Renaissance Lac-Brome (RLB) is holding its Paddle Brome Lake event for a second year in a row. After launching the initiative last summer, RLB received a positive response from locals that wanted to see Paddle Brome Lake turn into an annual community event.
Paddle Brome Lake 2022 starts on Saturday, September 3 at 7 a.m. at Douglass Beach where participants can paddle, canoe, or kayak about 19 km of Brome Lake.
As the organization that oversees the water quality of Brome Lake, RLB also has other initiatives in the works that will call on the community to get involved.
“Last year was the first (Paddle Brome Lake) and we weren’t quite sure what the response would be, so we put it out there. One of the biggest comments that we had was that people wanted to see it become an annual event, so we are very happy to put it on again this year,” said Don Joyce, member of the board for RLB.
Using whatever non-motorized water device participants see fit, the group travels Brome Lake’s waters and discovers the lake. Joyce mentioned that RLB will have some members of Knowlton’s Aviron Knowlton Rowing Club joining them in their skulls this year and that he hopes to see others get involved.
“It’s to get the community together and to enjoy the lake. We spend a lot of time worrying about water quality, keeping the lake free of phosphorus, all of the things we are concerned about for the environment, but we also wanted to make sure people remember why we do this which is to have fun and to enjoy the lake,” explained Joyce.
Joyce noted that while the water trek starts at Douglas Beach, people can join the group from other spots along the lake. After the trip, members of RLB have the benefit of getting a lift from Douglas Beach back to their point of departure by registering on RLB’s website.
“Last year, there was only one canoe with two folks in it that made the full around the lake trip with me, but we start at 7 a.m. and make our way around. We’re going to be stopping to gather up people at Camping des Érables at about 8:30 a.m., then we will continue on and stop again for people living at the Inverness Condos at about 10 a.m., and then we will finish back up at Douglas Beach at around 11 a.m,” explained Joyce.
Aside from Paddle Brome Lake 2022, Joyce said that RLB is working on collaborating with the local schools and they will be launching a tree planting initiative at the end of September with hopes that the community will get involved.
“We’re waiting to get some confirmation on the participation of the schools and some people we want to bring in to do some canoe instructing, but that one is still a little bit up in the air,” he said. “We do have another project, which will be planting trees along Quilliams stream, big trees and little bushes to prevent erosion.”
For more information about the event and points of departure.
Listen to the full interview below: