Unique Muskoka Issue 38 - June 2023 : simplebooklet.com

2 UNIQUE MUSKOKA June 2023[38]...telling the Muskoka storyFeatures11Imagination and Exploration – Author Paige TaylorArticle by Kelly Goslin Photography by Josianne MasseauAt just 15-years-old, Paige Taylor has written, self-published and promoted her debut novel, with enthusiastically positive response from her audience in Muskoka and beyond. Her debut, Secrets Wrought in Blood, is the beginning of a trilogy. 16Community Science – Ancients on the BrinkArticle by John ChallisKeeping tabs on the well-being of turtle species at risk in Muskoka is a priority but the wetlands that make up their habitat are vast. Community science engages volunteers to work together with scientists on projects to collect data and answer real-world questions – like how to protect turtles. 20Heritage Curators – Muskoka Heritage PlaceArticle by J. Patrick BoyerOne of Ontario’s most extensive heritage attractions, the aptly named Muskoka Heritage Place in Huntsville, advances education, entertainment and tourism through the services, facilities and programs it provides. 25Dog Agility – Celebrating the BondArticle by Bronwyn Boyer / Photography by Tomasz SzumskiAgility training is an inclusive sport for both canines and humans. e Northern Derby Agility Club brings together members of two local agility training groups to host the Ontario regionals this year. 32Serena WestArticle by Bronwyn Boyer Photography by Josianne MasseauArtist Serena West has developed a body of work that combines portraits with landscapes, tapping into the common human experience as well as connection to the environment. 38Old Building, New Ideas – Muskoka Foundry Article by Kelly Goslin / Photography by Tomasz SzumskiOnce known as the Dominion Linen Mill, the Muskoka Foundry in Bracebridge, like many other historic industrial buildings, has lived a multi-faceted life since its construction in 1903. Now, those memories from a bygone era have been born anew.[16][11]

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Our CoverPhotography by Tomasz SzumskiFreyja, canine partner of Cathy Crowder, shows oﬀ her agility training skills. Agility is a great recreational and spectator sport for people of all ages, but it’s especially meaningful for dogs.JUNE 2023Painting the Ebb and Flow of LifeCANINE AGILITYDedication and DeterminationA Tale of Two VillagesTurtles - Ancients on the BrinkThe many lives of the Muskoka FoundryOpinion9 Muskoka InsightsBy Meghan Taylor64Muskoka MomentsBy Don Smith43A Tale of Two VillagesArticle by J. Patrick BoyerWhile the Port Carling of today is a reﬂection of the impact of ﬁrst contact and the settlement that followed, the importance of Obajewanung, the Ojibwe camp on the shores of the Indian River, ranges far deeper than shared in history books.Departments54What’s HappenedArticle by Matt DriscollA location on Muskoka Beach Road is considered the prime candidate for Bracebridge’s new hospital site and Muskoka welcomes its ﬁrst electric vehicle (EV) show. Spin the Lakes returns, Robinson’s General Store in Dwight is again under new ownership and the Town of Bracebridge tightens up short-term rental rules. 58Cottage Country CuisineArticle by K.M. Wehrstein Photography by Tomasz SzumskiA tart, tangy seasonal favourite, rhubarb takes the spotlight in the usual baked goods – pies, crumbles, tarts and danishes. And then there’s cocktails and barbecue sauce.[58][48]48Douglas McLeanArticle by Bronwyn Boyer Photography by Josianne MasseauDouglas McLean is a true Renaissance man. He’s a sensitive soul with a powerful singing voice and the heart of a poet. He’s a business-minded mathematical genius and he’s a proliﬁc radio personality, interviewer and writer. [43]June 2023 UNIQUE MUSKOKA 5

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Muskoka InsightsSAVOY by DreamStar BeddingYour Home and Cottage Mattress CentreTHE LARGEST SELECTION OF IN-STOCKMATTRESSES IN MUSKOKA6 Monica Lane, Bracebridge705.646.2557www.mattressesofmuskoka.comMUSKOKACURATED COLLECTION by Marshall MattressSince I was a kid, I’ve heard the Muskoka stories. Stories shared around campﬁres, stories shared on the dock, stories shared in coﬀee shops or on restaurant patios, stories shared among family, with friends and, sometimes, with complete strangers. Some of you may not have noticed in my dad’s ﬁnal column of 2022 that he used the past tense in saying he had “enjoyed” being a part of telling the Muskoka story. As I proofread the piece, I quickly noted what he was implying and since then, I’ve been learning as much as I can about publishing and the honour it is to produce this magazine. After 50 years in publishing, Don may be stepping back from Unique Muskoka, but he is far from ﬁnished sharing his own Muskoka stories. e name Muskoka brings recognition across the globe. ose of us who get to call Muskoka home know the privilege it is to do so. With that privilege comes both opportunity and responsibility; to steward the natural and historical aspects of the region while also carefully moving towards a new, inclusive Muskoka. In this issue of Unique Muskoka, local historian and regular contributor Patrick Boyer begins a new series highlighting the important work of Muskoka’s heritage curators. e District of Muskoka is the only municipality in Ontario without a formal archive. ankfully, there are several organizations which work diligently to maintain the records and artifacts of Muskoka’s days gone by. Muskoka Heritage Place in Huntsville, as you’ll read, is one of those places. Patrick Boyer also shares the historical importance of Obajewanung and Port Carling. While Port Carling is known as the “Hub of the Muskoka Lakes,” it was preceded and, in many ways, sustained by Obajewanung; the permanent and transient home for Ojibwe and other Indigenous Peoples. If buildings could share their own stories, Bracebridge’s Muskoka Foundry would certainly have many. New contributor Kelly Goslin recounts the building’s historic importance and inﬂuence, as well as its revitalization and rebirth as a shopping centre and event venue. roughout this season, we’ll also explore the many forms of community science in action across the region. In this issue, John Challis highlights how the protection and conservation of the six species of turtles native to Muskoka are supported by several organizations and their dedicated community science volunteers. Bracebridge artist Serena West shares her focus on capturing feelings and memories in her artwork with regular contributor Bronwyn Boyer. Beginning as an artist who painted murals on buildings in Hamilton, West’s personal experiences and love of nature have shaped the changes in her art and fuelled her desire to give back to the community. At the age of just 15, Paige Taylor has written, self-published and promoted her debut novel, with plans to complete the series as a trilogy. While her novel is a Young Adult Fantasy Fiction, drawing on the environment around her helped shape the world of her book, which also carries a spirit of environmental awareness. From the musical journey of singer/songwriter Douglas McLean to AAC regional dog agility championships to the many uses of rhubarb, there are features in these pages anyone can enjoy. It’s my pleasure to take on the publishing of Unique Muskoka and continue a family tradition, as well as a Muskoka one. ere are so many stories still to share.Happy reading,Photograph: MacKenzie Taylorwww.mikeslandscaping.cainfo@mikeslandscaping.caJune 2023 UNIQUE MUSKOKA 9

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Article by Kelly GoslinPhotography by Josianne MasseauThe sound of clashing armour and swords disrupts the peace of an ancient wood. A mystic space so quietly sacred; its balance shattering in the mists of nature as it has amongst the people of Ilya.Intrigue, violence, segregation and the desperate pursuit for stability in a chaotic and mythical realm deﬁne the world of Secrets Wrought in Blood, the ﬁrst of the Blood Blade Trilogy by local author Paige Taylor. At the remarkable age of 15, Taylor has written, self-published and promoted her debut novel, with enthusiastically positive response from her audience in Muskoka and beyond. A brief perusal of her Amazon reviews informs any prospective reader that Secrets Wrought in Blood is “a wonderfully thrilling and imaginative read.” Taylor was born in England and moved to Canada with her parents at the age of one. e idea for her novel ﬁrst came to Taylor when she was in Grade 6, having been inspired by the work of J.R.R. Tolkien and other great fantasy authors. Drawing from themes of conﬂict and magic found in e Lord of the Rings series, Taylor began slowly writing her own fantasy masterpiece shortly thereafter. “I knew I wanted to write something like Tolkien,” she reﬂects, “so after two weeks of planning and sketching, I began experimenting with writing and gradually formed the foundation for my novel.” A young adult herself, Paige Taylor wrote and self-published her Young Adult Fantasy Fiction novel Secrets Wrought in Blood, with plans to complete two more books in the trilogy. June 2023 UNIQUE MUSKOKA 11

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rough her art, Taylor has visualized the details of her characters, settings and plot, establishing another layer of depth and vibrancy for her words.Over the course of three years, Taylor worked steadily on reﬁning and completing her novel. It was a lengthy process of drafting, rewriting and expanding through both her writing as well as through visual art-based envisioning that “can describe my ideas better than writing initially.” Taylor reﬂected on her “self-improvement” as a writer through the process of creating Secrets Wrought in Blood, revealing the novel as a point not only of establishment for herself professionally, but as a means and conduit for creative exploration. Upon completion of the ﬁnal draft, Taylor embarked on the daunting process of self-publication with the support of her family, friends, high school teachers and the Muskoka Authors’ Association (MAA), of which she is a member. rough the MAA, she found practical tools and supportive direction for navigating publishing, rendering the process “surprisingly easy” in comparison to the task of creation itself.Young Adult and Fantasy Fiction as genres in Canada have faced challenge and triumph through the last few decades in both popular and academic reception. Fortunately, in recent years these genres have gained greater recognition for their communicability and socio-literary signiﬁcance. Speculative ﬁction reﬂects our own understandings of identity and personal development, while also acknowledging ideas for change which can inspire its readers individually and collectively. Taylor is an advocate for the integrity of her genres and states that through her book, both as a process as well as a statement, she champions the value of creativity. rough creativity, writers and readers alike can explore very real legacies of authoritarianism, inequality, injustice and terror, as well as environmental crises. Fiction provides a tangible avenue by which these issues can be examined and criticized. And in following the story to resolution, one may ﬁnd application for reality. “Fantasy is vital for teaching imagination,” Taylor thoughtfully argues, “for if you do not have imagination how will you be able to either enjoy your literature or learn from it?” For Taylor, Muskoka has provided a creative wellspring of ideas for her novel’s setting; environmentally and topographically. e great forests of her ﬁctional world carry the same vitality and personal signiﬁcance as the towering pines of Bracebridge. Drawing inspiration from her home, her book carries The idea for her novel rst came to Paige Taylor in Grade 6, though her inspiration for writing was inuenced by the work of J.R.R. Tolkien’s The Lord of the Rings series. Over the course of three years Taylor worked steadily on rening and completing her novel. With the support of her family, friends, high school teachers and the Muskoka Authors Association (MAA), of which she is a member, Paige Taylor embarked on the daunting process of self-publishing her rst novel, which was released December 1, 2022.CUSTOM HOMES & COTTAGES FOR 50 YEARSFor over 50 years, Tech Home has helpedclients realize their vision of a beautiful &uniquely personal custom home.We build to the highest standards of quality atthe most aﬀ ordable pricing in cottage country.Visit our Gravenhurst Model Home or Toronto Design Centre, & we’ll bring your dream to life.GRAVENHURST MODEL HOME2278 Hwy 11N.| Gravenhurst, ON | P1P 1R11.888.417.8761GREATER TORONTO AREA DESIGN CENTRE130 Konrad Cres, Unit #18 | Markham, ON | L3R 0G5905.479.9013SERVING MUSKOKA / GEORGIAN BAY / HALIBURTON1-888-417-8761 www.techhomeltd.comIT’S YOUR DREAM. WE BRING IT TO LIFE.June 2023 UNIQUE MUSKOKA 13

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14 UNIQUE MUSKOKA June 2023HARDWOOD • LAMINATE • VINYL PLANK & TILE • VINYL ROLLS CARPET • CERAMIC • NATURAL STONE & MOREFloors for Home & CottageMODERN HOME CARPET ONE350 Ecclestone Drive • Bracebridgecarpetonebracebridge.caTAYLOR CARPET ONE30 Cairns Crescent • Huntsvilletaylorcarpetonehuntsville.com705.645.2443705.789.9259a spirit of environmental awareness which speaks to the sensitive beauty and magic of nature. Secrets Wrought in Blood harnesses the power our natural world carries, symbolically and spiritually, and in her own life, Taylor continues to be inspired by all that surrounds her. ere are two more books to arrive in the Blood Blade Trilogy, and Taylor has revealed that she will continue exploring fantasy, as well as historical ﬁction, for future endeavours. Having debuted with great success, an achievement for an author at any age, Taylor has much to surprise her readers with as she continues to cultivate her craft.In addition to draing and planning her written story, Paige Taylor visualized the details of her characters, settings and plot by sketching out her ideas. She even remarked that the visual art helped to build her story more than writing initially.

