Events and Issues facing Star Lake
Issues | Events
Some important issues: Winter 2024 - 2025
Check this page: Issues Archive if you're looking for older updates that are no longer on this page.
January 2025 - Update
Nothing much to report right now. Just wanted folks to know I'm having issues with BellMTS email (still!). I'm currently unable to send out mass emails to the email contact group. Hopefully I'll get it fixed soon and will send out a test email to the group.
December 24 - Merry Cristmas and Happy New Year!
Not much to report right now. The garbage bins are back at the Hwy 301 site. The lake is frozen over, but mushy in spots and not open for snowmobiling yet. Lots of fluffy snow covering everything right now. On the south side of the lake Paul Gustavson is doing a great job of clearing the block roads. The capping of the mine shafts south of Star should be commpleted by now, but I wasn't able to get up to have a look yet. I hope everyone has a great Christmas and a Happy New Year. See you in 2025!
December 1, Update:
So far, nothing much to report. I'm assuming the capping of the old mine shafts south of Star Lake has been completed, but I haven't heard officially about that nor heard from anyone who's been up for a look yet.
Oct. 15 Update:
Discouraging end to a nice weekend. A group of hunters left a mess by the old red gate along the Blk 4,5,6 entry road: coffee cups, water bottles and the remains of several grouse, plucked and gutted. Sad to see such disrespect. When I used to hunt I tried to leave the land the way I found it.
Thanksgiving 2024 Update:
Fall Colours - This Thanksgiving Weekend seems to be the peak for fall-colours. I hope folks got a chance to see the various tree and shrub species at the height of their colours. In another week most of the leaves will be down.
Mine Shaft Capping - work is well underway to cap the two remaining unsecured mine shafts south of Star Lake. A private contractor is conducting the work under the province's Orphaned and Abandoned Mines program. They have positioned one of their fork lifts to block access to the road when crews are not at work. Folks should stay away from the area until construction is completed.
Public Beach Docks - The new floating docks at the public beach were pulled up onto the beach for the winter on Oct. 11. I hope Parks will be adding some flags or markers to ensure snowmobilers don't crash into them!
Lake level - I checked the lake level at the outlet control structure on Oct. 12. The water is at the 3.0 marker, down from 4.0 (a 10 cm drop) from summer level. There appears to be almost no flow out from the lake at this time.
Garbage Collection - I'm sure most folks have already heard about the bears-in-bins issue and that some of the collection bins have been removed for now (until the end of November when the bears should be hibernating). There's a number of media articles on line, here's a recent CBC article:
How do you keep bears out of trash?
For now, the garbage and recycling bins at West Hawk Lake, across from the gas station, have been left in place, while the ones on Hwy 301 by Star Lake have been removed. Parks is going to have to come up with a better system. I understand there are ongoing discussions and the Whiteshell Cottagers Association is involved.
Beaver Activity - The culvert at the Blk 4,5,6 entry roads is currently clear and there's little sign of any beaver activity in the creek. I haven't been able to check the culverts along Hwy 44 yet. If anyone happens to check please let me know.
Ticks Still Around - Just a reminder about ticks. Autumn is still an active period for some ticks, especially the Black-legged Tick (pictured below), the species that can carry Lyme Disease. They are tiny, compared to the more common Wood Tick. Please do regular tick-checks.
Autumn 2024 Update:
Mine Remediation - work has begun to cap the dangerous open mine shaft south of Star Lake. Here's an update from Orphaned and Abandoned Mines Remediation Program. For more, see below.
Hunting season: I've added a short update to the Hunting Safety page. Hunters, please remember YOU are responsible for the safety of others using the Park. It's a big park, there is no need to hunt close to developed areas.
