The Napatak Newsletter - Winter 2020

Welcome to Napatak Updated October 24th, 2020

Welcome To Napatak 

Updated October 24th, 2020

Napatak Community Association's President's Conversation with Steve Wilke about Lambert's Plan for Peat Moss Harvesting

I spoke with Steve Wilke last week in regards to the Lambert project. He is the Senior Environmental Assessment Administrator. He told me that Lambert had not submitted their assessment yet and he isn’t expecting it for a little while. He also thought that Lambert would be holding more information sessions for the public. Once Environment receives and reviews Lambert’s submission, and once approved, it gets published and opens for public review and scrutiny. 

Steve stressed that there is still lots of time to express your thoughts and opinions to himself,  Lambert, the consultants, and your government representatives and band councils.

The Executive unanimously do not agree with Lambert’s proposal and have sent our remarks  to several parties that we feel may help halt the project. 

Please - regardless of you views - send your comments in to the people that will make the discussions.

Laura Johnston

President

Napatak Community Association

 

Welcome to Napatak

from the

Napatak Community Association

(Updated October 24, 2020)

 

Welcome to Napatak. We are the Napatak Community Association, and we’d like to tell you about our community and our association.

 

Your Napatak Community Association:

 

Who we are:

Your community association is made up of all the residents, landowners, and lessees at Napatak. We elect an Executive, and have an annual meeting each year in May or June.

 

The Napatak Community Association advises the Northern Municipal District, which governs our community. We have no decision-making ability or spending power, but the NMD usually asks for, and listens to our advice about spending and projects.

 

The Executive for 2020-2021 is:

 

Name	Position on the Board	Email Address	Phone Number
Laura Johnston	President	lljohnston@sasktel.net	306-420-7873
Kelly Anderson	Vice President and Bylaws	kellyfrank_a@hotmail.com
Edward Bather	Roads	bather@sasktel.net
Marie-Anne Corrigal	Bylaws and Brush Dump	maccorrigal@me.com
J.P. Domhof	Roads and Emergency Preparedness	jp.domhof@kitsaki.com
Janet Maier-Denis	Parks and Rec and Emergency Preparedness	maierdenis@hotmail.com
Samantha Plunz	Parks and Rec as well as Emergency Preparedness (Subcommittee)
Pam Sanderson	Emergency Preparedness	sandersonpam@hotmail.com	306-425-7581
Blair Turner	Secretary and Communications and Community Connections	turnbl307@gmail.com
Wayne Willis	Emergency Preparedness	firebase101@hotmail.com

 

What we do:

Your Executive members are elected at the annual meeting for three-year terms. We are all volunteers. Each Executive member has taken on responsibility for at least one of the community association portfolios. The main functions of the community association and its Executive(s) are:

 

By-laws: (We don’t have authority to pass by-laws, but we advise Northern Municipal Affairs.)

·     Update and plan bylaws as needed

·    Attend Northern Planning Meetings in La Ronge for regional bylaws three or four times per year

·     Kelly Anderson and Marie-Anne Corrigal are on the committee

 

Brush dump and sewage lagoon maintenance:

·      Call Northern Municipal Service (NMS) as needed for pushing brush back

·      Replace signs

·      Marie-Anne Corrigal is on the committee

 

Communications and Community Connections:

·      Sharing information on the Napatak Community Association Facebook page and the Napatak News Blogspot

·      Creating the Napatak Newsletter at least three times per year

·      Updating the Welcome to Napatak documents

·      Blair Turner is on the committee

 

Emergency Preparedness:

·      FireSmart and Fire Mitigation

·      Evacuation and shelter-in-place planning, and Emergency Alert Systems

·      Planning meetings with the subcommittee

·      Pam Sanderson, J.P. Domhof, Janet Maier-Denis, and Wayne Willis are on the committee

 

Parks and Rec:

·      Docks: notify Lac La Ronge Provincial Parks when repairs are needed

·      Arrange for the clearing of trails

·      Samantha Plunz and Janet Maier-Denis are on the Committee

 

Roads: 

·      Phone Northern Municipal Service (NMS) for maintenance, snow clearing, and signs on the local loops that run off the two main access roads: Waskos, Minayik, Niskemin, Moosoomina, Kinoosao, Namekus, Ategameg, Ogow, Kagwa, Mahigan, Wapoos, Mooswa, Atik, Niska, Ochichaga, and Mogwa, as well as Mistik Road and the sewage lagoon/brush dump road.

