What's New
NOVEMBER 2008
Click here to read about the Summer 2008 Fire Truck Pull
MARCH 2008
2008 BIG SWAMPY ICE FISHING DERBY - Another Successful Fish Story - J. MeagherOn March 15, 2008, the GMPOA, along with the Grand Marais Recreation Association (GMRA), the Sand Bar Motor Inn, the Grand Beach and Area Development Committee (GBADC), and the East Beaches Fire and Rescue Department (EBFR), co-sponsored the 2008 Big Swampy Ice Fishing Derby in Grand Marais. As in its inaugural year last year, the weather was fantastic; a little chilly in the morning, but -5°C, a cloudless sky and almost no wind the rest of the day. And the 350 people who visited the derby site basked in the sunlight.
This year 205 holes, more than double last year's 93 holes, were sold to anglers from Grand Marais, Grand Beach, Winnipeg, Belair, Pine Falls, Brokenhead, Steinbach, Lockport, Pine Ridge, Victoria Beach, Stead and SWEDEN!
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In all, there were 33 catches presented to co-organizer Mac MacDonald for measuring: 6 northern pike, 16 pickerel and 11 perch.
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Julian Gorchynski (L) earned $615.00 (Presented to him on ice by GMPOA President Jerry Meagher - R) for the longest fish, a 69.5 cm northern pike.
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Second place earned Mel-From-Winnipeg (L) $410.00 (Presented to him at the Sand Bar Motor Inn by GMRA Director Jean MacDonald - R) for a 65 cm northern pike.
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Third place earned Blaine Orvis $205.00 (Presented to him at the Sand Bar Motor Inn by GMRA Director Jean MacDonald) for a 63 cm northern pike.
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Many, many other donated prizes of merchandise and services were awarded by random draw at the Sand Bar following the derby.
Seven individuals entered a pot of chili in the bake off. Defending champion Paul Gray defaulted his crown to me, Jerry Meagher. The victory earned me $70.00! The judging began with three preliminary rounds, in which 5 judges were asked to pick their favourite of 2 or 3 chilis. The winners of those rounds faced off in a winner take all showdown. Special thanks to the judges who picked my chili. The remaining chili was then sold to raise funds for the event. Get in on the fun next year when I will face all comers, no defaulting on my part!
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This year, a small prize was offered for the first time for the best decorated fishing shack. Dwayne Knott (L) won a string of lights shaped like fishing lures (presented by GMPOA President Jerry Meagher - R). He and his kids had painted murals on the shack depicting a Canadian flag, sunrise and Daddy catching a fish and a Bud. The judges were suitably impressed.
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Participants raved about the improvements that included a porta-potty and an improved kitchen (Run by Reg Thomas and Darlene Harris) with two large propane BBQ's and hot coffee and hot chocolate available throughout the event. We will meet soon to debrief and plan for a bigger and better Big Swampy in 2009.
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Big Swampy Ice Fishing Derby expresses its thanks and congratulations on a job well done to the organizers:
- Tyler Gray - Sand Bar Motor Inn
- Mac MacDonald
- Jean MacDonald - Grand Marais Recreation Association
- Reg Thomas - Grand Marais Recreation Association
- Jerry Meagher - Grand Marais Property Owners' Assoc.
- Jerry Sherby - Grand Marais Property Owners' Assoc.
- Mark Sinclair - East Beaches Fire And Rescue
- Curtis Carpets - Winnipeg
- Sand Bar Motor Inn - Grand Marais
- Buckwold Western - Winnipeg
- Curtis Carpets - Winnipeg
- DMD Electric - Traverse Bay
- Doris's Grocery - Grand Marais
- FISC - Winnipeg
- Gourmet Coffee - Winnipeg
- Latasia Jewelry - Geri Zalitach - Winnipeg
- Louis and Darlene Fisette - St. Clements
- Northern Meats - Winnipeg
- Red Fin - Selkirk
- RM of ST. Clements and Councillor Ed Gunning
- Sand Bar Motor Inn - Grand Marais
- Schneider's Septic - Grand Marais
- SIR - Winnipeg
- Val Mac Farms - Grand Marais
- W.G. McMahon - Winnipeg
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OCTOBER 2007
Destination Grand Marais - DGM has captured the imagination of many in our community. A marina, nine hole golf course, new recreation centre, new curling rink, hockey rink, soccer pitch, tennis courts, water spray park, information centre, public washrooms, walkways and more. It is a lot to wrap one's head around. And it appears to be a go!! For example, the Rm of St. Clements has already begun the process of acquiring lands needed for the new recreation centre. |
| Ron Joyce presents Destination Grand Marais at GMPOA Annual General Meeting. |
This plan will impact all who come to Grand Marais, most especially seasonal and permanent residents. The GMPOA encourages you to express your opinion about the proposed development plan. You can share your views online by clicking here. The GMPOA will mail its members a form that they can use to state their opinions. You can download the entire DGM Redevelopment Plan by clicking on the appropriate link below:
Mirror #1 - MTS (will open in new window)
Mirror #2 - SHAW (will open in new window)
Mirror #3 - GMPOA (will open in new window)
COPP - The RCMP have expressed their appreciation for our Citizens On Patrol Program. We had 21 volunteers who completed 76 patrol shifts. Thanks to all those who volunteered this summer! Every one of you has promised to continue next year. And thanks to another 15 members who have volunteered to join us next year. We are still looking for more people; many hands make light work. If you are interested or want more information, call Jerry at 754-2746.