Newly Installed Public Beach Docks - While folks are generally pleased, and are enjoying, the newly installed docks at the public beach, there remain some issues. Some have questioned aspects of the accessibility of the docks, but the main concern is the remaining original docks' cribs and rock piles. There are rock piles to the northwest corner and west side of the swimming dock, and a particularly dangerous rock pile just off the end of the boat launch dock. The top of that pile is only 70 cm below the surface. I contacted the Federal Department of Fisheries and Oceans, which has jurisdiction over developments that may impact fish habitat, and was told that removal of such un-natural, man-made hazards is allowed. Another solution may be to add additional sections to the docks to cover the extent and alignment of the original docks. I have made Parks staff aware of this issue and I assume it can be rectified for the safety of all users.
Here is the video (6:30) I made with my GoPro camera of an underwater view around both docks:
To leave a comment click the "watch the video on YouTube" button.
Update to the dock hazards: Solution coming? I heard from Parks that the plan will be to remove the old dock crib materials next spring. I'll post more when there is confirmation of a plan of action next spring. Good to hear back promptly from Parks on this issue. (Sept. 25, 2024)
Bear Sightings - We had a good, but short blueberry season this year. By the middle of August berries were dwindling and bears were getting hungry. Not surprisingly bears began to show up in the cottage areas soon after. Please remember to remove all bear attractants: bird feeders, dog/cat foods, garbage, etc. from around your cottage.
Some recent media coverage from Global TV about bears and garbage bins includes some footage from our Hwy 301 station: "Whiteshell, Man. residents say they can’t ‘bear’ trash invaders".
(I tried to post this link on Face Book, but they are blocking Canadian media outlets!)
CBC jumped on the bear-bin-bandwagon, too. Here's their article: Nuisance bears feast at non-resistant trash bins, concerning Whiteshell resident.
Summer 2024 Issues
August 2024 Update:
Star Lake Family Fun Day, August 3, 2024 was a great success! I've posted some images and videos at this link: Star Lake Day 2024 (This is a large, image-heavy page so please be patient when loading it.)
Park Specialist, Joanne Podolchuk sent notice that the dangerous open mine shaft south of Star Lake is finally to be capped and made safe:
"Please be advised the folks from Orphaned and Abandoned Mines (OAM) will be started work on the Sunbeam site location mid August 2024 and the Thomas Boyes site (not near Star) in September of 2025. (View a picture of the site in question: a partially open mine shaft.)
Project specific questions can be directed to the OAM folks at EPRBranch@gov.mb.ca."
So, please be aware that some heavy equipment will be in the vicinity of the Blk 4, 5, 6 entry road in the coming weeks.
Chainsaw Carving - The West Hawk Lake Chainsaw Carving Challenge returns this year! The event runs August 23-25. It's a great show and exhibition. There's live carving demonstrations and lots of finished carvings to view and purchase, and auctions of some of the newly completed carvings!
July 2024 Update:
Dock news: The docks on the public beach have finally been replaced. Work commenced on June 24, both main structures were in place by June 26, with some finishing touches to come. Here's some images.
Boat Launch Dock June 24 | Boat Launch Dock June 24 | Boat Launch Dock June 26
Swimming Dock June 25 | Swimming Dock June 26 | Swimming Dock June 26
Star Lake Family Fun Day 2024 was a HUGE SUCCESS!
I'll be posting some pictures and videos shortly! (Go to this page - link coming soon!)
May 2024 Update:
Lake Levels: Last year we saw low lake levels from a combination of low snow-melt/low rainfall and a damaged outlet control structure. This spring, so far, we are seeing high lake levels! Heavy spring rainfall, an improved outlet control structure and busy beavers have combined to bring the lake to well above normal summer levels.
A comparison of recent pictures of the outlet control structure:
Sept. 2023 (2023-09-23) | Apr. 2024 (2024-04-13) | May 2024 (2024-05-17)
It has been reported that beaver trapping is underway near the Hwy 44 culvert. It seems the beavers have dammed up one or both of the culverts (again). Hence the lake level being above the high point on the control structure (May 17 picture?).
(NOTE: I am posting this May 23 in advance of a forecast heavy rainfall for the days of May 24-25! We'll see what happens!)