·      Note: Saskatchewan Highways is responsible for the road into Napatak from Highway 2 to the B-side boat dock

·      Maintaining the community and moving of the grass. The work is done by contractors through NMS

·      Representing the interests of the community where needed, such as in organizing support for natural gas, or organizing an emergency preparedness plan

·      Edward Bather and J.P. Domhof are on the committee

 

Plus anything else we as community members want to do to improve the quality of life in Napatak.

 

Note: The docks and boat launch ramps are the responsibility of the Lac La Ronge Provincial Park

 

 Keeping abreast of what is going on in the community:

·      The Napatak Community Association stays in touch with its members through:

    o   Facebook:
    §  All community members are encouraged to join the Napatak Community Association 

                     Facebook page on Facebook. People share news, pictures, and other information of interest 

                     to the community. The Executive shares government notices and updates on priority projects.

                     Note, due to the sheer volume of information posted on the Facebook site, only the 

                     information from the Executive is shared on the blogspot.
    o   Napatak News Blogspot:
    §  https://napataknews.blogspot.com
    §  The same information from the Napatak Executive is posted here as on the Facebook site to 

                     ensure people in the community who don’t use Facebook have access to information from 

                     the Executive. Note: The Facebook page is very active with community members posting 

                     information on there, but this general information is not put on the Napatak News Blogspot. 
    o   Newsletter
    §  A newsletter is posted on both the Napatak Community AssociationFacebook page and the 

                    Napatak News Blogspota minimum of three times per year. 
    o   Emergency Alert

    §  We have a community alert service that will send a text to your cell phone. We have used it in

                      the past to alert community members when wildlife (wolves or bears) was sighted in the 

                      community, when our road into Napatak from the highway was flooded at the bridge, and 

                      when we have had fires break out. To get this service, make sure that the President has your 

                      cell number! Your cell number will only be used for urgent alerts and will only be shared    

                      wit the Secretary and the contact person of Emergency Preparedness (Pam Sanderson).

General Information:

Directions:

If you are giving directions to friends, Napatak is 146 km north of the Waskesiu (Prince Albert National Park) corner where LT’s Food and Fuel gas stop is. There is a small sign on the highway just south of the turnoff. Turn east (right) off of the highway towards Napatak. Follow the gravel road for about 4 km to the big white map signboard at a T-junction. From this map junction, Napatak A is off to the right, and Napatak B is straight ahead. Napatak A and Napatak B are on the two sides of a little bay. 

 

Alternatively, if you are coming from the North, Napatak is 22 km south of La Ronge. Drive south on Highway 2 for 16 km until you see the sign to turn east (left). Follow the gravel road for about 4 km to the big white map signboard at a T-junction. From this map junction, Napatak A is off to the right, and Napatak B is straight ahead. Napatak A and Napatak B are on the two sides of a little bay. 

 

Cell Coverage:

There is cell coverage along the majority of Highway 2 as there are a few “dead spots.” At Napatak, you may have to go to the top of a rise on the road or an open area to get reception. Residences in low areas or those that have a lot of trees on their lot may have to use a signal booster. Reception out on the lake is great though!

 

Gasoline:

LT’s Food and Fuel is at the Waskesiu turnoff corner and is the only gas station between Christopher Lake and Air Ronge. LT’s closes at 10:00 p.m. If you are coming from the south, it is best to arrive in Napatak with enough gas to get back south to LT's or Prince Albert; otherwise, you will have to go farther north into Air Ronge for gas before the return trip, so expect at least an extra 30 minutes of travel time. It is good to keep a few jerry cans of gas on hand just in case.

