Kawartha Conservation to use $20,000 grant from RBC Foundation to improve Omemee Beach

Funds will support a rain garden, shoreline naturalization, removal of invasive plants, interpretive signage, and more

By kawarthaNOW -
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City of Kawartha Lakes staff and council members joined Kawartha Conservation and RBC staff for a cheque presentation on May 24, 2018, at the Omemee Beach. Pictured are: Emily Johnston, Kawartha Conservation Stewardship Outreach Technician; Mark Majchrowski, Kawartha Conservation CAO; Nancy Lee, RBC Group Services Representative; Doug Richardson, RBC Lindsay Branch Manager; Andy Letham, Mayor of the City of Kawartha Lakes Mayor; and Mary Ann Martin, Kawartha Lakes Ward 15 Councillor. Not pictured: Jenn Johnson, City of Kawartha Lakes Parks, Recreation and Culture Division Manager; Kristie Virgoe, Kawartha Conservation Director of Stewardship and Conservation Lands; Mike Goodhand, Kawartha Lakes Area Parks Supervisor. (Photo courtesy of Kawartha Conservation)
City of Kawartha Lakes staff and council members joined Kawartha Conservation and RBC staff for a cheque presentation on May 24, 2018, at the Omemee Beach. Pictured are: Emily Johnston, Kawartha Conservation Stewardship Outreach Technician; Mark Majchrowski, Kawartha Conservation CAO; Nancy Lee, RBC Group Services Representative; Doug Richardson, RBC Lindsay Branch Manager; Andy Letham, Mayor of the City of Kawartha Lakes Mayor; and Mary Ann Martin, Kawartha Lakes Ward 15 Councillor. Not pictured: Jenn Johnson, City of Kawartha Lakes Parks, Recreation and Culture Division Manager; Kristie Virgoe, Kawartha Conservation Director of Stewardship and Conservation Lands; Mike Goodhand, Kawartha Lakes Area Parks Supervisor. (Photo courtesy of Kawartha Conservation)

On Thursday (May 24), the RBC Foundation presented Kawartha Conservation with a cheque for $20,000 to fund improvements at the Omemee beach.

Along with a grant from the Ontario Ministry of Environment and Climate Change, the grant from the RBC Foundation’s Blue Water Project will support a $30,000 “BlueScaping” lake management plan for the beach.

BlueScaping is a program that helps landowners manage storm water while enhancing the qualities of the watershed. Working closely with City parks staff, Kawartha Conservation’s BlueScaping project will create a rain garden at the Omemee beach, naturalize the shoreline, remove more than 500 square feet of invasive plants, add more than 250 native plants, and install interpretive signage.

“This will be an exciting project for the Omemee community,” explains Kawartha Conservation Stewardship Coordinator Holly Shipclark. “We will be working with the City’s parks and recreation staff, local community groups, and residents to improve this well-used and enjoyed beach area, which will have a positive impact for years to come.”

On May 24, 2018, Kristie Virgoe (left), Kawartha Conservation Director of Stewardship and Conservation Lands, and Emily Johnston (right), Kawartha Conservation Stewardship Outreach Technician, speak with Mike Goodhand, Kawartha Lakes Area Parks Supervisor, about the BlueScaping work planned for the Omemee beach. (Photo courtesy of Kawartha Conservation)
On May 24, 2018, Kristie Virgoe (left), Kawartha Conservation Director of Stewardship and Conservation Lands, and Emily Johnston (right), Kawartha Conservation Stewardship Outreach Technician, speak with Mike Goodhand, Kawartha Lakes Area Parks Supervisor, about the BlueScaping work planned for the Omemee beach. (Photo courtesy of Kawartha Conservation)

The grants will also support three public workshops and a rainwater harvesting demonstration at Omemee beach.

“Our beaches are popular destinations for residents and visitors during the summer months and shoulder seasons,” says Jenn Johnson, City of Kawartha Lakes Parks, Recreation and Culture Division Manager. “Managing invasive plants and improving water quality by reducing urban run-off will benefit residents and beach users in Omemee.”

The first workshop, “Storm Water Harvesting”, took place on May 17th, with the second workshop, “Using Native Plants and Managing Invasives”, scheduled for June 7th and the third workshop, “Rain Gardens”, for August 8th

“Omemee has a really active and engaged community,” Shipclark says. “We’re really looking forward to working with the residents there to help restore and protect the Omemee beach, as well as their own properties.”

Work at the Omemee beach will get underway in June.

“This is the seventh year in a row that we have benefitted from RBC Foundation support for lake plan implementation projects,” Shipclark says. “RBC’s support has been and continues to be invaluable in helping to improve lake health and the environment throughout Kawartha Lakes.”

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