Mining in the Park: Though nothing has been requested at this point, as far as I know, McFarlane Lake Mining (MLM) has suggested in a recent news update that it may be pursuing additional exploration at it's "West Hawk Lake" property (AKA Star Lake's back yard). MLM has made another Private Placement offering to raise funds for it's operation:
"McFarlane Lake intends to utilize the net proceeds from the Offering: (i) to further explore the Company’s past producing McMillan and West Hawk Lake gold properties; (ii) to expand compliant gold resources at the High Lake property; and (iii) for general working capital purposes. "
You can read their latest News Update at this link: https://mcfarlanelakemining.com/news-may-16-2024-mcfarlane-lake-announces-up-to-c1-million-private-placement/
You can also read about "Private Placements" at this link: https://mcmillan.ca/insights/raising-capital-in-mining-practical-considerations-for-private-placements/
I will continue to monitor this situation and inform Star Lakers of any further updates.
March 2024 Update:
Hydro brush clearing: Over this winter Hydro has been clearing brush from its transmission lines in our area. On March 14 I took some pictures of the main transmission line that heads westward from the substation south of Star Lake: "
Transmission line clearing 01 | Transmission line clearing 02 | Transmission line clearing 03
It's unfortunate that the site will look messy for a number of years, but this work was necessary for the maintenance of the transmission line. This clearing also has the added benefit of maintaining a fire break around the south end of Star Lake. In the event of a major forest fire pushed by the prevailing northwest winds this clearing would aid firefighters in protecting both the Hydro infrastructure and cottages.
Mining in Parks: You can review any updates on the Mining_Issues page.
Block 4,5,6 Creek culvert: On March 15 I took some pictures from the Blk 4,5,6 road where the culvert allows the creek to pass beneath the road. Things look good for the spring melt, I hope.
State of the Blk 4,5,6 road culvert
Star Lake Outlet: On my recent March visit to the lake I was unable to get to the Star Lake outlet control structure to see the state of things. If anyone has any info or pictures of the site please pass them along. Thanks.
December 2023 Update:
Star Lake outlet: I informed Parks of a report I received in late November of excess flow at the outlet. Dec. 6, I received this reply from our Park Specialist - "MTI staff were out and did some shoring up of the site. Outflow has now been reduced considerably."
We need to keep an eye on this situation, I hope folks will check the site regularly!
Orphaned and Abandoned Mines: Dec. 5, from our Park Specialist - "An update with respects to the Sunbeam mine site by Star Lake. OAM has provided an update, this work unfortunately did not occur this fall. It is slatted to be done in 2024." Capping of the dangerous, open mine shaft south of Star Lake will, hopefully, be done in the coming year.
You can view more about this issue at the Whiteshell Cottagers Association website in their News section: Orphaned and Abandoned Mines.
November 2023 Update:
Notice from our Park Specialist:
"Please be advised that Manitoba Parks will be removing damaged dock cribbing from the West Hawk Lake Crescent Beach and Star Lake main beach boat launch areas on Tuesday, November 6. Once the damaging cribbing is removed, staff can proceed with preparations for new docks to be installed 2024."
Good to see some action happening with the docks.
As of November 12 - the old dock cribs have been removed. The footing for the boat launch dock was left. All the footing from the swimming dock is gone. Both sites were cleaned up well. Here's some images:
Boat launch site 01 | Boat launch site 02 | Swimming side 01 | Swimming side 02
It appears to me that the work was done well and the sites were cleaned of any debris. It even looks like they spread and leveled sand over the two old crib sites. I will contact our Park Specialist for an update regarding the dock replacement(s).
Confirmed: both docks are to be replaced, thanks Joanne.
September 2023 Update:
Election 2023 - The upcoming provincial election is an opportunity to make our Parks and their current state an issue! Please make an effort to raise any concerns you have with the candidates. Voting matters, make sure you have your say at the polls this October.
