Environment

Proposed Development North of Graham Lane

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This is an urgent call to protect Sturgeon Point!

A proposed subdivision north of Graham Lane threatens to alter the landscape and spirit of our community. The farmland and wetlands that buffer our village may soon face development pressure.

The following open letter, written by Heather LeCraw, explains the situation and how we can take action.

We need to come together – informed, united, and ready to protect the Point!

OPEN LETTER to Sturgeon Point Association (SPA) and Residents of Sturgeon Point

Date: November 2, 2025

Re: Urgent: Opposition to Proposed Development North of Graham Lane

Dear SPA Members and Residents,

We are writing to alert you to a serious and immediate threat to the character and heritage of Sturgeon Point. The owner of the farmland surrounding our village, Mr. Alan Webster, has engaged planning and environmental consultants to pursue a plan of subdivision that could introduce a new roadway and up to 12 residential lots through the wetlands and significant woodland north of Graham Lane, including 3 lots and 1 “block” along the Sturgeon Lake shoreline.The proposed subdivision as it appears on the permit issued by the conservation authority is included herein.

Heavy equipment has already entered the property under a permit from the Kawartha Conservation Authority to conduct test pit excavations. This activity includes encroachment on City-owned land, a one-foot buffer strip deliberately established decades ago by Dr. Bill Graham to prevent development access from Graham Lane and preserve the historic boundaries of the Village.

The City of Kawartha Lakes Official Plan (Section 20.6) clearly states that:

“The character and integrity of the former village shall be retained and enhanced.”
“The existing social, environmental and aesthetic qualities of the community will be recognized.”

The proposed subdivision directly undermines these commitments. Beyond environmental damage, it would funnel construction traffic through Irene Avenue, Forest Road, Henry Street, and Graham Lane, impacting the safety, tranquility, and heritage of our community.

Our legal counsel and City contacts confirm that Mr. Webster has a history of aggressive and litigious actions in similar cases. Preventing this development will require a united and visible community response.

Next Steps:
There is no formal subdivision application yet. Our collective action can help ensure it never reaches that stage. A community meeting will be held shortly to coordinate our response and determine next actions.

If you wish to attend (in person or via Zoom), please email Heather LeCraw at [email protected].
Your participation is critical. This is the moment to stand together to defend Sturgeon Point’s heritage, peace, and natural beauty.

Elbows up Sturgeon Point…let’s protect our village.

Sincerely,


Heather LeCraw
On behalf of concerned residents of Sturgeon Point

AQUATIC PLANTS GUIDE

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(second edition, 2023)

by Kawartha Lake Stewards Association

KLSA is a nonprofit volunteer organization formed over 20 years ago to monitor the water quality of the Kawartha Lakes. Volunteers conduct water quality tests across many Kawartha Lakes, including Sturgeon, and the results are published in KLSA’s annual Report. All the annual reports, and other specialty publications, are available on the KLSA website.

Most recently, KLSA has published the second edition of the Aquatic Plants Guide. This guide is a well-produced and very informative booklet, with photographs, illustrations and vital information about the many aquatic plants (don’t call them weeds) in our ecosystem.

Hard copies of the Guide are available on request, free of charge. Some copies have been placed in the SPA Publications Boxes by the Community Bulletin Boards.  It should also be available on the KLSA website in due course.

KLSA is supported entirely by donations and volunteering. All support is welcome.

Funding now available for environmental projects in the Kawartha Conservation watershed

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If you are a property owner, non-profit organization, or community group in the Kawartha Conservation watershed, you may be eligible to receive funding and technical assistance in support of a future environmental project through the 2023 Water Fund.

Now open for applications, the 2023 Water Fund is a grant program that aims to support environmental projects in the City of Kawartha Lakes and Townships of Scugog, Brock, and Clarington that have the potential to positively impact water quality or ecosystem health.

The deadline to apply is Sunday, April 30, 2023.

To learn more about the program, find inspiration for your project, review eligibility guidelines and apply, visit our Landowner Grants or Community Grants page or contact Danielle Marcoux-Hunter by email or phone at 705-328-2271 ext. 242.

The full article is available on the Kawartha Conservation website.