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PLCA History

The Pike Lake Community Association has existed since 1967. This web page documents some of the accomplishments and projects that the association has undertaken.

More history will be added as time permits. If you have any comments or suggestions for additions please submit them to info@pikelake.ca

The PLCA would like to thank Kay Rogers, editor of the Pike Lake Post for providing "A Snapshot of Pike Lake's History"

published in the 50 year anniversary issue of the Pike Lake Post and for editing and compiling stories of the Pike Lake

in "Voices of Pike Lake". Much of the information presented here is extracted from these sources.

Mission Statement

The Pike Lake Community Association is a not-for-profit, volunteer-based association. The association exists to protect and improve the water quality and natural environment of Pike Lake and its surrounding ecosystem.

Objectives

The objectives of the PLCA are to:

a) encourage good water quality in Pike Lake and a healthy surrounding natural environment.

b) foster environmentally responsible use of Pike Lake.

c) promote safe and respectful recreational activities within the lake community.

d) promote a sense of community on Pike Lake.

e) ensure communication between the Board and Members regarding Board activities and regarding any issues or developments which arise pertinent to the objectives of the Association.

The Pike Lake Community Association History

as told by the late Audrey Cook in 2011 in "Voices of Pike Lake"

The Association is made up of residents and cottagers as well as those who enjoy Pike Lake and Grants Creek and surrounding environment.

The Association was initially formed in the early 1960s when a group of men who had been shoring up the old stone dam at the Grants Creek approached the Ministry of Natural Resources (MNR) to have a new dam constructed. MNR required that a lake association be in place for this request to be met. As a result, Sylvester McNamee, Walter McNamee, Lenny McGlade, Johnnie Wilson, Harold Pratt, Norber (Nork) O'Reilly and a few others formed the Pike Lake Association with Nork as President, Harold as vice-president, and Lenny as secretary. The new dam was built in 1970 along with public access, as stipulated by MNR. Although these men hadn't intended for the Association to continue past the construction of the dam, for, one assumes, a variety of reasons the Association continued to exist.

The entire article on the history of the PLCA found in the "Voices of Pike Lake" can be found here.

Ice Out History

The "ice out" date is eagerly awaited each spring by both permanent and seasonal Pike Lakers as a sure sign of the changing of the seasons. Records have been recorded as far back as 1963. The earliest the ice has gone out is March 18 (2024) and the latest is May 2nd (1973). From 1963-1999 the average Ice Out date was April 16, and from 2000-2021 it was April 9th. The data from Pike Lake is shared with a volunteer citizen scientist group called Ice Watch who have found that the freeze-thaw cycles of Canadian water bodies are changing.

This year, 2024, the ice went out on March 18, the earliest since records have been kept.

2023 April 12 2022 April 13 2021 March 31 2020 April 3

2019 April 20 2018 April 23 2017 April 13 2016 April 1

2015 April 18 2014 April 25 2013 April 16 2012 March 21

2011 April 11 2010 March 31 2009 April 3 2008 April 3

2007 April 18 2006 April 8 2005 April 14 2002 April 11

2001 April 17 2000 March 30 1997 April 22 1996 April 20

1994 April 20 1993 April 20 1992 April 26 1991 April 9 1989 April 20 1988 April 8 1987 April 7 1986 April 4 1985 April 16 1984 April 15 1983 April 14 1982 April 23

1981 April 1 1980 April 8 1979 April 15 1978 April 29

1977 April 12 1976 April 10 1975 April 18 1974 April 20

1973 April 8 1972 May 2 1971 April 29 1970 April 25

1969 April 15 1968 April 4 1967 April 17 1965 April 28

1963 April 13

A Snapshot of Pike Lake's History

2022

With Covid restrictions loosened, an in-person AGM was held on June 25 at the Stanleyville Hall.

A Dock Sale was tried in June with limited success, and the popular Boatilla and Barbeque was held for the first time in some years on the July long weekend.

The Boat-in Movie was once again held on the August long weekend.

A Special Meeting of Members held by Videoconference on October 26th approved

a revamped Constitution and Policy Manual

2021

With COVID restrictions still in place, the Board made the decision to hold the June AGM via Videoconference.

2020

COVID restrictions required the cancellation of the PLCA AGM and most activities to be put on hold.

A Spongy Moth (previously known as LDD Moths and Gypsy Moths) invasion hit many areas of the lake.

The PLCA Board took an active role in providing mitigation information and tools to members around the lake.

You can find more information here.

Poor cellular and internet service is an issue with many Pike Lakers and the PLCA participated in a survey of service to determine service level gaps around the lake.

