President’s Letter
Dear fellow members of the Association pour l’Amélioiration du Lac Manitou et ses environs,
We are looking forward to another wonderful summer in Ivry this year. The many volunteers whose energy and enthusiasm give such strength to the AALM have been working hard to put together an exciting programme of activities for the summer; including concerts, vernissages, group paintings, environmental engagements and trail hikes - all of which are described in detail below.
I know how much our community means to its residents and we see evidence of that in the wide range of activities that will be offered this summer. Ivry is a very special place for families to get together and the AALM knows how important it is for all of its members to preserve the environment and the sense of community that we have enjoyed over more than 100 years.
Please take the time to read this newsletter and, if you can, join as many of the planned events as you can.
I hope to see you all at the Annual General Meeting on July 13 starting at 9:30 a.m at Place Lagny, next to the public beach in Ste Agathe des Monts .
A new Board of Directors of the AALM will be voted upon. Be sure to attend the meeting if you want your concerns heard and cast your ballot.
Have a great summer,
Michael Prupas
President
THE AALM
The AALM was founded in 1909 as the Lake Manitou Improvement Company and changed its name to L’Association pour l’amélioration de lac Manitou et de ses environs (AALM) in 1978. At 114 years old, it is the oldest lake-owners association in the Laurentians. Many AALM families go back more than three generations. Membership has grown substantially to over 200 residents.
The annual membership fee of $75 goes toward covering the expenses of AALM’s various committees as well as to support Conservation Manitou and the Ste Agathe Hospital Foundation. If you haven’t already paid your annual dues, please do so now.
The AALM is again gearing up for exciting activities and events this summer, so mark your calendar and participate!
ARTS AND CULTURE
Established in 2020, the Arts and Cultures Committee (MACC) helps promote Lac Manitou’s diversity of cultures and helps build a stronger community.
MACC is chaired by Kathie Swim who reports that Summer 2024 will again be filled with Music. Music. Music. Three dockside music concerts on the lake and one on land are planned for all to enjoy. “We are thrilled to introduce new artists, locations, and activities,” she says.
MANITOU MUSICIANS
Jean Claude Beliveau , jazz singer, Jody Golick, saxophonist and new Manitou artists, Jimmy Ross Jones, drummer, Michael Dyck, pianist and Sylvie Choquette, bassist and singer will perform on Saturday, July 13, 4:30 – 6:00 pm on the grounds of Fyon/ MacLean Home, 312 Ch. Fyon. People arriving by boat can dock at the Fyon/McLean dock or the nearby Pam Fyon dock. People arriving by car can park on either Ch. Fyon or the adjacent Ch. Colibri with parking places available on the Fyon/McLean cirucular driveway for those with walking difficulties.
BROADWAY SUR LE LAC
Don’t miss a special Broadway tribute on Saturday, July 20 at 4:00 p.m.
at Howard and Vivian Stotland’s dock on Baie Perrault.
Hum along to some of your favorite Broadway tunes with Elan Kunin on keys, featuring Gabi Epstein on vocals (“Canada’s Queen of Cabaret” according to CTV) with participation by David Noel and Alexia Gourd.
Anchor your boats, canoes and kayaks and enjoy the soft echoes of these amazingly talented artists.
This is an exclusive concert on the lake which is made possible by The Segal Centre for the Performing Arts! If you want to support the Segal Centre, please donate by calling 514 739 2301.
SOUL, DANCE AND POP CONCERT ON THE DOCK
Warren ‘Slim’ Williams and Friends returns to Fred and Marlene Cantor’s dock, in the main bay, on Sunday, July 28, 4 p.m. Come by boat, kayak or canoe!
“Slim is a renowned keyboardist, vocalist, and a pillar of the Montreal Soul Scene. He will be collaborating with dance pop recording artist Meredith Marshall whose powerful, emotional voice will bring out the heart and soul of the music. As a bonus, several guest musicians will be making an appearance and will be accompanied by Slim,” says Fred Cantor.
ACOUSTIC CONCERT ON THE DOCK
New artist Adam Karch will thrill Manitouers with his repertoire and style which is like that of Van Morrison, James Taylor and Cat Stevens from the '60s, 70's 80's, on Saturday, August 17, 4 pm. Rain Date, August 18, 4 pm. He will perform on the Borod/Henry Dock in Ivry Bay.
Look for 2 beige boathouses side by side one of which has red doors.
VERNISSAGE AU VILLAGE
More than a dozen artists; painters, sculptors, and photographers, will set up their creations on Saturday, July 27, 12:00 pm . The exhibition will take place at the new Ivry Town Hall!
What’s more MACC is organizing a community painting project where members will have an opportunity to collaborate, guided by Manitou’s talented artists.
On behalf of MACC (Veronica Baruffati, Allan Coopersmith, Gabi Opas, Michael Prupas, and Howard Stotland), we appreciate the hard work and contributions by all artists and hosts, celebrating local talent, entertaining us with unique experiences, while bringing our community together.
