Wishing you a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year
As I am sitting here writing this Christmas message, I wonder how did 2024 go by so fast.
So much has happened this year.
The Spring Directors meeting in April at the Best Western Convention Centre in Cobourg was a tremendous success. Memberships were renewed and new members signed up.
The speaker list was excellent. We decided this year to give OLA members who were being harassed by Municipal by-laws and Provincial regulation overreach to have a platform with which to tell us about their ordeals.
Hearing from other landowners who are having the same problems as yourself is helpful. To know that you are not alone in your fight and there are people here to help.
The Annual General Meeting in October was also at the Best Western and it too was very successful. The current Executive were returned to their positions on the board for another year.
Our new website developed by Ember Chance has raised the presence of the OLA to another level and we are accessible by people from around the world. One new addition to the OLA website is the Forum page where people can debate online on and discuss issues of property rights. Our Face Book page has been very busy, and we now have more than 2,000 followers.
This year we had more chapter BBQ’s than before, and all were very well attended. We look forward to next year to have more local Chapter BBQ’s.
Our new chapter in Haliburton County (HCLA) is rocking the legal system by using their Crown Land Patent Grants to challenge the local Shoreline Road Allowance (SRA) around Maple Lake. The local Municipality is claiming Private Property along the current shoreline as their Municipal SRA. The SRA is not the problem, and the Landowners are not challenging the Municipality to their ownership of a SRA.
The issue is that where the Municipality claims the SRA to be, is not where the SRA exists. The original SRA was established by the Crown surveyor in 1860 before the lake was flooded. Not only was the Municipal SRA flooded but Private Land was flooded as well. Maple Lake is part of the Parks Canada Trent-Severen Canal System. There are about 20 other lakes in the same position as Maple Lake with flooded SRA.
The Municipality wants to sell portions of the SRA for income, except the land they are claiming to be SRA is Private Land. The Municipality refuses to accept the fact that their SRA is underwater.
As Christmas approaches, I want to take a moment to thank the many people who have dedicated their personal time and resources in making this organization the success it is and the fortitude and determination necessary to continue our success towards achieving the return of our property rights that have been removed from us.
Everyone of you has played a part, big or small, in our success and for that, I am truly grateful.
Your efforts continue to move this organization forward and in doing so, we create a strong community and camaraderie, with a spirit of teamwork and collaboration.
Christmas is a time for gratitude, for which I am grateful for your commitment, creativity, and passion as strong driving forces behind our success. I am grateful for those who have been in this organization for years and some members from our beginnings in 2003.
I am equally grateful for those who have recently joined us, believe in us, and are committing their time and resources to continue our unstoppable determination to achieve our goals in 2025.
As we move forward into the new year, we will continue to build upon the successes of those who came before us, those who are still with us and the lessons we have learned along our path as we continue to break trail on our journey to our success.
During this important festive season, find time to relax, recharge, and spend quality moments with your loved ones. May this special time be filled with joy, peace, and all the warmth that Christmas brings.
Thank you for being who you are and your continued support.
You are all amazing individuals.
Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!
Warmest regards,
Jeff D. Bogaerts
President