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What a delightful story about how generations of Sullys, Miskells, Christies and Pages enjoy the family compound at MacLaren’s Landing on the Ottawa River. It is a treat to read about five generations of one family taking pleasure in the idyllic setting where relatives and friends converge every summer to swim, canoe and play on the private beach.
Just as the “call of the river” has meant that, “from Day 1, the river has been the cottage’s focal point and main source of summer entertainment,” so you might say, this is the “call of the Riverkeeper.” On behalf of Ottawa Riverkeeper, I hope that we all are able to continue enjoying the Ottawa River for generations to come.
I also hope that readers will help ensure that the river is suitable for future enjoyment by joining our organization. Our mission is to protect and promote the ecological health and diversity of the Ottawa River and its tributaries. We’re a non-government, independent organization with a long-term vision of an Ottawa River that is clean and healthy, its water safe for drinking and swimming and supporting a diversity of species, inviting recreation and enabling sustainable economic activity.
We employ a professional “riverkeeper” who is Meredith Brown, a biologist and environmental engineer by training. We’re part of the international Waterkeeper Alliance started by Robert Kennedy Jr., with 165 Waterkeeper organizations around the world. Our programs include a pollution hotline, river patrol, river report and river watch. The Sully family may be interested in becoming River Watch volunteers by signing up to be our eyes and ears on their portion of the river.
To all the hundreds of families up and down the Ottawa River on both shores in Ontario and in Quebec, where we are known as Sentinelle Outaouais, please consider becoming members of Ottawa Riverkeeper. You can take out a family membership online (at http://ottawariverkeeper.ca), you can become members of the river watch program, you can celebrate the next big family occasion by asking friends and neighbours to make donations. We need you. You need us. You need the Ottawa River. And, the Ottawa River needs you.
John Bouza, Ottawa,
President, Ottawa Riverkeeper