October Update - What will a change in government mean for us? Hopefully the new NDP government will improve things in our parks, but only if we make sure we let them know what needs improving! With a new government it's important to raise issues early and speak out loudly! Remember the squeaky-wheel principle.
(On a personal note, I'm happy for the change. Governments are like diapers, they need to be changed regularly to maintain a healthy democracy. And they need to be constantly reminded of who they work for.)
Lake Level - Floods and high water in spring 2022, drought and low levels in summer 2023. What's up Mother Nature? We all have to be aware that "control" of lake levels is not an exact science! However, maintenance of the existing control structure on Star Lake is important. I contacted our Park Specialist and was told that "Manitoba Transportation and Infrastructure (MTI) – Hydrological Division will be sending an engineer to inspect the structure" in the near future. Parks is aware that some folks have been suggesting that certain individuals may have been tampering with the control structure at times. I hope that some means of securing the structure can be found.
October Update - MTI has fixed the outlet control structure, thanks guys! Kathleen Tait posted some images from Sept. 30 of the renewed outlet control structure to our Face Book page. I've added them here, thanks, Kathleen!
Control structure Image 1 | Control structure Image 2 |Control structure Image 3
Hunting Season - I've added a few comments to the Hunting Safety essay posted.
Mining Issue - Nothing to report at this time regarding any further mineral exploration near Star Lake. Please bring up the issue of mining in Parks with your provincial candidates this fall! No sign as yet of the efforts to properly cap the exposed mine shaft up the mining road. Please go to the Mining Issues page for a brief update and a link to an important recent publication.
Beaver troubles - When I last visited the creek crossed by the Blk 4,5,6 entrance road (Wed, Sept 6) there was no sign of any work to alleviate the the dam and culvert blockage; water remains high and near the road surface.
Oct. 12 Update - Parks has cleared the culvert, dammed by beavers, beneath the Blk 4,5,6 entry road. As of Oct. 12 the water level has dropped significantly though not at normal levels yet. Thanks, guys. Here's some images:
Sept 23, 2023: Water level near road | Swollen creek upstream
Oct 12, 2023: New gate and reduced water level | Downstream view
Short-term Rentals - the issue of cottage rentals and their management within Parks is of concern to many, but I suspect Parks will dither about this for some time to come. (If all renters were responsible and considerate of their neighbours, this wouldn't really be an issue, but we all know what a few yahoos can do. Just a personal thought. Doug C.)
Manitoba Hydro Brush Clearing - please refer to the news article in the Whiteshell Cottagers Association web site: Manitoba Hydro Brush Clearing. It's suggested there may be some resulting power outages.
Beach Dock Replacement - nothing to report on this. The docks are slated to be replaced, but no time line has been given.
October Update: Quote from the latest Echo - "Meetings are continuing and we are expecting to see things starting to happen both in terms of consultation and work getting underway, such as for instance some maintenance items (e.g. docks damaged by last year’s flooding). Now that the federal Disaster Financial Assistance (DFA) funding has been received and contractors are being assembled, we will start seeing things progress. " So we may see some action on dock replacement soon." (Maybe, some time, hopefully??)
Any other issues? - If there's anything else going on or pending for our part of Whiteshell Park that you'd like others to know about please let me know so I can post it here. We still can't rely on Parks or the Whiteshell Cottager's Association to keep us abreast of all things that impact Star Lake. We need to be proactive and take care of Star Lake ourselves.
August 4, 2023 Update:
Star Lake Fun Day is back for 2023 on the 5th of August. I hope folks take lots of pics and vids and send them to me to post here!
Beaver problems at the Blk 4,5,6 entry road are still ongoing. Parks is "aware" of the issue, with the beavers building a dam downstream of the culvert and blocking the upstream entrance to the culvert. Since it's the only entrance to Blk 4,5,6 folks are understandably concerned. Hope the situation gets resolved soon!
Folks are also expressing some concern about the low lake level right now. There were suspicions the control structure had been altered or damaged. Parks has been approached about the situation and claims the control structure remains intact and that low water levels exist throughout the Park. According to Parks, despite recent rains, which have been spotty, the heat and intense sun has lead to more evaporation than normal. (Thanks to Bert Denouden for inquiring about this issue.)