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Article by John ChallisPhotograph: The Land BetweenThe languid, prehistoric personality of turtles endears them to everyone. Turtles, however, may not think much of humans. Loss of wetland habitat, road casualties and landscaped yards allow predators to dig up eggs. All the above have resulted in a serious decline in turtle populations.Six of Ontario’s eight species of turtle are native to Muskoka – midland painted turtle, snapping turtle, map turtle, Blanding’s turtle, spotted turtle and musk turtle. ey are all listed as species at risk, and Blanding’s and spotted turtles are listed as threatened and endangered, respectively.Keeping tabs on their well-being is a priority but the wetlands, which make up turtle habitat in Muskoka, are vast. ere are only so many people with the science background to do the monitoring. We all can help, though, and that’s 16 UNIQUE MUSKOKA June 2023Photograph: Muskoka Conservancy/Lucas McLennanSix of Ontario’s eight species of turtle are native to Muskoka, including the northern map turtle seen here. All are listed as species at risk. Community science programs vary by organization, but they all rely on engaged volunteers. Monitoring turtle populations, protecting nests and road crossings and recording sightings of rare species are all supportive of protecting turtles across Muskoka.

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where community science, also known as citizen science, comes in.National Geographic deﬁnes community science as “participating in projects in which volunteers and scientists work together to answer real-world questions.” Volunteers are recruited and trained to collect data which then helps clear up the puzzle the scientists are trying to work through. e more people providing observations, the greater the value of the information. Community scientists are the cogs and gears of some of the largest research eﬀorts around. Muskoka Conservancy relies heavily on community science observations. Each of the conservancy’s 37 nature reserves and 15 conservation easements has a group of volunteers who conduct regular review of their plant and animal inventories. On properties that contain wetlands, monitoring focuses on reptiles and amphibians, says conservation co-ordinator Amanda Porter. “It is really important for us to ﬁnd out which of those species are using our protected lands, and ensure we are maintaining that habitat for them so that they can continue to thrive for years to come,” Porter says.Saving Turtles At Risk Today (START) needs community science for its work, too. START is a partnership created in 2013 between Scales Nature Park, Georgian Bay Turtle Hospital, Laurentian University, Trent University and the Canadian Wildlife Federation. e program ﬁrst began in Muskoka and central Ontario, with volunteers and professionals touring wetlands to collect estimates of turtle populations. Training is oﬀered for community scientists, either through a half-day training workshop or a more technical two-week Turtle Bootcamp.START’s current focus is on recording sightings of rare species, egg laying activity and road mortality. eir oﬃce takes calls to report injured turtles, rare sightings and egg laying activities, and can respond with trained staﬀ and volunteers.e Land Between is another organization relying on community scientists to support its turtle programs. e Land Between is a partnership designed to preserve the unique ecological zone linking the Canadian Shield and the St. Lawrence Lowlands. To date, it has recruited more than 800 community scientists in a range of programs. Four of its projects focus on turtles. Road researchers patrol area roads where turtles are most active and report turtle activities or injuries. Crossing guards are stationed at known zones of high turtle activities, to ensure turtles cross the road safely and report details of all turtle activity. Wetland watchers are assigned to wetlands to collect data on turtle species and activity from June to September. Finally, where turtles are reported nesting on roadsides, nest sitters are called in.“With our nest sitters program, community science volunteers sit beside nesting mothers and wait there, guarding her while she nests and watching the nest until a member of the turtle guardians staﬀ can come to excavate the eggs,” explains Kate Dickson, outreach lead for e Land Between.Eggs retrieved from those roadside nests are handled and incubated under strict government permits. Dickson estimates the survival rate is improved by a factor of 19 with the monitored incubation.Community scientists are the cogs and gears of some of the largest research eorts around. The more people providing observations, the greater the value of the information. The protection and conservation of Muskoka’s turtles is supported by dedicated community science volunteers.Photograph: The Land BetweenJune 2023 UNIQUE MUSKOKA 17

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18 UNIQUE MUSKOKA June 2023roughout this series, iNaturalist will be mentioned as another outlet of community science. iNaturalist is a free, photo-based app. Post a photo of a plant, bird or insect, and species identiﬁcation will be conﬁrmed by experts who monitor the site. e platform is used by many scientists who can collect massive amounts of data that are easily downloaded to analytical software. ere’s value for the volunteer, too, as an interactive wildlife guide. e District of Muskoka’s Integrated Watershed Management plan uses iNaturalist to record plant, animal, fungus or insect species within the Muskoka River watershed.Jenna Kentel led recent research on preventing turtles from nesting on roadsides in the Township of the Archipelago for her master of science degree. While community science wasn’t included in her work, the Laurentian University student summed up its value for wildlife preservation.“Community science data are incredibly important for conservation projects,” Kentel said. “Observations that are reported through apps such as iNaturalist can help develop our understanding of species distributions. is is especially important for road mortality observations because they can help us to identify priority areas for conservation.”Conservation and protection of turtles can be supported by everyone – community science at work. Nest sitters are volunteers who wait and guard roadside turtle nests until The Land Between sta can come to excavate the eggs. Turtle eggs retrieved from roadside nests are handled and incubated under strict government permits.Photograph: The Land Betweenstoneway marble & granite inc.Les and Renata Partyka1295 Muskoka Rd. 118 West, Bracebridge | 705.645.3380 | stoneway.inc@gmail.commuskokaseptic@gmail.com705-375-2797muskokasepticservices.comSeptic PumpingSpecializing inWATER ACCESS PROPERTIES

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20 UNIQUE MUSKOKA June 2023Article by J. Patrick BoyerPhotograph: Muskoka Heritage Place PhotoTouch the Past, Embrace the Future. Huntsville, Muskoka’s largest town, displays its motto boldly on roadside entrance signs.A notion circulated a decade ago that it was time to “rebrand,” but the potency of Huntsville’s existing message prevailed. Touching the past while embracing the future is a spirit that has infused Huntsville since inception. e twinned impetus of building upon heritage toward a better future is still Huntsville’s primary catalyst today. It accounts for retaining the downtown core’s vitality, seeing heritage buildings designated and marked by public plaques, the housing of the public library’s extensive Muskoka Collection of heritage materials, and pairing Tom omson’s bronze statue outside the Algonquin eatre with contemporary arts. Above all, Huntsville lives its slogan by advancing education, entertainment and tourism through the services, facilities and programs of Muskoka Heritage Place, located near the town centre, oﬀ Brunel Road. For decades, Harmon Rice, publisher of the Huntsville Forester newspaper and Huntsville’s mayor, focused his eﬀorts on preserving the past and persevering in new projects for community betterment. Huntsville’s documented accounts for the years 1875 to 1894 – including all back copies of the Huntsville Forester, the public library’s books and local documents and municipal records – turned to ash in a ﬁre that wiped out the town centre. For the 1926 Old Home Week, Rice wrote and published a brochure recapping what he knew about Huntsville’s history from his memory and extensive involvement in local life. For years, his account of events was one of the few records of the town’s past. Huntsville’s preservation of Muskoka’s built heritage began decades ago by relocating pioneer structures from around the district into an authentic “pioneer village.”

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Photograph: Muskoka Heritage Place PhotoMuskoka's Largest Home Service Company!In the 1930s, the Women’s Institute began documenting information about pioneers, early families and the beginnings of schools, churches, steamboats, industries, hotels, resorts and businesses, in response to Lady Tweedsmuir’s wise suggestion. Wife of Canada’s governor general, she saw how the progressive and companionable organization for women active in communities across Canada could render unique service by recording local history. After World War II, the Women’s Institute expanded their work by displaying at Huntsville’s Fall Fair artifacts owned by Women’s Institute and Agricultural Society members. Hundreds of attendees were delighted to be reminded of times past, sharing with children what such tools and equipment has been used for. Pioneer families began donating more items the Women’s Institute could save to help educate rising generations. In 1956, Bertha Sinclair of the Women’s Institute spotted a surplus public building she envisaged as ideal for displaying heritage items. Instead of once a year at the fair, the collection’s future could be a year-round attraction for education and tourism. In 1957, a committee of Rotarians shouldered the task and acquired the property. By summer 1958, Mayor Don Lough oﬃcially opened the Muskoka Museum. By this time, so many articles had been donated that both rooms on the building’s main ﬂoor were needed to display them. Visitors arriving at Muskoka Heritage Place on Brunel Road in Huntsville are welcomed with directions to the Museum’s exhibits, Steam Era train, and Pioneer Village. The diverse buildings in Pioneer Village include an indispensable blacksmith shop. Skilled blacksmiths like DJ Brown (above) fashioned horse-shoes, tools, and metalwork for dozens of farm and household uses on Muskoka homesteads.Photograph: Muskoka Heritage Place PhotoPhotograph: Muskoka Heritage Place PhotoJune 2023 UNIQUE MUSKOKA 21

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22 UNIQUE MUSKOKA June 2023Volunteers staﬀed the admission desk while Rotarians, avid about local heritage, chatted with tourists about North Muskoka’s historic foundations. By 1960, keen to make Huntsville’s past an even bigger part of its future, council oﬃcially recognized the Muskoka Museum and designated the Rotarians to operate it, with educator John Laycock as chair. Because the Rotary Club could not receive provincial grants, responsibility for the museum was vested in the municipality, which could. Edith Warner became the museum’s ﬁrst curator during summer operation. e Royal Ontario Museum oﬀered advice and lent wall and table-top display cases, in addition to displays of Indigenous artifacts and pioneer-era photographs. When a new location was warranted, John Laycock and Ken Johnson discussed creating a pioneer village by gathering scattered heritage buildings on a common site before they disappeared. e Rotarians asked Laycock and Norman Kissock to ﬁnd and buy Now one of Ontario’s most extensive heritage attractions, items on display at Muskoka Heritage Place have been collected since the 1930s when members of the Women’s Institute began documenting information and gathering artifacts.Photograph: Andy ZeltkalnsHIRAM ST MARKET 705-204-0857SULLYS MUSKOKA705-394-4594BIG RIVER BAKING COMPANY705-394-4499• Fine Artisan Breads Daily• Assorted Baked Goods• Made in House Desserts• Black Angus AAA beef, Ontario lamb, pork, chicken and sustainable sh• Assorted selection of house-made sausages• Variety of cheeses, dips, sauces and exclusive pantry items• Chef-inspired ready-to-eat meals and salads• Catering for staff luncheons, private parties and everyday needs• Check the QR code online for menu ideasDISCOVER THE LOCAL MARKET WITH BIG CITY SELECTIONS IN HISTORIC DOWNTOWN BRACEBRIDGEbigriverbakingco.comOPEN TUESDAY TO SATURDAY11A TAYLOR ROAD

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BATH & KITCHEN SHOWROOMDESIGN. INSTALLATION. REPAIRSERVING ALL OF MUSKOKA279 MANITOBA ST, BRACEBRIDGE705.645.2671KNOWLESPLUMBING.COM @MUSKOKABATHTHE RIOBEL MOMENTI™ COLLECTION AVAILABLE AT KNOWLES PLUMBING!279 Manitoba Street, Bracebridge 705.645.2671 @knowlesplumbing @knowlesplumbing @knowlesplumbingBATH & KITCHEN SHOWROOMSALES•INSTALLATION•REPAIRSERVING ALL OF MUSKOKAknowlesplumbing.comMuskoka’s Bath & Plumbing Centrethe best site. Charles Watson and his wife reduced by half the price for their land in town beside a park because they saw its best future use in safeguarding North Muskoka’s heritage assets. Pioneer Village became a dream fulﬁlled. A visitor time-travelling into the replicated community ﬁrst passes a wigwam and next, a trapper’s cabin. ere is a working blacksmith shop and a dozen other representative buildings. In time, establishing the Portage Flyer train as a working example from Muskoka’s steam era oﬀered a rare treat for young passengers. e museum building itself, built with ﬁnancial help from Cardwell, Chaﬀey and Franklin Townships, is a ﬁre-proof permanent repository for Huntsville’s extensive archives and venue for major displays under the devoted direction of collections coordinator Sara White.Now one of Ontario’s most extensive heritage attractions on extensive grounds beside the Muskoka River, the aptly renamed Muskoka Heritage Place can bond past and future because such an ideal infused Huntsville’s citizens themselves. Huntsville lives its slogan “Touch the Past, Embrace the Future” by advancing education, entertainment and tourism through the services, facilities and programs of Muskoka Heritage Place. The extensive archives and displays cover decades of history.Photograph: Andy ZeltkalnsJune 2023 UNIQUE MUSKOKA 23