Blue Bomber Football Raffle - Congratulations to Ron Corrigal of Selkirk, Manitoba! Ron was the lucky winner of a CFL football, autographed by all of the Bombers, a display case and four tickets to the September 29 home game against the Hamilton Tiger Cats. We hope you and your guests enjoyed the Bomber's exciting win over the Ticats on September 29. Once again, special thanks to GMPOA member Patricia Stacker for donating these prizes. The raffle earned $1500.00 that will go towards the design and construction of stairs to provide safe access to the Historic Fisherman's Pier at Grand Marais Boulevard and Lakeview Avenue.
2007 Fire Truck Pull Cancelled - The GMPOA, in consultation with Fire Chief Mark Sinclair, regretfully cancelled the 2007 Fire Truck Pull in support of the East Beaches Fire and Rescue Department. Many circumstances, including the opening of the new East Beaches Fire And Rescue hall and illness, conspired to make the task too daunting in 2007. We decided to cancel this year's event rather than NOT do it justice. We have already begun preparations for 2008.
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In 2006, the First Annual Fire Truck Pull in Grand Marais earned approximately $4400.00 toward the purchase of a thermal imaging camera. Thermal imaging cameras enable fire fighters to see through smoke. With it, they can quickly identify hot spots and more efficiently battle fires. More importantly, the camera can be used to locate and rescue victims. And in the absence of victims, it saves fire fighters lives because they do not have to search burning buildings needlessly. It is indeed an invaluable fire fighting tool.
But it is not a cheap tool. It costs approximately fifteen thousand dollars ($15,000.00)! In 2008, we hope to raise the remaining funds needed to purchase such a camera. With that in mind, we are asking all communities, organizations and individuals served by the East Beaches Fire And Rescue Department to support the 2008 Fire Truck Pull. It will be held in Grand Marais on Saturday, August 30, 2008 from 4 - 6 p.m, in front of the old fire hall at 120 Grand Beach Road. We hope you never need to benefit from this camera, but we hope to have one in case the need arises.
You can support us in many ways:
- For four hundred dollars ($400.00), you can become a sponsor of the event, which includes the entry fee for one Pull-Team.
- You can enter a Pull-Team for one hundred dollars ($100.00). A Pull-Team consists of ten members who literally pull a fire truck a distance of one hundred meters. In 2006, the fastest team won ten steak dinners at the Grand Sands Motor Hotel, ten tacos from the Blue Hound Grill, ten free rounds of golf at Beaches Golf Course, a weekend cabin rental from White Cap Lodge and a weekend hot tub rental from Interlake Woodstove and Spa.
- You can donate a prize for the winning team and/or a prize for a raffle to raise even more funds.
- You can support us by donating a service (such as printing or advertising) or donating merchandise (such as hot dogs, t-shirts, fridge magnets, etc.)
- You can support us by volunteering to sell raffle tickets, to post signs advertising the event, to cook hot dogs at the event, etc.
- Or you can make a cash donation in any amount.
Annual General Meeting
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Thanks to the 81 members who attended our AGM On September 1. Congratulations to those elected to the 2007 - 2008 Management Committee of the GMPOA (see photo below), and many thanks to all those who have served in this capacity these past two years.
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| (L to R: Directors Garry Dunne and Jerry Sherby, Treas. Roberta Dalman, Director Linda Leonard, Pres. Jerry Meagher, Director Gord Koffman and VP Paul Leonard. Missing, Secretary Donna Meyer.) |
The GMPOA offers thanks and good wishes to the following guest speakers: Jeff Houghton - Manitoba Conservation; Rob Belanger - Manitoba Conservation; Ron Joyce - President of GBADC and Destination Grand Marais; Terry Neplyk - Grand Beach Cottage Owners' Association; Councillor Ed Gunning - RM of St. Clements.
AGM information, including reports of the president and standing committees, is available by clicking here.
2007 Spirit Award
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Congratulations to George Rooswinkel, the recipient of the 2007 Spirit Award. George has been extremely active in local organizations such as the Grand Marais Seniors (past treasurer), Grand Marais Recreation Association (treasurer), Grand Marais Family Festival (treasurer), Grand Beach and Area Development Corporation (director) and Destination Grand Marais (director). He has fought hard for good governance and financial accountability in all these organizations. In addition, George was the driving force leading to the creation of the Grand Marais Youth Drop In Centre that operates October to June, and he volunteer supervises every Friday night. He also, with little help, floods and cleans the hockey rink.
On behalf of the GMPOA and Grand Marais, thanks George.
Third Newsletter Distributed - Click here to download your own copy.
Website Layout Change - We have combined the 2 seperate news pages into one. Now this What's New page contains both the old GMPOA News and the GM News pages. The links from the menu on the left of the website will soon be changed as well to reflect the update. Please be sure to refresh your web browser (press F5) to see the most current information on the website.
