Member Association Page - West Carling

West Carling :

Once a closely guarded secret, West Carling's extensive unspoiled lands and pristine offshore islands have recently become the destination of choice for the greatest concentration of kayak and canoe enthusiasts in the province. Franklin Island , with its more than 1000 hectares of old growth forest and wildlife habitat is arguably the Crown jewel in this central Georgian Bay location. Ten kilometers further offshore lie the unique Limestone Islands whose remote location affords undisturbed habitat for the breeding of countless gulls and terns.

Local Issues and Projects

As is the case in most of the Georgian Bay Archipelago, environmental concerns top the list of priorities for local residents. As Franklin Island has significant fish spawning habitat in close proximity to yachting and recreational facilities, the monitoring of water quality has come into sharp focus. The Township of Carling has been supportive of these efforts, conducted primarily by volunteers.

Association members, working with the GBA have been actively seeking to demonstrate to our American neighbours the serious nature of low water levels on the extensive wetlands of the region . Current thinking is that the situation may be ameliorated by the engineering of water outflow restrictions.

West Carling has been actively pursuing the transfer of jurisdiction from Federal to local control of the principal marinas providing water access to the region.

While the majority of properties on the coast are seasonally occupied, a trend to greater year-round use has occurred in recent years. The Carling Farmer’s Market located on Hwy #559 gives local small business owners an opportunity to interact with seasonal residents. West Carling encourages similar initiatives that foster a sense of greater community.

The West Carling Association

Current EXECUTIVE

President: Bruce Davidson
Vice Presidents: Michael Gordon,
Dave Turner
Treasurer: Alex Davidson
Secretary: Sheila Tierney

Location

The principal automobile access to West Carling is Highway 559 running west about 15 km north of the Town of Parry Sound off Highway 69. Water access is extremely convenient as most of the shoreline of West Carling runs along the inner ( well-buoyed) small craft channel north and west of Parry Island to the Shawanaga Indian Reserve. Active marinas in the region include Snug Harbour and Dillon Cove.

West Carling Links

Carling Township is a small rural municipality that services a mix of year-round and seasonal residents.
www.carlingtownship.ca

The southern end of West Carling is bordered by Killbear Provincial Park:
www.ontarioparks.com

The Limestone Islands are a Nature Reserve protected by Ontario Parks
www.ontarioparks.com

Local weather from Environment Canada
weatheroffice.ec.gc.ca

Shawanaga First Nation territory borders West Carling to the north and is approximately 30 kilometers North West of Parry Sound.
www.shawanaga.com