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Agility training is an inclusive sport for both humans and canines. No matter an individual’s age or ability, there are ways for people to enjoy the sport. For dogs, there are many dierent challenges that play to the strengths of the animal, such as scent detection, for those who like to follow their nose, or dock diving, for the water-loving pooch. Dogs just want to have fun, burn energy and please their owners. Agility training is the best way to achieve all of that, especially if a dog has too much energy to succeed in obedience school. And, if a dog excels at agility training, it has a chance of becoming a world class athlete. From June 16 to 18, there will be 237 dogs competing in the Agility Association of Canada (AAC) Regionals. e event is being held at the Oro-Medonte Fairgrounds and is being hosted by the Northern Derby Agility Club. Northern Derby Agility Club is the result of two training clubs joining together under one umbrella – Animoosh Agility in Severn Bridge and Four Paws Ready Inn in Huntsville. e 2023 Regionals will be their ﬁrst event co-ordinated together, and they’ve been approved to host the 2024 Regionals as well. “We have been long time friends with Animoosh Agility and are excited to be partners in this,” says Bryce Longtin of Four Paws Ready Inn. “We look forward to hosting Article by Bronwyn Boyer / Photography by Tomasz SzumskiDOG AGILITYCelebrating the BondJune 2023 UNIQUE MUSKOKA 25

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Powering your cottageand home – even duringa power outage.ELECTRICAL • HVAC • HOME AUTOMATION • SOLARECRA / ESA 7002295 • TSSA 000365522more events in the future to contribute to the agility community, which is very supportive and close in our area.” Four Paws Ready Inn Boarding and Athletics is a family business owned by Darren and Pattie Page and their daughter and son-in-law, Bryce and Neil Longtin. ey emphasize agility training as an inclusive sport for all ages and walks of life. “We’re really excited to provide classes and host our own competitions,” Longtin explains. “We want to make all newcomers feel welcome.”Agility is a great way for newcomers to make friends in the community. Even if they The Northern Derby Agility Club is a partnership between Animoosh Agility in Severn Bridge and Four Paws Ready Inn in Huntsville. The two clubs have partnered to host the 2023 Agility Association of Canada (AAC) Regionals from June 16 to 18. They’ve also been approved to host in 2024 as well. June 2023 UNIQUE MUSKOKA 27

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705-764-0765 | muskokabarging.com | 1163 Milford Bay Rd, Milford Bay ONBARGING STEEL & CRIB DOCKS SEPTIC SYSTEMS LANDSCAPING ● ●Muskoka Barging●Family run construction company with over 35 years experience operating in the Muskoka Lakes area. No job is too small or too big.do not own a dog, those interested can get involved in other ways, as large events require about 300 volunteers. Pamela Ford, owner of the Animoosh Agility club, was seeking a community when she was transferred to Muskoka for her job. When she started agility training with her German shepherd, it did not take long before she earned friendship, notoriety and success in the sport. She completed the process with the AAC to become a judge, and the rest is history. “Being a judge is a lot of fun,” Ford explains. “And it’s exciting because you get to see your friends perform and compete, and just try to be their best. And sometimes being their best doesn’t mean winning – sometimes it’s just completing a sequence that they always struggled with before. Not everyone is there to be number one.”Northern Derby also contributes to the larger community through charity events. Following the regionals, there will be a round-robin agility tournament to raise money for hospice care. “We need to keep our competitors and spectators entertained while we’re scoring,” Ford explains. “And I honestly don’t know anyone in our agility community that hasn’t been touched by someone who’s been in hospice care. We also had a couple of judges pass away recently that received hospice care, so it’s important for us to give back.” Any club registered with the AAC can host events and trials. Once a handler or a junior handler and their dog are registered, they can train at clubs across Canada and compete in their category at the regionals. Any dog who scores 350 points at the regionals then qualiﬁes to compete at the nationals. Whoever comes out as top dog at the nationals represents Canada at the Agility World Championships - just like the Olympics. is year, they’re being held in the Czech Republic. Bonnie Bews of Bracebridge is a well-known artist in Muskoka. Something a lot of people may not know is she and her pug, Sadie, are a champion agility team, having placed ﬁrst at the 2021 Ontario Regionals. For Bews, the two hats wear well together. “I paint during the day and then I spend Cathy Crowder (le) with Freyja and Bonnie Bews with Sadie are familiar with the dedication and discipline necessary to advance in the sport. Agility training is equally challenging for dogs and their handlers.ReFresh?cottage need adoes your the QR code or visit habitatgatewaynorth.com/restoreto learn more scanwe can help with that.ReStore is your one-stop shop.Donate and purchase building materials, appliances, furniture, decor, and so much more! June 2023 UNIQUE MUSKOKA 29

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30 UNIQUE MUSKOKA June 2023evenings and weekends training and doing trials with my dog,” explains Bews. “It’s a good balance to my profession. It’s just so much fun.” Agility is a great recreational and spectator sport for people of all ages, but it’s especially meaningful for dogs. “It gives them a purpose,” Bews says. “ere are many diﬀerent types of challenges that play to diﬀerent strengths. So, if your dog doesn’t show signs of wanting to chase a ball, they might love to jump oﬀ the dock into the water. So ‘dock diving’ is a sport they can get into. ‘Scent detection’ is another one, as well as ‘lure training’, where they chase an artiﬁcial rabbit. Each dog will show signs of what it loves to do, and the handler follows those cues.” Agility training is equally challenging for dogs and handlers. ere’s a lot to learn, so dedication and discipline are necessary to develop and advance. Building a language of sophisticated verbal and non-verbal cues strengthens the bond between dog and handler. “You and your dog work together to learn a combination of hand positioning, feet positioning and verbal commands,” explains Bews. “And diﬀerent breeds learn and respond diﬀerently.”Dogs are categorized by height, age and experience level. ere is a “veteran” category for senior dogs. As Pamela Ford puts it, “it is possible to teach old dogs new tricks.” As for teaching new dogs new tricks, puppies have to be at least 18 months old to compete, but training can start around one year old. Muskokans interested in agility training are encouraged to reach out to the three clubs in the area. In addition to Northern Derby Agility, there is also Muskoka Agility Dogs in Huntsville, operated by Dan and Lynda Yielding. “It’s a huge sport,” says Bews. “And it’s quite the community to belong to. We’re all just having fun, and we help and support each other, rather than compete.”Bracebridge resident and artist Bonnie Bews and her pug, Sadie, placed rst at the Ontario Regionals in 2021. As a champion agility team, they’re excited to participate again this year, especially since its being hosted by the local partnership of the Northern Derby Agility Club.

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Serena West’s paintings have evolved from elaborate murals on buildings to capturing the natural beauty of her subject matter – people, places and animals. The expression of emotion and feeling is apparent in her paintings.The sound of birds singing, the fresh scent of pine trees, the invigorating embrace of a calm lake and the warm glow of sun on skin are the language Serena West speaks with her paintings.e natural world has always been West’s biggest source of inspiration. As a child, she spent most of her time outdoors riding her bike, searching for frogs and making friends with the trees. Even in the cold winters, she found ways to enjoy the great outdoors. West was born in St. Marys and spent her childhood years in London. When she was 14, her family moved to Hamilton. During these formative years, she was drawn to visual art, but it took her a while to develop the conﬁdence to pursue it. “I started drawing a little bit when I was a child, but I didn’t think I had a great artistic ability,” West recalls. “It wasn’t until I took some classes and learned some techniques that I started to believe in myself. Eventually I realized I could draw, and then I got excited about it.”West’s artistic talent bloomed, and she began her career by painting murals for homes and businesses in Hamilton. After her mural business started growing, she enrolled in formal studies at the Dundas Valley School of Art through McMaster University. “e courses blended painting techniques and just telling us to paint without any direction,” West explains. “It was a challenge, but in hindsight it forced me to think outside the box. ey encouraged us to ﬁgure out our own style so we wouldn’t become cookie-cutter artists.”West’s artistic training gave her the conﬁdence to express her own vision rather than just painting for others. Her love of nature and solitude pushed her Article by Bronwyn Boyer / Photography by Josianne Masseau 32 UNIQUE MUSKOKA June 2023

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away from city life and drew her to Muskoka. Having spent signiﬁcant time camping up north through the years, the move made sense. “I just fell in love with the area,” West explains. “I always loved how pristine and quiet it is. I loved being able to just jump in the lake in the summer and go cross-country skiing in the winter. I just wanted to be immersed in nature. at’s what has always stayed with me and continues to fuel me.” Muskoka’s varied landscapes, with rivers, lakes, forests and ﬁelds, provide endless inspiration, not to mention the variety of the seasons. While not new, her love of nature and enjoyment of all the outdoors has to oﬀer is evident in all of her artwork. “When I look back, I see how much the outdoors has always been a theme for me, and it’s coming out in my art more and more,” she says.As West became a mother, her focus shifted to raising her children. Even when she was too busy to paint, art was still a prominent part of her life. “I was always taking pictures wherever we went, so I could draw from those memories and pull them into my art,” she explains. “I also did art with my kids, giving them tips and tricks to help them with school projects. I knew I would eventually get back into it – it was always on my mind.”Once her kids were in school, West returned to painting. However, continuing her new work on canvas was a departure from her murals in Hamilton. “I started painting on canvas and expressing more of my Regardless of subject matter or medium, Serena West strives to create something that will resonate with people. To her, its less important if viewers pick up on the specic feelings she paints, as long as they get something out of it.

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34 UNIQUE MUSKOKA June 2023own emotions to rediscover that outlet,” she recalls. “It was a new exploration of subject matter more than what I did for a living. I was free to explore compositions, colours and landscapes that felt more natural to me.” is new journey as an artist led West to painting portraits and landscapes as a form of art therapy. e expression of emotion and feeling is apparent in her paintings. “I wanted to express what I saw in people’s faces,” she says. “We’ve all gone through hard times, and these experiences connect us. I want to tell their stories, and I also want to invoke the therapeutic elements of nature into my work. Now the two worlds are coming together.”Clearly, nature is important for West. Not only in joyful times but experiencing Muskoka’s natural beauty is a powerful form of therapy for her in challenging times as well. “I always ﬁnd myself out in nature when I go through diﬃcult times,” she explains. “e birds are singing, the light is coming through the trees, and it brings me a feeling of peace. So that’s what I try to capture in my paintings. I’m hoping to awaken memories in my viewer that connects them to nature. Maybe a lake scene will remind them of ﬁshing with their dad or camping trips with their friends. I’m hoping to spark that feeling.” By developing a body of work that combines portraits with landscapes, West is tapping into the common human experience as well as the connection to the environment. “I’ve always loved people’s stories,” explains West. “I wonder what has happened in a person’s life that shapes who they are. So, the result is a kind of a duality of stories and settings, wanting to capture human emotion and our connection to nature.” It is often said that the eyes are the windows to the soul. West’s portraits certainly reinforce this statement, as she studies her subjects to capture their sense of depth and intrigue. “Whether I’m painting people or animals, my favourite part to paint are the eyes,” says West. “I spend a lot of time trying to capture the expression. If I’m doing a commission for someone, I ask about that person’s character, their favourite colour, anything to help get to know them a bit. If it’s a pet, I ask about their quirks, because it informs the colours, the brush strokes, and the mood. If a dog is mischievous, for example, I’ll try to put a certain spark in the eye that speaks to that.” West’s show Passages at the Chapel Gallery in Bracebridge conveyed the experiences and emotions that connect people. Even when West is expressing pain in her work, there’s still beauty to be found. Female ﬁgures arranged to look poised and put together Muskoka’s varied seasons and landscapes, with rivers, lakes, forests and elds, provide endless inspiration for Serena West. While not new, her love of nature and enjoyment of all the outdoors has to oer is evident in all of her artwork.

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combined with raw emotion in the eyes creates an evocative juxtaposition. While the forms and colours are ﬂoral and feminine, the subject’s eyes and body language tell a diﬀerent story. “I wanted to co-ordinate a body of work that would look beautiful while expressing feelings that resonate with everyone,” says West. “We’ve all experienced loss and pain, and we want to ﬁnd our way to the other side. Art can create a space to be open and vulnerable – that it’s okay to not be okay. I think when we honour those feelings without ﬁghting them, we can move on to the happier times.”Regardless of subject matter or medium, West strives to create something that will resonate with people. It matters less to her if viewers pick up on the speciﬁc feelings she paints, as long as they get something out of it. “It’s like singing along to a song,” West explains. “Maybe the artist meant something When Serena West became a mother, her focus shied from art to raising her children. But even when she was too busy to paint, she recalls taking pictures so she could draw from those memories and pull them into her art.Serena West has developed a body of work that combines portraits with landscapes, tapping into the common human experience as well as the connection to the environment. Even when West is expressing pain in her work, there's still beauty to be found.June 2023 UNIQUE MUSKOKA 35

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36 UNIQUE MUSKOKA June 2023totally diﬀerent than what the listener interprets. I never know what someone else might see when they look a painting. If they feel something special, even if it’s just because I used a shade of yellow that reminds them of their mom’s curtains growing up, that’s beautiful to me.”West has also found value in sharing what she has learned about art by teaching drawing classes at e Annex in Bracebridge. West believes art is inclusive and accessible to all. “I think everyone is an artist. It’s just a matter of bringing it out,” she explains. “I think teaching helps me to be a better artist, and I consider it a piece of my own artistic journey. It’s rewarding if I can inspire others and help them ﬁnd their voice. It’s amazing how everyone’s style is so diﬀerent. I love the way people’s voices come through their pieces, and how their individuality comes alive.” An introvert by nature, teaching wasn’t something West thought she would be doing. She started by teaching friends, which was easier because she knew them. From there, she did some teaching online during the pandemic. “I got my feet wet with the online courses, and then I decided to try it out in person,” West says. “I quite enjoy it now, just sharing diﬀerent techniques I picked up along the way. ere are millions of techniques and all of them are valid. If I can share what I’ve learned, I can encourage people to tap into their own unique form of creativity.” In addition to displaying her work and teaching classes at e Annex, West is also on the board of directors of the Muskoka Arts & Crafts collective. “I want to connect to the community and help where I can,” she says. “It doesn’t seem like much, but it’s what I have, so it’s important to give.” Serena West believes art is inclusive and accessible to all. In addition to her own art, she has found value in sharing what she has learned about art by teaching drawing classes, rst to friends and now at The Annex in Bracebridge.It is oen said that the eyes are the windows to the soul. Serena West’s portraits certainly reinforce this statement, as she studies her subjects to capture their sense of depth and intrigue.