JULY 2007
Destination Grand Marais - As reported last month on this site, the consulting firm Thomas, Hilderman and Frank was awarded $15,000.00 to draft a proposal for the redevelopment of Grand Marais. All residents, property owners and friends of Grand Marais are encouraged to attend a public presentation of this proposal scheduled for August 18, 2007 at 10 A.M. at the Grand Marais Recreation Centre.UPDATE: Here is the proposed redevelopment (6.69MB PDF):
Mirror #1 - MTS (will open in new window)
Mirror #2 - SHAW (will open in new window)
Mirror #3 - GMPOA (will open in new window)
COPP - A Sign Of The Times - You may have noticed a new sign as you enter Grand Marais, or on the sides of vehicles in the community, or even on the backs of volunteers. What are these signs all about? The Grand Marais Citizens On Patrol Program (COPP), that's what!!
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The GMPOA is proud to announce the launch of The Grand Marais Citizens On Patrol Program (COPP); congratulations are extended to Linda Leonard for organizing this program on behalf of the GMPOA.
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| (GMPOA members receive COPP training.) | |
A grant from the RM of St. Clements and support from Manitoba Public Insurance Corporation (MPIC or Autopac) made it possible for nineteen of our members to attend a two-hour training session on Saturday, June 16 at the Grand Marais Recreation Centre. Thanks to Riel Dion, the Manitoba Provincial COPP Coordinator from MPIC, who instructed us on how to observe and record information for use by police agencies. And more thanks to Corporal C. Friesen and Constable L. Clarkson of the Grand Marais RCMP detachment who were present to clarify concepts and answer questions.
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| (Riel Dion instructing.) | (Corporal Friesen, Constable Clarkson and Riel Dion.) |
COPP volunteers are not wannabe police officers!! We are residents, seasonal and permanent, who share a concern for the safety of persons and property in Grand Marais. We are not here to control anyone's activities; we are simply an extra set of eyes and ears for local authorities. So if you see us around, give us a wave and a nod, or come and chat with us. If you share our concern, if you have time for a two or three-hour shift, or if you would like more information, contact Linda at 754-2774.
Attention Blue Bomber Fans
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The GMPOA will raffle off a CFL football, autographed by all of the Bombers, with a display case and four tickets to the September 29 home game against the Hamilton Tiger Cats at our Annual General Meeting on Saturday, September 1, 2007, 10:00 a.m. - noon. Special thanks are extended to GMPOA member Patricia Stacker, for donating these prizes. Proceeds from the raffle will go towards the design and construction of stairs and/or viewing platforms to replace the existing stairs leading to the Historic Fisherman's Pier at Grand Marais Boulevard and Lakeview Avenue. Tickets are available at local merchants and from volunteers for $2.50. Only 2000 tickets printed! You do not have to be in attendance at the AGM in order to win. Big thanks to Les Sutherland for printing our raffle tickets free of charge! For more information, contact Paul at 754-2774.
Second Newsletter Distributed - Big thanks to Lou Savoie who organized another small army of volunteers to deliver our second annual newsletter to every property in Grand Marais on the July long weekend. And big thanks to Les Sutherland for printing our newsletters free of charge! Click here to download your own copy.
Canada Day Celebrations - Once again, the Grand Beach and Area Development Corporation (GBADC) with assistance from the Grand Marais Recreation Centre (GMRC), put on a grand (pardon the pun) celebration in honour of Canada's birthday. New this year is the GMPOA's partnership with the GBADC to present this event.
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| Ron Joyce and Ken Avery receive cheque from GMPOA president Jerry Meagher. |
This year's event was in honour of the late Henri Vandale. Henri was instrumental to the success of this year's and past year's celebrations. It took many people many hours of work to finish the job that Henri had almost completed himself. He will be sorely missed.
The evening was a great success! Neal Pinto provided musical entertainment. James Bezan (our local Member of Parliament), Steve Strang (Reeve of St. Clements), Ken Avery (Acting Chairperson - GBADC Fireworks Committee), and Jerry Meagher (President GMPOA) then gave greetings to those assembled, led them in a chorus of Oh Canada and finally cut the birthday cake. The event was crowned by a spectacular fireworks display.
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| (Faces in the crowd.) | |
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| (MP James Bezan cuts the birthday cake.) | (Reeve Steve Strang draws Mac MacDonald's name in the GBADC BBQ draw.) |
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| (Up they go, and BOOM!) | |
Over one thousand people attended and, by the resounding applause, thoroughly enjoyed themselves. Citizens On Patrol Program volunteers manned an information desk and COPP members, highly visible in their yellow vests, circulated amongst the audience and managed parking. GMPOA members also manned an information desk as did members of the GBADC. Other volunteers cut and served cake, took photos, raised funds, donated funds, set up and tore down, passed out glow bracelets, collected donations for next year's event... You volunteers are far too numerous to name, but special thanks is extended to each and every one of you.
Attention Blue Bomber Fans - Win a CFL football, autographed by all of the Bombers, and four tickets to the September 29 game against the Hamilton Tiger Cats. Click here for more information.
