Madoc — A small community group is looking to reinvigorate the Moira Lake beach and boat launch.

The Moira Lake boat launch improvement committee, formed last October, has been looking for public input on improving slightly more than six acres of land in and around the boat launch south of the village

The Madoc Kiwanis Club gave the beach off Highway 62 an overhaul in 1987 and the time has come to make the space more inviting to the public, said Kiwanis member Tom Simpson.

The 10-member committee has taken more than 100 suggestions from residents and cottagers through public meetings, and there’s more public consultation to come, Simpson said.

“We’re looking for information and suggestions to help put the master plan in place,” he said.

Right now, the committee is focusing on “quick wins” — things that can be improved at the current site, such as installing new picnic tables, washrooms and change rooms, and carrying out some decorative landscaping.

“Some of the suggestions we’ve received are things like a fish cleaning station, a new picnic area, how to re-do the boat launch, getting vehicles away from pedestrians and lots of suggestions on the wetlands,” Simpson said.

The 5.9 acres of wetlands were the priority topic at a July 23 meeting with the local chapter of Ducks Unlimited, which is looking to step onboard with the committee to turn the space into an educational venue for families visiting the beach.

Several ideas were tossed around at the meeting, including an interpretation centre where people could learn about wildlife in the wetland; a self-guided boardwalk tour; and, on the other side of the beach, an observation deck overlooking a walleye spawning area.

“If we can get 50 or 60 kids out here on a field trip, learning about why its important to conserve wetlands, that’d be great,” said Tim Binch, fundraising manager for Ducks Unlimited.

“We could give you feedback about projects we’ve done before,” he added. Ducks Unlimited, he estimates, has been involved in more than 20 wetland education projects across Eastern Ontario.

The organization agreed to have member Wayne Williamson sit on the committee, and commited to completing a biologist study to identify animal species living in the wetland.

Simpson said that, in addition to grants and fundraising, he hopes to utilize local resources, such as high school students, once the project gets underway.

The committee also has a goal of raising $100,000 and a completion date of 2014.

“This area is certainly picking up with tourism, and for a project like this, we’re going to need a lot of help,” he said.