Unique Muskoka Issue 44 - June 2024 : simplebooklet.com

4 UNIQUE MUSKOKA June 2024Features11The Power of Resilience – Lori Knowles Article by Bronwyn Boyer Photography by Andy ZeltkalnsWith her debut novel, Summers with Miss Elizabeth, Lori Knowles has crafted a story that spans years, introducing us to interesting characters and emotional subjects. Knowles used her own life experiences, living and cottaging in Muskoka, to create a diverse storyline to dive into while enjoying summer in Muskoka. 16The Early Days – WindermereArticle by J. Patrick Boyere settlement of the Aitkens and the Fifes in Watt Township set the course for the village of Windermere to play host to tourists, during the late 1800s and into today. Windermere House and Fife House were operated by the families for generations, as other facilities, including golf courses, and resorts appeared and prospered in this small Muskoka village.22 The Importance of PollinatorsArticle by Meghan TaylorPollinators, from birds and bats to bees, butterﬂies and other insects, are of critical importance to Muskoka’s ecosystems, pollinating the lush gardens, forests and shorelines for which the region is known. Use of pesticides, development of shorelines, early yard clean-up and loss of habitat are all impacting pollinators and the plants they support. 26The Grand Ol’ Lady – Rosseau General StoreArticle by Kelly Goslin / Photography by Josianne MasseauFirst built in 1874 by Jerry Homer, Rosseau General Store is celebrating 150 years of community this year. Current owners Laurie McDonald and Brian Dollin have worked diligently to return the store to its former glory and to create a one-stop shop, reminiscent of its early years. ...telling the Muskoka story[26]Opinion9Muskoka InsightsBy Meghan Taylor64Muskoka MomentsBy Dan Watson[22][11]

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June 2024 UNIQUE MUSKOKA 732A Decade of Arts at the AlbionArticle by Bronwyn Boyer Photography by Josianne MasseauA community of over 20 artists started and continue to bring Arts to the Albion. e revitalization of e Albion Hotel in Gravenhurst 10 years ago has served the co-operative group of artists, of all diﬀerent kinds, well in displaying their varied works in a beautiful historic building. 40Protecting Muskoka’s WatershedArticle by Matt Driscolle Muskoka Watershed is at a critical turning point. While currently healthy, several factors are degrading the watershed and the existing management system is not equipped to halt or reverse the negative trends. An integrated watershed management plan requires research, co-ordination and engagement across municipalities, organizations and the entire community.46Taking the “Muskoka Cure”Article by J. Patrick Boyere health beneﬁts of Muskoka’s clean air have been known by Indigenous people for thousands of years. As Muskoka was settled and became a tourist destination, taking the “Muskoka cure” became just one more reason to escape the pollution and hustle of city life. 54What’s HappenedArticle by Matt DriscollA massive three-phase infrastructure project in Gravenhurst is impacting events, such as the Gravenhurst Farmers Market, at Muskoka Wharf this summer. e debate regarding services at the two Muskoka Algonquin Health Care hospital sites continues while the Rotary Club of Bracebridge brings back the Father’s Day Car Show. e Kee to Bala and the Huntsville Festival of the Arts announce their summer event line-ups. Visitors to Gull Lake Park can enjoy new amphitheatre seating and the launch of the biography e Endurable Alex Tilley is a smashing success.58 Cottage Country CuisineArticle by K.M. Wehrstein Photography by Tomasz SzumskiBest known as an energy booster, coﬀee isn’t as one-sided as you may think. Coﬀee’s recognizable and inimitable deep nut-like ﬂavour is much loved as an ingredient, whether in savoury marinades and sauces, desserts like tiramisu or the simple cup of coﬀee enhanced by a wide range of other ingredients into spectacular beverages.Our CoverPhotograph by Andy ZeltkalnsAn estimated 95 per cent of plants on earth require help with pollination. Hummingbirds are just one of many creatures in Muskoka that support the ecosystem in this way. Pollinating a variety of ﬂowering plants, some that have even evolved speciﬁcally for pollination by hummingbirds, they play an important role in the environment. JUNE 2024The glory of Rosseau’sGrand Ol’ LadyCelebrating a decade of creativity at The AlbionPOLLINATORSLittle creaturesthat makea big dierenceAn integrated approachto Muskoka’s mostprecious resourceDepartments

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…telling the Muskoka story Unique Muskoka is published six times per year by Unique Publishing Inc.Meghan TaylorPublisher/EditorDonna AnsleyJennifer MontpetitSalesLisa BrazierMarianne DawsonDesignSusan SmithAdministrationBronwyn BoyerJ. Patrick BoyerMatt DriscollTim du VernetKelly GoslinJosianne MasseauTomasz SzumskiDan WatsonK.M. WehrsteinAndy ZeltkalnsContributorsAnnual Subscription Rates: (including HST where applicable)In Ontario $30.00 All Other Provinces $36.00 U.S. $60.00 All Other Countries $72.00HST: 773172721Canada Post Publications Mail Agreement Number: 43268016Copyright © 2024Unique Publishing Inc.No content published in Unique Muskoka can be reproduced without the written permission of the publisher.Mailing AddressBox 616, Bracebridge ON P1L 1T9Street Address28 Manitoba St., Bracebridge ON P1L 1S1www.uniquemuskoka.cominfo@uniquemuskoka.com 705-637-0204 8 UNIQUE MUSKOKA June 2024DISCOVER THE LOCAL MARKET WITH BIG CITY SELECTIONS IN HISTORIC DOWNTOWN BRACEBRIDGEbigriverbakingco.com• 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• Fine Artisan Breads Daily• Assorted Baked Goods• Made in House DessertsServing fresh gourmet and artisan coffee, an assortment of teas, hot beverages, seasonal refreshments and baked goodsHIRAM ST MARKET 705-204-0857SULLYS MUSKOKA705-204-0857BIG RIVER BAKING COMPANY705-394-4499OPEN TUESDAY TO SATURDAY11A TAYLOR ROADOPEN TUESDAY TO SATURDAY 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.baristahcoffee.ca

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June 2024 UNIQUE MUSKOKA 11Muskoka InsightsEmbracing a quiet morning is something I’ve always enjoyed. Not quiet in the sense that there’s no sound at all. Quiet as in peaceful, slow and intentional. Mornings that give you space to think, to be still and to enjoy where you are. Often, those aren’t the mornings I get. ere are things to do, places to be and in the rush to make it all happen, that quiet disappears. But usually once a week, often on Saturdays or Sundays, I get my quiet morning. I can sip my coﬀee, read my book and simply enjoy being present. As the mornings brighten earlier, even if the temperatures aren’t quite rising yet, I take my quiet mornings outside and hear the world come alive. ere’s something about sitting quietly while the world wakes up around you that gives perspective. e sun shining, the trees swaying in the breeze, the birds calling and the squirrels and chipmunks foraging feels grounding. It’s a moment when you can just be, without pressure or expectations. It’s a moment to enjoy all that surrounds you. I hope you make time for your own quiet mornings, whatever that looks like for you. I hope you get to enjoy the summer sunshine as we move into the ﬂeeting yet phenomenal days of a summer in Muskoka. For decades, summer in Muskoka has been the time for locals, vacationers and cottagers to enjoy the splendour of the landscape and partake in seasonal activities, from swimming to boating to hiking. ere is always more to discover and appreciate about Muskoka. In this edition of Unique Muskoka, regular contributor J. Patrick Boyer recounts the rise of the “Muskoka cure” – taking in the healthful outdoor activities and environment that Muskoka has to oﬀer. Indigenous Peoples referred to “the good life,” when people gathered, socialized, lived and shared what they had. As Muskoka was settled and turned to tourism, it became an escape from polluted cities, particularly those with health issues, which led to the opening of Canada’s ﬁrst tuberculosis health centre in Gravenhurst. No matter the year, there is something inexplicable about Muskoka that draws people to the area. e beauty of Muskoka’s many waterways is a signiﬁcant draw through the summer months. As regular contributor Matt Driscoll shares, Muskoka’s watershed is currently healthy but there are alarming trends showing degradation and no ways in existing plans to stop or reverse these impacts. e implementation of an integrated watershed management plan is critical to protecting Muskoka’s most precious resource. Muskoka’s history as a vacationer’s dream is also present in the structures that have lasted since the early days. Contributor Kelly Goslin shows the past and the present of the Rosseau General Store. Built in 1874, Rosseau’s Grand Ol’ Lady is now operated by owners Laurie McDonald and Brian Dollin, who have been dedicated to returning the building and the business to its former glory. e Albion Hotel in Gravenhurst, as regular contributor Bronwyn Boyer describes, has been given new life over the last 10 years by Arts at the Albion, a co-operative gallery operated by over 20 local artists. From the natural environment to the human-made structures and all the people who connect with Muskoka, there are endless opportunities to immerse yourself and bask in what the region has to oﬀer. In this edition of Unique Muskoka, be entertained, informed and delighted by the stories shared and make certain to take some time to experience the quiet of a Muskoka morning. Happy reading!Photograph: MacKenzie TaylorARIYA HYBRIDby DreamStar BeddingMUSKOKACURATED COLLECTIONby Marshall MattressYour Home and CottageMattress Centre6 Monica Lane, Bracebridge705.646.2557www.mattressesofmuskoka.comTHE LARGEST SELECTIONOF IN-STOCKMATTRESSES IN MUSKOKA