Derelict Buildings - The RM of St. Clements is changing the wording of their bylaw to better deal with the issue of derelict buildings. Their bylaw officer has met with the Selkirk Magistrate to ensure derelict properties can be dealt with more expediently in the future. Two derelict buildings in Grand Marais were torn down and removed by the RM on July 3, 2007. This has been an issue for members of the GMPOA (since our inception less than two years ago) and for the community of Grand Marais (for many years) and we applaud the RM for taking action.
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Twins Sighted - Almost a hundred motorcycle enthusiasts travelled out to Grand Marais for a Show-'N-Shine at the Sand Bar Motor Inn. "The Twins" were in town to promote the event.
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In a related story, the Gray Family, owners of the Sand Bar Motor Inn, finally received their plaque recognizing them as the recipients of the 2006 Spirit Award from the GMPOA. Many thanks to Priscilla, Paul and Tyler Gray for their contributions to Grand Marais, and for their patience.
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| (R to L) GMPOA president Jerry Meagher presents Spirit Award plaque to Tyler Gray and Paul Gray while Heather Zilkey (Spirit Award Director for the GMPOA), Mike Millard (Past-President) and his son Brandon look on. Missing - Priscilla Gray. |
JUNE 2007
Provincial Elections - The GMPOA extends congratulations to all candidates in the recent provincial election. Special congratulations are extended to Greg Dewar (NDP) on his re-election as MLA for the riding of Selkirk.RM of St. Clements Annual Cottage Association Presidents' Meeting - The RM of St. Clements hosted a meeting for all local cottage association presidents at the Grand Marais Recreation Centre in Grand Marais on Saturday, May 26. Information was presented on a number of issues such as:
- progress on construction of the East Beaches Fire and Rescue Centre - click here for more information about the centre
- plans by the RM of St. Clements to develop Grand Marais into a "destination" - provincial and federal governments have expressed verbal support for this initiative (more information about Destination Grand Marais below and much further below, in previous months)
- plans by the RM of St. Clements to beautify the transfer stations and increase some of their hours of operation
- plans by the RM of St. Clements to spend .5 million dollars on hard-surfacing roads in the municipality
- plans by the RM of St. Clements to open a second cell at the Libau Landfill (they have a license for eight cells)
- progress to date on the East Selkirk Water and Sewer Project - a 1.6 million dollar investment by the three levels of government
- appeals made by the RM to the province for support in repairing and maintaining provincial dikes like the Grand Marais Sand Spit
- appeals made by the RM to the province and to Manitoba Hydro for support in preventing shoreline erosion, mitigating the effects of shoreline erosion and repairing eroded shorelines along Lake Winnipeg
- plans by the RM to modify the mandate of Bylaw Enforcement Officers so they will be able to take action when they see infractions instead of waiting for a complaint in order to initiate action
- plans by the RM to enforce the bylaw concerning house number signs for 911 service - every property with a structure must have the numbers designated for that property, at least four inches in height, displayed in such a manner as to be clearly visible and legible from the highway
- the appointment of Bill Hildebrand to the position of Chief Administrative Officer
- plans by the RM to require a permit to use a trailer as a residence for up to 12 months while constructing a permanent house
- the RM's support for local COPP programs - up to $1000.00 for established programs
- bear safety - the stretch between Victoria Beach and Patricia Beach has the highest density of cottages in Manitoba and the largest number of bear-human conflicts - bird feeders, dirty BBQ's and improperly stored garbage attract bears and often lead to the destruction of the animal - attend a Bear Smart Seminar
- and more...
Shoreline Erosion - The Shoreline Technical Review Committee is here to help Manitobans address issues concerning shoreline erosion. The committee advises individual property owners, businesses, developers, governments, etc. concerning the appropriateness of projects designed to protect the shoreline from erosion or to mitigate the effects of erosion. The committee has two demonstration projects near Grand Marais, one at Halcyon Cove and another at Traverse Bay.
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| (Waves damage stairs and cause the bank to slump in November 2006.) |
(More shoreline slumping caused by the same storm.) |
Please note that you must obtain approval from the Shoreline Technical Review Committee BEFORE undertaking any project on the shores of Lake Winnipeg. Applications for projects in grand Marais and Grand Beach should be made to the Selkirk and District Planning Board. (200 Eaton Avenue, Selkirk, Mb, R1A 0W6, PHONE 204-738-2264, FAX 204-482-3799).
You should consider using the committee's services if you are planning a project. Misguided projects can cause more damage than they prevent. And if your project does cause damage, you will be held financially liable for those damages!! As well, the Department of Fisheries and Oceans imposes fines of up to $100 000.00 for actions that cause harm to the lake or to its shores. There are many professionals who can help you design your project to meet code. Make use of their services.
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| (Shoreline trees downed to create a better view.) |
You can help prevent shoreline erosion in small ways too. DO NOT dump leaves, grass clippings, building materials and other refuse over the bank because you will prevent the growth of native species that stabilize the shoreline. AND DO NOT cut down native vegetation that stabilizes the shoreline! These and many other common practices contribute to the erosion of our shoreline.
For more information, click here.
