Transport Canada will be lending a hand when it comes to boat speeds on the Muskoka River. Huntsville resident Christine Kemper spoke at town council meeting last night, saying boats are traveling too fast and wakes are too high in the north section, off of Fairy Lake.
Kemper says it’s a safety issue, as there are many people swimming, on paddle boards, canoes and kayaks. She says the large wake caused by high speeds could be dangerous to those people. She also notes with rising water levels and high wakes; the shoreline is being eroded. She says homeowners in the area have looked into fixing the problem, and it’s going to cost around $1,000 per foot to fix.
The speed limit is posted at nine kilometres an hour in the northern part of the river off of Fairy Lake, but Kemper says the signs are inadequate. She says the community wants to be proactive to in protecting paddlers and the shoreline.
Many councillors agreed more signage is needed in the area. Transport Canada is expected to have a representative at September’s council meeting to help the town decide on the best course of action and get more signs posted.