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38 UNIQUE MUSKOKA June 2023Article by Kelly Goslin / Photography by Tomasz SzumskiHistoric buildings are at the core of every town, city and nation, carrying legacies of struggle, perseverance, loss and triumph. rough their restoration and use, the memories and ideals of a community’s forebears are communicated through patina. e past itself is revitalized, and the innovation and creativity that deﬁned the buildings’ inception become once more a beacon for excitement and hope.Once known as the Dominion Linen Mill, the Muskoka Foundry in Bracebridge, like many other historic industrial buildings, has lived a multi-faceted life since its construction in 1903. Beginning as a trail-blazing linen mill, then transitioning into a fabrication factory under various owners, its soaring ceilings have overlooked many decades of life and ideas. Now, under the creative direction of Scott Harkness, its current owner, those memories from a bygone era have been born anew; its complex history preserved lovingly through modern rehabilitation. e To satisfy the intense re protocols and building codes, a total of 280 linear feet of re separation was added during renovations to the Foundry to separate almost 9,000 square feet of retail space from the 21,000 square feet of other use space.

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process has not been without its challenges, but like every great pioneering venture, perseverance and imagination have once again brought the Foundry to life.Prior to the construction of the Dominion Linen Mill, industry in the 1880s and 1890s throughout Muskoka was largely dominated by lumbering. According to labour historian Gregory S. Kealing in his book Dreaming of what might be: the Knights of Labor in Ontario, 1880-1900, both Muskoka and the Ottawa-Hull regions had “secured hegemony over the production of wood products” by the late Victorian era. In the year 1881, “over 800 adults and 64 children worked in Muskoka’s seventy-four mills.” at lumber-centricity did not, however, impede new manufacturing ventures entering Muskoka during the 1870s and 1880s. In Bracebridge, Henry J. Bird established his once Glen Allen-based woolen mill in 1872. e popularity of his operation necessitated expansion in 1888, and by 1911, there were three diﬀerent buildings comprising the Bird Mill compound. Wool and ﬁne yarns were imported to sustain increased demand, and the mill thrived in an ever-developing commercial landscape in Muskoka. Bird’s success is indicative of the growing diversiﬁcation of Muskoka industry that arose with an equally diversiﬁed consumer populace. e appetite to purchase goods in Muskoka was accelerating at a rapid pace, further compelling innovative businesspeople and merchants alike to rush in on the Northern opportunity. e combination of consumer appeal and natural amenities in Muskoka created ideal conditions for the establishment of Canada’s only Dominion Linen Mill location. According to the original published investment proposal from 1903, now on display in the Muskoka Foundry, it aimed to produce ﬁne linens and woven goods using Waterloo-based ﬂax, a crop greatly encouraged by colonial governments seeking to expand their oil and ﬁbre industries. Selecting North Falls (now Bracebridge) as a strategic location to establish a mill site, Dominion Linen Mills proposed a $250,000 building plan siding the Northern Railway tracks and in ideal proximity to the Muskoka River. In today’s money, the project would cost roughly $6.5 million dollars. It was an ambitious development aimed at capitalizing on a corner of Ontario never before incorporated into the ﬂax industry. e mill employed around 50 workers, primarily women from Ireland or of Irish descent, who were renowned for their skilled weaving craftsmanship. A list of passengers arriving to Canada to settle during the ﬁrst decade of the 20th century, on display at the Muskoka Foundry, lists several Irish women bound for Bracebridge to work at the Dominion Linen Mill. For a time, the linen mill ﬂourished, with 25 looms bustling as Bracebridge grew around it into a commercial epicentre for Muskoka. However, there were inherent challenges to the ﬂax industry in Ontario. Flax production and reﬁnement had started excelling in Western Canada and Ontario’s position was waning. World War I brought In purchasing the Foundry building, Harkness has endeavoured to preserve the many dierent iterations of its life since 1903. Cloth and linen antiques, foundry moulds and other items have been added to create a unique event space.In 2015, Scott Harkness and his late wife, Audrey van Petegem, purchased the Muskoka Foundry property, setting o on a path of remarkable heritage restoration and entrepreneurial ingenuity. With its revitalization, Muskoka Foundry is now alive with music, weddings, food tastings, wine samplings, and soon to be opened – an indoor Foundry Market.June 2023 UNIQUE MUSKOKA 39

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40 UNIQUE MUSKOKA June 2023rejuvenation to the ﬂax industry in Canada as Europe’s ﬁelds were decimated, but the Bracebridge mill could not withstand the ﬁnancial hardships long enough to see that stimulus. A funding incentive was oﬀered to Dominion Linen Mills by the Town of Waterloo, and the mill in Bracebridge closed in 1912.e building remained vacant for ﬁve years after this closure. However, in 1917, Mungo Park McKay purchased the property and moved his Bracebridge Bay Foundry facility into the mill. e newly minted Muskoka Foundry advertised as “Engineers, Machinists, Iron and Brass Founders.” e McKay family produced cast metal components and signs throughout the 1910s to 1950s, along with other necessary industrial metalworks. ere are vestiges of the foundry’s workmanship throughout Muskoka and beyond; manhole covers dotting the streets of Bracebridge, sawmill equipment at Saw Lake, and bridge and dam components in Fenelon Falls. Following World War II, Mungo Park McKay’s son Ron McKay took over the foundry. He continued its operation into the late 1950s. By 1961, the foundry was vacant, but in November of 1964 negotiations concluded between the McKay family and George W. Wilson, and the foundry became home to Bracebridge Manufacturing. Under the direction of Ron Wilson, the chief engineer, production lead and president of the reincarnated foundry, the building witnessed a major transformation, installing monumental steel beams and reinforcements, as well as the construction of towering new roofs. e Bracebridge Manufacturing and Steel Fabricating Company continued to produce large custom equipment, such as all-terrain vehicles and the now-famous swan tour boat for Santa’s Village. Selling to Northern Ontario Casting in 1974, the foundry went through several more decades under various owners as a metal fabrication plant. Between 2008 and 2010, the foundry was purchased by Jerry McNabb from Cross Tech Industries. It remained partially vacant at that point. e warehouse’s future was uncertain. In 2015, Audrey van Petegem and Scott Harkness purchased the property, setting oﬀ on a path of remarkable heritage restoration and entrepreneurial ingenuity. According to Scott Harkness, the building’s “rock-solid” construction, including a foundation “that is two feet thick with ﬁve feet below the surface” has ensured its stability despite its lengthy history. With steel beams from the 1960s that, according to Harkness’ engineer, rendered the structure “overbuilt,” it has stood relatively unscathed despite continued lapses of vacancy and minimal maintenance. e structural integrity has been vital for the Foundry’s restoration project. Many heritage buildings are at risk of demolition when left vacant for several years or more as disuse quickly undermines their structural reliability. Unfortunately, without champions to willingly embark on a challenging journey, there is little incentive for developers and entrepreneurs to revitalize heritage structures from local governments. Bracebridge, and the progress of the Muskoka Foundry, stand out as bastions of hope against this dreary backdrop of abandonment, according to Harkness. “e Town of Bracebridge was, and still is, incredibly supportive of this project,” shares Harkness. When he and his late wife Audrey went to the planning department in 2015 to propose their ideas for restoring the Foundry, they were met with what he describes as an “ecstatic” response. “ey’d been wondering for years what could possibly get done with the old Foundry property as it is right in the middle of a residential area,” he says.With the support of the Town as well as the District of Muskoka, and the enthusiasm of the community, the Foundry project commenced in 2016. While the bones of the structure were in exceptional The original foundry moulds have been lovingly assembled into two dierent wall installations, one covering a large area of re separation, the other providing a backdrop for a rened wine bar.A heritage wall of photographs is situated near the restrooms, showcasing a timeline of the Foundry and its restoration.

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condition upon purchase, it has been no small feat to bring the Muskoka Foundry back to life. ere were several major issues requiring immediate attention in order to secure the building’s safety, accessibility, and heritage integrity. “When we ﬁrst started with this project, we had to deal with rezoning the property,” stated Harkness, “and this took several years to get through.” e physical work of the structure commenced with the next signiﬁcant issue to address – ﬁre separation. Harkness explains that with “almost 9,000 square feet of retail space toward the front of the building, and about 21,000 square feet of other use space, we had to create a two-hour ﬁre separation between those two entities.” To satisfy the intense ﬁre protocols and building codes, there is a total of 280 linear feet of ﬁre separation, its implementation a lengthy task with a hefty expense. And that was just the tip of the iceberg. e interior of the Foundry needed signiﬁcant gutting, the removal of waste materials and miscellaneous obstructions to the historic framework, “stuﬀ that simply did not belong in this building,” according to Harkness. Wiring had to be completely overhauled, and the windows needed thorough restoration. To accommodate 18 bathrooms and two accessible restrooms, new plumbing had to be brought in through the ﬂoor, necessitating the trenching and removal of 400,000 lb. of concrete. Outside the building, soil remediation was needed to reduce a slightly higher heavy metal presence in the property, costing $88,000. It is one thing to renovate a heritage structure to possess the necessary modern amenities. However, how can one do so while still sensitively marrying contemporary demands with historic preservation? As an answer, Harkness referred to the quote he hand-inscribed across the ﬁre separation wall, taken from his hero Albert Einstein, whose face accompanies it – “Logic will get you from A to Z. Imagination will take you everywhere.” In purchasing the Foundry building, Harkness has endeavoured to preserve, the many diﬀerent iterations of its life since 1903. Cloth and linen-related antiques are situated throughout the building, paying homage to its Dominion Mill past. e original bricks have been carefully preserved, with any alterations completed using traditional methods. e original foundry moulds have been lovingly assembled into two diﬀerent wall installations, one covering a large area of ﬁre separation, the other providing a backdrop for a reﬁned wine bar. A heritage wall of photographs is situated near the restrooms, showcasing a timeline of the Foundry and its restoration. A mid-century style diner has been hand-constructed in the centre of the event space, a vibrant nod to the liveliness of the foundry under both McKay’s and Wilson’s ownership. Urban theorist Jane Jacobs argued “new ideas need old buildings.” e Muskoka Foundry building is now alive with music, weddings, food tastings, wine samplings, and soon to be opened – an indoor Foundry Market. e bustle of excited attendees to events and concerts, and soon customers for many local food businesses selling their fresh produce, bring footsteps and chatter back into the once silent structure. Not only has the Foundry been historically resurrected, but new opportunities and dreams for Bracebridge have arrived with its salvation. From a past of innovation and perseverance, the Muskoka Foundry is surging ahead to a future equally full of promise. A mid-century style diner has been hand-constructed in the centre of the event space, a vibrant nod to the liveliness of the foundry during its time as Muskoka Foundry and Bracebridge Manufacturing. Under the creative direction of Scott Harkness, memories from a bygone era have been born anew with the rehabilitation of Muskoka Foundry. Perseverance and imagination have once again brought the Foundry to life.June 2023 UNIQUE MUSKOKA 41

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Article by J. Patrick BoyerPhotograph: Atlas of Muskoka and Parry Sound DistrictsAer Canada’s Indian Aairs department removed Ojibwe villagers from Obajewanung in 1860, a Euro-Canadian village replaced it. Seymour Penson’s 1879 sketch shows, at le, Port Carling’s Steam Age sawmill, and at right, the lock and swing bridge.The road sign says only Port Carling, but ahead lie two villages.Over thousands of years, Muskoka became familiar territory to people living in physical and spiritual relationship with it. Along the splashing Baisong Rapids on the swift-ﬂowing river draining Lake Rosseau into Lake Muskoka, Ojibwe families created a village stretching across to Silver Lake, describing it, to assist way ﬁnders, as Obajewanung (narrows with a current.)e community had over 20 well-built log homes. Living oﬀ the land and relying on themselves, Obajewanung people planted, cultivated, then harvested potatoes, corn, beans, squash and other vegetables. Game was plentiful in nearby woods while ﬁsh awaited in the waters. ey built canoes to carry them into the lakes upstream and down, and to destinations beyond. An extensive network of woodland paths included their well-worn portage at the rapids. Obajewanung was part of a vast and diverse network of Indigenous societies across North, Central and South America. Despite variations in appearance, languages, and culture, these First Nations interacted and communicated in many well-honed ways. en, over many centuries, Norse, Portuguese, Spanish, Italian, Russian, French, British and German people, with others from Asia and Africa, appeared on the Western Hemisphere’s Atlantic and Paciﬁc coastlines. News of alien intruders and their activities spread among Indigenous people. “Contact” is today’s word for the long-running Port Carling librarian Leila Cope’s 1956 account of village history began with the arrival of settlers and has only a brief passing mention of Obajewanung, without using the Ojibwe village’s name. James Bartleman’s 2002 memoir documents the realities of life in both Indian River villages. Photograph: Boyer Family LibraryJune 2023 UNIQUE MUSKOKA 43

