SUMMER 2015 NEWSLETTER

The second meeting of the Buckhorn Ratepayers was held on June 8th 2015 at the Buckhorn Community Center. Thirteen members were present and although we wish more people had been able to attend, the speakers we had were excellent and those present enjoyed the evening.

We now have 25 paid memberships and $516.00 in the kitty. Some of this money will be paid to the Buckhorn Community Center for the use of the building and used for other expenses (coffee, cookies) and whatever comes up. There are 35 people on the email list and some people still have to provide their email address. We have called the people whose email addresses were incorrect or missing.

A suggestion from one of the members was that a phone call works better than an email when advising people when the next meeting is to take place. If you would prefer a phone call to advise you rather than an email, let us know. As the membership grows, phoning everyone may not be practical.

Special thanks go to several members who have provided the following:
Kelly’s Garden Centre – Wendy and Doug Dixon – flowers at Pizza Allora
Buckhorn Hardware – Tom Alexander – barrels for the flowers
Wood chips at the gardens by the rink – Ron and Gloria Windover.
Jeff and Sheila Chester are going to provide a bench.

Michael Scinski regularly attends the meetings for the municipality of Trent Lakes and when there are matters of interest, he presents them at the meeting. For those of you who are interested, the website is www.trentlakes.ca Use this site if you want to know municipality news or the agendas and meetings for the council. Council meetings are open to the public although the gallery does not get to speak. You can also join up to receive notifications from this site. At the bottom of the home page, there is “Get Important Notifications”. Check off your selection(s) from Waste management, Source water protection, OPP costing, Comprehensive Zoning By-Laws, Public notices and provide your email address. You will receive an email from the council regarding your choices.

Judy Piggott from MPAC(Municipal Property Assessment Corporation) spoke at length and answered questions about how your tax assessment is calculated, how the increases/decreases are applied and how to escalate or get in touch with them. The website is www.mpac.ca and what you want to look for is “About My Property”. You will need your most recent Property Assessment Notice. This contains your Roll number and a personalized Access key you can use to register at the site. You can also call them at 1 866 296 6722 or visit them in person at 1477 Lansdowne Street West, Peterborough. You can also use www.aboutmyproperty.ca for specific property issues. Judy was a great speaker and very informative and helpful.

Victoria from Griffins Greenhouse brought in a selection of plants and explained the pros/cons of perennials versus annuals and said that we should look for plants that are mostly in Zone 4 and some from Zone 5.
Some plants to look for are limelight hydrangea, echinacea coneflower, sedum, Russian sage, coleus, browailla, wax and solenia begonias, meezoo and Karl Foerster grass.
Avoid the coloured hydrangea. They won’t grow in the Buckhorn area. Impatiens are likely to react to mold spore and you should also give wisteria and zebra and porcupine grasses a pass.
Taking the time to use good soil, provide fertilizer and compost makes all the difference to your garden. You can also use lake weeds or ‘sea compost’ to help enrich your soil.
Although this is some of the information she passed on, you should visit a greenhouse and talk to experienced people for more information.
Griffins Greenhouse is located at 3026 Lakefield Rd, Selwyn or you can contact them at 705 652 8638 or www.griffinsgreenhouses.com

Al Heritage provided us with a copy of “Curious The Tourist Guide” which has several advertisements for Buckhorn this month and he also spoke about the Trent water system. There will be a meeting on Sunday, June 28, 2015 at the Buckhorn Community Centre from 1:00pm to 2:30pm. Mark Ackert is the Chair of the Trent-Severn Working Group and he will be speaking about what has been accomplished and what needs to be done going forward for the Trent-Severn Waterway. All Federal candidates have been invited to attend along with Provincial and Municipal representatives. If you are a Property or Business Owner, concerned about boating, your cottage or water in your own well, PLEASE come to the meeting and tell everyone you know about it. The level and access to the Trent-Severn waterway affects the tourist business, contributes to the growth of our area and your own personal use of the water. The website for the “Voices for the Trent-Severn Waterway is www.voicesforthetsw.ca

There won’t be another meeting until the fall but consider who you like to have to make a presentation and forward your suggestions to us. Are you interested in Peterborough Hospice or ???. Give us your suggestions.

If there are any comments or suggestions, please contact either Michael Scinski at (705) 657-3928 or [email protected] OR Janet Clarkson at (705) 657-2225 or [email protected]

Many thanks to those of you who have joined this association and who attended the meeting. Tell your friends about Buckhorn Rate Payers and encourage them to join and voice their thoughts.