 

Safety:

Although there is regular traffic on Highway 2 north of the Waskesiu (Prince Albert National Park) corner where LT’s Food and Fuel gas stop is located, you are far from settlements. At night or in the winter, make sure you have proper clothes, supplies, and emergency kit. Carry a cell phone, shovel, and towrope. 

 

Usually people will stop on the road to help. If you need to call a tow truck, the two closest tow trucks are:

·      To the north of Napatak in Air Ronge is Lakeshore Towing: (306) 425-2155. Note: depending where you are, Lakeshore can be less than 20 km north of Napatak.

·      To the south in Christopher Lake is Northern Towing: (306) 982-2777. Note that depending where you are, Northern Towing in Christopher Lake can be 190 km away from Napatak.

 

Although, the highways and the road into Napatak are reasonably well maintained, check the Highways Hotline and the highway camera at Weyakwin before making the trip in the winter. https://www.saskatchewan.ca/residents/transportation/highways/highway-hotline

 

Using good snow tires and allowing extra time, makes the trip safer in winter conditions.

 

Your First Steps in Building:

Your Lot:

All sites have been surveyed and are marked with iron survey pins on all corners. These unfortunately, can be sometimes hard to find. The best way to find the survey pins is to measure based on the mapped dimensions, and then either dig around or use a metal detector to find them.

 

Zoning:

Napatak is part of a regional planning area with a zoning bylaw. You can find zoning maps and the zoning bylaw at https://www.planningforgrowthnorthsk.com/lac-la-ronge-planning-area.html

 

Napatak is part of Ward 1. Zoning restrictions include:

• Development permits are required for all buildings over 100 square feet. The building must conform to the zoning bylaws
• Restrictions on storage of unlicensed vehicles
• No mobile homes or sea cans
• Site requirements / setbacks for new buildings

Permits:

https://www.planningforgrowthnorthsk.com/development-in-the-planning-area.html

 

You must get a permit to build any buildings larger than 10 m²(107 sq. ft.). There are certain site requirements, and you must build according to the National Building Code. Plumbing, electrical wiring, and gas fitting all require an inspection. To find out what is required, call the community planner, Dee Johns, at (306) 425-6642. 

 

For sewer tank permits and inspections, check out the links below:

https://www.populationhealthunit.ca/public_health_inspection/on_site_waste_water_disposal.html

 

https://www.populationhealthunit.ca/public_health_inspection/plumbing_and_sewage_inspection.html

 

https://www.populationhealthunit.ca/public_health_inspection/public_health_inspector_contact_map.html

 

Email:healthinspectors@pophealthnorthsask.ca

 

Northern Municipal Services is located at:

Northern Municipal Services

Ministry of Government Relations

Mistasinihk Place

1328 La Ronge, Avenue

La Ronge, SK

S0J 1L0

https://www.planningforgrowthnorthsk.com/contact-us.html

 

NMS’ mailing address is:

Northern Municipal Services

P.O. Box 113

La Ronge, SK

S0J 1L0

 

Clearing, Filling, and Grading Your Lot: 

The soil in Napatak is glacial till, which is a fancy name for clay and boulders. You will find it difficult to dig even postholes or piles because there are so many rocks. Drainage can also be a problem as surface water sits on the soil.  Furthermore, there are underground layers in the soil where water runs. All this can make building a foundation tricky, so it is best to consult someone with experience building in the area. Many people fill their lots, and then build upon surface pads.

 

There are local contractors who will clear, grade and remove stumps, and bring in fill for your lot. Ask around, as your neighbours can give you names and phone numbers of people they trust. 

 

You cannot remove live trees from Crown land – which is off your lot. Note that no lots extend to the waterfront. The waterfront is Crown land, and you cannot clear trees on it. You can remove deadfall and standing dead trees for your own use, unless they are within 30 metres of Lac La Ronge; in this case, you need a permit from the Park office at Mistasinihk Place in La Ronge.

 

You can haul brush from your lot to the local Napatak dumpsite. THIS DUMP IS ONLY FOR BRUSH, AND NOT FOR BUILDING MATERIALS OR GARBAGE. IF THIS IS ABUSED, THE DUMP WILL BE CLOSED. The Napatak brush dump is the first good road on your left (south side) as you drive out of Napatak towards the highway. When you use the brush dump, please put your brush as far back as possible so that others have room.

