Area boaters who want to hit the lake are being told to avoid the Five Mile Boat Launch.
In a post made to their Facebook page, Couchiching First Nation announced that, due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, the Five Mile Boat Launch would be closed to the general public, remaining accessible to Couchiching First Nation band members only.
“This measure has been taken to safeguard the health and well-being of our community members,” the post reads.
No further information was provided as to how long the restrictions at the boat launch will be in place.
Elsewhere in the province, the government is still restricting the usage of marinas. While marinas have been included on the list of essential businesses, they are limited in what services they can provide. According to the government’s list of essential businesses, marinas in Ontario must ensure that only the following services are provided:
- Repairing or servicing boats or other watercraft
- Placing boats or other watercraft in the water to be secured to a dock until the marina is open to the public.
- Any other services that may be required to enable individuals to access their place of residence or their other property, support government operations or services, or support the transportation of items by commercial barges.
The list also notes that “marinas cannot be used for recreational boating purposes,” except in the instances listed above.
