Ensuring the beauty of the Bay of Islands, Ontario is maintained for today and future generations.
Lindsay Richards shared this beautiful memorial to Joan Granning at the BICA Annual Members’ Meeting, July 26, 2025.
I would like to first say that it is an honour to speak to the AMM today about Joan (her given name was Joanne) with memories and fondness of the time when she was a resident of the Bay of Islands, when I knew her. Joan died on July 9 this year at the age of 90.
To remember Joan Granning is to remember first her beautiful wide smile upon seeing you and greeting you. Joan was a gracious host and/or guest whether you were seeing her for the first time or the 50th time in a summer. Her warmth and excitement about starting and enjoying a new summer with you was always a source of joy for the recipient!
Joan began her role as a Bay Woman in 1957 with her husband Ron and her in-laws Ole and Lydia Granning. Ole established himself in the Bay as the fixer of everything and best neighbour to all in the Bay. Ron soon followed in his father’s footsteps and with Joan by his side they were strong and loving supporters of all things Bay of Islands. They opened their island and camp to all on numerous occasions which included BICA meetings, Family Fun Day and their own personal gatherings of family and friends.
On her own, Joan possessed a confident strength that was exhibited in her own accomplishments. Joan was a mother of three, a grandmother of ten, a great grandmother of 14, a magnanimous volunteer at home in Michigan and Florida and here in the Bay, an immaculate housekeeper, a gourmet expert in the kitchen, and a very accomplished artist. Her drawings graced the pages of Voices from the Bay 1, her paintings adorned the walls of the LaCloche Art Show for a number of years and she studied with noted artists through many years of learning more about her obvious talent through the eyes of other artists. Her paintings were often vivid with colourful flowers reflecting her obvious other passion, the flowers and greens that engulfed the Granning Island, as well as her love of flower arranging. The natural landscape was her domain in which she could express her love and respect for that landscape. There is no doubt that being a Bay Woman encouraged and nurtured her creative proclivities and we are all richer for being able to enjoy and appreciate her art.
Joan returned to the Bay every summer until the sale of the Granning Island in 2005. She was pragmatic about that sale. Her children and grandchildren did not visit as frequently in the summers and she and Ron felt that they could do other things. They took many trips to other destinations in their beautiful RV and once or twice came back to the Bay. But she admitted at one point that “not being an islander” offered a different experience with the Bay. Joan and Ron have enjoyed the warmth and friendships of their Florida home for many years since.
Joan was a woman who followed the words of deep religious faith. She also demonstrated and lived her faith through goodness, kindness and a fun loving nature. I am sorry if some of you did not know her. But there are many here today who would have a lovely Joan Granning story to tell you. Please pass them along if you have the opportunity …
she would love to know that her spirit is still here in the Bay… a place that she loved and where she was loved.
Lindsay Richards shared this perfect recap of a perfect day - thank you Lindsay! Scroll to the bottom for pictures from the day capturing all of the excitement, courtesy of John Reeves.
Thank you John Paul for a gorgeous day of sailing today. Your humour and enthusiasm make all of the difference in generating great excitement for everyone…. sailors and non-sailors. Your commitment every year to the race is greatly appreciated.
Thank you to the shore sailors … the Allisons (and those who joined them) whose hospitality made the day even more enjoyable.
Thank you to the Tremblay family today who helped “uprighting” the Richards’s boat allowing the craft to go forward and who without my knowledge helped others. Your speedy response and kind thinking made the difference and the Richards truly thank you.
Congratulations to Trevor Marshall for his “first finish.” Hooray Trev!!! You are the definition of perseverance, a love of sailing and true sportspersonship! Enjoy your victory Trevor!
And Patrick… what a thrill to see our first “foil racer” out there today! The types of craft are endless and it was so great to see the sport in full action! Thank you Patrick!
I was not at the race for the full duration so if I am omitting any other greatness out there today, I apologize. I quite frankly think that your participation alone is the greatest tribute to a long standing, fun-loving tradition in our Bay of Islands. Today was no exception… true grit in some exceptional wind and waves. On a superbly gorgeous day in the Bay on what it is all about in the Bay…on the water… thank you to everyone in this wonderfully exquisite community who support and participate in the sail race.