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44 UNIQUE MUSKOKA June 2023mash-up between Indigenous Peoples and foreigners of distinctly diﬀerent, mostly European, cultures. Yet whenever occurring, contact was never abstract. It had to happen in speciﬁc places and impact real peoples’ lives. In addition to Obajewanung being beautiful and bountiful, the strategic Ojibwe people chose this location for its centrality in Muskoka’s perplexing labyrinth of waterways. When a native guide paddled strangers to Obajewanung and asked the chief’s permission to come ashore, everyone from attentive elders to curious children silently observed the newcomers. Aware of what happened elsewhere, First Nations were now wary of white men with strange languages, clothing, tools and ideas about their territory. In the opening phase of contact, the newcomers depended on Indigenous men to guide them, interpret languages and weather, help with paddling and carrying, and living from nature’s resources. After the explorers and fur traders, the next phases arrived with surveyors, road builders and settlers. Stumbling over Ojibwe words, the English-speakers called Obajewanung simply “Indian Village.” In 1852, members of the settlers’ legislative assembly in the southern part of the province voted to “open up” wilderness lands north of the Severn River. Contact entered its next stage as logging crews felled forests northward from the river, government contractors developed colonization roads and homesteaders cleared more forest to farm Muskoka’s southern sections. By 1868, thinking settlement too slow, legislators added the enticement of free land for homesteaders.Government surveyors imposed a gridwork of rectangular lots on Obajewanung’s vacant terrain for Crown Land Agents to grant free land to qualifying homesteaders. e earlier trickle of settlers coming to farm Muskoka became a ﬂood. As part of the land clearance understanding, surveyors also measured oﬀ a ribbon of Obajewanung land beside the river for the Crown to hold as a token reserve for the Ojibwe.In 1866, Gravenhurst’s A.P. Cockburn introduced the Steam Age to the district by launching Wenonah (First-born daughter) on Lake Muskoka. Initially, he improvised getting steamers onto upper lakes Rosseau and Joseph. en, as Muskoka’s Liberal MPP in opposition, he parlayed his voting power in the legislature to support Ontario’s Conservative government for agreement to build a navigation lock at Baisong Rapids and dredge a navigable channel between Lake Rosseau and higher Lake Joseph to bring both to the same level. Cockburn speciﬁcally befriended Public Works Minister John Carling, MPP for London, whose family owned a brewery. Cockburn brought Carling to Muskoka, touring him through scenic lakes aboard Cockburn’s steamers, and convincing him of the urgent need for both the locks and channel. Back at the legislature, the two overcame strenuous opposition from MPPs ridiculing the “extravagant waste of public funds in unpopulated backwoods to connect a few remote beaver swamps.” In 1869, public works began lock construction and minister Carling consented when his friend Cockburn proposed naming the land beside them at Baisong Rapids in the beer scion’s honour. By 1871, steamships seamlessly moved settlers and cargoes through locks where Ojibwe once portaged canoes. Yet people of emerging Port Carling also used canoes, and their village at the river narrows perpetuated Obajewanung’s role as a hub of lakeland activity. By the 1880s, in a sort of reverse assimilation, settler society slipped into another First Nations pattern. e Ojibwe long had a mixture of full-time and seasonal residents in the district, which settlers now emulated. e stability and skills of permanent residents attuned to local conditions could mesh with more mobile people whose perspectives and resources were broader, to the mutual beneﬁt of both. In Muskoka’s industrializing stage of contact, steam transformed transport, farming, construction and manufacturing. Energy from waterfalls was no longer the sole form of power; logs became lumber in Port Carling’s steam-powered sawmill. Increasing steamships and workboats expanded the village’s importance as a transportation hub, intensiﬁed commerce and underpinned its hospitality services. Where Ojibwe artisans had crafted canoes, local settlers now built larger, heavier, sleeker boats.Construction of a highway gave Port Carling land access and a second main street; their intersection ﬁtted out with a swing bridge. e dual system allowed large vessels to function in an integrated water-land transport system. Villagers and visitors alike beneﬁtted, enjoying the best of two worlds with scenic travel on both water and land. Adopting the slogan “Hub of Muskoka,” Port Carling’s shops, bank, schools, library, churches, community hall, hotels, livery stables and motor vehicle garages, boat factories, marinas, golf clubs, playhouses, A 1920s view of the “Indian Camp,” remnant of the Ojibwe village Obajewanung that once extended over to Silver Lake. Both the Ojibwe and Wahta Mohawks called this area a “camp” while for non-Indigenous folk it was a "village," a nuanced dierence reecting a great deal of history. Photograph: Muskoka Lakes Museum

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nightclubs, restaurants and vacationer facilities secured the evolving village’s place as a lively, popular and special part of the Muskoka experience – a story for the history books.In 1940, Leila M. Cope became Port Carling’s librarian. By 1956, Cope had developed her account of village history, based on her immersion in village life, shared reminiscences of Port Carling’s charter families with her husband, John Cope, cultural osmosis and research at the library. at year, A History of the Village of Port Carling, the Hub of the Muskoka Lakes by Leila M. Cope was published. In 1972, the Herald-Gazette Press in Bracebridge re-issued the popular book in a large second printing. Like many accounts from the time-period, Cope’s book begins with arrival of Europeans: “e ﬁrst white men paddled from McCabe’s Bay (Gravenhurst) in birchbark canoes.” Replete with facts and photos of the settler families, their businesses and community organizations, Cope’s account of village history does not mention Obajewanung or Ojibwe people, nor even where those ﬁrst white men obtained the canoes or who guided them to the hub of the lakes. is much was recorded for posterity: “When the ﬁrst white man came about 1865, there were still a few Indians encamped on the shore of Silver Lake. By 1878, those of the hunting and ﬁshing way of life gave place to more aggressive settlers. Roads were being built where there had been trails; a small bridge replaced the log over the stream where the locks are now; log houses superseded huts; dugouts took the place of birchbark canoes.”It was a skimpy sketch. Yet by narrowly focusing on substance and progress as her settler society saw it, Cope failed to disclose the past that remained equally present.In 1940, Maureen Benson Simcoe, a member of the Rama community who had married Scots-Canadian Percy Bartleman, tucked her infant son into the bow of her canoe. James “Jim” Bartleman heard waves lapping against the canoe’s sides as his mother paddled from Lake Couchiching to the remnant of Obajewanung reserved for Ojibwe beside a big curve in the now named Indian River. e forested sloping riverbank had wooden buildings, tents and, up by the sidewalk along Port Carling’s main road, wooden shops where both Ojibwe and Isaiah Sahanatien (whose Mohawk name was Sahwentanon in place of Isaiah) stands in front of handmade baskets he brought from Wahta to sell at a streetside shop. Sahwentanon donned a feather headdress and fringed buckskins to appear to tourists as “a real Indian.”With the locks at Port Carling enabling steam-powered vessels of all sorts to easily move between the major lakes of Muskoka aer 1872, a frontier mixture of ruggedness and elegance typied the experience of seasonal vacationers and year-round Muskokans.Photograph: Wahta Mohawk Community ArchivesPhotograph: Frank Micklethwaite PhotographJune 2023 UNIQUE MUSKOKA 45

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46 UNIQUE MUSKOKA June 2023Mohawk crafters sold tourists hand-woven baskets incorporating quill designs and the sensuous aroma of sweetgrass, wood-carved souvenirs, toy birchbark canoes, and sometimes paddles and snowshoes. With Muskoka now passing through its “Indian Tourism” phase of contact, men often wore fringed buckskin clothing and feather headdresses to appear more authentic in the eyes of visitors from the cities. Summering Indigenous People also came, ironically, like vacationing visitors themselves, from permanent homes. ey had never stopped “returning home” from Ojibwe reserves at Rama and Parry Island. Indeed, on the principle of strength in numbers, they invited Mohawks from Wahta to join them. Mixing was limited, but they shared the joy: people marginalized by settler society had their own piece of Muskoka, in the very heart of Port Carling. Coming in numbers every summer, their lives wove intimately into village life.Jim Bartleman grew up with his family, living full-time in Port Carling, visiting relatives at the Indian Village, learning every dimension of village life. When they lived in a tent near the dump, he found and read discarded comic books. Witnessing this, Percy Bartleman showed Jim serious books in the village library. e bright lad never again returned to comics. In time, after a foreign service career at top levels, being advisor on foreign aﬀairs to Canada’s prime minister, and representing the Crown as Ontario’s ﬁrst Indigenous lieutenant-governor, Bartleman wrote award-winning books about “a diﬀerent Muskoka” from his perspective of life in a village that had been his home, too.“Within a block of a few square miles, Port Carling’s winners and losers squeezed into a small village of no more than 500 permanent residents and several thousand summer dwellers,” recalls Bartleman. “In my youth, I imagined the village was like every other place. Only later did I realize it would be hard to ﬁnd another place in Canada where the contrasts were so pronounced between rich and poor, sophisticated and rude, city and country, Gentile and Jew, American and Canadian, descendants of original settlers and newcomers. We Indians were the invisible brown minority at the bottom of the heap, which at least gave me an ideal observation deck.”With one village inside another like a Russian doll, each community is curiously shadow and substance of the other. e reality of the interconnectedness of the two communities is something to ponder, whether on a Port Carling bench in what is now oﬃcially James Bartleman Island Park or while boating through the locks on either side of this island. While the Port Carling of today is a reﬂection of the impact of ﬁrst contact and the settlement that followed, the importance of Obajewanung ranges far deeper than shared in history books.The village on the Indian River, in both its incarnations, was a hub of activity and reliable place for food and other necessities. In the settler village of Port Carling, the businesses of William Hanna and his descendants included in the 1920s this main street general store and post oce. Percy Bartleman took this sunny photograph of his wife Maureen holding their daughter Mary, with Jim, Janet, and Bob in front, swimming at the Indian River near their house. The family lived year-round in Port Carling.Photograph: Frank Micklethwaite PhotographPhotograph: Bartleman Family Collection

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48 UNIQUE MUSKOKA June 2023Article by Bronwyn Boyer / Photography by Josianne MasseauWhether it’s a song, a deep question, a problem or a new skill, Douglas McLean is determined to conquer it. McLean is a true Renaissance man. He’s a sensitive soul with a powerful singing voice and the heart of a poet. He’s a business-minded mathematical genius who turned a small start-up company into a monolith. And he’s a proliﬁc radio personality, interviewer and writer. McLean was an academically gifted child but his teachers weren’t sure how to guide him. He was only 12 when he entered high school, and he was diﬀerent than the other kids. His relentless curiosity was seen as troublesome rather than a sign of intelligence. As a youth grappling with the weight of his own busy mind, he was often misunderstood. But no matter how many times he got lost, his ingenuity and determination always led him back to his true north.And that true north, it seems, is music. It started with summer camp through the YMCA, singing old gospel songs around the campﬁre. Combined with his early love for nature, it was his summer camp experience

