Association Executive
| Chair | Bill Reid |
| Vice Chair | Trisha Lichtenberger |
| Treasurer | Sheila Finlay |
| Secretary | Alistair Munro |
| Lake Steward | Brooke Millar |
Members at large:
Adrienne Ogilvie, Barb Millar, Barry Noble, Craig Homewood, Mike Homewood, Dave Bernardo, Gemma Bernardo, Martha Asselin, Mellinda Maggisano, Neil Williamson, Sheila Alexander, Sue O’Dwyer, Adele Freeman
Association e-mail
Cottage Association Dues
We’re streamlining how the MLCA operates—yes, we’re dragging ourselves into the 21st century! In the near future, you’ll be able to sign up for membership and pay your dues via our website using a credit card or continue to send e-transfers.
Until then, we’re testing out a new Online Membership Renewal Page, with a good old-fashioned form — credit card not yet accepted, but it’s a peek at how slick things will be going forward.
Annual dues are $25, and donations are always welcome and very much appreciated!
Send e-transfers to Sheila Finlay at sdatfinlay@hotmail.com.
Security question: “What is the name of our lake?”
Answer: Methuen
Rising insurance costs, inflation, and other lake-related expenses mean we rely on your generosity to keep the summer full of fun and festivities.
Website
Our website has been updated with many resources. Some content is password-protected—use “havelock” (all lowercase) to access members-only pages. Please keep it within the MLCA family.
On the website we have…
- Fire pump & defibrillator map
- Calendar of events
- Lake history
- Past newsletters
- Marketplace (buy/sell/give away items)
- Emergency contact information
- Membership Form
Need to update you contact details? Do it on the website or email us directly.
You will get an email with Marketplace notifications so you don’t miss out on that canoe someone’s giving away because it “only leaks a little.”
Name Signs
New to the lake? A warm welcome! If you’ve never had your name added to the signboards on FR83 or FR84, let us know—we’ll fix that. Your name in wood, immortalized lakeside. It’s the Methuen version of a star on the Walk of Fame.
Emergency Lake Alert
To summon help on the lake:
Three long horn blasts – pause – three more blasts – pause – repeat until help arrives.
Fire Safety and Pumps
We’ve got four fire pumps around the lake (see the website for locations). Bill Reid will host training and orientation sessions in June or early July. Dates to come.
With all the extra brush and debris from recent storms and hotter, drier summers, we’re sitting on more kindling than a scout camp. Keep campfires small, supervised, and extinguishable with a nearby water source.
Fire regulations:
2025 Events Calendar
Check the website for a full list—more dates and juicy details to come!
Our secretary will email updates every 2–3 weeks throughout summer, so you’ll always be in the loop.
Book Club
First Meeting: TBD at Martha Asselin’s dock.
Our very own literary scout Brooke Millar will be recommending the first book. Martha will coordinate and schedule future gatherings.
To join the fun: Email Martha at martha.asselin@sympatico.ca
Books, beverages, and brilliant conversation await.
Canada Day Parade and Fireworks
Saturday, June 28th (Rain backup: Sunday, June 29th.)
Decorate your boat in red and white splendour and meet across from Finlay’s Island at 8:30pm for the parade. Fireworks will follow on the far west shore around 10pm (or whenever it’s dark enough to dazzle).
Picnic Island Cleanup
Saturday, July 26th, 10am.
Bring your weed-whackers, loppers, rakes, and good vibes. Hardcore keeners may appear at 9am.
Civic Celebration Picnic and AGM
Saturday, August 2nd @ Picnic Island
1pm: Arrive
Then: Games → Hotdogs → Sugar-fueled chaos → Fishpond → AGM → Prize Draw
It’s a potluck dessert table, so bring something sweet (and heatproof—jell-o ain’t going to survive).
Sign up little ones for the fishpond via the Civic Weekend Activities tab on the website.
Prize donations can be left on Martha Asselin’s dock.
If you haven’t paid your dues by then, bring cash, And bring a large wad of cash extra for raffle tickets.
Fishing Derby
Date TBD. Our resident fish whisperer Barry Noble will be back to run the show. Stay tuned!
Golf Tournament
Back by popular demand and organized by Mike Homewood. As soon as we have the date, we’ll send out a note—polish your putter in the meantime.
Labour Day Corn Roast
Saturday, August 30th
Join us for one of the summer’s biggest social events, graciously hosted again by the Bernardo family. Despite the name, it’s a Corn Boil, but that just doesn’t sound nearly as fun.
Potluck dishes, music, dancing, and enough corn to feed a herd of moose. We are working on engaging our one-man band and we will make sure he is primed to take Taylor Swift requests.
Helpers needed for setup (9am) and cleanup (next day at 9am).
Sailing Race
Sunday, August 31st, 1pm
Bring anything that floats and has a sail. Competitive spirit not required, but dramatic victory celebrations are encouraged. More details to follow.
Run/Walk Club + “Race”
Annual Fun Run/Walk: Saturday, September 13th
Rain date: September 14th, because nothing short of a tornado stops these folks.
Join Alistair and Richard for a scenic trot and brunch.
They’re also hosting informal run/walks through the summer—come for the exercise, stay for the gossip (and snacks). Dates TBD.
Join our Strava group if the app is how you track your runs and walks: Methuen Lake Runners and Walkers—because nothing motivates quite like digital peer pressure.
Lake Swag
Back by popular demand! Adrienne Ogilvie is curating another round of Methuen-branded goodies. We’ll let you know when the latest collection drops, so you can strut your lake pride in style.
Lake Steward
Brooke Millar will once again be collecting surface water samples in early summer to test for E. coli and other nasties. Our water typically gets a clean bill of health. Please boat slowly and give our loons some space—they were here first.
Percy the Turkey
If you visited the lake this past winter, you may have noticed the local turkey population strutting about in record numbers—partly due to the Millars and Finlays, whose generous bird feeders have turned the neighbourhood into an all-you-can-eat buffet. These turkeys have been living large, and none more so than Percy.
Percy is a particularly proud (and rather plump) gobbler who’s become something of a local celebrity. He’s remarkably tame, often seen foraging solo near the cottages like he owns the place—clearly unaware that he’s waddling around looking like a walking Sunday roast.
Now, we understand a few of you fancy yourselves as outdoorsy types—perhaps even hunters. Should you find yourself tempted by Percy’s rotund charm and slow reflexes, and somehow manage to catch him, we ask only one thing: do the decent thing. Pluck him, roast him, and deliver a well-dressed Percy to the Millars and Finlays, as thanks for their role in fattening him up. Fair’s fair.
Road Associations
While the MLCA is all about fun and community, we leave road maintenance to the experts. For all road-related matters, reach out to:
North Road (FR84): johnstonroad2019@gmail.com
South Road (FR83): glengail.warnock@gmail.com
They coordinate maintenance, collect fees, and generally ensure you can drive to your cottage without losing an axle.