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14 UNIQUE MUSKOKA June 2024“I’ve always wanted to be a novelist, but I was pragmatic and wanted to have a career,” says Knowles. “So, I went to Carleton University for journalism and then started writing for newspapers and magazines. But in the back in my mind I kept saying, ‘Lori, you need to write a novel.’ I had a lot of starts and very few ﬁnishes, but for some reason I was able to keep going with this one.” Knowles is best known as a former Toronto Sun columnist and current co-editor of Ski Canada Magazine. However, creative writing has always been her passion. “I was always writing and telling stories as a kid,” she says. “I would exhaust people, because everything was an anecdote to me.” In high school, Knowles entered a short story contest put on by the local paper, e Herald-Gazette. “One of my teachers at BMLSS encouraged me to enter,” she recalls. “But I was too shy, so he suggested I use a Knowles hopes people can see the multiple facets of Muskoka and of people – her characters are both wealthy and disadvantaged in various ways. Ultimately, she hopes people can feel immersed in the magic of a Muskoka summer.

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June 2024 UNIQUE MUSKOKA 15100% Canadian Artists• Large Original Paintings• Turned Wood Bowls• Sculptures & Carvings3181 Highway 169, Bala, Muskoka, Ontario705-765-7474www.redcanoegallery.comCELEBRATING 31 YEARS IN MUSKOKANOW LOCATED IN BALASerenity Shore, 72x48 acry, P. Reidpseudonym. But then I won, and it took a long time for them to ﬁnd me to award me the prize, because they didn’t know my real name. en when I told a friend I won, she didn’t believe me.” Set from the 1970s to the 1990s, Summers with Miss Elizabeth is the coming-of-age story of four youth growing up under the wings of Elizabeth Wynward, a Pittsburgh steel company heiress with a century-old cottage in Muskoka. Like a female version of the Great Gatsby, Miss Elizabeth’s wealth and charisma make her irresistible. But beneath her glossy joie-de-vivre, she’s struggling to raise her two grandchildren, while trying to correct the mistakes she made with her daughter, who was not equipped to be a parent. Miss Elizabeth is also a powerful ﬁgure because she’s based on an archetype typically portrayed by men. “e cottage industry in Muskoka was founded on wealthy business moguls who built big, beautiful cottages and brought their staﬀ there for lavish summer celebrations,” explains Knowles. “I thought it would be interesting to feature a woman at that time period who’s successful in a world that was largely male dominated.”e protagonist, Colin Montgomery, orphaned as a small child, is taken in by Miss Elizabeth because she was best friend and employer to his grandmother. Colin enjoys all the beneﬁts of being born into wealth and privilege. He has access to an idyllic cottage lifestyle alongside the Wynward grandchildren, Josie and Tim, and their best friend Alex. But when tragedy strikes, the family is torn apart. Fifteen years later, with Miss Elizabeth’s health failing, she pulls the puppet strings on Colin to make him bring her family back to her. Embroiled in the Wynward’s problems because of his undying love for them, Colin is part of the family when it’s convenient for them. e rest of the time, he’s an outsider. But despite being free of that diﬃcult dynamic, the Wynward children are the ones who succumb to the pressures of a broken home. “Colin is a shy, gay kid in the ‘70s who was born with nothing but he has a better emotional foundation than the Wynwards,” says Knowles. “Because of that, he invests so much into ﬁxing the Wynwards that he loses himself and his other relationships. He’s knocked down quite a few times but, in the end, he gains the strength to stand his ground.

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16 UNIQUE MUSKOKA June 2024705-764-0765 | 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.Being an outsider can be a lonely feeling but it can also be empowering.” e darker ﬂavours in Summers with Miss Elizabeth are wrapped in layers of sunshine, humour, romance and frivolity. “I hope readers immerse themselves in the waterskiing, sailing and ﬁreworks in the book and feel the wind in their hair when the characters are racing across the bay in a boat,” says Knowles. If there is a lesson in Knowles’ writing, it’s about the strength of the underdog. “What I hope people take away from the book is that power is not about money and position,” Knowles explains. “It’s not easy but Colin eventually stands up to the ﬁgures that he’s been afraid of his whole life. You have to dig deep, but you can do it.”Lori Knowles’ debut novel, Summers with Miss Elizabeth, is set in Muskoka between the 1970s to the 1990s. Knowles drew on her own knowledge and experiences of life in Muskoka, as a year-round resident who spent her summers enjoying the cottage lifestyle.

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18 UNIQUE MUSKOKA June 2024In the 1860s, a Scottish settler from the Orkney Islands named omas Aitken arrived in Canada accompanying his sister, Ellen, and her husband, David Fife. e trio settled near Peterborough where widower Aitken met charming Mary Traill, a widow with two children. In 1870 Aitken and Fife decided better prospects awaited in Muskoka where the province was giving land to homesteaders. They left Peterborough with their wives, Aitken having wed Traill. Choosing lots beside Lake Rosseau in fertile Watt Township – satisfyingly named for their fellow Scot and steam-engine developer James Watt – they cleared land and began to settle.Soon A.P. Cockburn’s new steamer Waubamik, plying Lake Rosseau through the recently built Indian River locks at Port Carling, began calling along the lake’s eastern shoreline, using Aitken’s wharf and lakeside clearing for connections. When other log houses clustered near those of the Aitkens, Fifes, and Francis Forge, another homesteader who arrived when they did, omas applied to Ottawa for a post By 1902, Windermere House was appearing more modern as its clientele changed. The central turret was replicated with a second turret added as the building was extended, the lawns extended, a stone retaining wall and improved walkway to the lake built, more lakeshore structures added and the wharf building painted, where many more fully-attired guests awaited a cruise ship.Photograph: Frank Micklethwaite / courtesy Bill Micklethwaite ArchivesPhotograph: Windermere Woman’s Institute ArchivesArticle by J. Patrick BoyerThomas Aitken was a quiet, solid, Scot whose industry and enterprise brought him to Muskoka looking for “a farm as at as a pancake,” where he found instead that his Watt Township spread, while good for farming, was even better for accommodating city vacationers.