June 1, 2023, Update:
I recently emailed our Park Specialist, Joanne Podolchuk, regarding a number of issues and received a prompt reply. My questions and her replies (in red) are paraphrased below:
"Hi, Joanne. Sorry to be a pest, but I would like to provide Star Lake folks with an update on a few things.
1) Is there any word on the timing of the capping of the dangerous open mine shaft south of Star?
This work is currently slated for this August, cottagers will be advised once exact dates are known.
2) Has there been any further requests for mineral exploration or mine development from McFarlane Lake Mining?
No requests have been submitted at this point.
(FYI, I follow their news feed and they seem to be excited about the results of their High Lake explorations, and not mentioning anything about the Star site. Their stock price has been rising significantly since the High Lake results have come out. Their stock price was in free fall after the announcements posted earlier regarding the Star Lake site. My hope is that they may forgo the hassles of trying to develop a not-very-promising site in a provincial park in Manitoba where they know they would face fierce local opposition. But stranger things have happened and I won't be happy until my government has legislated an end to mineral exploration and mine development in our provincial parks. Doug C.)
3) Several of my neighbours have raised concerns about private cottages being bought up solely for the purpose of running a rental business. I don't have all the background on this issue, but I am asking if this would constitute running a business in the park and what sorts, if any, regulations or controls may be in effect? So, can you buy up 4 cottages in a development and rent them out as a business?
Parks is aware of the issue of private cottages being used as short-term rentals such as AirBnB's and VRBO's, but Parks does not currently regulate these. However, the matter is being reviewed. Questions or concerns should be sent to Parks at this email address: Manitoba Parks at park districts@gov.mb.ca”.
(I don't think renting out your own cottage to help pay your cottage lease fees or just letting friends or relatives use your place when you're not there is a problem. But what about buying cottages as an investment and renting them out as a business? To me that violates the spirit of cottaging in the Whiteshell. And how do neighbours deal with properties that end up rented to rowdies and being abused. Does this lead to an erosion of our community, our right to peace and quiet? I hope Parks gets around to setting some guidelines on this issue. Send your thoughts and comments to Parks at the link above. Doug C.)
4) Is there any word on when the main beach docks are to be replaced?
The docks are to be replaced, but no time line is set. Contact the local District Office at 204-349-2201 for further more information.
5) I know that this is a dicey issue, but will Parks be actively involved regarding the proposed twinning of Hwy 1? (Parks certainly wasn't mentioned in any of the related media announcements.)
Short answer: yes, along with all other stakeholders, once public engagement begins.
We all need to stay abreast of this issue, though it will undoubtedly be a while before things are formally proposed. As Whiteshell Park cottagers we have a right have our say, and we should all be ready to support our fellow cottagers as needed. (I'm sure folks at Barren Lake are rather concerned right now.)
(Personally I hope that all means of making the short stretch of Hwy 1 through our park safer are considered, not just spending a billion dollars to twin the section so traffic can whiz along at 110 Km/hr. Doug C.)
6) And lastly, are there any proposed developments or issues that we don't already know about in the works for the Star Lake area? (I know that's not really a fair question, but still, I gotta ask!)
Nothing to report at this time.
Thanks, bye for now.
Doug Collicutt"
March 2023, Update:
Dangerous Mine Shaft Capping: Finally, a number of years after a partially open mine shaft was reported to the government, the shaft is set to be properly capped. The site has been a significant safety concern for too long. (The open shaft and shoddy fencing around it has been a temptation for "adventurous" young folks!) The WCA has posted the notice sent to them, and to me directly, about this operation. Thanks Joanne Podolchuk, our Whiteshell Park Specialist, for keeping us in the loop. If you haven't already seen the notices here they are:
Letter to Cottage Owners | Sunbeam Proposed Remediation
For more info on the this program:
Orphaned and Abandoned Mines Program
A little background to this issue: In 2006 I escorted a government mines inspector to another open mine shaft south of the one in question above. Here's an image of the site in 2006. This open shaft was capped a year or two later, here's a picture of it now. I suppose our current open shaft will look like that when work is completed.
