Phase 5 at Lake Lisgar
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Phase 5 is underway at Lake Lisgar. Planting of nearly 400 aquatic plants, funded by $1,000 from the Lake Lisgar Revitalization Project committee and a $1,000 donation from Moore Water Gardens of Port Stanley, began last week under the supervision of committee members Joan Weston and Frank Kempf.
Laurel Futcher and Chris Damman of Moore Water Gardens, wearing hip waders, carefully planted eight varieties around the lake, including arrowhead, bullrush, and sweet flag.
"The aquatic plants will put oxygen into the water, and help with the water quality," said Weston. "It helps filter the water, and it provides habitat and cover. We're trying to get the frogs back. We used to have bullfrogs here when I grew up...
"And it will look pretty," Weston smiled. "We added to the aquatic garden in this (boardwalk) area that the Renaissance Project put in. And the rest of the plants are going to the nature end – which is the north end – because it's shallower at that end and we really need to work on the water quality in that area."
"They oxygenate the water," nodded Kempf, "and they filter nutrients."
Over the years improvements were made at the south of the lake and they gradually worked their way north.
"Phase 1 and Phase 2 we were concerned with maintaining the sediment ponds," said Weston.
"And water quality," said Kempf. "It's still evolving because people are still interested in improving the lake."
"Phase 3 and Phase 4 were two different grants," said Weston, "from the Community Infrastructure grant and the Great Lakes Guardian fund. Part of the one grant, we worked on the streams feeding into the lake – we put gravel into the stream bed and planted natural grasses along the stream bed, up by the sediment ponds. This phase (five) was the last phase because it wasn't as crucial to add natural aquatic plants."
"I love all that stone over there, it's great," said Kempf, nodding toward the Phase 4 retaining wall stones near the boardwalk. "Hats off to Dave Phillips, who works for the town, he's good at doing that stuff."
When Phase 5 concludes, which includes more work in the north end, they will transition into general maintenance.
"Maintenance of the sediment ponds, the aeration system, and if we have more money, we can plant more aquatic plants..." said Weston.
"And continue with the fish stocking," Kempf added.
"Eventually the town should be taking over ownership," said Weston. "It's their water, it's their lake. The town should be putting money aside each year to maintain it, just like a park."
About $5,000 per year, Kempf estimated, should be enough to maintain it.
"And set some aside to maintain the sediment ponds," said Weston. "Because when they fill up again, they'll need to be cleaned up."
It's safe to say the Revitalization Project Committee, made up of a half-dozen core members, along with many Lake Lisgar volunteers, is proud of how the lake turned out over the past three years.
"Absolutely," Weston nodded.
"It's been outstanding," Kempf agreed, "Everything that we envisioned... happened. This year the water quality is fantastic."
"We worked for it, and people graciously donated toward it," said Weston. "The public support been outstanding. It's been mostly grant money, service clubs and private donations that's done it. We haven't run into any roadblocks."
Anyone still interested in donating toward maintenance of the lake can find information on the Lake Lisgar Revitalization Trust Fund at the website lakelisgar.org.
"I would guess traffic around the lake, since the project started, is tenfold greater," said Kempf.
"Every time I drive by, there are people on this dock," Weston nodded. "And the boat traffic – we've seen kayaks, canoes... it's just been amazing. And all those ice fishermen in the winter! Yes, at least 10 times more people."