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June 2024 UNIQUE MUSKOKA 19In 1890 the photographer making Muskoka famous, Frank Micklethwaite, captured this image of the Windermere House wharf and lakeshore building where a dozen people readied themselves for action, also revealing the state of groundskeeping on exposed bedrock.Photograph: Frank Micklethwaite / courtesy Bill Micklethwaite ArchivesBATH & 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 Centreoﬃce. e wee settlement, of which he now became postmaster, was named Windermere for England’s picturesque lake nestling amidst the hills of Cumbria. By the mid-1870s, enterprising omas and hospitable Mary discovered facilitating a Muskoka vacation for paying visitors was their ticket to a more prosperous future. Using their Windermere house to board sportsmen

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20 UNIQUE MUSKOKA June 2024This full-frontal view of Windermere House and Fife House includes pleasure-cra boatbuilder Henry Ditchburn’s boathouse serving Windermere. In centre, atop the hill obscured by trees, is the Aitken’s General Store and Post Oce serving the village community.www.brackenrig.com | 705-765-5565 | info@brackenrig.com Inspired NatureNaturebyfrom southern cities keen to ﬁsh Muskoka’s waters held promise.Thomas was not a natural hotelier but Mary’s friendly manner contributed a welcoming character to the place. In addition, her cooking of tasty meals, attentive making of guests’ beds and relentless cleaning of the premises launched their small resort, now named Windermere House, as a renowned destination for vacationers. Next door, David and Ellen caught on and opened their home as Fife House, increasing the village’s capacity to accommodate more southerners arriving for what was increasingly known as the “Muskoka cure.” The two homesteading families were creating an unexpected new economy for a district the government opened only for logging and farming. Neighbour Francis Forge remained devoted to farming, which contented him fully, especially because he was prospering on his fertile ﬁelds. omas Aitken converted his cleared ﬁelds into Muskoka’s ﬁrst golf course, with greens of neat squares. In the wake of southerners arriving to ﬁsh and hunt came a second wave of city dwellers eager to enjoy additional northern lakeland sport, such as golf, tennis and watersports. Effecting the changeover to a moderated hinterland ethos, Mary Aitken’s reﬁned tastes led to more elegant designs for the structures Thomas was continuously adding to Windermere House. Muskoka’s ﬁrst resort houses had typically been decorated, for an ambiance enjoyed by hunting party guests, with stuﬀed heads of trophy moose and deer. Under Mary’s influence, the dead animals disappeared, replaced by oil paintings of Cockburn’s steamers crossing Muskoka’s lakes. Windermere House developed, as described by newspaper publisher George Boyer in Early Days in Muskoka, having explored the lake by canoe as a youth and visited the place, into “a commodious, well-appointed and attractive summer hotel with a continental reputation for ﬁne service and friendly hospitality.” In 1924 the settlement was incorporated as a village in Watt Township. Henry

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April showers are not the only ingredient required to bring May ﬂowers. In most plant species, there are male and female plants. In order to produce ﬂowers and fruit, the male plant must fertilize the female plant, which is referred to as pollination. Pollination occurs when pollen is moved within flowers or carried from flower to flower by pollinating creatures or by the wind.e transfer of pollen in and between ﬂowers of the same species leads to fertilization and successful seed and fruit production for plants. Pollination ensures a plant will produce full-bodied fruit and a full set of viable seeds.“It is estimated that up to 95 per cent of plants on earth require help with pollination,” says Kate Dickson, outreach lead for e Land Between. “ese plants include food sources, such as fruits, vegetables and nuts, plants that are commercially valuable for ﬁbre and raw materials, as well as ﬂowering shrubs and trees running from your shoreland to the forest. Plants are Article by Meghan TaylorThe importance ofPoinatorsA bumblebee, the classic image of a pollinator, is just one of many creatures who support plants in the ecosystem by transferring pollen in and between owers to fertilize them leading to seed and fruit production.Photograph: Tim Du Vernet 24 UNIQUE MUSKOKA June 2024

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June 2024 UNIQUE MUSKOKA 25MODERN HOME CARPET ONE350 Ecclestone Drive • Bracebridgemodernhomecarpetonebracebridge.comTAYLOR CARPET ONE30 Cairns Crescent • Huntsvilletaylorcarpetonehuntsville.com705.645.2443705.789.9259HARDWOOD • LAMINATE • VINYL PLANK & TILE • VINYL ROLLS CARPET • CERAMIC • NATURAL STONE & MOREFloors for Home & Cottagethe foundations or base of our entire ecosystems.”Initiatives like “No Mow May” sound simple and almost come across as a method of delaying yard work amidst unpredictable spring weather. However, as is so often the case, leaving lawns, gardens and shorelines alone through the spring thaw has much more signiﬁcance to what’s happening below the surface, than what we see above.Spring is seen as a time to sweep, rake and otherwise tidy homes and yards before the busier summer season, when company comes calling. e plan is to remove debris so plants can flourish, grow more quickly and produce those showy garden ﬂowers everyone loves to see. On the ﬂip side of that, fallen debris, such as pinecones, leaves and twigs, and shoreline vegetation can all be important habitat for the critters who pollinate plants.“People often think of bees or butterﬂies when it comes to pollinators, but there are so many more species that act as important pollinators in the Muskoka region,” explains Dickson. What can be considered by some as pests, are of critical importance to the balance of Muskoka’s ecosystems. Birds, bats, beetles, butterﬂies, moths, squirrels and other insects are all important pollinators. Much reviled mosquitoes and blackﬂies are even pollinators. However, the impact of humans on the land and waterways is also seen in the decline of several pollinator species. Species-at-risk in Muskoka, including the little brown bat, tricoloured bat, northern bat, yellow-banded bumble bee, monarch butterﬂy and mottled duskywing butterﬂy, play critical roles in the ecosystem. Many of these species-at-risk and other pollinators in Muskoka live in shoreland area. Shoreland extends from the shallows of the water to 30 metres upland and maintaining native vegetation in these spaces helps to support 90 per cent of aquatic animals and 70 per cent of land-dwelling animals, Species at risk, like the monarch buttery, rely on disappearing habitats for their life cycle, which in turn impacts the plants the butteries pollinate.Installing bird feeders and planting native species of plants in the garden can help to attract pollinators.Photograph: Andy ZeltkalnsPhotograph: Andy Zeltkalns

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26 UNIQUE MUSKOKA June 2024including pollinators.“Restoring or 'naturalizing' shorelands with native vegetation restores this habitat for pollinators and other animals in the process while also oﬀering a host of other beneﬁts,” says Dickson. “ese shoreland gardens can be completely customized and manicured with respect to height, fullness, and colour to provide any desired aesthetic.” Native plants are much more successful in attracting pollinators to an area than non-native or ornamental plants, as the species have evolved together. Planting native gardens helps to regulate nutrient levels in soil, contributing to the health of the overall ecosystem. “There are many beautiful, native plants to the Muskoka region and native gardens can be curated to property owners’ personal preferences,” shares Dickson. Attracting pollinators to your yard can also take the form of bird feeders or bat boxes, to provide food and shelter. For those wary of ﬁnding bats in their umbrellas or gazebos, a well-placed bat box can provide a better solution for everyone. “Installing bird feeders can help birds that are in decline, but always be sure to purchase devitalized feed to ensure that things that don’t belong in our ecosystems don’t wind up there,” explains Dickson. While many insects are pollinators, birds and bats also rely on insects as a food source. The use of insecticides has a compound eﬀect, removing necessary insects from the plant pollination process and reducing the food sources for birds, bats and other animals. “Insecticides are widely used in the Muskoka region to eliminate nuisance insects from properties,” says Dickson. “However, these insecticides, even those labelled as 'all natural,' are broad spectrum and indiscriminate with respect to which insects they kill. In other words, by using insecticides, property-owners are likely unintentionally eliminating beneficial insects responsible for pollinating the plants we rely on.”e bottom line? A beautiful, lush garden and sustainable shoreline rely on pollinators, in all their forms. More pollinators lead to an improved habitat for all, humans included. As insect populations are impacted by development and use of insecticides, other pollinators, such as squirrels and birds, become even more important in the pollination cycle to ensure pollen and seeds are dispersed.The use of insecticides, which are oen broad spectrum and indiscriminate in respect to the insects they kill, results in the elimination of benecial insects responsible for pollinating plants. Insecticides also impact birds by removing a food source (insects) and can impact the health of birds themselves.Milkweed, the only plant monarch butteries will lay their eggs on, is in signicant decline from development. The loss of one species of plant has far-ranging eects, for monarch butteries and for entire ecosystems that rely on them.Photograph: Tim Du VernetPhotograph: Andy Zeltkalns

