Dear Dunany residents,
The change in seasons is always appreciated but I find the pace of change comes too fast as there is so much to enjoy and appreciate in our community.
Top of the list is information about our lakes. The annual results, available on Jacques Pigeon’s posting, continue to be good. For more information, read his analysis of the results here. As residents, we seem to be working in unison to the goal of looking after our number one asset, our lakes. Let us stay vigilant and stick with our good practices well described in the Living in Dunany Poster.
Beavers are still high on our list of concerns. We have had good results with our new trapper, Marcel Gauthier. To date, I have not heard of a beaver being spotted on our lakes. Please take the time to let us know when and where beavers are seen. This will remain an ongoing file as we share the habitat with these animals.
We have an active community with a golf course which other communities only dream about. We are fortunate our forefathers and mothers had the vision, means and willingness to act. This asset is priceless and deserves the support of all Dunany Community residents, players or not. Then there are the other activities. Artists, walkers, birders, SPANKERs, gardeners, bikers, quilters, singers, scrabblers… just to name a few.
Lois Finch, Board Member of DCA has accepted to be the point person for the participation in these activities. A summary of all the activities is posted on the web site giving times and locations of the different events. So, take advantage of the friendship and the exercise for it is good for the body and soul.
Web pages have been created for each of these activities and they will be continuously updated. In the same spirit, I am also pleased to announce the creation of a Bulletin Board on the DCA Web site where you can post items for sale or to give away. You create your own ad (with pictures) update it or kill it. See it as a permanent Dunany garage sale. Try it soon.
Fishing on our lakes this spring was active and productive according to reports received. The stocking program has been successful and will be continued. Thanks to Past President and great angler Rod Armstrong for his knowledge and input. The anglers who met as the ice disappeared, have made a donation to the cost of stocking. Your community thanks you.
Forest fires become a major concern as the bush dries out. There has already been one forest fire on the Dunany Road and two others in Gore. I cannot stress enough to be vigilant and to pay attention to the Township’s signs indicating the level of forest fire hazards. Be safe, not sorry! Eliminate the temptation of a weekend fire in front of your home! You will be making the countryside safer and your neighbour will appreciate.
Some of your board members have recently met with the mayors of the four municipalities and shared with them our interest and concerns. Septic systems regulations and inspections was discussed. We were informed by Scott Pearce, Mayor of Gore that they are planning a pilot project in Gore and hopefully including Wentworth as well, for the regular cleaning of septic systems. This project would have the municipality owning their own vehicle and equipment. The residents would pay an annual fee, added to their property taxes. The great advantage of this project would be to combine tank cleaning and inspection thus ensuring that all systems are in good shape.
The Dunany Road under the responsibility of the Quebec Ministry of Transport – St-Jérôme – division, most likely will not be resurfaced for the next three to five years. We are still hopeful that the MTQ will install the guardrails 
where requested. We and the municipalities have been acknowledged and have been told that when budget are available the guardrails will be installed. We have also requested the speed on the Dunany road be better monitored. This is a problem with no easy solution as the Dunany Road is a provincial road controlled by the MTQ from Quebec City. We were pleased to see the issue of MacDougall Road remedied.
There have been few Security problems. There were a few break-ins in neighbouring communities with the results that the ‘bad guys’ were caught. Continue to be on the watch as the Neighbourhood Watch works and makes for a stronger community.
The annual meeting of the DCA will be on Sunday July 12th 2015, at 9am. The annual DCA fees of $40 can now be paid on line (click here to pay) thanks to the good work of Jacques Pigeon. Please take advantage of this as it greatly reduces the need for extra administrative work from your volunteer board members.
In closing, this is my last letter as President of the DCA. I have very much enjoyed working with my fellow board members in doing my bit to secure the quality of life that we so much enjoy within our community. Past President Doug Percy was right when he said to me ‘Dunany is a little bit of heaven on earth’.
Best regards,
Robert Percy
We do have a beaver on the lake.
There was one under our dock at the cottage, the weekend of May 9th.
Our daughter say him the next morning too swimming the lake.
We haven’t seen him since.
Beaver sighted at 8:38 PM going east on north side of Clear Lake.
Beaver in the channel of Curran , near the island, may 28
Saw a beaver on May 27th evening , about 7:30, swimming from the west end of Black lake, pushing a branch down the lake. Must get a handle on these fellows before they cut down too many trees.
Beaver in the island channel again at Curran dragging a large branch I think from Jeff and Cats which was full of fresh leaves. Any need to report to any other higher ups? June 2.
Your report makes for good reading demonstrating that although we live very far apart from each other, “somebody’s” always keeping an eye out for the community. It’s nice to know we can always go to the Dunany Community Association for help. Did see a beaver 3 weeks ago smoothly sailing by towards Dupuis’ on Clear Lake.
My compliments, Rob, on the fine job you reported on wrt the many tasks and activities the Association manages and promotes.
I particularly appreciate the warning you provided on the intention in Gore to take on emptying the septic tanks as a municipal task instead of leaving it up to free enterprise as we do now. At present, we can call Miron or whoever and get the work done at our convenience without having to deal with unnecessary civil servants and the added cost and inconvenience of a layer of civil infrastructure between us and the service supplier. The Association has been characterized over the years by a community-driven approach without any desire to impose a nanny state mentality on us. Hopefully, with this warning you provided, we can lobby to avoid this creeping socialist mindset from invading our four municipalities. Thanks for calling it to our attention.
We saw a beaver last night, June 20th on Boyd Lake. The beavers seem to be building a dam in the outlet just past the Sutherland culvert.