Emergencies, Medical, and Safety:

Emergency:

Emergency services (fire, police, ambulance) can all be reached by calling 911. Emergency services are in La Ronge, which is 20 minutes away, so they will take a while to reach you. Please have basic emergency supplies on hand including a first aid kit, a fire extinguisher, and a pump. 

 

The La Ronge Regional Fire Department provides service to Napatak. Please note that due to the distance from La Ronge, it has previously taken between 45 and 60 minutes for the La Ronge Regional Fire Department to arrive in Napatak. Even though the La Ronge Regional Fire Department supports Napatak, they will however, charge the property owner a firefighting charge, which is based on the number of trucks, vehicles, staff, and time it needs to put out the fire. This fee can be as high as $10,000. Consequently, having a fire coverage rider on your insurance can save you a lot of potential money. Luckily, it costs very little extra to add it to your policy. 

 

In order to help Emergency Services reach you as quickly as possible, make sure you and everyone in your house knows your street, lot, and block number and can give directions so Emergency Services can find you. A provincial bylaw requires that you have your address clearly visible from the road. Your house number is your lot number followed by your block number. This is the way we were told to do it by the Northern Municipal District so this is why you and your neighbours will all have house numbers that end in the same number.

 

Fire:

The biggest risk around here is fire. Take care with fires; your neighbours will appreciate it. Don’t burn garbage, and remember that fires can smoulder underground in the peat even when they appear to be out. In the past few years, we have had three local fires flare up. Fortunately, there has been no major damage. If you spot a fire, call 911, then notify a member of the Community Association Executive so they can send out an emergency alert for help. Laura Johnston’s (President) number is 306-420-7873 and Pam Sanderson’s (Emergency Preparedness) number is 306-425-7581.

 

Power Outages:

Power in rural areas is subject to power surges and outages more so than in the city. Although it has not been common, in the past, power has gone out for a number of hours and even days. For your safety, make sure you are prepared with candles, flashlights, and a radio. It is also a good idea to keep a phone charger in your vehicle in order to charge your cellphone if power in your place goes out. 

 

Hospitals and Doctors:

La Ronge Health Centre is a hospital with an emergency room. It is located at 227 Backlund Street in La Ronge and you can follow the H signs in La Ronge to find it. The hospital’s phone number is 

(306) 425-2422.

 

If you want to make an appointment to see a doctor, the La Ronge Medical Clinic is located at 809 La Ronge Avenue which is on the lake side of the street. The Medical Clinic’s phone number is 

(306) 425-2174.

The Medical Clinic also has a Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/larongemedicalclinic

 

Security:

Napatak is a quiet, safe community.  The neighbourhood watches each other's properties and are willing to help each other out. 

 

Wildlife:

As we are in a remote location, bears will wander through Napatak. Although they are usually more scared of you than you are of them, always keep your distance! Keep your dogs away, and call SERM (Environment) at (306) 425-4234 or (800) 665-1788 to have them come and set up a bear trap. In recent years, we have also had occasional wolves on the lake ice in winter and in the forest surrounding the community in the summer.

Utilities:

Telephone:

Telephone lines come to the front of your lot, but you will have to arrange for a connection with SaskTel. It costs about $500 to connect.

 

Power:

An electric power connection is prepaid with the price of your lot. Call SaskPower to arrange for a connection. To report or check on a power outage status, check out this link to see more information on the current power outages: https://www.saskpower.com/Outages/Power-Outages/Outage-Updates

 

Water:

There are no water lines into Napatak, so it must be brought in to your residence. Some people have wells, some people pump water from the lake, some people haul their own water, and some people pay others to haul water for them. Hauled water from Air Ronge is safe to drink out of the tap and tastes better than most city water. Brendon Zarazun is located in Napatak and he hauls water every two weeks. Brendon can be reached at (306) 425-0666. H & H Enterprises also hauls water on Thursdays and can be reached at (306) 425-1489. 