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that ﬁrst sparked his soul. “ose gospel songs got deep under my skin,” McLean says. “And then the Beatles came along, and I really started aching to play an instrument. I would drive my mother crazy using her knitting needles as drumsticks, banging on everything in the house. So, my parents got me a drum kit.”McLean grew up in Lively, a small mining community, now a part of Sudbury. He was the oldest of three children. His father was a minister, and it caused a lot of issues between them. McLean’s burning desire to understand the meaning of life led to him to explore philosophies outside of his religious upbringing. He dove head-ﬁrst into the work of Leonard Cohen, Margaret Atwood and TS Elliot. But his father didn’t approve of these interests. “Around age 13, I decided that I wanted to be a poet, and my father was furious,” says McLean. “e cultural climate at that time was quite diﬀerent, and poets were seen in a certain negative light.” e conﬂict with his father often led to McLean being cast out of his family home. But it didn’t stop him from living life on his own terms. McLean’s home life also came under a lot of strain when his younger sister was diagnosed with cancer at age 13. “It really shaped the dynamic of our household,” McLean says. “Everything was changing so rapidly. I left home for good at age 16, but thanks to my summer camp experience, I didn’t have any trouble taking care of myself in the woods. I was just a kid on my own, drifting around in the world.”But drifting around in the world is what gave McLean the freedom to start singing and playing drums with his next-door neighbour, who played bass. “We started playing gigs and eventually we got pretty professional,” McLean recalls. “But I had trouble controlling my foot and singing at the same time. Our manager decided to ﬁnd another drummer and I just sang.” When his bass player taught him basic guitar chords, McLean wrote his ﬁrst song the same day. Soon after, he had enough to record his ﬁrst album. Despite having a good following from playing music, his fascination with non-traditional inquiry pulled him in a diﬀerent direction. Investigating esoteric knowledge and the quest for meaning became the centre of his existence. “I think what created that drive had a lot to do with my sister’s illness,” McLean explains. “And the over-arching question plaguing our family was, how could this happen?” In 1975, McLean tried to break into the music industry in Los Angeles. By then, he was married and had a child.“It changed my life, just being exposed to that culture,” McLean says. “I was just a kid from a small town. I didn’t know how to write about what I was experiencing. I was overwhelmed.”McLean returned home when his younger brother got into a serious motorcycle Throughout his life, music has been a true north for Douglas McLean. Despite the unlikely connection, including his musical background on his application to the University of Toronto masters of business program set him apart. June 2023 UNIQUE MUSKOKA 49

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When you shop in our store...you’re supporting the work of Canadian artisans, writers, craftspeople and other unique Muskoka businesses.28 MANITOBA STREET, BRACEBRIDGESHOP ONLINEwww.uniquemuskoka.com 50 UNIQUE MUSKOKA June 2023accident. His family was growing and he struggled to ﬁnd work in Sudbury, so they moved to Toronto, where McLean got a job at a luggage company. “My boss was a master engineer, and I begged him to teach me what he knew,” McLean recalls. “He ﬁnally agreed, and I’d go home every night and study my brains out.”e engineering knowledge McLean was able to absorb opened the door to another job where he applied his knowledge of line balancing and production scheduling. “I was really good at math, so I just fell in love with it,” says McLean. “ere’s a rhythm to it for me that’s a lot like music.”McLean then took some university courses in logistics. “I was hungry to get moving forward,” he explains. “e goal was to have a nice home in the country to raise my kids.” By this time, McLean had three children, so his priorities had shifted. “I wrote out a map for myself of how to achieve my goal in ﬁve years. I told my boss that if he didn’t help me achieve that goal, I was going to quit. ey gave me a promotion.”at promotion landed McLean the role of manager of Beckers Milk, where he oversaw 100 people. “I ﬁgured out that success is achieved by empowering people,” he explains. “I talked to my staﬀ one by one about their dreams and aspirations, so they would feel heard and valued. After that, everything took oﬀ – absenteeism went down, and production went up.”At that time, the inventory system was written on cards. It was very diﬃcult to organize a 20,000 sq. ft. warehouse full of When Douglas McLean turned 60, he wrote his second album, Cold Black Moon. When his father passed, McLean felt as though the oodgates opened. He penned songs about the love he had for those he had lost and those songs resonated with people.

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Specializing in Private Events, Wheelie Good Coffee brings a delightful selection of espresso coffees and refreshments to Weddings, Film shoots and Corporate promotions. Exclusively serving Muskoka since 2016.To book or check availability, text/talk with Matthew directly 416 795 3195matthew@wheeliegoodcoffee.caconvenience store items. Ever the problem solver, McLean started hanging around the computer centre for answers. “A computer guy said I could write the codes myself,” says McLean. “I started staying after work with a book from the library trying to learn how to code. I eventually ﬁgured out how to write a program that ran an inventory system. I got promoted, but it cost me my marriage, because I was never home.”Next, McLean worked for a start-up company making specialty meats for pizza toppings. By then, he was the single dad of three boys. When McLean met his current wife and ﬁddle player, Arlene, his life turned around. “We’ve been married almost 30 years, and she’s pretty much the best thing that ever happened to me,” McLean says. “When I met her, I felt like I’d known her my whole life.” e couple bought property in Sundridge in 1990 and built their home there. McLean got accepted into the University of Toronto masters of business program, thanks to the fact that he included songwriting on his application. Through the COVID-19 pandemic, Douglas McLean hosted Behind the Drive on Hunter’s Bay Radio. He conducted over 200 interviews, among those the likes of Bruce Cockburn, Shirley King, and Blue Rodeo.June 2023 UNIQUE MUSKOKA 51

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52 UNIQUE MUSKOKA June 2023DOWNTOWN PORT CARLINGbeautiful results. beautiful you.QUALITYCOSMETIC SERVICES905.626.3080ENDURINGBEAUTY.CAENDURINGBEAUTYCLINIC@GMAIL.COMnursechristinernSCHEDULE YOURCONSULTATIONWITH CHRISTINE, RN“I couldn’t believe that my music background, that seemingly foolish thing I pursued in my teens, could bear such incredible fruit,” recalls McLean. “ey wanted a fresh element to the old way of thinking. It set me apart from the other applicants.” McLean started writing songs and performing again when he was hired by the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture teaching meat formulation science. “I actually got hired because I had songwriting on my resume,” McLean says. “My boss wanted me to prove it, so he had me write him a song. It got me thinking about songwriting in a mechanical way, and I got something from that. ey wanted me to write a song for every event, and that became the basis for getting back into music.” When McLean turned 60, he wrote his second album, Cold Black Moon. “My father was really sick then, and I had to rush to him and be by his side,” says McLean. “And as he passed away, it was like he gave me a blessing, a mystical gift that would allow me to write songs. at’s when the ﬂoodgates opened up. Love ‘Em Today and Rawley were songs that really touched people. I was writing about my love for those who passed on, and my brother who was in the wind, homeless for most of his life.”When McLean wrote his next album, After All is Time, he felt he ﬁnally realized what songwriting is. “I had to write songs from a diﬀerent place in myself,” he explains. “Trusting something I never had to trust before – that art can ﬁnd you, instead of the other way around.” Like everything else McLean does, his fourth album, Land of My Fathers, was a challenge he gladly accepted. “I like what happens creatively when you force yourself to be on the high wire,” he says. “at’s where the real art exists.” McLean’s ﬁfth album Born to Fly was a warning about the political turmoil in the United States and the dangers of nuclear war. Like Bruce Cockburn and Bob Dylan, McLean felt the need to use music to speak about the injustices in the world. “Our society has so much blood on our hands, and it’s seeping up through the cracks,” he explains. “It was really bothering me, and I felt the need to say something.”McLean’s next musical projects were producing two charity albums to raise money for Community Living, called Helping Hands.“We got a few local artists involved and put on a concert at the Algonquin eatre,” he says. “Everyone got a CD with their ticket price. I’d love to do more of that. I think it’s important to use music to help those in need.” Since retiring in 2016, McLean has been busy producing radio shows, writing album reviews and articles, interviewing prominent musicians, playing in a local rock band, and performing with Arlene. McLean’s foray into radio began when Hunter’s Bay Radio (HBR) in Huntsville was looking for someone to take over their Live Drive series and The release of multiple albums is just one of many achievements for Douglas McLean. His quest for the meaning of life may not be complete, but he has a wealth of gratitude for the places it has taken him.

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BRACEBRIDGE GENERATION LTD.Water Power Generating a Cleaner EnvironmentInterested in more information or a free tour? www.bracebridgegeneration.comhe answered the call. From there, he also ended up with his own blues show that aired Monday nights, called Blue Monday. But things changed with HBR when the pandemic hit. “When COVID-19 happened, I had acts booked six months in advance for Live Drive,” McLean explains. “And I was determined to come up with a way of recording those shows remotely rather than canceling them altogether. at’s how I came up with Behind the Drive.” Somehow, the musicians and interviews McLean featured on Behind the Drive caught the attention of B.B. King’s daughter, Shirley. “All of a sudden I got a call from a guy in Las Vegas, asking if I wanted to interview Shirley King,” McLean recalls. “at’s when I started getting a lot of calls to do interviews.” Before long, McLean had 200 interviews under his belt. Getting to interview his hero Bruce Cockburn was a landmark moment. Others were Blue Rodeo, Blackie and the Rodeo Kings, Martin Sexton, Murray McLaughlin, Ian Tamblyn and Martin Barre from Jethro Tull. He connected with Blues & Roots Radio and did interviews for their series, e Sound Café. He also launched a new show on Canoe FM in Haliburton called Night Train and began writing album reviews for Great Dark Wonder. He also got a job at Huntsville Doppler writing articles to spotlight local artists and musicians. “I needed to keep my intellect sharp,” McLean explains. “And since I wasn’t really writing music, I wanted to write about music. My goal was to try to ﬁgure out why artists keep going in what seems to be a ridiculous pursuit. I’m fascinated by that drive, that spark, and where it comes it from.” McLean’s quest for the meaning of life may not be complete, but he has a wealth of gratitude for the places it has taken him. By staying curious, humble and generous, he keeps that creative spark alive. “I just want people to follow their soul’s true purpose,” he says. “To keep learning, use their gifts, and never give up. I think my old friend Ian Tamblyn said it best: ‘If it’s in you, it’ll never let you go.’”McLean’s message, in all he does, is to stay inspired at all costs. 28 MANITOBA STREET, BRACEBRIDGE 705-637-0204A TRULY MUSKOKA GIFTCoasters, Bracelets and Zippered Linen Bags featuring a vintage Muskoka map designAVAILABLE ONLY ATJune 2023 UNIQUE MUSKOKA 53

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54 UNIQUE MUSKOKA June 2023Muskoka Beach Road eyed for new Bracebridge hospitale forecast for the future of healthcare in Muskoka became a little clearer recently. Muskoka Algonquin Healthcare (MAHC) revealed a preferred new site for a hospital in Bracebridge and the construction dates for the new hospital as well as the new Huntsville hospital.During a public meeting at the Rotary Centre for Youth in Bracebridge on April 22, it was revealed the preferred site of the new Bracebridge hospital is 1975 Muskoka Beach Road.MAHC recently hosted a series of open houses across the region wherein they also discussed their plans to have shovels in the ground at both sites by 2029. e new Huntsville hospital will be built on the site of the current hospital.e site of the existing South Muskoka Memorial Hospital is too small to accommodate a new hospital, according to MAHC. e existing site on Ann Street is roughly 11 acres, while Huntsville Hospital sits on some 46 acres.MAHC started out with 20 potential sites in south Muskoka before narrowing them down to just three - Highway 118 West, 300 Pine Street, and the preferred site on Muskoka Beach Road.During the public meeting in Bracebridge, a consultant hired by MAHC pointed out that the terrain on Muskoka Beach Road is more suitable for the construction of a hospital, already serviced, free of major environmental concerns, easily accessible and close to the highway. In addition, there is available land nearby suitable for further development. e development of the two new hospitals is expected to cost amlost $1 billion dollars. It’s expected that Muskoka will need to come up with roughly $225 million, as the local share contribution. e two hospital foundations will be responsible for raising the money, as well as Muskoka’s six area municipalities, and the District of Parry Sound.Part of the funding will come from the sale of the current site of the South Muskoka Memorial Hospital and Fairvern Long-Term Care facility in Huntsville, which is also moving.MAHC representatives pointed out that the site on Muskoka Beach Road has not been selected deﬁnitively and they will continue discussions with the Town of Bracebridge.Representatives also said that time is of the essence as the current government still supports the proposed two-site model for Muskoka and they must carry the momentum forward to ensure the process continues.Muskoka welcomes rst EV showe future is on its way to Bracebridge and it’s electric.On May 27, Muskoka Conservancy and Climate Action Muskoka will co-host the ﬁrst ever Muskoka Electric Vehicle (EV) Show at the Bracebridge Fairgrounds.Organizers say the event will include an electric vehicle show, presentations, question and answer sessions and even the opportunity to test drive an EV. “e future is electric, and the faster we can get there the better,” said Peter Love, an energy consultant and Muskoka Conservancy board member who instigated the idea. “Muskoka is well-positioned to be a leader in this revolution.”According to Leslie Hastie, the lead event organizer with Climate Action Muskoka, private vehicles are responsible for almost 70 per cent of all community greenhouse gas emissions in Muskoka.“Switching to electric promises to make a huge diﬀerence here,” says Hastie. “People Whats HappenedPhotograph: Muskoka Algonquin Healthcare (MAHC)On May 27 Muskoka Conservancy and Climate Action Muskoka will co-host the rst ever Muskoka Electric Vehicle (EV) Show at the Bracebridge Fairgrounds.Photograph: Unsplash ImagesIn April, Muskoka Algonquin Healthcare (MAHC) revealed a preferred new site for a hospital in Bracebridge and the construction dates for the new hospital as well as the new Huntsville hospital.

