The Ontario Clean Water Agency (OCWA) has asked Trent Lakes for $221,191 to maintain two water systems in the municipality.
Nathalie Baker, OCWA Business Development Manager made a presentation to council this week outlining their capital expenditure request for 2024.
The two water treatment plants are in Alpine Village/Pirates Glen and Buckhorn Lake Estates and they serve approximately 318 homes. Both systems are paid for by the residents that use them and not by the other taxpayers.
The request for Alpine Village/Pirates Glen is for $88,910 for:
• well cleaning and inspection
• chemical pump spare parts
• cartridge filters
• clearwell cleaning and inspection
• watermain flushing and leak detection
• singer valve maintenance
• distribution leak repair
• dehumidifier replacement
• unplanned equipment repair and replacement
The $121,281 request for Buckhorn Lake Estates is for:
• well cleaning and inspections
• clearwell cleaning and inspection
• chemical pump spare parts
• singer valve maintenance
The Buckhorn District Lions Club hosted the annual Easter Egg Hunt and Pancake Breakfast at the Buckhorn Community Centre on Saturday morning. Pictured above is Louis Melizan with his daughters Harrie (6) and Georgia (8).
Selwyn Township will be looking into operating the Lakefield Campground themselves for next season. Currently, the township owns the campground but Otonabee Regional Conservation Authority (ORCA) is the operator of the site.
However, in March, ORCA provided the township with notice that it will no longer operate the campground in 2026.
Based on this notice, township staff prepared five options for council to consider for the future of the Lakefield Campground.
According to the report provided by CAO Janice Lavalley these options were:
1: Township could advise ORCA that it expects proper notice to be given in accordance with the agreement. Effectively this would mean that the termination date would extend to October 31st, 2026.
Lavalley explained to council that the notice to terminate the agreement between ORCA and Selwyn Township was received on March 3, 2025. According to the agreement signed by the two parties, “either party may terminate the agreement at the end of any season (October 31st)…by providing the other party with one year written notice.”
After more than 35 years of nourishing the Lakefield community, The Lakefield Pantry is beginning a new chapter. Owner Jennie MacKenzie is retiring and passing the torch to local entrepreneurs Lindsey and Andrew Irwin, who officially take over later this month.
The Lakefield Pantry has long been a cornerstone of the town — known not just for its wholesome food, bulk goods, and natural products, but for the warmth and familiarity that greeted every customer who walked through the door. The steady presence of Jennie and her staff and their commitment to community have made the shop a second home for many.
“I’m filled with gratitude for the decades I’ve spent here,” said Jennie. “The Lakefield Pantry has been a huge part of my life, and I’ve had the joy of watching generations grow up in this community. It’s time for me to step back and enjoy retirement, and I couldn’t imagine handing the keys to anyone better than Lindsey.”
Not ready to completely hang up her apron, Jennie will continue supplying her delicious homemade baked goods to the community through the Lakefield Farmers Market this summer, starting May 11th at the Mother’s Day Market.
This short documentary is a portrait of a tiny town, Lakefield, Ontario, and its independent weekly, the Herald. Across North America, newspapers are dying, but in Lakefield, Terry McQuitty, the town paper’s publisher, carries on a rich, 150-year-old tradition. Set to the pace of small-town life, Unheralded is a testament to the vital role newspapers can still play, and the close bond between reporter and reader.