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28 UNIQUE MUSKOKA June 2024Article by Kelly Goslin / Photography by Josianne MasseauIt’s a sunny spring day in the little town of Rosseau, Ontario. Nestled on the shore of its eponymous Lake Rosseau, this village with a year-round population of less than 300 is punctuated by quaint heritage structures and Muskoka’s picturesque landscape. e warm and inviting weather has drummed up some cottaging fervour and the narrow streets are lively. As you make your way through, you arrive at the main intersection, where there prominently stands a historic shop. In an instant, the Rosseau General Store transports you back in time and welcomes you to a bygone world, in the words of current owner Laurie McDonald, “like an old friend.” is year, that old friend celebrates 150 years in the community. Rosseau General StoreThe Grand Ol’ LadyLaurie McDonald and Brian Dollin have lovingly renovated and restored the Rosseau General Store since purchasing it in 2017. They insist they’re just the keepers and that the store belongs to the community.

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June 2024 UNIQUE MUSKOKA 29The Rosseau General Store was first constructed in 1874 by Jerry Homer, one of the many entrepreneurial spirits that hoped to ﬁnd prosperity in Muskoka’s wilderness. He was quick to discover, as described by Terry Einarson, the son of previous store owners Fred and Esther, that this frontier community was unsustainable in the winter months. e business changed hands every few years, each new owner attempting to survive the region’s snowy bluster.The first signs of this effort coming to fruition appear to be found under the ownership of Edward Jordan. e timing of Jordan’s initial success coincides with the rise of tourism and cottage-driven economy in the region. By the mid-1880s, Lake Rosseau had evolved into a popular vacation destination, and with the change the store's offerings diversified to accommodate new visitors. By 1896, the Rosseau General Store satiated the need for a one-stop-shop to serve the rapidly growing number of settlers and visitors in the area. Much of the region’s successful development in this period is owed to the innovation of steamboat and nautical travel. According to historian Andrew Watson, great ships like the 1866 Wenonah and later RMS Segwun enabled cottagers and travellers to access remote Muskoka. In addition, regular navigation on Muskoka’s waters throughout the 1870s and 1880s encouraged the promotion of Muskokan commerce as well as an inﬂux of externally-sourced goods. In his article Supply Networks in the Age of Steamboat Navigation: Lakeside Mobility in Muskoka, Ontario, 1880–1930, Watson describes the ingenuity of Lake Rosseau’s merchants.“Around 1880, Francis Forge had a novel idea,” writes Watson. “Witness to a growing number of visitors from the city eager to spend part of their summer embracing nature in Ontario’s northern wilderness, Forge recognized the perfect opportunity to market local farm products. Loading his rowboat with fresh foods bought and bartered from neighbouring farmers, along with whatever his own household had to sell, Forge rowed along the shore of Lake Rosseau selling what he could to tourists and cottagers.”At the Rosseau General Store, cottagers and northbound visitors throughout the 1890s onward could readily ﬁnd anything they needed for Muskoka living, made available in-store through deliveries from the Constance. According to current owners Laurie McDonald and Brian Dollin, “the Constance served as the primary supply vessel Customers of the Rosseau General Store can shop for a wide array of goods, including fresh meat at the butcher’s counter.

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June 2024 UNIQUE MUSKOKA 31for Homer & Co.,” the name held by the store throughout the early Edwardian era. The Gravenhurst-built steamer transported goods through both Lakes Rosseau and Joseph until 1921. With the regular communication of provisions, the Rosseau General Store entered the twentieth century oﬀering a notably wide range of goods and services, from groceries and hardware to postal and banking facilities.Despite the challenges of two World Wars and the Great Depression, the Rosseau General Store continued to thrive, adapting to changing times. Purchased in 1922 by James Brown, the store remained in his family’s ownership for almost fifty years. In the 1940s, Fred Einarson, nephew to James, was brought on board to manage the store, and he continued to commandeer the shop until 1967.Laurie McDonald and Brian Dollin purchased the “Grand Ol’ Lady” in March of 2017, only seven months after visiting the store for ice cream.“Brian and I always wanted to run a business together and we also have a real soft spot for heritage buildings,” explains McDonald. “When we became empty nesters, we decided to make a big change.” Leaving their corporate lives in the Greater Toronto Area, moving up to Rosseau, and purchasing the general store was a leap of faith and a signiﬁcant departure from their known world. The four-story, nineteenth-century structure was in great need of restoration and renovation to bring it up to snuﬀ. To cover the expense of this massive project, an eight-year undertaking, McDonald and Dollin needed to expand the General Store’s oﬀerings and revitalise the splendour that had deﬁned it a century prior.eir eﬀorts to bring back the all-in-one destination heralded by Homer & Co. have certainly succeeded.Under Dollin and McDonald’s careful stewardship, the store is a vibrant mix of old and new, antique ﬁxtures and vintage photos sharing space with a wide array of contemporary goods. Where supports or joists needed to be replaced, those materials have been carefully repurposed elsewhere. An original beam now mantels the upstairs ﬁreplace. Bricks from a defunct chimney have been reused to backsplash the ﬁreplace and stove. Antiques from the store are being purchased and returned to their original situation and local artists are on board to celebrate and commemorate the shop’s legacy through their work. Visitors to the Rosseau General Store are greeted by the familiar sights and smells of a classic general store: the creak of wooden ﬂoors, the aroma of freshly baked bread and the enticing display of old-fashioned candy jars. However, it's also a trove of unique gifts, local arts and crafts and gourmet food items.Brian Dollin and Laurie McDonald’s careful stewardship of the store has created a vibrant mix of old and new, antique xtures and vintage photos sharing space with a wide array of contemporary goods.The Rosseau General Store is a diverse medley of local arts and cras, gi items and gourmet food items.

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When asked about their part in the historic restoration project, McDonald ﬁrmly asserts that the story and life of the shop “is not about the owners.”“We are just the keepers,” says McDonald. “at store belongs to the people.”eir humility and deference to the building have been echoed throughout the decades of previous owners. All who have had the task of preserving the Rosseau General Store vehemently sustain it is more than just a place to shop; it is a social hub and a living piece of local culture and memory. Under Dollin and McDonald, it carries this responsibility through its outreach. e Rosseau General Store regularly delivers to vulnerable members of the community, year-round, and has also begun regularly donating food to Rosseau’s local food bank. Now more than ever, the Grand Ol’ Lady recognizes the importance of giving back to the community that has supported her for so long.As the Rosseau General Store looks to the future, it remains steadfast in its mission to preserve the past while meeting the needs of the present. Visitors come to the shop to reconnect with their past, their families, and their traditions, traditions cherished by the shop’s timelessness.For the 150th anniversary of the Rosseau General Store, McDonald intends to celebrate with the store’s most beloved friends – the people of the community. Plans are made for a summertime picnic on August 10th, harkening back to the leisure of Muskoka’s past and plaque commemoration is in the works through Seguin Township. Above all else, McDonald and Dollin are excited to experience this momentous occasion with all who have shared space and memories with the Grand Ol’ Lady of Rosseau.Photos and items from years past decorate the space, showcasing the history of Rosseau and it’s Grand Ol’ Lady. Brian Dollin and Laurie McDonald have worked diligently to preserve the past while meeting the needs of their community and their customers.In the late 1800s, the Rosseau General Store began to see success with the rise of tourism and cottage-driven economy. The diversity of goods in the one-stop-shop continues today. 32 UNIQUE MUSKOKA June 2024

