I recently found myself on a remote northern Ontario lake.
It was just me, a friend and a canoe. We were a good two hours
Northeast of Greater Sudbury and the sounds of bustling
civilization were non-existent, as we were miles away from the
nearest town and people.
The stars came out in full force and we were able to appreciate
their full effect because there was no light pollution from
camps or cottages on this particular waterway.
I live in Lively and see the numerous starry nights, but they
pale in comparison to this one night. Their power overwhelmed
me and it got me thinking.
I can't help but feel so fortunate and lucky to have so many
scenic waterways in and around Greater Sudbury and the endless
opportunities they provide.
Whether it's a creek, river or lake, northern Ontario has a
water body for everybody.
Now that the hot weather is here to stay (and I say it
begrudgingly as I am a winter person and love seeing four feet
of snow on the ground at all times), it's the perfect time for
people to get out and soak up the outdoors lifestyle.
People can fish, canoe, sail, kayak, water ski or board - the
possibilities are endless. They can do it solo or with friends
or make a big family adventure.
It's all up to each person.
The thing which has me concerned is the alarming amount of
camps and cottages which are springing up with each passing
year on local water bodies.
I remember a person telling me when I was in French River last
year to enjoy the rugged beauty while I can because the area
known as Muskoka was totally built up with no more room for
camps and the people were coming more North to build their
outdoor retreats. He then extended his arms out and spun around
pointing to all the wilderness surrounding us in French River.
It was his physical gesture to imply all this beauty might soon
disappear and turn into camps.
My parents have had a camp on the French River for over 15
years. I remember when they first arrived on the river and how
secluded it felt.
In the past few years, this seclusion has been slowly chipped
away by the presence of super-camps and cottages now dotting
the shorelines.
There was once a time I could go boating up and down the French
River and only see other boaters and the odd camp. This is no
longer the case.
Now, I take a boat out on the French River and it's like I'm
cruising down a city street in Greater Sudbury or Toronto.
Where's the fun in that?
Some places have so many camps it's almost ridiculous. No
scratch that, it is ridiculous.
With the eventual four-laning of Highway 69 (insert joke here
about the timeline) I believe it's only a matter of time before
all the shoreline in the French River is gobbled up in a land
feeding frenzy, much like the one which, in my humble opinion,
ruined the Muskoka area.
The camps being built today don't resemble the old-fashioned
bare bones camps of plywood walls and old windows. These
super-camps are better than most homes.
Some of them range in excess of 5,000-square feet and are made
out of brick and the land around them is basically clear-cut so
the owners can show off their expensive camps.
To me, escaping to the outdoors meant getting away from that
lifestyle and seeing more trees and rock and wildlife than row
after row of big, brick camps.
I guess I'm just a sour grape, but I just feel it's an
injustice to see rugged shorelines replaced by big, ugly
cottages.
Regardless sports fans, make the most out of each summer if you
enjoy the water and scenic nature. Who knows? It might not be
around for much longer.
Scott Haddow is the sports editor for Northern Life.