The BICA store is stocked again with our newest swag, a handsome and hearty sweatshirt. The sweatshirts are available in our BICA store on our website. Please note we are only taking order for these sweatshirts until August 4th. This will allow us time to have them produced and ready for pick up on the September long weekend. So don't delay....get your orders in now!
What a fun filled BICA weekend we just had! Thank you to the Tremblays, Ryan and Paul for a very successful fishing derby and to the Bjornsons and all of the many volunteers who helped put on a delicious fish fry! Family Fun Day was a big hit thanks to the generous planning and hosting by the extended Andy and Collie Jackson families.
Enjoy these photos from this past weekend's events!
Below are the proposed amendments to the BICA Bylaws for review and voting at the 2025 AMM:
1. In reference to Article 5 - Protection and Indemnification
The wording, “To the extent that the Association’s insurance covers the claim,” shall be deleted from items 5.2 and 5.3.
2. In reference to Article 4 - The Board of Directors Under 4.10, the wording, "a two-thirds majority", which is referring to the number of votes cast at a Meeting of the Members necessary for passing a resolution to remove any elected Director before the expiration of their term, shall be deleted and replaced with, "50%+1". This change is in accordance with the Ontario Not-for-Profit Corporations Act, 2010 (ONCA).
The GBA has been as busy as ever advocating for you and the Georgian Bay environment over the last year. At a fall meeting of all of GBA's member association presidents, we identified 3 key areas that our members want us to focus our efforts on:
Water quality
This year, with the support of Georgian Bay Forever, the Water Committee developed a brochure designed to help property owners better understand their options when it comes to building environmentally responsible docks. For more information, see here: https://georgianbay.ca/dockdisposal/
The committee also continues to investigate potential water pollution related to cruise ships in Georgian Bay. It will also support the International Joint Commission (IJC) Science Advisory Board’s recommendations to monitor and regulate microplastics as a key indicator of Great Lakes water quality.
Development pressures
The Vision 2050 project is an ambitious initiative to develop a long-term conservation and sustainability approach that recognizes that planning and development should take into account the unique nature of the Georgian Bay ecosystem. The project took a major step this spring when it established the Advisory Council, made up of expert representation from local NGOs and municipalities.
We also released a report outlining 16 conservation models from Canada and abroad. It assesses governance approaches, conservation outcomes, and potential applications for the region.
You can read more about the Vision 2050 project here: https://georgianbay.ca/georgian-bay-vision-2050-project/
Indigenous relations
Recognizing that one of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission's main calls to action is education, this committee has been working on creating clear information about Indigenous affairs that will be available on the GBA website. The content will help members understand Indigenous history, culture, governance, and land use. This resource—drawing from GBB and other partners—will guide associations seeking to incorporate Indigenous perspectives into their work.
We also launched our Champion of the Bay Award—a way to honour the incredible work of the many volunteer environmental stewards in the Bay. Our very own Celesta Bjornson and Sheila Williams were the inaugural winners for BICA—and this year's nominations are open already here! https://georgianbay.ca/champion-of-the-bay-award/ Nominating only takes a few minutes, so please submit names for the 2025 award ASAP.
For more detailed information about the GBA's activities over the last year, you can read our annual report, attached here:
GBA 2025 Annual ReportDownload
Sharpen your hooks...the annual BICA Fish Derby and Fish Fry will be held Saturday, July 19th. This tradition is a family favorite and combines our love for the Bay of Islands with friendly competition!
Awards will be given for A) Biggest Fish and B) Best catch (Top 5x fish combined weight). Have a look at our winners from last year. And scroll down for more details about this year's event and additional pictures from last year's fun!
For information about the Fish Fry, click here.