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are excited to see and test drive and learn about electric vehicles. e Muskoka EV Show will help them make that move.”Organizers say they expect to see new EVs from Cavalcade Ford, Tesla, Muskoka Nissan and Hyundai of Muskoka, as well as new electric bikes from the 171 Electric Bike Company. Local boat builder Stan Hunter will be on hand to discuss his conversion of a launch to electric power.ere will be park and display areas with electric cars and bikes being shown by their owners who will be on hand to answer any questions and potentially take visitors along for a test drive.ere will be presentations from the Electric Vehicle Society, enVigo, Lakeland, Plug Drive and reinkgreen. Keynote speaker Steve Lapp will share his expertise on EVs and low-carbon energy technology system design and education. Spin the Lakes returns on May 27e always-popular Spin the Lakes fundraiser for mental health services in Muskoka and Parry Sound will be returning to local roadways on May 27.Participants will set out from Hidden Valley Resort in Huntsville before tackling distances of 175 km, 102 km, 57 km or 20 km. Routes vary but the longest distance will take cyclists over moderate rolling hills through Baysville, Port Sydney, Windermere and Brackenrig before returning to Hidden Valley.e event is not a race and riders of all skill levels are encouraged to participate. Water stations for athletes will be set up along the route and afterwards there will be swag bags, prizes and a buﬀet at Hidden Valley Resort with live music.Spin e Lakes has donated proceeds to a number of causes since the event began in 2015. Over the years recipients have included Sears Cancer for Kids and active living initiatives within Muskoka. Organizer Jim Brendish decided the main beneﬁciary should be the Canadian Mental Health Association shortly after reading the book Open Heart, Open Mind by Canadian Olympic cyclist and speed skater Clara Hughes, in which she discusses her own mental health struggles. Huntsville Festival of the Arts announces summer line-upSummer is just around the corner and the Huntsville Festival of the Arts (HFA) has a full slate of events to keep you entertained. e HFA recently unveiled their summer lineup with events and artists that run the artistic gamut.“e theme of our summer season is Arts with Taste,” says Dan Watson, executive director of Huntsville Festival of the Arts. “We aim to present a diverse menu of tasty artistic dishes that entertain, enrich, delight and showcase our beautiful region. We also strive to keep our programming ﬁnancially accessible by oﬀering free or low-cost events, discounted seniors pricing and $20 youth programming to all our shows.”Fifteen-time Juno award winner Jim Cuddy of Blue Rodeo fame will be one of the headliners of this year’s event when he visits the Algonquin eatre on August 9.Some of the other big names set to grace the stage this summer include Canada’s Celtic ambassadors the Barra MacNeils, legendary musicians Lighthouse celebrating 50 years in music, and jazz virtuoso Holly Cole.is year’s edition of the festival will also boast an eclectic blend of programming that includes the Grammy-winning Alex Cuba showcasing his unique mixture of Latin rhythms and pop. Internationally-renowned soprano Measha Brueggergosman-Lee returns with a program of pop, show tunes, and spirituals, and rising indigenous folk artist Aysanabee shares his powerful voice and storytelling. Indie Rockers Lowest of the Low return and Grammy-nominated country artist Steven Lee Olsen, whose music has been recorded by Keith Urban, Garth Brooks, Rascal Flatts and more, makes his Huntsville debut.Summer will also mark the return of the always popular Nuit Blanche North, a one-night multi-art street festival that takes over downtown Huntsville. Considered a signature event, Nuit Blanche North RESIDENTIAL • COMMERCIALINDUSTRIAL519.865.6209ARKLTD.CAGENERATORSSMART HOME SYSTEMSNEW CONSTRUCTIONLIGHTINGECRA/ESA #7010474FineCanadian Craft & Painting1073 Fox PointDwight705.635.1602Ann Shier, Lingerencaustic (wax) oxtonguecraf tcabin.com 28 MANITOBA STREET, BRACEBRIDGEAvailable atThe Iconic T1 Bucket HatJune 2023 UNIQUE MUSKOKA 55

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56 UNIQUE MUSKOKA June 2023705.645.4294 TF: 866.645.4294STORE: 228 TAYLOR RD., BRACEBRIDGEOFFICE: 1646 WINHARA RD., GRAVENHURSTSales & Service of MajorPropane Appliances(refrigerators, ranges, fireplaces, furnaces & more)Safe & reliableNo electricity requiredBulk propane deliveryto your home or cottageAppliancesSERVING MUSKOKA &PARRY SOUND FOROVER 70 YEARSfeatures artistic events, exhibits and activities in unconventional places in and around Huntsville’s downtown core. Movies on the Docks oﬀer a boat-in or walk-in movie experience with a double-sided screen displaying ﬁlms for the audience both on land and in the water.e Tom omson canoe murals, En Plein Air Art Market and the Huntsville Art Crawl also have something for lovers of the visual arts.ere are many acts and events taking place throughout HFA’s season so visit hunstvillefestival.ca for more information. Robinson’s General Store in Dorset under new ownershipAfter serving as a cornerstone of the Dorset community for more than a century, Robinson’s General Store has seen a considerable amount of change in the past few years.Robinson’s opened in 1921 and grew steadily over the years into a sprawling 14,000 sq. ft. location oﬀering all manner of goods, including a Food Town supermarket and a Home Hardware location. e Robinson family sold the store in 2021 to a family from Orangeville. However, in January of this year the store was abruptly shuttered after the new owners ran into ﬁnancial diﬃculties.Following a signiﬁcant outcry from the Dorset community, the Robinson family once again became involved in eﬀorts to ﬁnd a new owner. ose eﬀorts proved successful when, in March, Joanne Robinson announced on behalf of the Robinson family via social media that new owners had been found.e new owners are brothers Ven Komina and Satya Jyesta and by early April, the store had once again reopened.“We look forward to the community welcoming the new people and giving them all the support they need to allow the store to thrive again,” said Joanne Robinson.Bracebridge tightens up short-term rental rulese contentious subject of short-term rental accommodations (STRAs) has once again been centre stage at Bracebridge council this year.The Dreamboats are just one of many acts in Huntsville Festival of the Arts summer lineup this year. Events and artists run the artistic gamut, while the theme of the season is “Arts with Taste.”Photograph: The DreamboatsNew owners of Robinson’s General Store in Dorset, brothers Ven Komina and Satya Jyesta, reopened in early April 2023 aer the store’s previous owners shuttered operations briey in January. Photograph: Robinson's General Store

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DONATE TODAY www.hospicemuskoka.com/donatePlease Consider Supporting Hospice MuskokaWe are thankful to each and every donor for your generous investment in our communities, and for considering Hospice Muskoka as your charity of choice.Dying with Dignity and in Comfort is Everyone’s RightHelp Us Help Others with a charitable gift in your Will or estate plan, while still supporting those you love.Earlier this year councillors decided to tighten regulations on STRAs following several debates on the best path forward.STRAs have been an increasingly controversial issue throughout Muskoka over the past several years. As their numbers have proliferated across the region, so have the number of complaints ranging from issues of excessive noise and rowdy parties to parking problems and unresponsive property owners.Last year, the Town of Bracebridge hired consultants to take a closer look at the issue and in April they came back to council with the results of their study and recommendations.e consultants, WSP Canada Inc., put forward several recommendations including setting a maximum number of STRA licenses, laying out clear eligibility criteria and undertaking a study to determine the feasibility of a Municipal Accommodation Tax (MAT).Town staﬀ initially recommended council not proceed with the changes outlined by the consultants, saying the existing rules were suﬃcient to address the issue. Data collected from March 2022 to March 2023 shows that Bracebridge bylaw enforcement received 11 calls for service to STRAs, representing three per cent of the total calls for service during that time. Immediate voluntary compliance was met by nine respondents. Two calls for service were identiﬁed as repeat oﬀences, which received an oﬀence notice or order. e majority of the calls were for noise violations, open-air burning and illegal operation.For 2022, from when the bylaw was passed until the end of the year, 47 applications were submitted and 38 were approved. A major issue of debate was that while some councillors said they had been inundated with complaints, others said they had heard nothing at all.In the end, council decided to vote against staﬀ’s advice and moved forward with the consultant's recommendations. Implementation of the recommendations includes further investigation of an MAT which would be applicable to STRAs, as well as hotels, motels and bed and breakfasts. e tax would be reinvested in tourism promotion.Feature by Matt DriscollPhotograph: Tegan MierleBracebridge town council recently heard from consultants, WSP Canada Inc., with recommendations for regulating short-term rental accommodations (STRAs) including setting a maximum number of STRA licenses, laying out clear eligibility criteria and undertaking a study to determine the feasibility of a Municipal Accommodation Tax (MAT).June 2023 UNIQUE MUSKOKA 57

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Each spring, it could have been your mom, or your father, or your grandmother, depending on who was the family baker, they had a tradition. Step outside to the garden, harvest some thick, satiny red stalks from a sprawling plant (with wrinkly leaves you were warned not to eat), chopped them up, liberally coated them with sugar in a pie shell and baked it in the oven – rhubarb pie. Rhubarb originated in Asia, came to Europe via the Silk Road and was then brought to North America by pioneers, to become a classic Canadian ingredient. It is so hardy that at Arrowhead Park’s pioneer homestead, where everything else resembling a crop was long ago supplanted by nature, the untended rhubarb patch still thrives. At Brooklands Farm, near Bracebridge, there are rows of rhubarb expanded from a patch planted in 1876.at same year, Charles Riley, his wife Emma and their children moved into a log cabin on the property and the painstaking work of clearing the land began. Since then, it has been passed down over ﬁve generations to Ken Riley, his wife Katya and the sixth generation, their sons Nikhil and Rohan. Over the decades, the farm has transformed from a dairy operation into an organic market gardening site and maple syrup sugarbush. It is now also an event venue, hosting weddings and other celebrations in 58 UNIQUE MUSKOKA June 2023Rhubarb:Article by K.M. Wehrstein / Photography by Tomasz SzumskiTangy, tart, seasonal favouriteDan and Grace Willow, owners of Windmill Bakery in Huntsville, mix up a delicious strawberry-rhubarb lling which they use for pies, tarts and danishes, including some gluten-free options.

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its idyllic heritage setting.Katya expects Brooklands Farm rhubarb to become available for sale around the Victoria Day weekend, depending, like everything agricultural, on the weather. Growing this magniﬁcent vegetable, she shares, is not all that hard.“It needs a location in full sun – meaning sun dawn to dusk, no shade at all – and extremely rich soil,” Riley says. “Plant a bed in full sun, with plenty of compost and plenty of manure. Dig deep, two feet, because the roots go quite deep.” e Rileys spread lime on their soil to oﬀset its natural granite-country acidity for all their other vegetables but the rhubarb does ﬁne without it. Its own natural acidity is the source of its signature tartness. Start a patch not with seeds but with rootstock acquired from a friend or family member’s garden or a local nursery. “Plant so that the shoots are above the ground, as soon as you can work the soil,” Katya instructs. “It’s pretty hardy; it can handle frost.” She recommends not harvesting the plants for two years to let them get well-established. After that, with a little watering, weeding and a dose of manure every few years, the patch will generally do well. Take caution with the leaves, particularly if they’ve ﬂowered. e leaves contain oxalic acid, enough that eating them can kill a child.To harvest, don’t pick more than 15 to 25 per cent of the stalks per year, depending on how proliﬁc and strong the plant is. Cutting the stalk free isn’t required. Holding the bottom and pop oﬀ the stalk with a ﬁrm pull, Katya advises. Katya’s ﬁrst recipe is a simple crumble she’s been making as long as she’s been on the farm, in which the sweetness used to oﬀset the rhubarb’s tartness is truly Canadian. “ey juxtapose each other in ﬂavour,” Riley says. “Rhubarb is tart and sour, maple syrup is sweet and rich.”Her second recipe is oﬀered in response to my question, “How about a rhubarb Rhubarb-Maple Crumble – Katya RileyIngredients4 cups rhubarb, chopped into inch-long pieces1 ½ cups Brooklands Farm dark maple syrup1 tsp vanilla extractMethod• Put in a pot over medium heat, cook until the rhubarb softens, about seven minutes. Pour into an oven-proof dish. Note: when cooked, rhubarb produces its own liquid as it softens.To make the crumb topping:2 large eggs¼ pound butter (salted)2 cups ﬂour¼ cup Brooklands Farm dark maple syrup½ tsp baking powder • Mix these ingredients well and sprinkle on top of rhubarb maple mix. • Bake at 350° F (180° C) until golden-brown, about 20 minutes.• Serve with ice cream or whipped cream. Yields dessert for four. At Brooklands Farm, near Bracebridge, there are rows of rhubarb expanded from a patch planted in 1876. Brooklands has been passed down through the Riley family over ve generations to Ken Riley, his wife Katya and the sixth generation, their sons Nikhil and Rohan.Brooklands Rhubarb Maple Gin Sling – Katya RileyIngredients 2 cups rhubarb, chopped into inch-long pieces1 cup Brooklands Farm dark maple syrup1 Tbsp orange zestMethod• Combine all ingredients in a pot over medium heat, simmer until rhubarb is soft.• Place 1 or 2 Tbsp (as desired) of this mixture in a cocktail glass.• Add 1 ounce gin or vodka (as desired).• Complete the mix with soda water or tonic water.• Stir with a stick of fresh rhubarb stalk and leave in glass as a garnish.Farmer/Bartender’s Tips• To add colour, stir in ½ tsp of organic beetroot powder. “It makes it a nice pink and goes well with the rhubarb as it has an earthy ﬂavour.”June 2023 UNIQUE MUSKOKA 59

