging between your toes!

Find out if life jackets are provided and check the sizes.

It is the law that life jackets,or personal flotation devices (PFDs) of appropriate sizes for the occupants, are carried in any watercraft. Of course it is far safer and more sensible to wear them! Some cottage owners will supply a selection of PFDs but you need to be sure they fit correctly or you may find yourself subject to a hefty fine. If in doubt, purchase your own.

Purchase a fishing licence.

If you plan on fishing, even off the dock, buy a fishing licence. Go to the Fish Ontario website for more details. Lakes are patrolled by the OPP in summer just as the roads are, so make sure you have the correct licence to show.

Check you know the size of beds in the property.

If your cottage does not supply linens for the beds, check the sizes before you go. Struggling to stretch full size sheets onto a queen size bed is not what you want to be doing on your first night. Most owners will supply linens for king beds but it’s best to check on that too. And if you are planning on using sofa beds or pullout couches at the cottage, ask the owner if she supplies comforters, blankets and pillows for those.

If you are going on vacation with friends, establish your ground rules.

This is the subject of another article so for now, plan on a couple of get-togethers with your friends to discuss how you plan on making the vacation work for you all. Talk about your expectations and be realistic and honest about anything you may not be prepared to compromise on. Bed-times for the kids and eating patterns are often the issues that become cause for disharmony.

Good planning will pay dividends in creating a stress free and enjoyable vacation. Start well in advance and you’ll have a great time.

Traditional Family Cottage on Big Bald Lake

There are so many new cottages arriving on the rental market that are very beautiful, but lack the feel of a traditional Ontario cottage. I'm talking about the warmth of pine and cedar; the eclectic mix of comfortable cottage furniture that just speaks of relaxation and an overall welcome to kick back and enjoy the waterfront.

Granite Point is just that - a traditional family cottage that offers welcome, comfort and a cozy feel, yet in a spacious environment. It was a winter day when we visited and the ice was still on the lake and we will be taking new exterior photos soon, but it was clear this cottage is a gem to be enjoyed. With water on three sides with both shallow and deep entry, this is great for all ages and swimming abilities. Call us for more information on 1-866-323-6698.

The Draw of Wasaga Beach

Beach blanket Ontario

If you have a vintage motorcycle, a really, really loud car stereo or a well-tanned body you want to show off, Wasaga Beach is the place to do it.

Wasaga Beach, about 90 minutes northwest of Toronto (assuming light traffic), has been a tourist draw for more than a century and the beach itself is the reason why. Stand in the middle of it, and the arms of Nottawasaga Bay enclose you on either side. To the northwest, you'll see the Niagara escarpment, known to local residents simply as "the mountain." And, yes, from the beach the mountain does appear to be blue.

Technorati Tags: ontario, travel, wasaga beach

Mississaugan survives reality show

Mississaugan survives reality show - The Mississauga News - Mississauga.com

April 3, 2009 05:47 PM - A Mississauga teen will try to show the world he's a survivor when he appears on a 13-episode reality television series that premieres Tuesday night.

Adam Deganis, 15, is one of eight Canadian teenagers participating in YTV's Survive This.

The show features city dwellers who are thrown into the Ontario wilderness, just north of Huntsville, with camera crews around them. The show, filmed last summer, is not competitive and participants can leave when they decide they've had enough.
They're put through various survival challenges.

"I've always actually been involved with the outdoors so I enjoyed everything that we did," said Deganis, a Loyola Secondary School student. "I had fun with it."
Deganis, who applied online for the show, picked up nicknames like Nature Boy and The Sportsman during the series, stemming from his passion for the outdoors. Some of his favourite activities include fishing and hunting, and he and his dad spend a lot of time outdoors.

Survive This is hosted by Les Stroud, a survival expert and host of Outdoor Life Network's Survivorman.

"We did a lot of fun things that Les Stroud did, like build shelters, start fires, boil our own water. It was really cool," Deganis said.

"I was going into it to learn something and have fun," he added. "I think if I were put into a survival situation, I probably learned enough to survive for a couple of days."
Because participants had to catch their own food, Deganis said their diet often consisted of frog legs.

For more information, visit www.ytv.com.

Technorati Tags: mississaugan, outdoors, reality show, ytv, les stroud, survivorman

Ontario, Prince Edward County

Don't rush to the beach

Even on a road map of Ontario, Prince Edward County looks alluring. With a northern border of blue provided by the Bay of Quinte, the ragged peninsula juts into the inland sea of Lake Ontario.

Nature created the county as a presqu'ile, almost an island, but technically it only became Quinte's Isle when a canal was cut through the narrow spit of land linking the peninsula to the mainland at Trenton.

