Conservation Lac Brome: This will henceforth be the name of the association dedicated to preserving the health of Brome Lake and its watershed. The new name will also come with a logo. But why was this change needed after operating for 20 years under the name Renaissance Lac Brome (RLB)? 

The answer is twofold. The name Renaissance had a historical ori- gin that no longer reflected the mission of the organization. Over the years, other businesses, charities, hotels, and seniors’ residences also adopted the Renaissance name, which often caused confusion regarding the nature RLB’s work. 

Visionary founding members 

More than 60 years ago, as early as 1961, the first association dedicated to the protection of Brome Lake was created: the Brome Lake Conservation Association. It was one of the first lake protection associations in all of Quebec! Even before the establishment of the Ministry of the Environment, this visionary team decided to take action, noting that the general state of health of the lake, on our territory, was becoming worrying: frequent outbreaks of cyanobacteria (blue-green algae) resulted in bathing bans on several occasions. The members of the Brome Lake Conservation Association then contributed to the implementation of many changes, such as the installation of compliant septic systems, the application of better runoff regulations and upgrading the duck farm’s wastewater treatment. The group disbanded in 1992. 

In the early 2000s, a second association was created under the name Renaissance Lac Brome, a name which at the time was part of a very specific context. However, this context no longer exists today, hence the need to change the name of our organization. 

Citizen engagement, a priority 

“Whether they’re called Renaissance, Conservation or something else, the fact remains that organizations like ours and public administrations will not be able to effectively counter the threats posed to lakes by climate change if the population does not adopt eco-responsible behaviours” notes the president of Conservation Lac Brome, Jean-Pierre Pilon. 

“More than ever, citizen engagement is essential in order to tackle these challenges! More than ever, public involvement and participation are essential in overcoming the challenges we face. So join us now to preserve the health of our lake and its watershed. Community awareness, collaboration and involvement are on the agenda for 2023.”