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daiquiri?” Not quite, but still a cocktail; the recipe was tweaked from one provided by a friend.Another sourness-foiling tactic for rhubarb desserts is combining it with strawberries, as we explored in depth with four mouth-watering recipes in a previous Cottage Country Cuisine (June 2018 – what, you haven’t kept all your old copies of Unique Muskoka? at’s okay, they’re all on our website archive.)Dan and Grace Willow, owners of Windmill Bakery in Huntsville, mix up a delicious strawberry-rhubarb ﬁlling which they use for pies, tarts and danishes, all for sale there year-round. is fruity ﬁlling started with a recipe from the bakery’s previous owner, Tjeerd Wouda, and was (as all recipes are) tweaked.“ose days we experimented,” Grace, who handles the sales and marketing end of the business explains. “We had a rhubarb and custard danish. ere’s a reason people want rhubarb. ey want the tartness, but typically in contrast with sweetness.”Dan Willow’s ﬁrst trade was carpentry, but he now manages the production end as head baker. “It’s very ﬁbrous, stringy, and obviously very bitter,” he says of rhubarb. “You have to ﬁnd the balance of baking too much or too little, which varies with larger or smaller pieces.”e Windmill Bakery strawberry-rhubarb ﬁlling was originally used for pie only, which was one of its top-selling products. But one day about a year ago, Grace recalls, the baking crew found themselves with some extra tart shells left over from an order. “We said ‘Let’s ﬁll them with strawberry-rhubarb ﬁlling.’ And it was a big hit. Customers were asking ‘When are you going to have more of these?’ ey kept selling, ﬂying oﬀ the shelves. So, it’s now become a staple, a new standard product, available 60 UNIQUE MUSKOKA June 2023Strawberry-Rhubarb Filling – Grace WillowIngredients1,300 g rhubarb (fresh or frozen), chopped into ¾ inch pieces700 g strawberries (fresh or frozen), cored160 g white sugar160 g brown sugar40 g cornstarch50 ml water15 ml lemon juice15 g unsalted butter or coconut oil (for dairy-free version) 2 g saltMethod• Heat cooking pot and melt butter or coconut oil over medium heat. Add rhubarb.• Mix sugars, salt and lemon juice together, and add to rhubarb.• Break apart rhubarb (if frozen), bring mixture to a boil and let simmer, stirring regularly until rhubarb starts to soften and liquid forms.• Whisk together cornstarch and water, pour into rhubarb mixture while stirring.Add strawberries, turn oﬀ heat and stir until strawberries soften.• Fills approximately 12 3-inch tarts, four danishes and two 8-inch pies. (Yes, that’s “and” not “or”; it’s a large batch of ﬁlling. You might want to freeze portions.)Baker’s TipsWhy does this recipe call for weights instead of volumes? “More accuracy,” Dan explains. “Also, when you’re baking on a larger scale, it’s so much easier mathematically to manage millilitres and grams for scaling up and down; it’s a better communication system.” e bakery tries for accuracy within ﬁve grams, and for truly sensitive products, they use a weigh-scale that is sensitive to one gram. Accuracy is particularly important to control the subtle ﬂavours of breads and, of course, for measuring spices. Why both white and brown sugar? “e brown brings in a little bit more ﬂavour,” says Dan. “And you have to have enough sugar, but you don’t want too much molasses.”Start a patch of rhubarb with rootstock acquired from a friend or family member’s garden or a local nursery. “Plant so that the shoots are above the ground, as soon as you can work the soil,” Katya Riley instructs.

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Rhubarb Barbecue Sauce – Glenn KitchenIngredients2 cups rhubarb (fresh or frozen), chopped1 cup water ½ cup chopped white onion 2 Tbsp canola oil 1 Tbsp chopped garlic 1 ½ cups ketchup 1 ½ cups dark brown sugar 1 cup pomegranate syrup 1/8 cup apple cider vinegar 1/8 cup Worcestershire sauce 2 Tbsp mustard powder 1-2 tsp Tabasco Sauce (depending on spiciness desired)Salt to tasteMethod• In saucepan, place water and rhubarb and simmer until tender (about 15 minutes).• In another pot, put garlic, onion and oil. Sauté two minutes, then add remaining ingredients including rhubarb.• Simmer for 20 minutes.• Puree until smooth, and check seasoning, adding more salt or pepper as needed.Yield: ¾ litre.Chef ’s Tips• is sauce works not only on braised short ribs but with chicken or other meats.• To make pomegranate syrup: purchase pomegranate juice at the supermarket and reduce it down to syrup, similar as you would balsamic vinegar.Rhubarb Butter – Glenn KitchenIngredients 2 Tbsp softened chopped rhubarb (set aside from main batch used for the sauce)2 Tbsp butter (salted)Salt and pepper to tasteMethod • Mix together and serve with Brussels sprouts or other well-matched vegetable.Wine Pairing• Depends on whether your protein is white or red meat, of course; should be full-bodied to stand up to the intense ﬂavours of the sauce and the brussels sprouts. • Or you can just keep things simple and make it a Brooklands Rhubarb Maple Gin Sling.Chef Glenn Kitchen, proprietor of Cottage Country Catering in Bracebridge, rose to the challenge of creating a savoury rhubarb dish with braised beef short ribs with rhubarb barbecue sauce, mashed potatoes and brussels sprouts with rhubarb butter.year-round.” Gluten-free eaters, take note: these tarts — which were in high demand during a recent visit to the bakery — are available in gluten-free form only. But they seem to taste too good to be gluten-free.How to describe the tanginess of rhubarb? It combines well with strawberries due to the sweet/sour foiling we are already familiar with, but also the sub-ﬂavours. e nuances that defy description but give each ingredient its recognizable ﬂavour, and combine beautifully, making rhubarb rhubarb and strawberries strawberries. e ﬁlling is not too sweet, letting the tongue take on the rhubarb challenge with both the ﬂaky-shelled pie and the delightfully crunchy tart. e danish is more decadently sweet due to its copious drizzled icing, but the ﬁlling still gives it a gentle rhubarb bite. Purchase the gluten-free version of the pie frozen to bake at home, or have it baked at the bakery by ordering ahead of time. e bakery also sells a strawberry-rhubarb preserve “with half the sugar of regular jam,” Dan says.Incidentally, in case you’re wondering what’s going on with all the construction at Windmill: their long-planned addition is being built now that construction permits were obtained. June 2023 UNIQUE MUSKOKA 61

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Work started in January and the Willows hope it will be complete sometime in the summer. “It will be extra production space, which will provide for more space for customers,” says Grace. “We’ll have a larger indoor seating space to add to the patio.” e patio, notes Dan, is also being renovated, expanded to about 30 seats and closed in with a proper roof and transparent walls. He is hoping to have it open by fall.Strawberry-rhubarb pie will last for a week refrigerated, tarts a little less, and danishes should be eaten within two days to enjoy the freshness of the pastry, Grace says. Now we present the challenge of rhubarb in a savoury dish to Chef Glenn Kitchen, proprietor of the very-well-named Cottage Country Catering in Bracebridge. Kitchen, who also co-owns Kitchen’s Buttertarts in downtown Bracebridge with his wife Diane, has an exclusive catering arrangement with the Bracebridge Legion and uses its kitchen as his base of operations. He began catering full time in March of this year, and says, “It’s starting to build.”Kitchen rises to the challenge with braised beef short ribs with rhubarb barbecue sauce, mashed potatoes and brussels sprouts with rhubarb butter. He has shared with us recipes for the two rhubarb components. Are you ready for this?“It’s not entirely unique,” Kitchen says. “Everybody’s heard of peach barbecue sauces. But this just seemed like a natural ﬁt for Muskoka, something people would actually do in Muskoka.”And so, you should. e dish is scrumptious. e mashed potatoes pair well with the tender ribs, which can be generously slathered with sauce and so complemented with its sweetness. e rhubarb ﬂavour is so delicate you might not discern it’s there if you don’t know it is, but just experience it as a factor in the sauce’s delightful complexity of ﬂavour. If you want a more blatant display of rhubarb’s inimitable brand of tartness, just up the amount in the recipe, Kitchen suggests.e rhubarb-buttered brussels sprouts really jumped out at my taste buds, because the ﬂavours of rhubarb and brussels sprouts are one of these rare culinary matches made in heaven, and of course you can’t go wrong with butter to marry them. &B B Sanitation Services Ltd.FORMERLY B&S SANITATION&B B Sanitation Services Ltd.FORMERLY B&S SANITATIONinfo@bbsanitation.ca28 Manitoba Street, Bracebridge, ON 705-637-0204ElleZed HandbagsContemporary style. Crafted from Harris Tweed –one of the most desirable textiles in the world.ElleZed HandbagsCrafted from Harris Tweed one of the most desirable JOHNSON LOG HOMERESTORATIONS705-738-7831 jcd.johnson@hotmail.com Staining Chinking Log Repairs Sandblasting Timber Frames Renovation Log Wash Custom BuildsLogHomeRestore.caJune 2023 UNIQUE MUSKOKA 63

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64 UNIQUE MUSKOKA June 2023Muskoka MomentsArticle by Don SmithA heartfelt “thank you!”Many of Unique Muskoka’s readers, along with long-time friends, assume I am a “local” – a born and raised Muskokan. And, after over 55 years of calling Muskoka home, it seems hard to imagine there was a time when Muskoka wasn’t my primary residence. e truth, however, is my Muskoka moments began as a child enjoying summer vacations at a variety of local rental cottages.While the memory of our youth becomes somewhat blurred with age, I can clearly recall exploring an early ice shed, situated on the same ree Mile Lake farm where our family stayed. ere was childhood excitement at learning the sawdust-covered ice was what would keep our perishables cold in the cottage’s icebox. It was at that same location I had my ﬁrst experience of “driving” a car while perched on my uncle’s lap. Much to my mother’s chagrin I got to steer the vehicle while my uncle “safely” operated the foot pedals.Despite the acclimatization my vacations had provided, that didn’t take away the trepidation I felt when I learned my father had decided the “big city” was encroaching too close to our peaceful home in the east Toronto community of West Hill and we’d be moving to Muskoka. “It was great to be here in the heat of the summer,” I thought, “but what was there for a teenager to do in the winter?”As time would tell, there was lots to do. Boredom, I learned, was not part of my vocabulary.By the time school started, I had already spent part of a summer working for Henry Fudge at the Glen Orchard Store and getting introduced to life in my new community. Henry was a Muskoka character who loved clacking his dentures to entertain young customers visiting the store he operated with his wife, Connie. Working for the Fudges, three years embracing life at high school in Bracebridge and several great summers waiting tables at the small but upscale Sherwood Inn convinced me Muskoka was my home. When it came time to head to university, I decided I needed to take a year oﬀ to determine my future. It was a year well spent that resulted in no turning back.A chance interview with Bracebridge Herald-Gazette publisher Bob Boyer set the course for a most fulﬁlling career. Bob, at the time recently retired as Muskoka’s longtime MPP, believed my experience as editor of the high school yearbook and my enthusiasm were a good ﬁt for the weekly newspaper’s newsroom. However, Bob became much more than an employer – he was a mentor who shaped my future in journalism, nurtured my interest in politics and provided me with a desire to be totally engaged in the community. And, the rest, as the saying goes, is history. Now, nearly 52 years later, thanks to Bob’s guidance and the opportunities he provided, I have been a reporter and photographer, an editor and a publisher. When, at the rather green age of 20, I presumptuously decided I could do as good or better a job as the councillors I was covering at the Township of Muskoka Lakes, I had his blessing to throw my hat in the ring. My victory allowed me to lay claim to the unoﬃcial title of being the youngest councillor elected in the history of Muskoka. e following year, he appointed me editor of one of his publications and just three years later, he was making it possible for me to buy that newspaper.Since then, publishing, politics and community engagement have continually intersected in my life.e decision of my parents to pull up stakes and move me and my brother to Muskoka was a good one. But most importantly, throughout that run, I’ve been blessed to have the opportunity to share all my experiences with my wife Susan, our three children and our grandchildren. Now that I’ve decided to step back from publishing, it is indeed exciting to know our daughter, Meghan, has decided to utilize her lifelong internship in publishing to become the next publisher of Unique Muskoka.I know my Muskoka moments have been shaped by the countless encounters I’ve had with Muskokans in every corner of the District. To all of you, I oﬀer a heartfelt “thank you!” Photograph: Susan Smith

Unique Muskoka Issue 38 - June 2023

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