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June 2024 UNIQUE MUSKOKA 35Article by Bronwyn Boyer / Photography by Josianne MasseauWhen Gravenhurst jeweller Penny Varney saw the “For Sale” sign outside the Albion Hotel just over 10 years ago, an idea lit up like a lightbulb in her mind. “I called the real estate agent and pitched the idea to put a co-operative art gallery in the old dining room and kitchen,” Varney recalls. “e agent said she’d get in touch with the prospective buyer, and about ﬁve minutes later, I got a call from Guy Gagnon. He told me to meet him at the Albion right away and show him what I had in mind.”Since construction at the Gravenhurst wharf had forced Varney and eleven other artists out of their space at Muskoka Gallery by e Bay, the meeting was fortuitous. Gagnon was happy to help ﬁll that void, and even applied for a grant to update the old wooden windows, which was no easy feat. Built in 1871, the Albion is a heritage building, meaning no changes can be made to the exterior and windows fall into that category. Sadly, Gagnon passed away in 2022 after battling cancer. “It was a huge loss for us,” says Varney. “He was such an amazing landlord, very supportive and hands-on. When we had to close for four months during COVID-19 he told us not to pay rent and then when we tentatively started opening again with limited hours, he said just pay half to give us a chance to recover. He also bought a lot of artwork from our gallery over the years.” After that auspicious meeting with Gagnon in 2013, Varney gathered a list of artists and started making calls. She started with people who had been part of Muskoka Gallery by the Bay, the Muskoka Autumn Studio Tour and Originally built in 1871, the Albion Hotel is a landmark in Gravenhurst that has had new life as a gallery for the past 10 years. The co-operative art gallery, with over twenty artists on display, is a testament to the dedication, determination and love the artists have for their work and their community.

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36 UNIQUE MUSKOKA June 2024www.mikeslandscaping.cainfo@mikeslandscaping.caYour Landscape, Our PassionECRA/ESA #7010474GENERATORSSMART HOME SYSTEMSNEW CONSTRUCTIONLIGHTINGRESIDENTIAL / COMMERCIAL / INDUSTRIAL519.805.3200ARKLTD.CAinfo@arkltd.caMuskoka Arts and Crafts. Before long, she had rallied 20 artists and Arts at the Albion was born. For a few months, they met at Varney’s house once a week to brainstorm ideas and plan it all out. Gravenhurst painter David Dawson was one of the founding members and his background as an architect and interior designer was an asset in bringing the gallery to fruition. To complete his design, the co-op members ﬁrst got to work ripping up layers of old carpeting, staining the original hardwood ﬂoor and painting the walls. en, they built and installed Dawson’s displays and lighting concepts. “Designing the layout for 20 people was a challenging but interesting project to work on, especially in a historical building,” Dawson recalls. “e concept was to give each artist their own gallery space to allow the viewer to immerse themselves in each artist’s works.”That meant figuring out what kind of lighting was best for each work, whether it should be near the natural light of the windows or not, what looks best for two-dimensional works versus three-dimensional displays for sculptures and other items. “It was quite an undertaking but it was fun,” says Dawson. “Everyone had skills that helped make it all happen. Some knew about woodworking and carpentry, so they built the displays. Others did metal work, so they made signage and railings. It’s been a good experience, coming up with design solutions. It’s like a living organism, as artists come and go over the years, I have to make adjustments.” Although the roster at Arts at the Albion has changed over the years, there is always a wide variety of artwork to discover, both aesthetic and functional. Woodworkers, painters, basket weavers, photographers, stone carvers, potters, ﬁbre artists, and jewellers contribute their pieces to be purchased, perused or used in the design of the gallery itself. e co-op members also converted the reception area of the old hotel into a classroom that can be rented out for classes and workshops, creating a symbiotic relationship between the co-op and the community. During the summer, guest artists can also display their work, which gives artists a more ﬂexible option to use the space.“We each pay a certain amount each

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June 2024 UNIQUE MUSKOKA 39art at the albion - feature39 artists set up at various places downtown, like the train station, the opera house, the wharf and, of course, Arts at the Albion was open. It was a beautiful weekend and people just parked their cars and walked to each display, which was a wonderful thing.” Bracebridge hinterglas painter Bonnie Bews is one of the original members of Arts at the Albion. “We’ve hit a big milestone, so we’re quite pleased about that,” says Bews. “It was the ﬁrst time I was part of a co-op and the idea appealed to me because of how we all take care of each other, which is a big advantage.” Bews also remembers the labour of love involved in transforming the dining room and kitchen of the old hotel into an art gallery. “We were all so determined,” Bews recalls. “We were able to take David Dawson’s design Artists who belong to the co-operative pay a monthly amount to display their work, as well as working shis in the gallery. To keep costs down for the members, the group began welcoming guest artists to display their artwork as well as renting out the former hotel’s reception area-turned-classroom for workshops and classes.

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40 UNIQUE MUSKOKA June 2024and ﬁgure out how to make it all happen in a couple months’ time. It works really well, it’s just a great environment with a great feel to it. You can just imagine the history the building has had and being able to enjoy artwork there makes it a very creative space.”Each co-op member takes a turn working at the gallery for a day or two a month. While some artists might see this as a disadvantage, the advantages outweigh it for Bews. “We work our shifts every month or so, and its great because the public has a chance to talk to all the artists in one place, rather than travelling to each studio and gallery,” Bews explains. “It’s also easier to promote and talk about another artists’ work than your own, so that really helps. I’m selling more through the Albion than in my own studio because it gets more people to come out to my studio after seeing my work there. It’s also more convenient to have my art on permanent display, rather than having to worry about being in my studio if someone drops in.”To celebrate their 10th anniversary, Arts at the Albion will be hosting a gala event this year and a Retroactive Exhibition in September. For the exhibit, all the artists who’ve ever been a part of the co-op will be asked to come back and bring in a specially selected piece of work, which will be displayed in the classroom for the month. “It will be an exciting walk down memory lane,” says Bews. “It will give people a chance to see artwork from members who’ve moved, retired, or for whatever reason hasn’t been available. For the ﬁrst time in many years, people can come see or buy those pieces again.” Arts at the Albion has been sharing diverse artistry with the community and its visitors for 10 years and aims to continue that tradition for many more years to come. David Dawson, a Gravenhurst painter and one of the founding members of the co-operative gallery, put his skills as an architect and interior designer to use in designing the space. Working within the constraints of the building being historic, Dawson gave each artist their own individual space so visitors can immerse themselves in the various works.

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42 UNIQUE MUSKOKA June 2024Running from its headwaters in Algonquin Park to the shores of Georgian Bay, through more than 40 dams and criss-crossing over a dozen municipal jurisdictions, the Muskoka River watershed is perhaps the region's defining feature. For the past several years, like-minded groups in Muskoka have been gradually moving towards the creation of an integrated watershed management plan. Such a plan would incorporate the management of human activities and natural resources together on a watershed basis. e goal is to take into consideration the connected interests and needs of the environment, economy and society to protect Muskoka’s watershed. “Integrated watershed management plans have been developed and implemented by diﬀerent groups and organizations all across Article by Matt DriscollManaging all aspects of Muskoka’s watershed with an integrated plan, means the plan must be craed to include the management of natural resources and human activities, and to factor the environment, the economy and society into the research and decisions.Photograph: Matt DriscollPhotograph: Tim Du VernetSaving our most precious resource demands integrated management