 

Propane:

There are two suppliers of propane for heating in La Ronge: Co-op and Superior. They will provide a tank for an annual rental and regularly fill it.

 

Natural Gas:

A natural gas trunk service line runs under each street. If your lot does not yet have a service connection, SaskEnergy will install it. A gas connection will be about $5,000, which Sask Energy will finance. Currently, gas heating costs about half the cost of electric or propane heating. 

 

Sewer:

According to Public Health rules, you must have a sewer holding tank. Any new construction must be inspected by Public Health for a sewer connection at the time of installation. When your sewage tank if full, you have a couple of options: Lakeshore Towing & Septic pumps sewage tanks and can be reached at (306) 425-2155 for the office, or call the owner Shaun Bergsveinson at (306) 425-8296. Lakeshore Septic comes to Napatak on Wednesdays so it is best to book ahead. Wade at Eagle Point Sewage 

(306) 425-9487 is another option. If you choose to haul your own septic, the sewage lagoon is by the brush dump, which is the first good road on your left (south side) as you drive out of Napatak towards the highway.

 

Garbage: 

You are responsible for disposing of your garbage. To keep animals away, keep your garbage in a shed, in metal cans, or in the house. There is no garbage dump at Napatak as the local brush dump is notfor garbage. The La Ronge area dump is on the old highway to La Ronge. As you head north to La Ronge, turn off at the main Potato Lake entrance (the road after South Drive), and turn left when you come to the road that heads north. The dump is on the left side of the road close to town. They are building a new road to the dump, but as of November 2020, the road is not yet open. The dump is open Tuesday to Saturday as it is not open on Sundays or Mondays. Two cubic yards, which is approximately the size of the back of a pickup truck, per week is free for local residents. They may however, ask you to show evidence of where you locally live. Dumping trees and larger loads has a charge. 

Recycling:

La Ronge Recycling Depot (306) 425-2079 is located at 424 Finlayson Street on Highway 2, opposite the Fire Station. It takes paper, cardboard, and used oil. It is open 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday to Saturday, and is closed on Sundays and Mondays.

 

SARCAN Recycling is located at 1220 Finlayson Street which is on the left side of Highway 2 going north from La Ronge. SARCAN takes drink bottles and cans. SARCAN’s phone number is (306) 425-3292. SARCAN is open Monday to Saturday from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

Roads and Snow Removal:

In winter, our road in from the highway is ploughed after Highways has finished clearing highways; this can sometimes be a day or two later if there has been frequent or heavy snowfall. Local loops get done when we can find a contractor willing to come out; we don’t call every snowfall, just when conditions warrant it. Property owners are responsible for clearing their own driveways including the windrow left by the grader. Ask around, as there are local people with machines who are willing to do it for a fee.

Shopping and Services:

Napatak is a residential community, so there are no services at Napatak. Downtown La Ronge is approximately 20 minutes or 20 km away. La Ronge is actually several communities grouped together. The main communities are Air Ronge, La Ronge, and twelve reserves under the Lac La Ronge Indian Band. There are also outlying communities up and down the lake, such as Eagle Point, Wadin Bay and Sucker River to the north of La Ronge, and Potato Lake and Napatak south of La Ronge. La Ronge and area includes over 8,000 people and we have many services here including: 

·      Well-stocked grocery stores such as Robertson’s Trading Post, Co-op, Giant Tiger, and Keethanow Food Supermarket

·      Automotive Services: JAM Automotive, La Ronge Paint and Body, MacGivers Pine Auto Care, Mayo Auto Clinic, NAPA Auto Parts/Gale’s Automotive Supply, and Speedy Glass

·      Banking: Conexus Credit Union

·      Canada Post Offices in both the Air Ronge Coop Gas Bar and in La Ronge on La Ronge Avenue

·      Childcare: La Ronge Childcare Cooperative

·      Churches: Air Ronge Pentecostal Church, All Saints Anglican Church, Alliance Church, St. John Vianney Roman Catholic Church, Lutheran Fellowship Church, and La Ronge United Church

·      Communications: Access Communication, Electric Waves, and Missinipi Broadcasting 

