Matthew Farfan

Memphremagog Conservation Inc. celebrated its 40th birthday in style this past weekend. The event, which featured speeches by local dignitaries and officials of MCI, took place at the prestigious Hermitage Club, on the east shore of Lake Memphremagog.

Madeleine Saint-Pierre, Tom Fletcher, Jean-Claude Duff, Donald Fisher, Peter Kohl, co-fondateur du MCI, Gisèle Lacasse Benoit, David Monty, Robert Benoit, Pat Trudel. Absent: Jacques Charbonneau, Jan Lungdren and Susan Watson. (Photo: Courtesy of MCI)

The event was held to underline the long and sometimes arduous battle that this dedicated environmental group has fought to protect and improve the quality of the natural environment around Lake Memphremagog. Over the years, the association has successfully opposed the establishment of landfill sites around the lake, lobbied for improved septic systems, fought the privatization of Mount Orford Park, and created a lake users' code of conduct, among other causes designed to safeguard the lake and its watershed for current and future generations.

The guest of honour at this week's celebrations was Peter Kohl, one of the founders of the association. Kohl, who was introduced by current MCI president Gisèle Benoît-Lacasse and former MCI president Don Fisher, reminisced about the bad old days of MCI when, back in the 1960s and 70s, the group had to lobby local towns to hire inspectors to verify that septic systems around Lake Memphremagog weren't leaching into the lake, which was (and still is) the source of drinking water for thousands of people in the Eastern Townships. He said that MCI was instrumental in getting municipalities to pass by-laws to protect the lakeshore and the quality of the water in Lake Memphremagog. It has been an uphill battle, he said, but well worth it.

Judging by the packed turn-out at the event, and the enthusiastic applause that he received, Peter Kohl isn't the only who thinks that Lake Memphremagog is worth fighting for.


For more on MCI, its history and mission, click here.