Best known for its Sandbanks Provincial Park, Prince Edward County is a sort of miniature Prince Edward Island with astounding similarities to the Canadian Maritime home of Anne of Green Gables.

"Cradled in the waves of the Great Lakes" could be its motto.

Commercial fishing boats dock in cove harbours, and tractors ply green fields overlooking blue seascapes and rocky bluffs.

Country roads crisscross the interior offering automobile shunpikers and bicyclists endless discoveries of authentic rural scenery and characters mixed with fine art galleries and home-baked delights. Local taste treats have become a big tourist draw here, from U-pick berries and organic veggie stands to gourmet pub fare and wineries.

Be sure to pick up the map Harvestin' the County, with directions about where to buy beef and lamb direct from the farm, fresh lavender, even emu sausages (www.harvestin.ca).

Technorati Tags: lake ontario, ontario travel, prince edward county, bay of quinte

Trophies for the Georgian Bat Hunters and Anglers Club

Georgian Bay conservationists honoured

The Georgian Bay Hunters and Anglers Club landed two big trophies during the annual general meeting of its parent organization March 19.

At the Ontario Federation of Anglers and Hunters (OFAH) gathering in Mississauga, the local club received the Windsor Sportsmen’s Club Trophy for outstanding fundraising success in 2008.

Club members sold 691 books of tickets in support of the 34th annual OFAH Conservation Lottery.

“Fundraising is essential to OFAH conservation programming,” said president Jack Hedman. “The incredible success of the OFAH Conservation Lottery comes down to the members and clubs like the Georgian Bay Hunters and Anglers, who demonstrate their dedication to Ontario’s fish and wildlife through fundraising, and by taking on community conservation projects.”

The club’s Georgian Bay Get Outdoors Club, meanwhile, took home the Ministry of Natural Resources Junior Conservation Award.

“The Georgian Bay Get Outdoors Club is well-deserving of this award,” said Robert Pye, the OFAH’s manager of member services. “They … show an admirable dedication to the conservation of our fish and wildlife.”

The award is presented annually to a youth club contributing the most to conservation in the previous year. This is the second time the Georgian Bay Get Outdoors Club has taken home the award. It was previously recognized in 2005.

Ontario - Moose Hunting Program

wawa-news.com - Ontario Seeks Public Input On Moose Hunting Program

Members of the public are invited to attend an open house in Wawa to comment on Ontario's moose tag draw system.

The draw allocates moose tags to resident hunters. It is designed to give the greatest number of hunters an opportunity to hunt or share an adult moose while maintaining sustainable moose populations. Through the open house, the Ontario government is encouraging people to discuss how the draw system can be improved. Biologists will be on hand to lead discussions and answer questions.

The ministry launched a review of the program in 2008 to ensure Ontario's moose continue to be managed in a responsible and sustainable way.

Technorati Tags: ontario, moose, hunting, moose population

Learning Outdoors

Roughin’ It 101 - The Sault Star - Ontario, CA

Some of Ray Boucher’s most heartening moments as a Grade 8 teacher happen far from the confines of the classroom. Boucher and other Northern Ontario educators are at the leading edge in the rebirth of outdoor education — a trend that’s gathering steam in rural schools, but leaving teachers in more populated school districts buried beneath mountains of paperwork and liability concerns.

“Being outside and active makes students more open to learning,” said Boucher, who recently brought his class of 12 St. Joseph students to the Huron-Superior Catholic District School Board’s outdoor facility at Camp Korah in Sault Ste. Marie for a day of cross-country skiing.

“Besides physical education, there are many curriculum tie-ins for geography, science, history and the arts.”

For Boucher, getting his class outside is as simple as organizing half-day snowshoe treks several times a month on Wawa’s easily accessible hiking trails. Another highlight was spending a day sea kayaking with his class on Wawa Lake.

Boucher said the outdoor education challenges of “permission slips, board policies and liability issues” are easier to deal with given a supportive principal and understanding parents.

“We live in an outdoor community,” said Boucher.

Technorati Tags: northern ontario, learning, teachers, students, snowshoe, kayaking

Ontario Snow Train

Ripping through the snow in Northern Ontario

The sound of gunfire has nothing on the scream of a snowmobile drive belt shredding at 130 kilometres an hour for "pucker" effect.

Certainly, I felt pinched as bits of rubber ricocheted off the Yamaha's belt guard -- then the track locked up as the belt wedged itself into the clutch. I slowed to a stop, hit the kill-switch and all was quiet -- except for my thundering heartbeat and the sound of my family's sleds fading into the wilderness.

What an utter, profound silence. I pulled off my helmet and faced the brilliantly shining sun; I shaded my eyes and stared down the trail -- wide, clear and empty. I was sitting on a trail about 100 kilometres south of Hearst, Ont., listening to the sounds of the other snowmobiles die away.

