Attached below is a sample letter to Whitewater Region council members voicing support of Whitewater Ontario's attempt to allow volunteers to create a new (white water take-out) public access road to the Ottawa River by using a municipally-owned right of way near McCoy Road, in the area of Black's and the former River Run's takeouts. Both are now owned by Wilderness Tours. According to the linked CBC news article, Whitewater Region, will soon be deciding the issue. Please write and encourage others to write or sign a letter of support of Whitewater Ontario's proposal.
This might be the last opportunity for a number of years for the paddling community to secure a public access take-out for the Ottawa River, Beachburg section. While there was competition, prices were kept reasonable. This year Wilderness Tours attempted to rope in OWL in restricting river access, but fortunately Dirk and Claudia refused. With such in place, Wilderness Tours also planned to raise their takeout fee from $10 to $15 per person per day. Even more obnoxious is the Wilderness Tours Waiver, that attempts to absolve them of of any liability for wrong doing they or their staff might do ... including off their property such as on the public highway or river.
Please consider writing an email note in support of Whitewater Ontario's proposal.
========= Addressees:
Mayor Michael Moore mayormoore@whitewaterregion.ca
Reeve Cathy Regier cregier@whitewaterregion.ca
Councillor Charlene Jackson cjackson@whitewaterregion.ca
Councillor Dave Mackay dmackay@whitewaterregion.ca
Councillor Daryl McLaughlin dmclaughlin@whitewaterregion.ca
Councillor Neil Nicholson nnicholson@whitewaterregion.ca
Councillor Chris Olmstead colmstead@whitewaterregion.ca
============ You might begin with the text:
Dear Mayor Moore, Reeve Cathey Regier, and council members:
June 18, CBC radio broadcast the news story at:
https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/ottawa/whitewater-residents-fight-for-river-access-1.6069505?cmp=rssstating that:
Whitewater Ontario called on the township to allow volunteers to create a new public access road to the river by using a municipally-owned right of way near McCoy Road.
I wish to support the idea, and point out that paddlers have made the OWL Rafting free put-In access work.
========= In my letter I went on stating:
As a recreational paddler over the last 45 years, I've assisted bringing hundreds of tourist paddlers, (kayakers, rafters, and a few canoests), and some of their families to Whitewater Region for 1 to multiple day vacations, supporting the local economy, and introducing them to our heritage. While most tourists have been from Ottawa, others have been from the eastern US, South Carolina and north. In Whitewater Region, the attraction has been the whitewater of the Ottawa River where the rafts go down. Not only have the rafting companies and their staff benefited, but also Whitewater Region's restaurants, gas stations, garages, grocery stores, campgrounds, gift shops and others.
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Numbers count. Please send your e-mail.
Thank-you to all that make the effort.
