Group holding North Ski Area event to protest new POA rule

BY Ariana Shah

Several Canyon Lakers will be taking out their kayaks, boats, paddleboards and other water vehicles tomorrow (Saturday) to protest a new Canyon Lake POA rule (LM.9.28) which prohibits wake surfing in the North Ski Area. The new rule was approved by the Canyon Lake POA Board of Directors on March 5.

“Many of us are out here because we don’t feel that this ruling is fair, and we feel that CLPOA board members aren’t hearing us,” Canyon Laker Kelly Hauger said. “We are holding a full-day rally and encouraging people to come out and join us. You’re welcome to ski, fish or wakeboard. You don’t even have to be on the water. We just want everyone to come out.”

Petitions will be available in the Pavilion area from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Kelly said

“We also want to encourage the community to stop by and see what that area of the lake truly has to offer,” Kelly said. “There will be a few boats offering to give rides or pull people (they need to bring their own towable and life jacket) if anyone is interested. We just ask that community rules are followed.”

Wake surfing is now restricted in the Slalom Course, located in the front section of the North Ski Area north of the causeway. The new rule is being implemented to prevent, Canyon Lake POA President Chris Poland said, “routinely-occurring damage due to the large wakes required for wake surfing.”

“Whether you wake surf or not, this is discriminatory to this sport,” Kelly said. “We can’t practice wake surfing in the deeper water because there is no optimal wake there. It is unfair since we have competitive wake surfers, as well as skiers, and we are all paying the same monthly dues in this beautiful community.

“We hope to show the CLPOA Board of Directors that this is an important matter to us and our children as wake surfing becomes a more popular sport.”

Kelly said those who wakeboard and practice other water sports in the slalom area are also being discriminated against.

“Even though it is approved for wakeboarding and other non-wakesurfing sports, we can’t line up with the skiers and wait our turn with skiers,” Kelly said. “We have to wait until they are all gone in order to enter the water. As you can imagine, this causes a great deal of animosity and frustration on the non-skiers’ side. We feel strongly about this also being overturned, and for new non-discriminative rules put in place.”

Kelly said the group so far has collected over 400 signatures of prime members. The event tomorrow is not affiliated with the Canyon Lake Wakeboard Club or any other club, but is being put on by a group of concerned Canyon Lake water sports enthusiasts.