Lake Winnipeg's Health - Have you witnessed a bloom of blue-green algae along the shores of Grand Beach? And have you noticed that these blooms are more frequent, longer lasting and more widespread than you remember? If you have, it should tell you something; the lake is ailing! Especially since, they aren't really algae. They are bacteria, cyanobacteria, and some of them produce toxins!!
What's causing the problem? You and me! The main problem is nutrient loading. Nutrient loading occurs when we increase the amount of nutrients going into the lake. This can be done in several ways that may never occur to us. Using cosmetic fertilizers, especially those with a high phosphorous content (the middle number), increases the amount of nutrients in run -off. Grey water and septic fields do likewise. Using laundry soap with phosphorous and using any dishwasher soap since they all contain phosphorous. Clear cutting to the water's edge; that allows nutrient rich run-off to enter the lake more easily. Once again, as with shoreline erosion, the problems are many and we can all do our part.
For more information, click here.
Destination Grand Marais - The consulting firm Thomas, Hilderman and Frank was awarded $15 000.00 to draft a proposal for the redevelopment of Grand Marais. All residents, property owners and friends of Grand Marais are encouraged to attend a public presentation of this proposal, tentatively scheduled for Saturday, July 14, 2007. Watch this site for more information!
East Beaches Fire And Rescue - J. Meagher - Fire Chief Mark Sinclair loves describing the new East Beaches Fire And Rescue Centre. And why wouldn't he? The 1.2 million dollar structure is the envy of fire departments in neighbouring provinces and states. Mark regularly fields questions from other fire chiefs, EMO officials and ambulance services about the facility. He expects 50 - 60 fire fighters to come for a tour in late June. And then there is the grand opening on August 11, at which time the general public is invited to tour the facilities.
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| (Fire and Rescue Centre under construction.) |
From the road, one can see four large doors, the hose tower and offices. The four large doors are mirrored by four more on the opposite side of the building. The doors lead to eight drive-through bays that will eventually house two pumpers, two tankers, an incident command unit on wheels, a rapid response unit, a water rescue unit and an ambulance.
Upon entering, the bays take one's breath away. They are huge. The garage area is lined with white, fire-retardant PVC that will make maintenance and cleaning easy. Overhead are three 2000-gallon holding tanks, each capable of refilling a tanker truck in just 3 minutes! That is 14 minutes faster than the present facility. The holding tanks also lead to a hydrant connection that can fill pumper trucks directly. Sensors continually monitor air quality and automatically activate ventilators if exhaust fumes begin to fill the garage.
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| (Water storage tanks.) | (Spigot.) |
The environment hasn't been forgotten either. A central channel runs down the middle of the garage. Any oil drips or other spills are collected in this channel and taken to a sludge tank where they are separated from the water and collected for proper disposal. But the heating and cooling system is the showpiece of environmental planning in this building. A geothermal heating system adjacent to the garage makes use of natural convection patterns included in the design of the building to provide effective heating, cooling and on-demand hot water for the entire structure, while using no more energy than 3 electric construction heaters would use!
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| (Heart of the geothermal system.) | (Fire Chief Sinclair proudly explains how the system works.) |
A sophisticated laundry and drying room will clean firefighters' gear in a fraction of the time it takes at present. As you can imagine, the thick smoke and grime of a fire gets ingrained in the thick, heavy clothing firefighters wear for protection. It requires special washing machines to get these clothes clean. The clean clothing will then be hung on special hangers that force hot dry air through the fabric from the inside out.
The province provided a new state-of-the-art, $45,000.00 system for pressurizing breathing tanks. It will be housed next to the laundry room. This system is capable of pressurizing old and new tanks alike. The department hopes to obtain, in the near future, new tanks that will provide one hour of air instead of just a half-hour. Access to the room is via an outside door equipped with a digital security lock. Fire departments in Victoria Beach, Scanterbury and Fort Alexander will each be given a code so they can refill their tanks at their own convenience.
Upstairs is a room soon to be equipped with a projection screen and projector, satellite TV, and high speed Internet. It will be used to train up to 35 responders in the latest firefighting and rescue techniques. The hose tower, normally used to hang and dry hoses, has three balconies on the outside. Rescue workers can use these balconies to practice techniques for safely removing unconscious victims from burning buildings. To make these simulations more realistic, the tower can be filled with smoke.
Response to catastrophes of all sizes will be coordinated in The Emergency Operations Centre. The centre will have 6 stations: one each for dispatch, police, medical, EMO, fire and public works. Each station will be equipped with high speed Internet and individual phone lines. When it is not coordinating disaster responses, the centre can be used for training and for meetings.
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| (Lounge, billiards room, weight room and one of three bedrooms under construction.) | ||
3 bedrooms upstairs will eventually house ambulance-service personnel on a 24-hour basis. There is a large lounge area nearby with a pool table, couch, large-screen TV, treadmill, Bowflex and free weights. "These seem like extravagances, but they're not," explains Fire Chief Sinclair. "We operate a 24-hour, on-call fire service for this area. Our firefighters are trained to the same standards as any other firefighter in Winnipeg or the province. We need these amenities if we hope to attract 24-hour ambulance service and if we hope to attract young blood to the department. Our firefighters need a place to meet, unwind and build camaraderie. This new facility has already encouraged four young men aged 18 - 25 to acquire their level one certification and join our department."