Looking both ways, it dawned on me just how utterly alone I was. My ears hummed with the strain of listening to nothing and, for the first time on this trip, it struck me just how big this province of ours really is.

Americans boast about Texas, but the fact is Texas has nothing on Ontario.

Technorati Tags: ontario, snow, train, hearst ontario,

New Buoys for Lake Ontario

The buoys are back in town | thetimesherald.com | The Times Herald

From Lake Ontario to Traverse Bay, Port Huron-based Coast Guard officials are responsible for installing navigational aides each spring.
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That process has begun -- a sure sign warmer weather is on its way and boating activity on local waterways could pick up.

Lt. j. g. Chris Jasnoch, the navigational aides operation's manager for the Coast Guard cutter Hollyhock, said the crew puts in more than 100 navigational aids each spring between mid-March and mid-April.

It is quite a chore.

Each of the buoys must get inspected -- to ensure a quality hull and working light assemblies -- painted and put in the water.

Installing one buoy, which involves putting in a sinker, anchor and mooring, can take 45 minutes to an hour, Jasnoch said.

The buoys range in size from 5 to 8 feet in diameter to up to 26 feet tall. The largest buoy is 8-by-26 and weighs 12,000 pounds.

Most common, though, are buoys that are 6 feet in diameter and 20 feet tall.

Jasnoch said the crew started installing buoys Tuesday on Lake St. Clair and will continue throughout Hollyhock's zone until mid-April.

Technorati Tags: buoys, lake ontario, boating, spring

Fishing, even in the winter

Twinsburgbulletin.com - Niagara River provides fishing in all seasons

Most fishing spots have a prime season for catching fish.

For most waters, spring and summer are the common hot times. Mention fall and winter and many anglers just shrug their shoulders.

Well, the Niagara River is a unique fishing spot because it is hot during all four seasons of the year.

Connecting Lake Erie to Lake Ontario, not only does this rather short river have large amounts of resident fish, but it also experiences migrations of fish from lakes Ontario and Erie.

The most common tactic for catching these fish uses a three-way swivel rod with a pencil lead for a sinker. A fluorocarbon leader tied to a hook baited with live bait completes the outfit.

The means angler is actually fishing -- feeling the bite and setting the hook the old-fashioned way.

Here's a brief primer on some of Niagara's top fish:

Salmon

King or Chinook salmon start making forays into the lower Niagara in September.

Technorati Tags: ontario, fishing, niagra river, seasons, lake erie, lake ontario

First Weekend of Spring in Ontario

Ontario Travel Spring Skiing, tubing, boarding and end of March Break brings on Maple Syrup Festivals

Ontario's travel weekend for the spring March break will be perfect for downhill skiiers and snow tubing enthusiasts heading north of Toronto into ski country. Lots of on-hill fun and activities including Maple Syrup festivals at nearby ski hills for the end of March Break

Technorati Tags: ontario, travel, spring

Maple Syrup Festival

Ontario Travel to Maple Syrup Festival at Midland's Wye March-Sweetwater Festival

Mark your calendar now and come to Wye Marsh for 18th Annual Sweetwater Harvest celebration taking place on Saturday March 28th and Sunday, March 29th. Experience and enjoy the many activities and exhibits along our trails including Native, Pioneer & Modern Maple Syrup demonstrations.

Technorati Tags: ontario, travel, maple syrup festival

Intimate, Live with the Tragically Hip in Kingston

The Tragically Hip Rocks the Big Screen With an Intimate, LIVE Performance Exclusively at Cineplex Entertainment Theatres - MSNBC Wire Services - msnbc.com

TORONTO, ONTARIO - Cineplex Entertainment (TSX: CGX.UN), Universal Music Canada and Insight Productions are ready to rock! On Monday, April 6th The Tragically Hip fans will be treated to an exclusive one-night only LIVE and intimate performance from their legendary recording studio, The Bathouse, in Kingston Ontario. The Tragically Hip: We Are The Same will be shown in High-Definition (HD) and digital surround sound at select Cineplex Entertainment theatres across Canada. Hosted by George Stroumboulopoulos from CBC's The Hour, guests will also be treated to a special Q&A session where they can email or text in their questions during the performance. They will also have an exclusive behind the scenes look at the band's studio and home base, The Bathouse.

Technorati Tags: tragically hip, kingston, ontario, george stroumboulopoulos

Top 100 Festivals in Ontario

Cactus and Busker festivals both make Ontario Top 100

The annual Festival and Events Ontario Top 100 Festivals list for 2008 was announced during the association’s conference March 7 in Woodstock.

Technorati Tags: ontario, festivals

New Cottages Listed Soon

So far this year, we have seen our Ontario cottage rental bookings increase by 72% over the same time last year. People are booking early to ensure they get the best cottage for their vacation, and many have been disappointed to find the cottage they chose a few days earlier is no longer available.