·      Contractors

·      Education: Bell’s Point Elementary School (K - Grade 4), Churchill Community High School (Grades 7 - 12), PreCam Community School (Pre-K - Grade 6), Gordon Deny Community School (Pre-K - Grade 6), Northern Lights School Division #113, Northlands College, and Senator Myles Venne School (Grades 5 - 12)

·      Emergency Services: 911

    o   Lac La Ronge Regional Fire Department (306) 425-3230 

    o   La Ronge Ambulance (306) 425-2722

    o   R.C.M.P. (306) 425-6730

·      Fuel: Federated Coop Propane, Coop Gas Bar, La Ronge Petroleum, and Superior Propane

·      Health and Beauty: Penny’s Hair Design; R.M.T.’s (Registered Massage Therapists) such as Carlene Bates-Lee, Rennea Markwart, Northern Manual Therapies, and Ellen Paquin; plus various dentists and the La Ronge Eye Clinic FYI Eye Care that comes up on a regular basis

·      Home Improvement: Ace Hardware, Giant Tiger, Home Hardware, LA Interior Solutions, and Rona

·      Hotels

·      Lac La Ronge Indian Band - LLRIB

·      Library: Alex Robertson Public Library and the Pahkisimon Nuye?áh Library System

·      Medical: The La Ronge Health Centre Hospital (306) 425-2422 and the La Ronge Medical Clinic (306) 425-2174

·      Outfitters: Montreal River Outpost

·      Pharmacies: Giant Tiger Pharmacy and Harbour Pharmacy

·      Restaurants: Cravings Restaurant, Dairy Queen, KFC, La Ronge Inn and Suites Evergreen Family Restaurant, Subway, and Vickie’s Saigon Bistro

·      Special Events: the La Ronge Children’s Festival and the Napatak Ramble (a music festival that is no longer held in Napatak, but held in Rabbit Creek south of Napatak) 

·      Sports and Leisure: La Ronge Canoe Club, Eagle Point Resort: Golf and Country Club, J.R.M.C.C. (Jonas Roberts Memorial Community Centre – hockey and fitness), KidSport La Ronge and Area, Kikinahk Friendship Centre, La Ronge Arts Council, La Ronge Curling Club, La Ronge Ski Club, La Ronge Snowmobile Club, the Mel Hegland Arena (curling and hockey), and the Wild Rice Writers Group

·      And many other services

 

Check out these links to find out more information on the businesses in La Ronge and Air Ronge: 

https://www.laronge.ca/businesses

 

https://www.laronge.ca/community-groups

 

https://airronge.ca/air-ronge-business-directory/

 

Dogs:

Dogs (along with roads) are the biggest topic that the Napatak Community Association hears complaints about. Be a good neighbour by taking care with your dog(s) and keeping it/them leashed in your yard so it/they does not run outside of your property.

 

Napatak has a dog bylaw. Dogs must be licensed. Lifetime licenses for Napatak are available for $5 from the Northern Municipal Affairs office in the Mistassinihk Place provincial building on La Ronge Avenue in La Ronge.

 

Dogs are required to be under the owner’s control or tied up. If you let your dog(s) off the leash, do it where it/they won’t bother anyone and keep it/they under control so that you can recall it/they if other people, dog(s), or cars are around.

 

Neighbours appreciate, and the dog bylaw requires, that you keep your dog(s) from barking, and that you keep it/they under control or on your property. 

 

If you have a concern about a dangerous dog(s) on the loose (that is threatening people or other dogs) call the RCMP in La Ronge as they will deal with it with a written complaint from you.

 

The Community Association is working with the Town of La Ronge to gain access to their dog pound for stray or loose dogs.

If you have any issues with dogs, please fill in the sheet on the next page and report it to the RCMP.