APRIL and MAY 2007
Provincial Elections - J. Meagher - Provincial elections take place Tuesday, May 22, 2007. The GMPOA strongly encourages all Manitoba citizens to vote. Candidates running in the riding of Selkirk are: incumbent Greg Dewar (NDP), Gordie Dehn (PC) and Karen Keppler (L).On election day, residents of Grand Marais can vote at the Grand Marais Recreation Centre 8:00 a.m. - 8:00 p.m. Advance polls in the riding of Selkirk, will be held from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. (noon to 6 p.m. on Sunday) in Grand Marais on Saturday, May 19, in Lockport on Wednesday, May 16 and in Selkirk Sunday, May 13 to Saturday, May 19. You can vote at any advance polling place in Manitoba. Be sure to bring government issued photo identification, such as a driver's licence, or two other documents such as your enumeration record. You can also apply for absentee voting if you are eligible to vote but you cannot make it to a voting place on election day or on advance voting days. Absentee voters should apply to the returning officer, Darlene Smith (1-866-586-3841), as early as possible. For the most up-to-date information, visit Elections Manitoba (http://www.electionsmanitoba.ca/) and follow the links.
Joint Information Meeting - J. Meagher - The RM's of St. Clements and Alexander will host a meeting at the Grand Marais Recreation Centre in Grand Marais on Saturday, May 26, 1 - 3 p.m. The GMPOA encourages all residents and property owners of St. Clements and of Alexander to attend this annual event. Reeves and councillors will present information concerning a number of issues, after which they will take your questions. If you have an issue, prepare your question in advance. Members of the GMPOA who are unable to attend the meeting can send their question(s) to .
Annual Membership Drive - J. Meagher - The GMPOA will hold its annual membership drive on Saturday and Sunday, August 4 - 5. Volunteers will visit every property in Grand Marais to deliver a newsletter and solicit members. If you would like to volunteer, contact Lou at 256-4765 or 754-2997.
At present, the GMPOA has 165 members; we hope to grow our membership and increase our influence. You can renew your existing membership by mailing a cheque to GMPOA, Membership Renewal, Box 29, Grand Marais, Manitoba, R0E 0T0. If you are interested in becoming a member of the GMPOA, you can download an application from this site and mail it and your cheque to GMPOA, New Membership, Box 29, Grand Marais, Manitoba, R0E 0T0. Fees are $10 for voting (property owner) or $5 for associate (non-voting) memberships. There is a restriction of one voting membership per property, but associate memberships are open to anyone who has an interest in the betterment of Grand Marais.
Every member is encouraged to submit his/her email address. Email costs nothing extra and allows us to get information to members in a timely fashion. We will not contact you often.
Ice Fishing Derby - J. Meagher - The GMPOA recently cosponsored an ice fishing derby. (see the MARCH 2007 GMPOA News) Thanks to Derek and Heidi for submitting some more photos of this event. You can view their photos in our Photo Galery here (#29 to #32).
Early Spring - J. Meagher - It is hard to imagine watering in April, but that is what many of us were doing because of this early, dry spring weather. Perennials have sprouted, trees and shrubs are budding and lawns are beginning to grow and they all need a drink in order to have a healthy start.
After a few loud, earth-shaking (literally!) bangs, the lake began to disappear slowly in the second week of April. And it was still doing so the first week of May. Then, the lake was a mixture of melting ice sheets and transparent pools of water, so sunset featured a mixture of dark areas and shimmering pools of reflected reds and purples.
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Grand Marais is a birder's paradise in spring. Flocks of ducks, geese, mergansers, eagles, osprey, flickers, junckos, etc. arrived hourly. Many stay here for the summer, but many others are only brief visitors on their way northward. We enjoyed the display while we could!
Fire In The Hall - J. Meagher - Well, not really, but close. Fire spread rapidly through the dry grass next to the Grand Marais Transfer Station, and then jumped highway 12. It continued burning grass on the north side of the highway and was being pushed by strong winds towards the almost completed East Beaches Fire and Rescue Station (grand opening August 11). Firefighters in attendance called in a bomber that dropped a fire retardant powder to extinguish the flames. Flames came within fifty meters of the building!!
More Fires - J. Meagher - Another fire burned from Stead Road northward on Wednesday, May 8. High winds pushed the fire rapidly towards Sagkeeng First Nation and the community of Fort Alexander. Three water bombers, teams of provincial fire fighters and local fire departments worked through the night to contain the fire. The cause of the fire is under investigation, but first reports indicate careless smoking to be the cause. Remember, forests are tinder dry now. Be extremely careful with all fires and keep your ears open for expected fire bans.
Summer Is Near - J. Meagher - Time sure does fly, and before we know it, we will be enjoying BBQing, swimming, biking, tennis, hiking, camping, etc, all of our favourite summer activities. Take a look at these photos in our Photo Galery (#33 to #38) that Brenda Webster recently submitted and you'll remember why we Manitoban's love summer so much. Thanks for your contributions Brenda.
