Gull Lake resident worries lack of zebra mussel protection puts lake in danger

More than a month after a locked gate was removed from a boat launch in Gull Lake, resident Shane Zakaluk wonders what zebra mussel protections are in place.

"My primary residence is at Gull Lake. If we have zebra mussels, my property value is going to be negligible, and I'll have lost my home and life savings to the issue, so it's a big concern," Zakaluk said.

In 2015, the Rural Municipality of Alexander approved plans by the Gull Lake Basin Management Board to temporarily erect a gate at the community boat launch. The idea was the gate would remain closed from Aug. 4 to Sept. 4, except for a few hours every weekend, when volunteers would do inspections at the boat launch and, if necessary, clean boats.

"We were told that it was going to be closed indefinitely — opened for a few hours on a couple weekends to put your watercraft into the lake, and then again to take it out. As a back lot, I have nowhere to moor my boat, so because of that, I don't have access to the lake, nor does any other back lot, and the lake consists of approximately 60 per cent back lot individuals," said Zakaluk.

The gate came down May 20, eight months after it was supposed to be removed.

"The public boat launch was not opened [in September] by the Gull Lake Basin Management Board as they agreed to," a resolution passed by the RM of Alexander said, explaining the reason why the gate was removed. The RM also said the board also had not completed a zebra mussel prevention program and therefore had not fulfilled its obligations.

Gull Lake Basin Management Board vice-president Scott Minty said the gate came down before board members had finished making plans for providing residents with better lake access, and shortly after lake access hours were posted.

"There was actually published hours of when the gate would be open. Unfortunately [the gate] came down one week later," Minty said.

While Zakaluk was frustrated with the limited access for non-lakefront residents and cottagers, he didn't want to see the gate come down.

"I think the best thing would be some type of access system, where [there would be] either a key or codes or a lock box, something that allows the people who are invested in the area the access they need. And those who aren't would then need to approach somebody from the area to get that access," said Zakaluk.

Minty said the board is again in discussions with the RM of Alexander to put the gate back up.

"For them [to agree] to put the gate back up, we have to be able to provide 24-hour, seven-day-a-week access, which is a little shocking," he said.

Minty said the management board hopes a neighbouring RM might be able to help them.

"So the gate is in the RM of Alexander, [and] all they've done to date is put up road blocks. There's only a handful of taxpayers in the RM of Alexander, all the taxpayers are in the RM of St. Clements. The RM of St. Clements is willing to help and work with us," said Minty.

"If the gate goes back up, I understand it will be only if the plan identifies times of launch availability or alternative options. One such alternative option would be for the [Gull Lake Basin Management Board] to hire a 24-hour phone service, like ours in St. Clements," said DJ Sigmundson, the RM of St. Clements CAO.

Minty said the board needs approval from the RM of Alexander to put the gate back up.