GBA Update Spring 2025

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Sans Souci & Copperhead Association Gregg Scott

Twelve Mile Bay Cottage Association Brett Harris

Gregg Scott has a real talent and passion for encouraging young people to get involved in local stewardship efforts. When Gregg hears that someone has an environmental interest, he speaks up and finds them the right people to connect with. As a member of the SSCA, Gregg

Brett Harris is the Twelve Mile Bay Community Association president and a GBA board member. Brett organized a major dock clean-up day to remove derelict docks along our shorelines. He gathered a team of cottagers with boats to collect over a dozen old docks that had been abandoned and

eagerly became a founding member of the Sans Souci Islands Stewards, a new community effort to care for and monitor two well-used Crown land islands. Beyond his association, Gregg has been a long-term volunteer for the Georgian Bay Land Trust as a steward of the American Camp Islands. He is always happy to share about his role and describe the beauty of the Land Trust islands. Gregg has also helped form strong ties between his beloved community of Iron City Fishing Club (ICFC) and the GB4 organizations. In 2009, Gregg formed the Georgian Bay Community Liaison Committee at ICFC to support the GB4 and develop educational programing that could be shared with ICFC and friends. Since that time, the committee has hosted nature hikes, rock walks, an indigenous canoe build demonstration, an electric outboard demo, phragmites removal efforts and many other environmental and historic presentations. South Channel Association Ian Fenton

towed them to a central location where he then used a tractor to pull the docks out of the water. His incredible efforts made it possible for the Township of Georgian Bay to come and haul the docks away. – Jim McPherson Wah Wah Taysee Association In Memoriam – Colin Dobell Colin championed on all our behalf, when he founded the Water Level Alliance to raise efforts to stop dropping water levels and Stop the Invasion to eliminate phragmites. On a personal level, Colin was one of the most beloved in our small community of Wah Way Taysee. He grew up there, he flourished there and his indomitable spirit and ever-present smile will forever be missed by those of us who knew him. – Allison Groten With his recent passing, the Bay has lost a long-time advocate and volunteer. – Ann Bowman West Carling Association Richard Wilson

Ian Fenton has been an innovative and dedicated member of the SCA Executive team, serving as Treasurer and with the Environment Committee. Notably, over the past several years, Ian has helped strengthen the SCA’s support of the Georgian Bay Biosphere, resulting in sponsorship of

Several years ago, Richard realized there was a blank space in the phragmites mapping in the West Carling area. Richard took it upon himself to learn all about phragmites and partnered with Georgian Bay Forever to personally boat past all the shorelines in the Carling area. Since then,

GBB’s State of the Bay publication and an annual community bioblitz in Squirrel’s Cove. Ian is passionate about keeping our shorelines free of Styrofoam and derelict docks. Last year, Ian organized a very well-attended derelict dock clean-up in collaboration with Wasauksing First Nation to remove several large docks. In addition, Ian continues to actively monitor the status of phragmites and volunteers as a steward for the Lake Partners Program, collecting water samples near the Wasauksing Swing Bridge.

Richard has organized annual community phragmites cuts on Franklin Island to eliminate several large patches of phragmites. From his work on the Board of the West Carling Association to his work with Georgian Bay Forever and the Georgian Bay Association, Richard always steps up to the plate with a friendly smile on his face. – Briana Zur

Photo: David Sweetnam

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GBA UPDATE • Spring 2025