by Mike Thomas, PLCA President -- William (Bill) Davis was born in May of 1924 in Toronto’s “Cabbagetown.” He joined the reserves the day he turned 16 in 1940 and was shipped out to the UK in 1941.  In July 1944 his battalion sailed to France and immediately went into action.  In late February, 1945 Bill was wounded for the second time and evacuated to Britain.  While in hospital Bill volunteered for the Pacific conflict.  He was subsequently shipped back to Canada but victory in the Pacific came about before his 30 day convalescence leave expired.

Read More

Everyone loves the annual Don Thomas Memorial Rock Bass Derby! This year youths 2-18 can challenge themselves to catch as many rock bass as possible on Saturday July 9th, from 9am-noon at the Paudash Lake Marina. Participants will receive prizes and a certificate for helping protect Paudash Lake’s game fish. Registration is easier than ever, just complete the online form; it only takes 2 minutes!

Read More

With the increasing number, size and use of cottages, the amount of sewage waste and phosphorous being produced and entering the groundwater and lake water systems is also increasing creating a higher risk for water quality deterioration. Poorly functioning, poorly maintained or under-sized septic systems are a huge factor in this regard... Council has agreed to implement a program and it is planned to start the program during the spring/summer season this year (2017). We are of the understanding that Township Staff are currently in the planning and development stages for this program. Hopefully we will be receiving information on the details of the program soon. 

Read More

"Hold on, ladies! This stretch is a real strap-snapper!" That was the usual shouted warning from Mom as she and her pals turned onto McGillivray Road, heading to the cottage from Mississauga. She would slow down a bit, but, like a horse getting close to the barn, she was too eager to get to the lake so the speed reduction was minimal.Which came first, the road or the farm for which it is named? It will remain unknown to me as the records for this area are vague and sparse. The farm was established by the senior Malcolm McGillivray in 1875, according to the rustic sign at the end of the driveway.

Read More

Even if you own a home, you can use the principal residence exemption (PRE) on the cottage to avoid paying capital gains tax when you sell. But there are two caveats. Firstly, the property can’t be used primarily for rental income. Secondly, once you've designated your cottage as your principal residence and you sell it, for the period that you owned both your house and your cottage, you can no longer claim your house as a principal residence. 

Read More

Understanding your wake, and knowing where you are on the lake is critical to minimizing the impact of boating wakes on our lake. So when the weather warms up, ice breaks and you put your boat in the water here are some simple guidelines to follow that will increase the enjoyment of our lake for everyone! 

Read More

We have 1100 feet of shoreline at our place. When we tell people this, they often respond with a “Wow!” At which point I quickly intervene to let them know that when you consider that our dock and useable area is really only about 20 feet and the rest is shallow, weedy, and mostly unusable, it's not so “wow.” In fact, I usually use the word “crappy” to describe our shoreline. My husband hates this. “I love our shoreline,” he defends, “it's awesome!”

Read More

Our big project in 2016 and 2017 has been and is the ‘Love Your Lake’ shoreline assessment study, in partnership with the Coalition of Haliburton Property Owners’ Associations (CHA). This summer the remaining properties on Paudash (approximately 300+) will be assessed. In April or May each property owner of lots assessed in 2016 will receive a confidential report about the results for their property.

Read More

Everything was coated in a sturdy layer of snow for the first time in quite a few years.  Like fondant on a wedding cake, the roof, the lawn, the lake, the trees, the walkway, and the roads looked fresh, clean and in waiting.  A cousin said coming to Paudash was like her version of visiting Aspen, a chic Colorado Rockies ski town.  All weekend, my mother referred to our home as “Aspen” and delighted in the idea of her place being a winter escape in which people could revel, never mind simply endure.

Read More

We all care about the health of our lakes but who is looking after lake health? Governments of all stripes are cutting back on the people and programs that used to protect our lakes and give us up to date data on lake health indicators. Lake associations can help fill this void but only if all of us step up individually and become Lake Protectors. What can we do to make a difference? The Coalition of Haliburton Property Owners Associations (C.H.A.) has some of the most knowledgeable lake health scientists in Canada as scientific advisors and we asked them that question...

