Who We Are
A FAIRY TALE
Friends of East Lake do not want to lose what they love most about where they live
Once upon a time, there was a beautiful little land surrounded by water and with lots of inland lakes. This unique place had historical significance. There were golden beaches, prosperous farms and fish in its lakes. Life here was good, but times changed. The bountiful agricultural production was curtailed by outside influences, and the people were forced to invite strangers and different customs and agriculture into their midst to be able to remain financially viable. Decisions were made from above with little input from the people leaving them angry, confused and frightened. But, one day, the people finally said, "Enough!!! We do not want to lose what we most love about our home here.” People began to think about what they wanted for their beautiful home and decided that they would strive for a sustainable balance. This would mean sharing their special place with the outsiders as they looked for new ways to prosper, but at the same time, being very careful to preserve their unique history, their farming communities, the recreational opportunities and the environment. They would strive for a sustainable balance. Each member of the community would share in the responsibility for its welfare. They would:
Get In Touch: with their neighbours, with others who share their issues and concerns, with their elected representatives, with those they pay to care for this special place;
Get Informed: by asking questions, by knowing how their property is zoned and also how it is designated in the Official Plan and what that means;
Get Involved: by voting for representatives who share their vision, hopes, plans and concerns for their community, by volunteering some time to help groups or committees or conservation authorities who are working to try to preserve what the community most values
Carolyn Barton,
For Friends of East Lake, Cherry Valley