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June 2024 UNIQUE MUSKOKA 43North America, Europe and even in third world countries but not here in Muskoka,” says Kevin Trimble of the Muskoka Watershed Council. “e drivers of an integrated watershed management plan can vary. ey can be focused on water quality or forestry or commercial ﬁsheries or a number of other factors. Here in Muskoka, it can be a little more diﬃcult to see those drivers. People come to Muskoka and they see the watershed and everything looks rosy but there are trends which are disturbing and diﬃcult to see.”According to Trimble, who has more than 30 years of experience in watershed ecology, the Muskoka watershed stands at a crucial turning point. While currently healthy, the watershed is degrading in several ways and the existing management systems appear to be incapable of halting or reversing the negative trend. “We need an integrated watershed management system capable of dealing with the multiple stressors our iconic environment now faces,” Trimble states.e District of Muskoka and several local groups formed the Muskoka Watershed Council. The Watershed Council has now taken the reins on the creation of an integrated watershed management plan. e current focus is on education and awareness and Trimble stresses they are only at the initial stages of creating a plan that will take years to complete.“Right now, we're working on engagement with Non-government organization and other community groups as well as First Nations and municipalities to try and generate as much Initial phases of Muskoka’s Integrated Watershed Management Plan require signicant research. Currently, education and awareness are the focal points, as gathering additional details from research will take time.Protecting and conserving land, as Muskoka Conservancy does with its properties, ensures signicant habitat such as wetlands and natural shorelines are maintained to support the ecosystem and the presence of species-at-risk, like this Blanding’s turtle.Photograph: Muskoka Conservancy Photograph: Amanda Porter/Muskoka ConservancySaving our most precious resource demands integrated management

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44 UNIQUE MUSKOKA June 2024stoneway marble & granite inc.Les and Renata Partyka1295 Muskoka Rd. 118 West, Bracebridge | 705.645.3380 | stoneway.inc@gmail.comBRACEBRIDGE GENERATION LTD.Water Power Generating a Cleaner EnvironmentInterested in more information or a free tour? www.bracebridgegeneration.comThe majority of Muskoka’s wetlands currently remain intact, unlike much of southern Ontario. Protecting these wetlands is essential for overall watershed health.interest as possible,” says Trimble.One of the Watershed Council’s immediate goals is to emphasize the cross-municipal nature of watershed impacts. ey hope to continue to engage the community via a community round table tasked to establish a common vision and goals for all sectors concerning the health of the watershed economy and community. Trimble says by early 2025 they would like to have a governance structure in place before professionally scoping their plan. e end goal would be to have a working plan in two to three years.e Muskoka River Watershed is facing a number of diﬀerent pressures ranging from increased development and climate change to the eﬀects of road salt and management of invasive species. e watershed management plan must be informed by science and include the management of natural resources and human activities in conjunction. It must also consider the needs and interests of not only the environment but also the economy and society. While many of the stressors are invisible to the casual observer, one growing concern that is painfully obvious is flooding. The region has been hit with signiﬁcant ﬂooding events on multiple occasions over the past decade, most notably in 2019.Flooding creates emergency situations which often lead to knee-jerk reactions from the municipalities and property owners aﬀected. Trimble cites a request to the province this year demanding the Muskoka River Water Management Plan be opened up for quick oxtonguecraftcabin.com Lynn Chidwick Red Canoe12” x 12”, glassCanadian Craft & Original ArtOpen weekends in Spring; Open daily in summer1073 Fox Point Dwight 705.635.160228 MANITOBA STREET, BRACEBRIDGEAvailable atThe Iconic T1 Bucket Hat

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June 2024 UNIQUE MUSKOKA 45flooding fixes, as one such reaction that is unhelpful in the long run.“It's a backward and economically unsound way to ﬁx our problems,” says Trimble.e root causes of the ﬂooding may begin in areas far outside the municipality's jurisdiction. e Watershed Council has been visiting various municipalities in the region to spread the word on an integrated watershed management plan but with 13 lower-tier municipalities located in the Muskoka watershed, logistics are complicated. Muddying the waters further, 12 of those municipalities have multiple watersheds within their geographic area.In most other parts of Ontario where an integrated watershed management plan exists, it has been designed and implemented by a conservation authority, an organization that does not currently exist in Muskoka. “ose plans have typically been created in more of a top-down fashion and we really want to do this as a collaboration,” says Trimble.In 2019, the Muskoka Watershed Advisory Group (MWAG) was created to advise the Ministry of Environment, Conservation and Parks on watershed issues including integrated watershed management. In 2020 MWAG provided a report to the Ministry highlighting the diﬀerent issues facing the Muskoka River watershed. e following year the province announced $5 million to help fund 16 projects across the watershed. Twelve of those projects were within the District of Muskoka and primarily under the lead of the upper-tier municipality in partnership with the Muskoka Watershed Council. Glen Cunnington was brought on by the District of Muskoka shortly after their announcement as their watershed programs manager to help implement those 12 projects. “rough those projects we've been able to accumulate a considerable amount of information and now we can act on it,” says Cunnington, who holds a PhD in road ecology and a master’s degree in watershed ecology.Among the more interesting ﬁndings was an improved watershed mapping strategy which revealed a previously unseen 95,000 hectares of wetland in addition to previously unknown wildlife habitats. Cunnington explains the consultants were able to discover the new wetlands by taking the existing aerial photos from the District's Geohub program and using AI and other technologies to further study In other parts of the province, where an integrated watershed management plan exists, a conservation authority has designed and implemented it. In Muskoka, no such organization currently exists.Photograph: Muskoka Conservancy Photograph: Muskoka Conservancy

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46 UNIQUE MUSKOKA June 2024indicators such as ground cover. e consultants then followed up with “ground-truthing,” wherein they follow up the digital imaging with boots on the ground.“We found there was a very high success rate,” Cunnington shares. “We can now take that information and incorporate it into things like our oﬃcial plan to reﬂect the mapping.”Other projects included a baseline hydrology model that incorporates the ecological structure and dynamics of the Muskoka River Watershed and characterizes its functions. at includes how ﬂoods originate and how they're distributed across the watershed, the cost-beneﬁt analysis of watershed management actions and the inﬂuence of climate change and land use on ﬂood potential.Other projects included expanded ﬂoodplain mapping, a water management plan review scoping study and an examination of watershed-scale ﬂood mitigation options.e district hired a new staﬀ member this year to help follow through on some of the initiatives laid out as part of those 12 projects. Cunnington says that information could be used to help create an integrated watershed management plan when the time comes. “Each watershed is unique and one of the things that makes Muskoka unique is the topography and variations in landscape,” Cunnington says. “We have areas that are very hilly and steep in the north down to ﬂat areas near Georgian Bay. at changes how the water moves through the area and can create pinch points which can cause problems with ﬂooding.”Trimble says nature-based green solutions to help decrease ﬂooding are currently being reviewed. As part of an integrated watershed management plan, those solutions would likely include working on wetlands in one region of the watershed to help prevent flooding in another. Another key diﬀerence with Muskoka is, unlike in southern Ontario where the majority of the wetlands have been lost to development and agriculture, the majority of Muskoka's wetlands remain intact. e watershed consists of 15 sub-watersheds stretching over 5,100 square kilometres emptying into southeastern Georgian Bay. The 2,000-plus lakes in the watershed are home to 30 diﬀerent species of ﬁsh, 250 diﬀerent species of birds, 50 species of mammals and 35 species of reptiles and amphibians. e Muskoka Conservancy currently protects 56 diﬀerent properties in the area, including some 64,279 feet of riparian area, also known as shoreline area. Scott Young, executive director of the Muskoka Conservancy, shares that the Conservancy fully supports the work of the Watershed Council.“Muskoka Conservancy’s nature conservation activities include protecting over 4,600 acres (18.6 square km) of land including wetlands and natural shorelines that absorb snow melt and rainwater like giant sponges slowing the ﬂow and mitigating potential ﬂooding,” says Young.Many of those land holdings are protected because they feature habitats for species at risk, like Blanding’s turtle, Canada warbler and five-lined skink. They also protect key ecosystems for iconic Muskoka species like the common loon, moose, and black bear. “Muskoka would not be what it is without nature,” comments Young. “Protecting natural areas is essential work for the overall watershed health of Muskoka and we’re interested in any measures that help protect the unique, natural assets that deﬁne Muskoka. We’re happy to note that many Muskoka residents understand we have something here worth protecting and support for the Conservancy and other environmental organizations remains strong.”An integrated watershed management plan for Muskoka is likely still years away but organizations like the Muskoka Watershed Council stand behind the belief that such a plan is a necessity to maintain the integrity of our local waterways and ecosystem. To that end, the Muskoka Watershed Council and their partners say they will continue to push the agenda forward while drawing in the help of the many organizations, businesses and municipalities that depend on a healthy watershed.The implementation of 12 projects in the District of Muskoka, funded by the Ministry of Environment, Conservation and Parks, have led to many ndings, such as an improved watershed mapping strategy which revealed a previously unseen 95,000 hectares of wetland in addition to previously unknown wildlife habitats.Photograph: Muskoka Conservancy

