The RM of Bjorkdale is proposing a Zoning Bylaw amendment that may affect some properties at Marean Lake. A public hearing will be held on May 14, 2021 and details can be be found on the RM of Bjorkdale website.

Municipal elections will be held on November 9, 2020 and any property owner or resident within the RM of Bjorkdale is eligible to vote. This includes owners/residents at Marean Lake.

Being able to vote in the election will be key to ensuring this can happen. With the sudden increase in COVID cases in this area of the province MLAC is concerned that the RM of Bjorkdale has yet to announce the use of mail-in ballots to facilitate safe voting. Many RM’s and urban municipalities around the province have already done so and are actively planning to ensure safe access to voting during the pandemic.

MLAC is formally approaching the RM of Bjorkdale with these concerns and would like to encourage individual voters to do the same. We are asking that you please take a few minutes and either write or email the office of the RM of Bjorkdale encouraging them to implement mail-in ballots. Your message can be as simple as something like this:

“As tax paying property owner in the RM of Bjorkdale I would like to request the use of mail-in ballots for municipal elections this fall. This will give me the right to exercise my vote from the safety of my home during the COVID-19 pandemic.”

Please include your name and the proper street address of your property at Marean Lake so they can verify you as a property owner or resident.

The next RM Council meeting is scheduled for August 12th and it would be very helpful for your message to reach the office before then.

Messages can be sent to:

The RM of Bjorkdale 426
PO Box 60
Bjorkdale, SK
S0E 0E0

rm426office@sasktel.net

Yesterday the Province advised of changes to the use of beaches, starting this Friday, June 12th. This is relatively short notice and and much needs to be done in our resort to get things ready, so bear with us if things take a little longer than Friday.

We will be installing signage (as soon as it is available) reminding users of these guidelines, but we do not have the capacity to supervise this area. Users will be on their own to self-police and use the area accordingly.

The full text of the Provincial order can be read at this link, but here are the most relevant points regarding our resort:

• People exhibiting signs of illness should not enter beach areas. If you think you may be sick, use the Government of Saskatchewan’s self-assessment tool for COVID-19 and follow the subsequent directions.
• Individuals from different groups must maintain a physical distance of two metres outdoors, indoors, on the beach and in the water. Towels and beach gear should be set up with four metres between groups to allow physical distancing to be maintained for those entering or exiting the area.
• There must be no more individuals per group than allowed under the private and public gathering restrictions.
• Towels, beach toys, food and other items should not be shared between members of different groups.
• Our beach are is small, if the beach area is full please do not crowd it. Come back another time.
• Bring your own picnic table covers, cleaning supplies, hand hygiene supplies and other personal items.
• Users should clean and disinfect surfaces before and after using (e.g. picnic tables), and practice frequent hand hygiene, especially before and after consuming food.
• Frequently wash your hands with soap and water or use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer approved by Health Canada if you come into contact with public or common touch surfaces (e.g. washroom facilities, shower taps, benches, tables, playground equipment).
• Indoor shower and change facilities will remain closed.
• The public washrooms will now be open.
• Events are not permitted on the beach.
• The floating slide and playground will be available for use.

Beach users have also pointed out that sunflower seed shells discarded on the ground may be problematic, therefore we are asking that everyone be courteous and dispose of them in the garbage cans using a cup or container.

The temporary bins for leaves and metal are now being removed.

MLAC would like to thank everyone who used these bins properly, they needed to be emptied a few times this past month due to the volume.

However, we are very disappointed that in the past week they have been misused, this will now trigger significant penalties from the waste handling company (the contents now need to be sorted manually) and will jeopardize our ability to repeat this service in the future. Despite our express instructions regarding appropriate materials for each bin, leaves in plastic bags, processed wood and other building materials were recently dumped.

Due to recent rains the RM of Bjorkdale has now lifted the fire ban.

Effective immediately, the RM of Bjorkdale has implemented a ban on open fires of any kind, for areas including Marean Lake.  The notification posted by the RM can be viewed here.

Please respect this ban and keep our resort safe!

The 3 members of the Marean Lake Advisory Committee (MLAC) each have staggered 3 year terms, one position is open for election annually. MLAC is a committee of the RM of Bjorkdale No. 426 and is specific to the Marean Lake Resort community.