Subsequent reports on actions taken by Eastern Ontario Regional Network based on information provided by our lake association and others. You can find further information here.

A new Pike Lake Community Association Website was launched in March.

2019

The Pike Lake Community Association created a Facebook group. The purpose of this very busy group is to share and promote activities around the lake.

2018

The PLCA established a Hazard Buoy Program on Pike Lake to mark the location of rocks or shoals. This initiative, approved by PLCA members at their 2017 Annual General Meeting, aims to increase awareness of underwater risks & promote boater safety. There were originally 18 locations with hazard buoys as shown on this map.

A new PLCA Constitution was approved at the Annual General Meeting this year, to improve and clarify some sections of the document.

2017

Twelve families who’ve been cottaging on Pike Lake for 50 years or more received a Legacy Cottage plaque featuring an etching by local artist, Franc van Oort.
The families presented with legacy plagues were:
- Thomas McGlade & Kathrine McGlade
- David Seabrooke
- Phyllis (Everett) Hepton
- Brenda Arthur (nee Kerr)
- June (nee White) & Ray Audet
- Dave & Linda McGuirl
- Eleanor Skillen (nee Donnelly)
- Grant & Naomi Fowlie
- Barbara (Bill) Cordukes
- Maureen Cunliffe, Cheryl Fosbery & Susan Niles
- Brenday & Andy Kenny
- Elizabeth (Gordon) Gross

2016

2016 was the 200th Anniversary of the Perth Military Settlement encompassing Beckwith, Drummond/North Elmsley, Perth and Tay Valley Township. There were many events in celebration of the anniversary in the Townships.

2015

The PLCA joined the Canadian Lake Loons Survey with Birds Canada.

2014

The Pike Lake Map was updated with Emergency PIN numbers.

2013

PLCA received the Outstanding Achievement Award from the Federation of Ontario cottagers Association (FOCA)in recognition of many initiatives to protect and improve the health of Pike Lake.

2012

The first PLCA Website was launched.

Mandatory Septic Inspections began on 7 lakes in Tay Valley Township, including Pike Lake. (In 2023. Tay Valley Township expanded the mandatory septic inspection program to include all lakes in the township.)

Artist and resident Aili Kurtis designed our pike logo.

2011

Lake Stewardship Handbook published and distributer to all properties on Pike Lake.

Voices of Pike Lake published with over 40 contributors;

nominated for the Ontario Historical Association award for local history.

Pike Lake Community Association adopted as the new name for our lake association.

2010

The State of the Pike Lake Report produced after a research and consultative process which began in 2005.

2004

The PLCA assisted the townships finalize road names & PIN numbers on Pike Lake,

part of establishing the 911 emergency system in this area.

Pike Lake joined Lake Networking Group, formed as an informal gathering of 30 representatives from lakes

stretching from Carleton Place to Kingston. They have common interests and work together on matters of

shared interest such as lake stewardship.

2002

2001

Pike Lake water quality testing resulted in a grade D in one small area of the lake.

Prompted by that result, Pike Lakers started working on a lake stewardship plan.

The Lake Stewardship Handbook was published & distributed to all properties on Pike Lake in 2011.

Friends of the Tay Watershed founded and dedicated to the health of the Tay River Watershed.

1998

The Ice Storm was the largest national disaster to strike eastern Ontario and western Quebec since the Great Fire of 1870

1994

The first edition of the Pike Lake Post was published in 1994.
This was a popular initiative; editions of the Post were either mailed or hand-delivered by volunteers.

1989

The PLCA produced the first Cottagers Map of Pike Lake.

This map showed all the roads & properties as well as a list of all the people who owned properties

on Pike Lake at that time.

1970

The new dam along with public access was built by the Ministry of National Resources.
For further information on the dam, you can read an excerpt on it from Voices of Pike Lake here.

Ted & Ella McParland,with the support of the Ministry of Tourism,

set up the Pike Lake Trailer Park with space for 50 families.

1967

The PLCA was formed after a group of men who had been shoring up the dam on Grants Creek approached the

Ministry of Natural Resources (MNR) to have a new dam constructed.

MNR required that a lake association be in place for this request to be met and

so our lake association was formed on July 2, 1967.

1870

The "Great Fire of 1870" burned intermittently for a month in the summer of 1870. It reached all the way from Rideau Lakes in the south to Wakefield in the north and affected North Burgess Township, devastated much of Lanark and Carleton Counties. The fire spread from Black Lake to both Pike and Otty Lakes and burned Stanleyville and Island, and Cedar Bridge schools. It also destroyed thousands of acres of valuable timber.

You can read about the fire in an extract from Voices of Pike Lake here.