High Speed Internet - J. Meagher - The RM of St. Clements has teamed with High Speed Crow to deliver wireless high speed Internet access to Grand Marais. For more information, call 204-481-2769 or click http://www.highspeedcrow.ca (will open in a new window).
MARCH 2007
Catch 'Em If You Can - J. Meagher - On March 17, 2007, the GMPOA, along with the Grand Marais Recreation Association (GMRA) and the Sand Bar Motor Inn, co-sponsored The First Annual Big Swampy Ice Fishing Derby in Grand Marais. It wasn't perfect, but it was a great success, and we have learned from this first attempt at such an event. |
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A cloudless day, temperatures around +5 degrees Celsius and absolutely no wind made for a perfect day on the ice of Lake Winnipeg. Over 150 people visited our site and anglers from Warren, Winnipeg, Selkirk, etc. bought 93 holes.
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In all, there were 17 catches: two northern pike, four walleye, ten perch and one drink can! Nick Gorda earned $279.00 for the longest fish, a 51.5 cm northern pike. Second place earned Tony Sali $186.00 for a 42.5 cm northern pike and third place earned Terrell G. $93.00 for a 40 cm walleye. Numerous other prizes were awarded by random draw.
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| (Nick Gorda - 1st Prize.) | (Tony Sali - 2nd Prize.) |
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| (Terrell G. - 3rd Prize.) | (Mandy with her special catch!) |
Nine individuals entered a pot of chili in the bake off. Defending champion Nancy Long surrendered her crown to Paul Gray. The victory earned Paul $90.00! Many thanks to those who entered the competition, as their chili was later sold to raise money for the GMPOA and the GMRA.
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| (Kitchen volunteers - Derek and Heidi.) | (Chili Judges - Bill, Sandy and Bill.) |
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| (Matt measures a catch.) | |
Big thanks to Manitoba Conservation for seconding Matt Burke to the event. He measured the fish caught by anglers, he shared his knowledge of the fish and of the lake and he supervised the event in a most professional manner. Big thanks to all of those who volunteered to make this event a big success. You are too numerous to list, but it would not have been possible without you. Congratulations to the organizers as well: Jean MacDonald, Tyler Gray, Chris Jensen and myself, Jerry Meagher. (That felt weird; congratulating myself???)
FEBRUARY 2007
Grand Marais Family Festival - J. Meagher - Congratulations to the Grand Marais Family Festival planning committee! Despite the freezing weather February 9 - 11, 2007, kids and adults came together to celebrate community. Ceremonies were opened by the Walter Whyte School Band and by greetings from local dignitaries (including Cliff Thomas, President of the Grand Marais Family Festival, James Bezan, Member of Parliament for Selkirk-Interlake, Steve Strang, Reeve of the RM of St. Clements, Ed Gunning and Rob Boulanger, Councillors for the RM of ST. Clements, Denise Thomas, Vice-President of the Manitoba Métis Federation South-East Region and Ed Arnold, Councillor for the RM of Alexander) followed by fiddlers, dancers and local band Dwight and the Travellers. Teens enjoyed a dance at the school. |
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Saturday featured games and activities for young and old alike including clowns, face painting, darts, cribbage, curling, tobogganing, skating and more. Sunday began with a pancake breakfast and was followed by an interfaith service. The weekend closed with draws for over 150 prizes.
Ice Fishing With Jeff - J. Meagher - According to rumour, Jeff Bartel has reeled in as many fish as all the other ice fishermen (in the small ice fishing village next to the Grand Marais Historic Pier) put together. The others are quick to point out that Jeff spends as much time on the ice as all the other ice fishermen (in the small ice fishing village next to the Grand Marais Historic Pier) put together. In early February, Jeff reported he had already caught and released over 250 fish! And he has the records to support this claim. Ask him his secret and he'll tell you he has no idea; "I'll catch 14 over 8 hours while my Dad, sitting at a hole not 3 feet away, will catch nothing!" Dad Keith confirms all of this, including his own lack of success...
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| (Jeff's home away from home.) | |
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| (Keeping records.) | (To announce another catch to the neighbours.) |
Jeff tells a good fish story too. There was the time he almost burnt the place down, when he knocked over his wood stove while diving down a hole to prevent a 4 pound pickerel from escaping. Or the time he was hauling a load of firewood on his snowmobile in -35°C, only to turn around and see a stream of water and clouds of steam rising behind him.
Want to try your hand at ice fishing, and maybe win some cash in the process? The GMPOA, the Grand Marais Recreation Centre and the Sand Bar Motor Inn are sponsoring the first annual Big Swampy Ice Fishing Derby on March 17, 2007. Click here for more information.
Flying Across The Lake - J. Meagher - Ten giant kites flying across the ice, with riders in tow, is quite the sight to behold. The morning of February 18 saw bright colours race against a grey backdrop as kiteboarders "flew" across frozen Lake Winnipeg. Tyler Gray, local businessman and group organizer, led the way. "I've made the crossing several times now and I decided to share the adventure with some friends."
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| (Local businessman and thrill seeker, Tyler Gray.) | ||
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Despite a strong wind and a storm brewing, nine of the ten made the 30 km crossing, hitting speeds of 84 km/h. Five of the group made the return trip too! Altogether, the round trip travelling time and rest periods came to about 3 hours.