Nominations are now open and will be accepted until 4:00 pm May 27th.

The involvement of owners from our resort community in this committee is important to the entire resort. Please consider getting involved and putting your name forward.  If you would like any additional information, feel free to contact any of the current members at the email links below.

Click this this link for more information on the election, including nomination forms and voter eligibility.

As an additional service to help facilitate spring clean-up at the lake, MLAC has arranged for the placement of 2 bins for the recycling of LEAVES and METAL.  These will be available for 30 days and are located in the beach parking lot at Marean Lake.

However, it is imperative that everyone place appropriate material in each bin as indicated.  Inappropriate dumping of the wrong materials will trigger a $1,000 charge to MLAC and will likely jeopardize the ability to provide this service in the future.

• The bin for LEAVES should contain leaves only, bags of any kind are not allowed.  If transporting leaves in bags, please empty them into the bin and discard the bags in the household waste bins.
• The bin for METAL is for old BBQ’s, bed frames, or other metal not allowed in the household waste bins.
• The HOUSEHOLD waste bins (in their normal summer location) are for all other normal household garbage.
• Cabin owners are responsible for their own disposal of BUILDING MATERIALS and CONSTRUCTION WASTE at the landfill in Peesane.

Please remember that in compliance with Provincial regulations, COVID-19 restrictions are in place in the Marean Lake Resort. Please see our previous post for details.

The Government of Saskatchewan recently introduced a “Re-Open Plan” to begin relaxing COVID-19 restrictions.  MLAC is pleased with these changes but recognizes that much caution is still required. The following guidelines for our resort have been developed based on Provincial guidance.

Key points to remember:

• The COVID-19 virus is still circulating and any flare-up in infections can cause the Province to delay future phases of the “Re-Open Saskatchewan Plan” or roll back to tighter restrictions.  Inappropriate behavior by anyone at the Lake puts everyone at risk, and may lead to increased restrictions.
• Regardless of what you are doing, 2 metre physical distancing is still required between any individuals not living together in the same household.

Here is what’s changing in our resort after May 4th:

• Once it opens the booth will be available for take-out and delivery orders only.  Appropriate protections and physical distancing will be in use.
• Gas sales and daily docking will remain available through the booth.
• The laundry may be open for single use only, but this is still uncertain.
• The inside seating and outside picnic table seating area will be closed.
• The beach, public washrooms and playground will be closed.
• The fish filleting station will be closed.
• Use of any public docks in the marina and boat launch will be restricted to one individual or family group at a time, once that person/family has cleared the next can enter.  Please be courteous and limit your time on the dock.
• Fishing or swimming from public docks and those in the marina is prohibited.
• Physical distancing includes respecting your neighbors and the people you meet on the road.
• Large public and private gatherings – indoors and outdoors – are prohibited. Gatherings are limited to a maximum of 10 people (excluding family members living in the same household).  The province has indicated that groups 10 and under are allowed as long as all people involved maintain appropriate physical distancing, understand the increased risk associated with the activity, and are the same consistent group of people (a ‘virtual household’).  Importantly, this cannot be a group that varies from day-to-day.
• Restrictions imposed by the Provincial Government for Provincial parks apply when on the water.  This includes limiting passengers in boats to only those who reside in the same household and ensuring that any shoreline anglers adhere to a strict 2-metre distance between individuals.
• Appropriate signage will be installed at the beach, boat launch and affected areas. 

As suggested by the province, any concerns regarding large groups or people not respecting physical distancing should be reported to the RCMP (Kelvington 306-327-1200, Rose Valley 306-322-2550) or through the Provincial Public Health Order Non-Compliance Reporting Form.

These rules are subject to change, but please remember that the easing or increasing of restrictions is in everyone’s hands. So please enjoy the lake – but be responsible, keep your groups small, follow the social distancing rules, and keep everyone safe!

SaskTel is considering constructing and installing a new cellphone tower within Greenwater Lake Provincial Park located in the RM of Bjorkdale, on land adjacent to the main road into Marean Lake. This tower would provide enhanced wireless phone services in Greenwater Lake Provincial Park including Marean Lake and the RM of Bjorkdale.

Public comments on the proposal are welcome until May 8, 2020.

Please click this link to download the public notification package which includes contact information.