Read More

Prevention of ticks is the best course of action to protect your dog. Ticks can cause painful or irritating swelling at the insertion site. If removed improperly, the mouthparts of the tick can create an abscess. Some ticks are small and we may never notice them, but can still infect your pet with diseases. Although Lyme disease, or other tick-borne illnesses, are not endemic in our area at this time, the environment is constantly changing and chances are high that we will be affected one day. 

Read More

With breweries popping up all across Ontario why not stop by one the next time you’re heading to Paudash and pick up a few cold ones to go. No matter where you’re coming from there are plenty of options on the way. Live at the cottage all summer?  Why not do a day trip and check out a few within a short drive.   Have some testers and bring back your favourites.  This is one sure way to impress any family and friends. No matter if you’re a light beer, dark beer or flavoured beer fan, there is something for everyone. The staff at any of the breweries will walk you through the beer making process and teach you about all things beer. 

Read More

Our Paudash Lake Geocaches have been getting a lot of action. Burnt Island Cache has been found 5 times this spring, Footbridge Cache 3 times and Soldiers of the Lake 6 times! More geocaches to come this summer! Get out and enjoy the lake. Geocaches vary greatly in size and appearance. In the field you will see everything from large, clear plastic containers to film canisters to a fake rock with a secret compartment. 

Read More

“I’m a one, you’re a two and you’re a three,” I shared with two girlfriends as I doused every patch of my skin with SPF 70 sunscreen spray. The numbers refer to the Fitzpatrick skin scale, developed by Harvard dermatologist Thomas B. Fitzpatrick. The scale classifies how different people respond to ultraviolet light – specifically to one hour of sunlight on the first day of spring. So when my friends and I were in Las Vegas this weekend, the intense winter white I cultivated under scrubs and artificial lights all season was ready to burn.

Read More

There is never a dull moment when you are involved with your lake association.  Our primary activity this cottage season is to complete the ‘Love Your Lake’ project which involves the shoreline assessment of all Paudash Lake (upper & lower). I discussed this fully in our winter newsletter and thank-you to the volunteers who have offered to drive the boats or house the students from Trent University who are scheduled to be here for the last week of August. 

Read More

There's so much fun to be had on the lake this summer! Make sure you check out the events below and add them to your calendar! It all starts July 1st, with our annual Canada Day boat parade and social!

CANADA DAY BOAT PARADE & SOCIAL Friday, July 1, 2pm • South end of North Bay

Read More

Ecottagefilms.com has been out taking video of lakes throughout eastern Ontario, including Paudash Lake. Sharing video of our beloved lake is a good way to introduce friends and family to the lake before they even arrive for a visit, or to plan a day of fishing or boating.

Read More

We are currently working on the Summer 2016 edition of the PLCA newsletter and we want to hear from you! Do you have something funny, informative, interesting, nostalgic, historical, conservational or enlightening to say about life on Paudash Lake? If you do, we wold love to read your article and consider it for publication in our newsletter and/or blog.

Read More

It’s one of those childhood memories that you’re not sure you remember because you actually remember or because there's photo evidence. I’m 11, and standing on the deck of a cottage on Paudash Lake. I’m wearing a red polyester sleeveless top with gold buttons on the pockets and matching navy blue shorts (I definitely remember the outfit. Loved it. It came with another set of identical red shorts and matching navy top so you could create several “matching” outfits — yes, it was the 70s!). 

Read More

Loons fulfill the same role for a lake that the canary fulfilled in the mines: acting as an indicator of environmental conditions. Canadian Lakes Loon Survey (CLLS) monitoring of loon reproductive success has proven effective for monitoring broader lake health. In fact, survival of loon chicks is a good indicator of the impact of lake acidification and other water conditions on fish stocks and aquatic life. In addition 97 per cent of the world’s common loon population lives in Canada; 56 per cent of these in Ontario and Quebec. This makes the Common Loon our responsibility to conserve. 

Read More