Slow Season - J. Meagher - The slow season is upon us in Grand Marais. However, your management committee is still plugging away for you:
- Along with the Grand Marais Recreation Centre and the Sand Bar Motor Inn, we are sponsoring the first annual Big Swampy Ice Fishing Derby on March 17, 2007 (click here for more information). We need volunteers on the ice to help erect a temporary shelter, drill holes, sell tickets and serve food. Please contact Jerry at 754 -2746 if you would like to volunteer.
- We are in contact with The Manitoba Telephone System, investigating the possibility of having MTS bring high speed internet to our community. We also lent our support to the construction of a new tower to improve cellular service in the Grand Marais/Grand Beach area.
- We elected Roberta Dalman to replace retiring Treasurer Don Paulus. Thanks Don for all of your effort and guidance. Thanks Roberta for taking on this responsibility.
- The GMPOA will be represented at the next Destination Grand Marais meeting. Look here for updates on this exciting initiative.
- This website continues to be updated regularly. Anyone wishing to contribute can do so by clicking on the "Help" icon found on the left-hand side of this page.
Grand Marais Family Festival - J. Meagher - An annual winter highlight is just around the corner! The Grand Marais Family Festival will take place February 9 - 11, 2007 at the Grand Marais Recreation Centre. Activities for kids and adults, live entertainment, raffles, silent auction, sleigh rides, and much, much more. Come and celebrate community and winter with us.
For more information or to volunteer, call Bonnie at 754-3240. For curling information, call Chris at 754-3058 or Mabel at 754-3488.
Ice Fishing Village - J. Meagher - There is once again a small village of ice fishing shacks by the Grand Marais Historic Pier. Sounds of laughter can be heard drifting up from the ice. Sure sounds like fun!!
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| Stairs damaged by wind and waves in November. | Now repaired. |
New Years A Stormy Eve - J. Meagher - Happy New Year to one and all!! It was a deep one...
Manitoba was hit with a nasty blizzard in the early hours of December 31, New Years Eve. It was no different in Grand Marais. Residents and weekend revellers awoke to find the previous day's ankle deep snow replaced by knee high snow and hip high snowdrifts! But that didn't bury the party spirit. Hey, we're Manitobans!!
Planned events were well attended. Shuttle vehicles ploughed their way through the mess. Many partiers hoofed it! Its great to live in a place with such resilient people!!
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| (Photos courtesy of J. Moxley) | |
Youth Drop In Centre - J. Meagher - The Youth Drop In Centre closed its doors over the Christmas period but is once again open at the Grand Marais Recreation Centre every Friday, 7:00 - 9:00 p.m. The centre has shuffleboard, darts, pool, ping pong, air hockey, board games and a skating rink. Youths and volunteers are always welcome.
Thanks to the Stoski family for donating a couch and chair. We are still looking for a functioning karaoke machine that you no longer use and would like to donate. Please contact Jerry at 754-2746 to donate.
Grand Marais Seniors - by S. Pelletier - The Grand Marais Seniors have lost another friend. Don Burdeny passed away on the 24th of November 2006, in a tragic accident on Highway 11. Don was involved in many projects and he was a very well respected member of the Grand Marais community. Don was devoted to his family and helped many people in the area. The GM Seniors offer their most sincere condolences to the family. Goodbye to a very wonderful person.
Other Seniors news:
- The Grand Marais Seniors moved to the Grand Marais Recreational Hall on the 1st of November 2006. Thanks to the volunteers who helped make this move fast and smooth. A former change room has been converted into a storeroom; shelves were built and new electrical outlets were installed for the freezer and the refrigerator. Another refrigerator was placed upstairs in the viewing room.
- A perogy-making day was held on the 13th of November in preparation for the Christmas Bake and Craft Sale. On Wednesday of the same week, 40 meat pies and chicken potpies were made. Adele Ross was the coordinator for this activity.
- Our regular monthly meeting was held on the 14th of November. We welcomed three new members who registered that day. This brings our membership to 45.
- The Santa Claus Parade is always a big event in the town of Grand Marais. This year, the Seniors manned the kitchen. Chili with bannock, hamburgers and hotdogs were served. Many people were in attendance and all had a good time. Profits for this event were turned over to the Rec Centre.
- The Annual Christmas Dinner for the seniors was held on Sunday the 3rd of December. The seniors club provided the turkey and trimmings and our members brought the salads and dainties. We thank everyone who helped prepare this wonderful evening.
- Adult Day - Please take note that Adult Day is not happening at the Grand Marais Seniors. If there are some of you who wish to participate in this activity, please contact the Victoria Beach Seniors or the Selkirk Seniors.
- At our recent regular meeting on December 12, members voted in favour of donating 25 dozen perogies to the Family Festival Winter Carnival. This annual event is held at the Grand Marais Rec Centre; February 9 - 11 this year.
- In your prayers, please remember our Terry Arbuthnot who has been recuperating in Winnipeg. She would like to hear from you. The Seniors prepared a care package for her and Jenny Lamoureux took it to the City. We hope to see Terry back in Grand Marais this spring.
News Archives:
2006