2023 What's New

PARCS 2023 CONVENTION

April 27, 2023

Whereas COVID limited PARCS activities during recent years, this year we are pleased to offer two opportunities for our members, including:

1. A VIRTUAL WORKSHOP - After receiving a failing grade from the provincial auditor who insisted that the Water Security Agency "needed to improve their enforcement measures", the Water Security Agency has brought forward a new Client Services Model which they will explain to PARCS attendees at a virtual workshop on SATURDAY, JUNE 24, FROM 10:00 AM TO NOON.  Member communities are encouraged to email the name and the email address for each person planning to attend. PARCS will confirm their registration in this Zoom workshop, by return mail. 

2. A TRADITIONAL CONVENTION -  On FRIDAY/SATURDAY, OCTOBER 13/14, PARCS will host a traditional convention in the Hilton Garden Inn in Saskatoon.  Highlights of the program will include:  A keynote address by Peter Leavitt who is known across Canaca as the prairies' expert on protecting lakes from drainage damage, a panel presentation sharing current opportunities and challenges facing resort villages, and a presentation by Andrea Ulrich, the Director of Legislation and Regulations (Ministry of Environment) about the changes to Municipal Regulations governing organized hamlets and their RMs. 

Registration details will go out follow the next meeting of the PARCS Board of Directors on May 4th.

 

2023

April 9, 2023

CONSIDER A SUBSTRATE SAMPLER TO PROTECT YOUR LAKE

Jeri Geiger, Saskatchewan's Aquatic Invasive Species Coordinator, approached PARCS, asking us to reach out to Cottage Communities who are willing to monitor for the presence of Zebra Mussels in their lake.  PARCS was pleased to help facilitate this initiative (using SUBSTRATE SAMPLERS).  A substrate sampler is made from a piece of pipe and is about 6 to 8 inches long.  The sampler is hung from the edge of your community dock so that the designated substrate manager in your community can go out to the dock, lift the rope to bring the sampler above water, and then check for the presence of an adult Zebra mussel. 

 Jeri Geiger is going to ship about 15 samplers to each of these PARCS Regional Directors (enough for 15 communities)

SOUTH-WEST (Edie Thompson at the RV of Coteau Beach, 292-9613, thompsonedie@hotmail, Lake Diefenbaker)

NORTH-WEST (Sandy McVittie, at the Hamlet of Sutton's Beach, 221-7127, sandy.mcvittie@sasktel.net, RM of Meota)

NORTH-EAST (Jonathon Attig, at the RV of Candle Lake, 961-1627, northernyard@outlook.com)

SOUTH-EAST (Marilyn Labatte, at the OH of Collingwood, 541-9473,                            marilynfaye@sasktel.net)

The cottage communities wishing to monitor their lake will have their designated substrate manager phone the PARCS  Regional Director for their region (see above).  The manager and the Regional Director will agree on a time when the manager can travel to the meet the Regional Director and pick up the substrate sampler, along with the printed USER'S GUIDE.             

 Jeri advises us that if the community's substrate manager detects evidence of a Zebra Mussel on the sampler, Jeri Geiger should be phone immediately.  Her phone number will be listed in the USER'S GUIDE.  Jeri says that there might be a chance, in a small contained lake, to stop the spread of infection.  For most lakes, hhowever, the adult mussels will spread downstream throughout the the lake  INVOLVING JERI EARLY IN THE DETECTION IS IMPORTANT.