Our recommendation is that if you see a cottage you like, don't wait to reserve it. Do it now! The high season weeks are booking up fast.

All is not lost though, as we are viewing new cottages all the time. I will soon be listing a gorgeous 4-bedroom cottage on Little Marble Lake near Bon Echo Provincial Park. This is in a private location on a small lake, yet only a 10 minute walk to the marina that services fabulous Mazinaw Lake. So, if you have a boat and want to explore, you can rent a slip at the marina and have the best of both worlds. A tranquil vacation spot on a peaceful shoreline, with access to a larger body of water for water skiing and tubing.

Another new listing coming up is on Lower Buckhorn Lake in the Kawartha region. This one is located on a point of land so there is water and wonderful views on three sides. Our favourite aspect of this cottage is the screened sun room where we know our guests will spend a lot of time.

Canal Lake in the Kawartha Lakes area is the location of a large cottage where you can host murder mystery weekends. These catered weekends feature a secret ingredient to make your short break the best experience ever.

For more information on these and many other new listings coming up, subscribe to our email notification, and as soon as they are listed you'll be the first to know.

Renting A Cottage - What Maximum Occupancy Means

Do children count? Can I invite guests? Is it OK to bring tents and blow-up beds?

These are a few of the questions we are asked regularly and are often the issues that guests become confused about. So, I want to clear up a few things about occupancy and hope these answers go some way to explaining the reasons for limiting numbers at a cottage.

Rental insurance restrictions - All our cottages carry insurance that covers them for renting out their property. This is for your protection as well as theirs and you should never rent a cottage that does not have adequate insurance cover. These policies often have occupancy restrictions and exceeding the numbers could invalidate the cover which could have serious consequences should something occur during your stay.

Respecting the owner’s wishes - Renting a cottage is not the same as buying a room in a hotel or at a resort. You’re renting a privately owned residence, one that may be in use by the owners for much of the summer. They will decide how many people they wish to have staying and respecting that choice is part of the relationship of trust that should be in place when you begin your vacation.

Septic capacity - With a few exceptions, cottage waste (water & sewage) is handled by a septic system. This is designed to cope with a finite number of occupants and that means both adults and children. When I mention this to potential rental guests, I’m invariably told that their babies and small children are in diapers and therefore don’t create any impact on a septic system. Well, my experience may be in the dim and distant past, but I do recall bathing my children, washing their clothes, and changing their bedding quite frequently. It wasn’t until my boys reached their teenage years that they stopped using water!

Bed configuration - Owners of rental properties often provide very flexible accommodation in terms of the beds they provide. This means a good choice of how to sleep the family, it doesn’t indicate that you can pack more people into the same space. So when a cottage listing shows the maximum number accommodated is 6 people but there are sleeping spaces for 10, please don’t expect to bring an additional 4 people.

Day and overnight guests - I had a call a few days ago from a person who had booked a cottage, asking about the parking space available. She had asked some friends to come and stay with them for a few days during their vacation and explained ‘ we won’t be overcrowding the cottage because they are bringing their motorhome’. This raised quite a few issues, not least of which was the additional 6 people, over and above the maximum occupancy of the cottage. Day and overnight guests may be accepted, but this is at the discretion of the owner or agency and it is important to be honest and open about anyone you may have invited, or who may ‘drop in’.

Check rental agreements carefully - If you rent through an agency, you will be asked to fill in an application form declaring the number of people in your rental group, and the agreement you sign will probably limit you to those listed on that form. If you want to add more, have potential guests visiting you, all you need to do is let the agency know. Providing you don’t exceed the maximum occupancy, this should be fine. Just remember that the agreement you sign is a legal document and binds you to the occupancy limits defined on the form.

Overcrowding can be costly - Cottage communities are usually very close and supportive - neighbours watch out for each other and keep an eye on each other’s properties. If you decide to ignore the maximum occupancy for your rented cottage and invite additional people, the chances are that the owner or agency will be informed by a cottage neighbour, and this could result in additional charges or even eviction without refund.Failing to keep within the owner’s guidelines for occupancy could result in upsetting consequences. Please keep within the limits and have a great vacation.

Welcome to our Ontario Cottage Blog

Welcome to Cottage Link Rental Management, we specialize in cottage and cabin rentals across Ontario & southern Quebec. We have comfortable and relaxed locations in all cottage country locations: Muskoka, Haliburton, Kawarthas, Bruce Peninsula, Georgian Bay, Eastern and Northern Ontario, Tremblant and the Laurentians. From serene fishing spots to a place to reconnect with the family, we’re sure you’ll enjoy these rentals on the lake.