Backgrounder: Denny’s Dam Conservation Area property was once privately owned. At the time of sale, the owners wanted the land to be maintained for public access to the river, as a result of donations from sportsmen and other funding; The SVCA acquired the land and kept it open to the public. In 1996 The Saugeen Valley Conservation Authority announced that Denny’s Dam Conservation Area would be closed to the public due to financial constraints. The possibility existed that the property may even be sold.

The Ontario Steelheaders, consistent with its mandate, approached the Authority with an offer to lease the Park and co- manage it in order to ensure continuing access for all resource users. This resulted in a significant financial commitment to the Ontario Steelheaders. Monies generated by our activities at Denny’s Park, are from time to time earmarked for park improvements and fisheries enhancement projects. Our committee works diligently to collect funds, and to run the park efficiently, in order to make these ventures possible. The Ontario Steelheaders would like to thank everyone for their timely payments which make these and other improvements to our park and our fishery possible. Thank you! It’s your park! Use it, respect it, and support it! – Enjoy your stay!

Scouts return to Denny’s!

6 Scouts, 1 Venturer and 3 Leaders travelled from Brantford in September to Denny’s Dam Park as part of their reward camp for a successful past Scouting year. To add to their excitement of this camp, the youth were informed of a bear in camp just the week before arriving. Yikes! The weather man challenged their camping skills, but thanks to the Rod Jones Pavilion, the Troop stayed out of the wind and rain.

Five and half hours were spent stacking wood and cleaning up from the trees that were taken down by the Saugeen Valley Conservation Authority. Seven bags of garbage were collected from along the river’s edge and throughout the park.

Thanks also to Steve Carvell who gave an informative tour of the Lake Huron Fishing Club Hatchery in Kindardine. The Scouts saw different stages from egg to fry of Brown and Rainbow Trout. The Brown Trout were to be released this fall. We were advised the Rainbows would be held back for a spring release in 2013.

Conservation is part of the Scout badge work and this was also their good deed to give back. Karl Redin explained at Denny’s Dam how the fish are handled and transported in the tankers. We’d like to thank the Steelheaders for giving these young people the opportunity to see first-hand, the great work the Steelheaders do for the park and the fishery.

We received this note from SVSA

…“I stopped in this week at Denny’s…. just a note to say that the site looks great!…Thanks! Please let your volunteers know that we do appreciate how well the site is maintained and probably do not say it often enough.” Thanks,
Al Leach, BSc
Manager of Lands
Saugeen Valley Conservation Authority