MIKE ATHEY
BRISTOL Sept. 18, 2020
The Friends of Chats Falls met for their annual general meeting on Sept. 18 to review the past year and plan on how to move forward in the midst of a pandemic.
The meeting, traditionally held in person, was hosted over Zoom and drew in considerably fewer members than usual. A little over a dozen people attended this year.
Many of their events had been . . .
modified or cancelled due to COVID-19 measures. Going forward, the group decided to focus on more outdoor activities.
“It’s become clearer since the lockdown there are activities we can do with social distancing,” said board member Michael McBane.
Preliminary plans were discussed about hosting a fall hike, another during the winter using snowshoes, as well as a canoe trip in the spring.
The evening also saw Maude-Emmanuelle Lambert elected as president. She pointed out one of their most successful events had been a bike tour; a similar event could be run while easily respecting social distancing rules.
“We can do things in small groups,” she said. “Someone can film it and put it on the internet so [everyone] can take part.”
The meeting also saw Bob Baser step down from the executive, though he would remain a member and lend his support.
Baser owns a cottage beside the river, and has collected intimate knowledge about the region’s history. He often served as a tour guide to visitors.
“I’ve enjoyed putting on these events. I did so with pleasure,” said Baser.
According to their mission statement, the group was created in 2017 to “promote the cultural, historical and natural wealth of the Chats Falls region of the Ottawa River.”