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48 UNIQUE MUSKOKA June 2024From the initial launch of Canada’s rst tuberculosis sanatorium in clean-air Muskoka at Gravenhurst in 1897 came many more TB treatment centres in the same setting on Muskoka Bay, as this aerial photo shows, with Muskoka Cottage Sanatorium on the right and the sprawling Muskoka Hospital for Consumptives on the le built in 1923, among others.One of Muskoka’s most ephemeral attributes is an integral component of the district’s mystique. First experienced by Indigenous peoples as Nahbewahsumin or “the good life,” Anglo-Canadian settlers came to call it the “Muskoka cure.”e health beneﬁts of being in Muskoka were widely known thousands of years ago is attested to by Indigenous artifacts connecting people from as far north as James Bay, south of Lake Michigan and further east, who arrived for summer experiences on Beausoleil Island in today’s Georgian Bay Township of the district. is traditional practice continued into recent times, the memory of which elder Leon King of Beausoleil First Nation recalls. “As soon as you got here, you could feel joy, that gladness in your heart of what is here, the spirituality, the good things,” explains King. “You could come to trade for furs and things you needed like pots, seashells and plants, ﬂints and medicines, dried ﬁsh and berries.” Yet Beausoleil encompassed more than trading between distant way ﬁnders canoeing to Muskoka. “When they gathered, they used to also have social dances, maybe weddings, ceremonies, namings, diﬀerent things people enjoyed,” shares King. “ey called it Nahbewahsumin, the good life, when people lived and gathered together and shared everything they had. ey feasted together. They sang together. They Article by J. Patrick BoyerPhotograph: H. Oakman, Gravenhurst Archives

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June 2024 UNIQUE MUSKOKA 49Among patients in need of treatment at Gravenhurst’s tuberculosis facilities were soldiers of the First World War whose lungs were seared in poison gas warfare on the Western Front in Europe. Returned to Canada aboard hospital ships, a number of soldiers with such wounds, received treatment at the Muskoka Free Hospital for Consumptives opened in 1902.danced together. ey did a lot of sharing here.”When non-Indigenous homesteaders began arriving in Muskoka during the 1860s, younger city folk on their heels came exploring the northern lakeland. Several began a summer vacationing colony on Lake Joseph, as D.H.C. Mason has recounted in Muskoka’s First Islanders, and they, likewise, shared food, song, dancing and everything together. In 1864 they formed e Muskoka Club whose members returned for migratory summer enjoyment, singing “From Island to Island like sea birds we roam / e Lake is our pathway, the forest our home.” ese young men and women felt better just being in Muskoka. e good life phenomenon had migrated – because of the setting – into a similar wilderness experience of non-Indigenous people, known in city circles as “taking the Muskoka cure.”is elixir for body, mind and soul blended the Canadian Shield’s pure clean waters, prevailing fresh breezes from Georgian Bay and heady scents of white pines and rock-covering moss. Muskoka’s healthful conditions offered escape from polluted air, soil contamination, foul water and ill people jostling in close quarters of cities. e district’s healthful living was publicized and promoted by two energetic champions: A.P. Cockburn, who in 1866 introduced steamship transport on Lake Muskoka with Wenonah, and Thomas McMurray, who in 1869 launched the Northern Advocate as the ﬁrst newspaper in Ontario’s northern districts. Photograph: Candice Jones Collection, GravenhurstPhotograph: Gale Archives, West Park Healthcare CentreCountless people found Muskoka’s clean pure air, free to breath at will, a benet of life in the district. Facilities providing direct access to the Muskoka cure, such as sanatoriums and fresh air camps for children, institutionalized this dimension of district life. At Canada’s rst TB sanatorium, as seen here, raised veranda ward windows allow full doses of the fresh air cure.

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June 2024 UNIQUE MUSKOKA 51In 1870 they teamed up to invite Canadian newspapermen from the cities so they could tour them around on the steamboat, feed them information and ensure hard-drinking newspapermen achieved true insight. Editors, as captives in paradise, would see for themselves what a grand place Muskoka was and just how narrow, sour, and wrong the criticisms circulating about the government’s free lands for homesteaders were.In the summer of 1871, the Canadian Press Association’s editors and newspapermen duly reached Muskoka and aboard Wenonah McMurray and Cockburn vied to outshine each other with fact-packed addresses to the enchanted scribes while the Advocate’s editor, James Boyer, circulated the decks, answering questions while reﬁlling every glass. Returning to their city newsrooms after their well-lubricated and closely guided tour of the district’s scenic splendour, the men of the press glowingly informed thousands of readers that Muskoka was one of Canada’s most promising places, easily three-quarters of it ideal for farming and all of it ideal for the purity of its air. News of the Muskoka cure spread. Muskoka’s ﬁrst wave of vacationers were active adventurers, many making ﬁshing and hunting parties of men and women. Then more came north for water sport, hiking and boating. Whatever their pleasures and diversions, all got ample exercise in fresh air. ey were drawn for northland action and to escape the hustle of the city.By the late 1800s, cities like Toronto were proud of their signs and smells of industrial prosperity as tall smokestacks belched dense black smoke from factories and steam engines rolled through the city to and from Union Station spewing more soot into the air. Housewives harvested freshly washed shirts and bedsheets from their clotheslines that were clean but even greyer. Two major steel-producing cities, Hamilton in Ontario and Pittsburgh in Pennsylvania, were suspended in a fog of pollution year-round, worse in summer’s intense heat, causing wealthy owners of the steel mills and ironworks to board Muskoka-bound trains, escaping their boiling factories and sweating workers to enjoy the pristine conditions at their lakeside estates paid for by their employee's continuing labours. Clean, fresh air was the medical profession’s best prescription in the late-1800s when tuberculosis was claiming the lives of so many. Doctors began recommending patients with respiratory ailments of any sort to head north to Muskoka. In 1875, travel from urban centres in southern Ontario and northern tier American states became fast and convenient because railway service was now open to Gravenhurst and connected directly on Muskoka Wharf with steamships taking city escapees up the lakes to the district’s growing number of resort hotels. ose running the summer lodgings oﬀered guests large portions of fresh food from the immediate vicinity, knowing people’s appetites grew in Muskoka with fresh air and exercise. Such diets, too, contributed to good health. A notable feature of the pure air in Muskoka was the absence of pollen that triggered hay fever – a beneﬁt featured by many resorts in their advertising. Another was summertime air temperature: hot in the day which encouraged swims, resting in a shaded hammock reading a book or simply letting the heat go to your head in a passionate way or making a cooling drink more enjoyable; dropping at night to make a campfire pleasant and sleeping comfortable. e cool night air made sound sleep part of one’s beneﬁcial Muskoka vacation. With so many prominent and wealthy Americans involved in the district – building early resort hotels, financing logging operations, establishing summer estates like Millionaires’ Row at Beaumaris on Lake Muskoka – the Muskoka cure became well-known in the United States, too. While Woodrow Wilson was president of Princeton University, his physician cautioned the often-ill patient to “keep a light schedule,” which Woodrow and his wife Ellen happily achieved in Muskoka, with their three daughters, initially for two summers at e Bluﬀs on Lake Rosseau, then in their own cottage on Formosa Island, before he went on to become president of the United States in 1912. When Andrew Mellon became U.S. Secretary of the Treasury in 1921, the Pittsburgh billionaire had less time to visit the Mellon Family’s Lake Muskoka estate.By the 1890s, with tuberculosis an unchecked disease, Sir William Gage, a philanthropic Toronto publisher grown wealthy selling textbooks to schools, toured tuberculosis clinics abroad and returned determined that Canada, too, must have a sanatorium for those whose lives were being wasted by consumption. He oﬀered $25,000 ($858,000 today) towards the cost of a tuberculosis centre and wanted it to be in “the perfect spot.” Photograph: Judy Humphries Collection, GravenhurstIn addition to formal invitations sent to Toronto high society and medical people across Canada, this yer from Grand Trunk Railway spread word of a special train making a daytrip from the city’s Union Station to Gravenhurst (round trip fare, $2.75) for the ocial opening of Canada’s rst tuberculosis sanatorium in fresh air Muskoka.

