Meditation Lake research camp finds public support for protecting Meditation Lake from development

Sunday, May 24, 2009

The Wilderness Committee established a research camp at Meditation Lake on the May long weekend, to do water quality testing and survey people in Whiteshell Park about the development.

On Saturday, within minutes of our arrival, the Conservation department shut down the information table at the turnoff to Meditation Lake on Highway 309, despite the fact the Wilderness Committee has run many similar park information tables across the province over the last three years, with the permission of Conservation Minister Struthers. By Saturday evening, the Conservation department had realized their error and allowed an information table to be put up later in the weekend

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Wilderness Committee canvassers went door-to-door talking to cottagers about the issue on Saturday and Sunday. All weekend there was a research camp at the shore of Meditation Lake, where we met people coming in to visit the lake. One noteworthy group was three generations of a family who had been enjoying visits to Meditation Lake for decades, and did not want to lose this location to a private development. The vast majority of people the Wilderness Committee talked to in the park were supportive of our efforts to ensure that Meditation Lake does not see any more development.

The Wilderness Committee will continue work at the research camp and information table through out this summer. Anyone wishing to volunteer to help with this camp should contact us.

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Wilderness Committee staff speaking to Meditation Lake visitors

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