Schedule “A”

Licence and Pound Fees

Licence Fees:

For each male dog:                                                    $50

For each emasculated male dog:                            $15

For each bitch dog:                                                    $50

For each spayed bitch dog:                                       $15

Kennel license:                                                            $75

Duplicate License:                                                       $2

 

Pound Fees:

Dog Food – per day or part there of:                      $10

 

Form “A”

 

NOTICE OF VIOLATION

 

UNDER DOG LICENSING AND CONTROL BYLAW NO. NSAD 5/2016

 

Owner’s Name: ___________________________________________________

 

Owner’s Address: _________________________________________________

 

DETAILS OF OFFENCE:

 

Date: __________________                                 Time: _______________a.m./p.m.

 

Description of dog: ______________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________________

 

Location of Violation: ____________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________________

 

Licence No. (If Applicable): ________________________________________________________________

 

You are charge with violation of Bylaw No.: _______________________ Section: ____________________

 

The penalty for violation of section(s) ___________________________ is $_________________________

 

Served by: _____________________________________________________________________________

                                    (To be signed by the Clerk)

 

You may make voluntary payment of the above penalty at the La Ronge Office of the Clerk of the Northern Saskatchewan Administration District or mail payment of the penalty by cheque or money order made payable to the Northern Revenue Sharing Trust Account at P.O. Box 5000, La Ronge, SK, S0J 1L0 within seven (7) days from the date of service of the Notice of Violation.

 

If you do not make voluntary payment within the time set out above, you shall be liable to prosecution and, upon summary conviction; you shall be liable to the penalties provided for under the provisions of the above referenced bylaw. 

Things To Do:

Fishing

There are two public docks in Napatak, one on each side of the bay. In Napatak A, the dock is at the end of Kinoosao, which is appropriate, because that is the Cree word for fish. On Napatak B, follow the main road in all the way to the end to read the dock. There are now lights installed at each dock.

 

Fishing licences are available online from the Saskatchewan Government or in various stores in Air Ronge or La Ronge. 

 

You can usually catch jackfish in the shallows around the bay or just outside the bay. With a big boat, you can cross the lake to Hunters Bay (1 ½ hours across) or go to another area with deep water to fish for lake trout. Pickerel/walleye fishing isn’t great in Lac La Ronge, but if there are any, they are reported to be in Hunter’s Bay too. Pickerel fishing is however, good on the Churchill River, so head up to Stanley Mission or to Missinipe.

 

Beaches:

The great secret of Lac La Ronge is that most of the south end of the lake is surrounded by beaches. Pile into the boat for a day on the beach and you may have the entire beach to yourself.

 

Hiking Around Napatak:

 

There are several walking/skiing/snowmobiling trails around Napatak. Look for signs at the trailheads; they are marked with small signs and there are maps posted at each entrance to the trail. There is also a trail all along the lakeshore in front of the cabins although it is a little hard to find in places. 

 

Another nice trail is the Nelson Lake trail which follows the shore of a little landlocked lake. One entrance is on the north side of the road a few yards to the east of where the road splits to Napatak A and B; the other entrance is off the road to the SaskTel microwave tower near Napatak B. This well-marked trail follows the lakeshore for several kilometres.

 

 

Other Outdoor Activities:

 

La Ronge has skiing, snowmobiling, and canoeing clubs; renowned ski trails; and a golf course. 

 

If you are wanting to rent a canoe or kayak, there is a very friendly canoe outfitter in Air Ronge that operates Montreal River Outpost. You can rent or buy SUP (stand up paddle boards), kayaks, canoes, and PDFs. Montreal River Outpost also sells camping equipment, maps of local lakes, as well as bear spray. As part of their full service, Montreal River Outpost hosts training, provides shuttles to various starting locations for your trip, and also makes their own race winning canoes called Kisseynew Canoes. 

 

https://www.montrealriveroutpost.com/home

 

https://www.facebook.com/MontrealRiverOutpost/

 

https://www.kisseynewcanoecompany.com

 

https://www.facebook.com/kisseynew/

 

If you want to explore lakes and rivers further north, drive an hour north of La Ronge to Missinipi. Here, Churchill River Canoe Outfitters will take care of you and help you plan and your voyage. 

 

https://churchillrivercanoe.com

 

https://www.facebook.com/ChurchillRiverCanoe/

 

The Nipekamew Sand Cliffs are a scenic hike just off the Creighton Road, which is about 45 minutes from Napatak. The entrance is well marked on the south side of the road. Look around, you might find some berries or mushrooms.