Russell Vance with his winning fish - Biggest Fish – 4.7 lbs
Thomas and Reg Drolet with largest catch of the day: Top Five Combined Weight – 13.7 lbs
2025 FISH DERBY DETAILS:
Arrive at Tremblay Island Docks (TP 2241) between 8:30 and 9 am (map ; Please note there are shoals near the dock It is recommended that you approach from the west and curl around the island to approach the dock vs. coming from the south and east…see image below)
Rules and instructions will be given at registration and the derby officially begins at 9:00. Boats return after 12:45 and before the 1 pm hard stop deadline for weigh-in and awards.
Fish cleaning follows for those who can help for the evening’s Fish Fry.
Please RSVP to Paul Sidi and Ryan Burton at bicafishderby@gmail.com if you intend to participate, including number of boats and anglers in your group.
Please note that Ontario fishing rules apply, so please make sure each participant has an appropriate fishing license (up to 3 bass for Unlimited license and 1 bass for Conservation licenses).
First, please be sure your BICA annual dues are paid up-to-date. If you have not already done so, join BICA and support the important work we do for our very special Bay of Islands. We have both full and associate memberships. Also, please be sure to update your map location for your cottage under "cottage information" on your member profile.
Be sure to place your pre-order for Voices form the Bay III. This is the third anthology and contains fabulous poetry, prose and artwork from our friends and residents in the Bay. We have added a store to our BICA site to enable the pre-order via PayPal. Look for additional BICA items to order as the summer progresses.
Back by popular demand are more fire training sessions this summer. The fire training dates this year will be Sunday July 27th and Saturday Aug 9 at 9 to 11 AM. Sessions are limited to 20 people. Please email David Gallup to reserve your spot.
On May 9th in a 7-2 vote NEMI council approved the application for commercial one-day events on the privately owned two-acre parcel on Louisa Island. Many Bay of Islanders wrote council expressing opposition, but the proponent produced many letters in support, including one from owners of the neighbouring island. Thanks to everyone who wrote letters, and big thanks to our hard-working Councilor Laurie Cook for leading the scrutiny at council (and being one of the "no" votes). We now hope, based on assurances by the proponent, the rezoning will ultimately have a light environmental impact on the Bay. Our community will continue to keep a close eye on developmental proposals at NEMI council that impact our natural environment.
Last but not least, we encourage all of you to recognize Sheila Williams and Celesta Bjornson, our 2024 Champions of the Bay, this Thursday, May 29th at 7:00 pm. The GBA is hosting a virtual celebration for all of the Champions of the Bay throughout the Georgian Bay. Register here to attend this special event!
We look forward to seeing everyone soon in our beautiful Bay of Islands!
Greetings and Happy Spring!As community members begin to arrive for another Summer in the Bay of Islands, your association is ramping up activity.It’s time to renew your membership annual dues, which you can do conveniently, here. Paying your dues helps BICA, GBA and FOCA to preserve and protect the Bay of Islands for future generations.We have a full slate of events planned, including our 90th anniversary celebrations on August 2 at the beautiful Island Lodge. All our community events are open and free to every member. Please consult the events calendar and plan to join us often.We are launching an online store soon, from which you will be able to order the forthcoming Voices From the Bay III, an anthology by Bay of Islanders, and later in the season, BICA-branded clothing. Details to come.BICA has been awarded a FireSmart grant that will allow us to offer fire prevention training again this year. Training dates will be announced soon. Contact David Gallup for further information dr_gallup@yahoo.com .Sheila Williams and Celesta Bjornson were nominated by BICA as GBA Association Champions of the Bay and were featured in the latest issue of GBA Magazine. Thank you, Sheila and Celesta, for your outstanding service preserving and protecting the Bay of Islands!We are working with Councilor Laurie Cook and Mayor Al MacNevin to voice our community’s perspective on the proposed rezoning of a two-acre residential parcel on Louisa Island. Anyone interested in expressing their views may communicate directly to the Mayor and Council before the next council meeting on the matter on May 8.The Bay of Islands draws together a diverse group of people, and our friendships transcend many differences. Our community is strong because of our support for each other and the beautiful place we love.On behalf of the BICA Board of Directors,Patrick ThoburnPresident
Bay Of Islands Community Association