Dignitaries cut the ribbon at Fairy Lake

From left, Wayne Brohman of Saugeen Vally Conservation Authority, Constituent Assistant for MPP Lisa Thompson, John McPhee; Bruce Powers’ Chris Mercanti, Saugeen Shores Mayor Mike Smith with grandson Dax Hull, London North Centre MP Peter Fragiskatos, Victoria Serda of SauGreen and Ted Briggs, Great Lakes Advisor, Ministry of Environment and Climate Change.

Hub Staff

The multi-phase collaborative rehabilitation of Fairy Lake was celebrated with a formal ribbon-cutting following speeches July 20 at the Southampton lake. The project came after the removal of approximately 500 ash trees as a result an Emerald Ash Borer infestation.

Dignitaries from federal and local levels of government as well as participants who had on-site experience with the project spoke to the crowd in attendance.

Liberal Member of Parliament for London North Centre, Peter Fragiskatos attended the ceremony and made an announcement on behalf of the Government of Canada that would benefit the Saugeen First Nation (SFN) community, who had members dedicate man hours to the lake restoration project, through planting and creating the drystone staircase.

Fragiskatos said the government wants to support projects that bring people together and through the government funded Federal Economic Development Agency for Southern Ontario under a Canada 150 Community Infrastructure Program contributed $49,000 of the restoration project, which was matched by the Town of Saugeen Shores.

“We are proud to have contributed $49,000 for this project that I know was matched by the town. In Canada’s 150th year this is the sort of project that we, of course, get behind.” Fragiskatos then announced approximately $366,000 in funding for projects at SFN, including public wifi, library expansion and renovations at the James Mason Memorial Culture and Recreation Centre.

Following Fragiskatos at the mic was Former Saugeen First Nation Chief, Council Elder Vernon Roote. Roote alluded to Indigenous struggle in the face of Canada 150 but quickly moved on. “I could say a lot of things, first of all in terms of the 150th anniversary,” said Roote. “I know that it brings back a lot of memories for our people in terms of the situation that we’re in right now, but we’ll just kind of leave that off to the side right now and look at the positive things of today because there are many more positive things that are happening,” said Roote, before he acknowledged his appreciation for the grants and recognition from the Federal Government.

Roote went onto thank Fairy Lake Restoration Project Manager Victoria Serda of SauGreen, for her work with the project and bringing the communities together. “Bringing both communities together, that’s something that everyone should be aware of... working together in this area, there is much more to offer and I think if history were to be put on the table we would look at all the good things that have taken place within the area.”

Serda, who played the part of Master of Ceremonies at the Ribbon Cutting Ceremony acknowledged all the supporters of Fairy Lake who were in the audience and who had had a hand in the restoration. She called the project a “labour of love” and invited everyone in attendance to take a walk around the lake and learn about certain aspects of the project.

Other speakers at the event included Saugeen Shores Mayor Mike Smith, Huron-Bruce MP Ben Lobb, Constituent Assistant for MPP Lisa Thompson, John McPhee; Great Lakes Advisor, Ministry of Environment and Climate Change, Ted Briggs; Wayne Brohman of the Saugeen Valley Conservation Authority and Bruce Powers’ Chris Mercanti.

Mayor Mike Smith, along With London North Centre MP Peter Fragiskatos, cut the ceremonial ribbon officially marking the completion of the Fairy Lake Restoration project.

For more information about the restoration project, see Fairy Lake is now open.

Saugeen First Nation Council Elder former Chief Vernon Roote at the Fairy Lake restoration project ribbon cutting ceremony July 20.