 

https://www.tourismsaskatchewan.com/listings/1441/nipekamew-sand-cliffs---protected-area

 

The Nut Point Trail starts at the end of the Nut Point Campground. This entire hike is a challenging day hike to the end of the point, but you can however, hike smaller portions of it.

 

https://www.alltrails.com/trail/canada/saskatchewan/nut-point-trail

 

http://www.planningforgrowthnorthsk.com/lac-la-ronge-planning-area.html.

 

Stop by the Lac La Ronge Tourism Centre called the Woodlands and Waterways Tourism Centre in Air Ronge to see local art, get maps of the area, and buy local produce.

 

https://www.facebook.com/laclarongetourism/

 

Other great places that sell local goods includes Robertson’s Trading Post:

 

https://www.facebook.com/Robertson-Trading-Ltd-1085859948102425/

 

and Boreal Heartland Products:

 

http://borealheartland.ca

 

Finding out what’s going on:

Although there is no longer a local newspaper, LA Now has a Facebook page at the following URL: https://www.facebook.com/larongenow/?ref=py_c

 

Some of the other informative local Facebook pages include:

 

Alex Robertson Public Library:

https://www.facebook.com/Alex-Robertson-Public-Library-192154080816193/

 

La Ronge and Area Rez News:

https://www.facebook.com/LaRongeAreaRezNews

 

La Ronge Arts Council:

http://www.larongearts.com/home/

 

https://www.facebook.com/larongeartscouncil

 

Lac La Ronge Recreation:

https://www.facebook.com/groups/115091238519741/

 

Missinipe Broadcasting (MBC) is the local radio station and is at 89.9 on the dial, while CBC Radio is at 105.9 on the FM band.

https://www.mbcradio.com

 

https://www.facebook.com/MBCNetworkRadio/?ref=py_c

 

What Does Your Street Names Mean?

For those of us who don’t speak Cree, here are what our street names mean. Thank you to Rose Roberts, Woodland Cree speaker from Stanley Mission who helped us with this list.

·     Napatak: Napatak means “potato”. The Cree adopted the word from the French for a potatoe, “une patate.” The two Potato Lakes, Potato Points, Potato River, and Napatak are so named because they were one (and are again for the La Ronge Food Bank) Potato Gardens at Potato Lake. 

·     Napatak has five “loops” and each has a theme. There is also one main road on A side with a Cree name.

·     A Side:

    o  Main road: Mistik means “tree”

    o  The bird loop:

    §  Niksa means “goose”

    §  Mogwa means “loon”

    §  Ochichaga means “pelican” or “crane”

    o  The animal loop:

    §  Kagwa means “porcupine”

    §  Michigan means “wolf”

    §  Wapoos means “rabbit”

    §  Mooswa means “moose”

    §  Atik means “caribou”

    o  The fish loop:

    §  Kinoosao means “fish”

    §  Namekus means “lake trout”

    §  Ogow means “pickerel” or “walleye”

    §  Ategameg means “whitefish”

·     B Side:

    o  The berry loop:

    §  Niskemin: As we were told from a local La Ronge Cree speaker, niskemin is the name of the 

                     little raspberry-looking berry that grows close to the ground like a strawberry in early July. It 

                     has however, no English name that we know of. The literal translation from Cree is

                     “gooseberry.” Our Cree language advisor says she had not heard of the word “niskemin” and 

                      she calls this berry “oskesikomin.”

    §  Moosoomina means “high bush cranberry.” It literally means “moose berry.”

    o  The tree loop:

    §  Waskos means “birch sapling”

    §  Minayik means “white spruce”

·     Napatak’s names are in the Woodland Cree dialect, but because Cree is a spoken dialect and there are three different dialects in Saskatchewan, the spellings you see in Napatak are not always the same as you might see somewhere else. For example, what is spelled “Mogwa” in Napatak is spelled “Makwa” as the name of a community near Loon Lake. “Kinoosao” is a word used in many places, with different spellings including Kenosee Lake in southern Saskatchewan.