TRAILS CLUB
Come one come all to an organized trail hike Sunday, August 4, 10 am. Details to come. Check the AALM website, https://www.aalm.ca/fr/evenements, and on Facebook Lac Manitou AALM.
Trail Clearing Day
Annual Trails Clearing Day will be held on Saturday, October 26, 2024 at 10 am, and a potluck dinner that same evening.
Trails Club Signup
Please note that only AALM members can gain access to a password-protected internet site where they can download the AALM Trails Club Map with detailed descriptions of more than 25 popular trails. To become a member of the Trails Club, complete the form here: Trails Club Signup
WATER SAFETY AND EDUCATION COMMITTEE
This committee, chaired by AALM Vice President Boyd Fuller, has representatives from all boating activities on the lake - waterskiing, canoeing, kayaking, sailing, wake boarding and wake surfing.
Water safety, respect among neighbours, lake enjoyment, and shoreline preservation are ongoing issues and causes of concern to Lac Manitou residents. The Water Safety and Education Committee is continuing its focus in 2024 on educating the whole boating community on good boating practices. It is hoped that better education about good boating practices will help eliminate the problems many experienced in past summers.
The Municipality is also ensuring that boating laws are respected and enforced. It has hired a Nautical Patrol for the Summer of 2024, to ensure that regulations are followed by boaters and that water safety is practised by everyone on the lake. What’s more, the provincial Surete du Quebec is expected on the lake to check boaters’ licences and safety equipment.
AALM ENVIRONMENT COMMITTEE
The AALM has a long tradition of keeping watch on the health of the lakes, their shores, their surrounding forests, and wetlands. Chaired by Kathy Elder and Monica Heller, the committee contributes to these efforts in several ways.
One of the ways is by annually checking the health of the water in three lakes: Manitou, Fer-à-Cheval and de la Grise. Volunteers sample the water for fecal matter, water turbulence and water transparency. Last summer’s water quality report was submitted to the AALM in October 2023 and is available on the website. They found that the water quality is excellent!
This summer, John Walls will again do the testing for Lac Fer-à-Cheval; Sylvie Trottier for Lac de la Grise; Kyle Bebb for transparency and Scott Brown and Monica Heller for fecal coliform in Manitou.
Call for volunteers
Sylvie Trottier would be grateful for a partner with access to Lac de la Grise to share water testing duties when she is unable to be there. Please contact Monica Heller (monica.heller@utoronto.ca) if you are willing to lend a hand.
National Loon Survey
Another task of the environment committee is to survey the lake’s wildlife. This summer, it is checking Lac Manitou’s LOONS.
The AALM is registering with Birds Canada NATIONAL LOON SURVEY and is inviting members to participate.
Objective: to identify what’s causing declines in chick production and to find solutions.
JAPANESE KNOTWEED AND WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW
The environment committee is also monitoring the land and water for invasive species that harm the environment. One invasive plant that has already taken root in many Ivry gardens and roadsides is Japanese Knotweed.
Japanese Knotweed spreads quickly, survives Canadian winters, can harm our local ecosystem and properties. It out-competes native plants and poses a big threat to our local biodiversity. In addition, the plant’s root system can create serious infrastructure problems by growing through asphalt and concrete. The International Union for Conservation of Nature has named it one of the world’s 100 worst invading species.
Click below to learn more about this invader and what to do about it in the Japanese Knotweed brochure prepared by the committee.
CONSERVATION MANITOU
AALM provides continued support to Conservation Manitou, a local success story. Conservation Manitou is financially supported by around 200 mostly Ivry residents.
Stephen Takacsy, Chairman of Conservation Manitou, reports that 2023 marked its 10th anniversary as a registered charity focused on protecting Lake Manitou’s ecosystem. Since its founding, it completed 25 acquisitions and broadened its conservation efforts to promote ecological connectivity in the greater region with other organizations. During the year, it was gifted 110 acres of land near Lake Brazeau just west of Lake Manitou by Aileen Cagney, widow of the late Fred Barker, through ECCC’s Ecological Gifts Program. Subsequent to year-end, it purchased 221 acres adjacent to the Ivry Wildlife Crossing and to several of its other properties, forming a large contiguous protected area of 547 acres. This latest acquisition brings Conservation Manitou’s total land holdings to approximately 1,960 acres, just shy of our stated goal of preserving 2,000 acres within 10 years.
While donations and grants were down significantly in 2023, the prior year was a record for government grants due to the large number of land purchases made qualifying for public funding. It finished 2023 with a healthy working capital surplus and a Stewardship Fund totalling $450,000. It continues to evaluate numerous opportunities but needs to remain disciplined yet nimble in the face of mounting pressure from land developers.
Conservation Manitou’s 11th Annual Meeting will be held on June 29 at 2pm at the new townhall in Ivry-sur-le-Lac.