In 2014 there was an extensive remediation undertaken of old mine sites along the trail that leads from south of Star Lake to Falcon Lake, again for safety concerns a number of old mine shafts were filled and capped. We were not informed of this activity at the time, though it was obvious something was up from the equipment and supplies stored at the old sand pit.
By the way, though I can't find the exact references or emails, it was at least 3 or 4 years ago that I and others reported the current open shaft to Parks. Though there will be some environmental disruption resulting from this mine remediation it is necessary for the safety of local cottagers.
(A personal note: I'd like to think that with our government being so concerned about safety they would consider carefully what they might allow near our cottages with respect to any future mineral explorations or commercial mining operations!)
Archives: I will keep some information permanently on this site for future reference.
Cottage Light Industry Storage Site (CLISS) proposal information is archived at this link.
Older notices regarding various issues have been moved to an Issues Archive page.
Star Lake Days - Star Lake Family Fun Day is slated for August 3, 2024. There are some images posted on the Star Lake Face Book page.
Star Lake Family Fun Day returned for 2022: Here's some images and a video from July 30!
Meteor Fest - back for 2024, July 12-14! See the Face Book page: Meteor Fest is Back!
Beaver Days - Missed it, darn! Anyone have images or videos to share?
Send information about events at this email link:
In this section I want to raise issues that may impact cottagers at Star Lake. For now, these are just topics to think about. I'm going to post some of my own thoughts later on, but I'd welcome your input/feedback.
(Please remember, if you want anything posted to this site you must be willing to have your name included.)
- Developments by Manitoba Parks
(We need to be consulted first about plans for Star Lake!)
- Actions and Developments by Manitoba Hydro
(Maintenance of the substation and transmission line?)
- Personal Water Craft
(Fun for some, annoying to many?)
- All Terrain Vehicles (ATVs)
(Illegal to use in the Park, but numbers are increasing?)
- Hunting
(New regulations great for hunters, annoying and dangerous for the rest?) Hunting season starts soon. Are you OK with hunters on the Hydro Line less than 300 m from your cottage?
(Please read my essay on Hunting Safety from this link.)
- Trapping
(Still allowed in the Park, definite danger to pets and children?)
- Bird Feeders
(Fun to watch, but can be bad for birds and attracts nuisance wildlife?)
- Other Wildlife Feeding
(Fun to see squirrels and deer, not great to attract skunks and bears?)
- Light Pollution
(Floodlights and yard lights: security or blinding nuisance?)
- Noise Pollution
(Loud music, radios, parties, loud cars and motorcycles? Spoils peace and quiet?)
- Brush/Leaf Dumping
(It's illegal to dump brush and leaves in ditches or along trails, but it happens a lot.)
- Road Conditions/Maintenance
(Our roads are famous for their wash-boarding, what can be done?)
- Day-use by Non-cottagers
("Public beach" results in more traffic (car and boat), more garbage and noise?)
- Water Quality
(Algal blooms from run-off, pollution from boating, etc.)
- Mining
(Not currently active, but no prohibitions against future developments!) NEW - Mining activities in Our Backyard?
- Multiple buildings on cottage lots
(Multiple residences on lots increasing density and vehicle traffic.) - Speed Limits and Signs
(One sign for 30 km/hr at the entry to cottage developments, often ignored?)
- Pets Off-leash
(Technically illegal in Parks, consequences can be fatal?)
- Cottage Rentals
(Renting to family and friends, or cottage-based businesses? Regulations?)
Got something to add to these thoughts? Send it along via the email link above.
And, please remember, the way to deal with any issue, controversy or complaint is through communication, consideration and respect for others.
The annoying ad below just lets me keep track of how much traffic this page receives.
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