Paddlers from across North America will start to arrive tomorrow, June 29th to train at the Minden Wildwater Preserve - readying themselves for the weekends events on the Gull River. 

The Whitewater Summer Race Series starts at the Gull River with Gullfest 2009 - 4 competitive events over two days including two Slaloms, a Boater Cross and a Freestyle.  Saturday night will be a walk down memory lane for many former slalom paddlers as they honour their coach from the '70's and '80's - Heinz Poenn with a slide presentation and campfire many great stories and songs by the Saturday evening campfire.  The Awards Banquet on Sunday night in the Roger Parson's Centre will feature Thai cuisine and Kawartha Dairy icecream - as well as slide show by Herman Koeslag of Eye in the Sky photography to recap the weekends activities. 

You can register online at:  www.zone4.ca or on site at the MWWP as of Friday 1pm in the Roger Parsons Centre.

Camping for Race Series participants is $10 per night. 

See you at the Gull,

Claudia Kerckhoff-van Wijk, Race Series organizer

Please note that clover has been seeded in some locations of the "field" across from the Roger Parsons Centre. There is warning tape up around the newly seeded areas. Clover is very tough and resilient when it takes hold, but please try to stay off the newly seeded areas until the tapes are taken down. We are hoping that this will be before Gullfest.

Last year a number of trees were removed to thin out the canopy in that area and let light through. Hopefully this will allow more ground cover in that entire area and make it a more pleasant area to camp in.

Thanks for your cooperation.

Minutes of the MWWP Committee meeting on June 21st at the Parsons Centre (thanks to John Slot for taking notes):

• The existing firewood shed to be replaced as it has a number of issues (too small, poor ventilation, etc.)

  • Group unanimously preferred a new site for steel woodshed to be on campsite #7 (flat, at roadside, easily accessible)

  • Construction won't be started until after Gullfest

  • All sheds to be painted in matching colours

• Driveway Grading

  • Portion from entrance to Parsons Bldg to be done prior to Gullfest.

• Student Employment

  • Connor and Ali are to record all activities and hours worked for eventually reporting to funding sources

  • Their respective duties/tasks are clear and they will also assist one another as required

• Garbage

  • Hooray, the dumpster is gone! Great job to all who helped clean up the "stuff" around the shed - it looks much better

  • Connor will look after ensuring washroom and kitchen garbage
    (e.g. from renters) is disposed of at the dump

  • Garbage collection (provision of blue boxes and clear plastic
    bags) will be provided on a one time only basis for Gullfest.

• MWWP Committee Governance Model

  • A new structure was proposed by Russ L. to distribute the workload a little more efficiently

  • It was agreed that a division of 'lead responsibility' (overseer) is necessary for several key areas:

    • building maintenance & washroom janitorial duties-supplies - Russ D

    • park and outdoor maintenance - Russ D

    • communications/website & public relations - Peter F / John S assist

    • rental openings & schedule - Russ D (coordinating with Donna)

    • building projects (e.g. new eaves, tree removal, washroom renovations, major building repairs etc.); each project will be approved by group decision then a lead coordinator assigned

  • This structure may change in the future - we are in an evolving and learning process

• Other:

  • Sky lab (the outhouse in disrepair near the branch of paths to the river and the buildings from the back campsites) is decommissioned. Hole is to to be filled in and site possibly turned into camp site.

  • Connor's brother being groomed for succession planning next year. This will help to provide some continuity when Connor is no longer available.

  • a MWWP Ctte member should be present at any sanctioned event on the grounds