2015 Spring Cottage Life Show

Had a great time at the 2015 Spring Cottage Life Show at the The International Centre yesterday.

Met up with Larry & Dana K. for a bit, it was great to see them again. Met Vera P., it was a pleasure to finally meet her. I even ran in to my cousin and her husband. You never know who you will see that a Cottage Life Show.

Entered the draw for a stand up paddle board at the FOCA booth. Had a good chat with Terry, Michelle, and Tracy from FOCA. Talked to someone from Cade Insurance learned some some more about cottage insurance.

Saw 3 great presentations: Terry Rees (FOCA) on Bio Diversity at the cottage. Jim Caruk on Steel Roofing. Rob Davis on Septic systems. Learned a lot. There were many more presentations to see but those were the 3 I picked.

There is a great exhibit by the Ontario MNR. Seeing a baby sturgeon was cool. Asian Carp are scary.

Picked up lots of great information on a lot of subjects.

Found a great new cottage board game called UPSET and was shown how to play by one of the inventors. Looking forward to playing it at the cottage.

Be prepared for lots of walking.

http://bit.ly/1IHHnG0 Cottage Life Show

Hydro rates going up?

Hydro rates going up

Now word that hydro rates are going up.
The average customer in Ontario will pay another 137 dollars for electricity next year.

http://bit.ly/19p4AAr CHAY

Simple ways to protect your home or cottage from spring flooding

Simple ways to protect your home or cottage from spring flooding

http://bit.ly/1BJyeeR Cottage Life Blog.

Some great ideas/tips, best to start now before there is a problem.

2015 SPRING COTTAGE LIFE SHOW

SPRING COTTAGE LIFE SHOW

MARCH 27 - 29, 2015

Warm up and chill out at the Spring Cottage Life Show!

Meet more than 575 exhibitors showing boats, docks, builders, contractors, innovative building products, green solutions, decor and style, arts and crafts, food and entertaining, water toys and more.

It’s our 22nd annual kick-off to summertime fun and we can’t wait to see you at our cottage!

Show Dates/Hours
Friday, March 27, 2015 – 10:00am–8:00pm
Saturday, March 28, 2015 – 9:00am–7:00pm
Sunday, March 29, 2015 – 10:00am–5:00pm

http://bit.ly/1Mr23V5 Cottage Life

I am thinking of going on the Saturday, anyone else thinking of going?

How to downsize your stuff for a move to the cottage

How to downsize your stuff for a move to the cottage

The time is finally here—you’re packing up your city life, leaving the concrete jungle behind, and making the cottage your permanent home. The only thing now standing between you and the loons on the lake is packing. And, if you’re like most people, your cottage is smaller than your house, which means before you pack, you have to downsize.

Here’s how to make the process easy and efficient.

http://bit.ly/1AXeZgk Cottage Life Blog


Good blog post, some good ideas. Works if your cottage is full already. One of my project this year is to downsize a lot of the stuff at the cottage. The main issue is finding the time.

FOCA Elert - February 2015

FOCA Elert - February 2015

http://bit.ly/1ux2kko FOCA

Register now for the AGM!

Members: join us for the FOCA Annual General Meeting and Spring Seminar on Saturday, March 7th in Toronto.

This is an important opportunity to network with fellow associations from across Ontario, and to interact with our expert presenters on hot cottage country topics, including legal tools and tips, organizing for success, and safety and crime prevention. And don't miss the presentations from our featured member associations!


Next FOCA Webinar:

Due to popular demand, we will be hosting another webcast of FOCA's Cottage Succession event, "Keeping the Family in the Family Cottage," on April 17, 2015. Sign-up details will come in next month's Elert - stay tuned for details!

Great Lakes Water Level updates

The International Lake Superior Board of Control says water levels in the lake are at a 17-year high, and that Lakes Huron, and Michigan are similarly at multi-year highs for the month of January. See more about the Great Lakes and this recent news here: http://foca.on.ca/great-lakes-strategy-and-action/


Recap of the Toronto International Boat Show

The 2015 Toronto International Boat Show was a great opportunity to gear up for the coming boating season, in the midst of a dark January!

More than 70,000 boat enthusiasts took in the show. FOCA was pleased that so many of our members took advantage of our free passes. We saw familiar faces and met lots of new and enthusiastic boaters.

and much more

FOCA at the 2015 Toronto Boat Show

I was at the Boat Show on January 10th, and spent a fair bit of time at the FOCA booth. Found out about several new initiatives planned for this year. If you go to the Boat Show this year drop by the FOCA both

Great Lakes water levels set to hit 15-year high

This spring, cottagers along the Great Lakes who have been anxious about disappearing shorelines are in for the highest water levels in 15-years, thanks to two unusually wet years.

Last month, Lakes Superior, Huron, Michigan, and Erie were above their average monthly levels for the first time since the late 1990s, when the levels began decreasing. Experts believe that the dredging of the links between lakes to accommodate shipping and increased evaporation from climate change could have caused the low levels.

“On Superior, Michigan, and Huron, we haven’t seen two-year water level increases of this magnitude” in recorded history, said Keith Kompoltowicz, a hydrologist with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers district office in Detroit, in an interview with the CBC.

Read the rest of the story on the Cottage Life Blog

http://bit.ly/1sm9Ddw

7 New Year’s resolutions every cottager should make

7 New Year’s resolutions every cottager should make

‘Tis the season for reflecting on the year that was. But along with the typical resolutions to eat better and get to the gym more, we’d like you to think about some promises that might actually be a little easier to keep—and will make your time at the lake a little more enjoyable

http://bit.ly/175NQxk Cottage Life Blog

Some great ideas. Hope you all have a great cottaging year in 2015.

No Ice is 100% Safe

 Our friends at FOCA published an Ice Safety blog post

This time each year, snowmobilers are reminded that no ice can be considered 100 per cent safe to ride on with a snowmobile.

It is especially true this winter when ice is forming earlier than usual in many areas and may look safe, but is not yet thick or strong enough. This ice warning also applies during any prolonged period of thaw or rain, and late in the season after ice begins to deteriorate from milder temperatures.

Read the full post by clicking on the link below



http://bit.ly/1Bodk23 FOCA