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52 UNIQUE MUSKOKA June 2024SERVING MUSKOKA / GEORGIAN BAY / HALIBURTON1-888-417-8761 www.techhomeltd.comBUILDING CUSTOM HOMES & COTTAGES FOR 50 YEARSGRAVENHURST MODEL HOME2278 Hwy 11N.| Gravenhurst, ON P1P 1R1 | 1.888.417.8761GREATER TORONTO AREA DESIGN CENTRE130 Konrad Cres, Unit #18 Markham, ON | L3R 0G5905.479.9013Visit our Gravenhurst Model Home or Toronto Design Centre, & we’ll bring your dream to life.Among leading Toronto physicians advising Gage was Dr. William Canniﬀ, the city’s long-serving medical health oﬃcer. Since the 1870s William had summered in the district and valued Muskoka’s healthful environment. In 1895, opting to live a year-round vacation, he opened a medical practice in Port Carling. On May 7, 1895, readers of the Toronto Globe read Canniﬀ’s letter saluting Gage for seeking to establish a tuberculosis hospital and recommending “a summer home for consumptives” be established in Muskoka. Gage became “intrigued enough by the idea of building a summer treatment home in Muskoka,” notes Andrea Baston in her book Curing Tuberculosis in Muskoka, “to contact the Grand Trunk Railway authorities” who oﬀered “a railway car free of charge each spring and fall to transport needy tuberculosis patients to and from Muskoka.” Gravenhurst councillors saw the need for Of the many ways to benet from active outdoor life in fresh air Muskoka, trail riding is less featured than the lakeland’s water sports but horseback riding for city vacationers, led by a seasoned Muskokan, was a constant and popular activity. Here seven riders trail a farmhand at Lang Moat’s “Wonderview Farm” near Peninsula Lake.Photograph: Susan Brenciaglia photo

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June 2024 UNIQUE MUSKOKA 53such a facility for Canadian tuberculosis patients and its importance for the local community so they approved $10,000 as the town’s contribution to its cost, pooled with Gage’s $25,000 pledge and other substantial gifts including another $25,000 donation from tractor manufacturer Hartland Massey, whose 23-year-old son died from tuberculosis.On August 21, 1897, Muskokans mingled with a trainload of dignitaries from Toronto as all converged on the east side of Muskoka Bay, in formal attire beﬁtting a Victorian Age oﬃcial ceremony, thrilled to be participating in a moment of Canadian history. Muskoka’s great promoter, A.P. Cockburn, keen to make the oﬃcial opening a major event with the largest possible crowds, enticed hundreds from further up the lakes with special event reduced rates on his steamboats. Ontario’s Chief Justice Sir William Meredith presided over the ceremonies. Prominent businessmen and medical representatives from across Canada delivered moving speeches, none failing to mention the importance of a fresh air location and the Muskoka cure. It was a national happening, a Canadian milestone. e sanatorium’s grand opening created far-reaching ripples. Passengers who came to Gravenhurst for the event aboard Cockburn’s steamers – a mixture of well-connected city folk from resorts, owners of Muskoka businesses, members of the Muskoka Lakes Association, newsmen from Bracebridge’s two newspapers and others – were impressed as leading Canadians in medical, legal and political realms waxed eloquent about Muskoka’s curative abilities, boosting the importance of Canada’s ﬁrst tuberculosis treatment centre being located in the district. Those returning to Toronto and points beyond carried word of the memorable experience and imparted their indelible impressions about the esteemed Muskoka cure. ose heading back up the Muskoka Lakes also had wide circles of contacts, associates and friends who heard about the singularly important development in Muskoka. Whether full-time or seasonal residents, Muskokans spread the word. It elevated property values, aided their businesses and gave another dimension to brag about the Muskoka cure when publicizing the district or talking with tourists. e “Muskoka Cottage Sanitarium” – year-round, part hospital, part resort – was Canada’s ﬁrst treatment centre for tuberculosis patients whose three-word name said it all. Muskoka was the healthful place of clean air, cottage tapped into the coveted allure of a second home, a country place close to nature, connoting the simplicity and casual setting it would facilitate and sanatorium was a digniﬁed name for a treatment centre, a step above “refuge for incurables.” And, true to these meanings, patients had open-air verandas, wide-screened windows, lounge chairs under the trees, sleeping cots in canvas tents and heavy coats and blankets while reclining outdoors and inhaling cold winter air. Muskoka Cottage Sanatorium put humans directly into nature’s healing embrace. e absence of air-borne pollutants from factories, combined with crisp clean breezes wafting across pristine waters, pine forests and rocky outcroppings, completed the curative prescription.By oﬀering hope for those with a deadly disease, the Muskoka Cottage Sanitarium began a new chapter for Muskoka as a place of healing. Being a patient in Muskoka became a status symbol, especially with many a member of some prominent Canadian family. Opening a new dimension to the Muskoka cure, the sanatorium's success led to opening others Photograph: Gravenhurst Town ArchivesIn his book By Track and Trail Through Canada, Edward Roper wrote of Muskoka, “It is said to be very healthy, bracing and invigorating; doctors send their patients up to recuperate.” Here a TB patient has come to the Calydor Sanatorium, opened at Gravenhurst in 1916, to live in a tent-cottage, where he is seen with his nurse, for treatment with Muskoka’s healthy clean air.

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54 UNIQUE MUSKOKA June 2024nearby. With critical mass achieved, Gravenhurst became preeminent in tuberculosis treatment.Another boost for healthful Muskoka living with clean air, fresh water and outdoor activity came when railway companies began stirring up fares by generating favourable publicity. At the height of the steam era before automobiles, with railways dominating passenger service, they launched so much promotion of healthy holidays and great contact with nature that the Muskoka cure became a further enticement for holiday-makers and railway companies became the district’s publicity department. In 1888, a map of “e Muskoka District of Ontario” in Mercer Adam’s Muskoka Illustrated highlighted railway links with southern Ontario and the U.S. and the railways created large posters displaying the same.is became an even greater phenomenon after A.P. Cockburn died in 1905 and ownership of his Muskoka Navigation Company passed to Hugh and John MacLean. eir Canada-wide media juggernaut was a printing and publishing empire of many newspapers and dozens of magazines, one of which, Maclean’s Magazine (their name stylized), Canadians still read today. e brothers had the means to promote easy travel into Muskoka just when it coincided with prosperous and prominent people hungering for an ideal vacation early in the 20th century. e outpouring of their many print publications, especially the magazines, continuously promoted four key assets of the brothers and Muskoka: their commodious steamship line, billed as “North America’s largest inland waterway ﬂeet;” ready access to Muskoka aboard the comfortable coaches of the Grand Trunk Railway; the Royal Muskoka, by far Canada’s most prestigious summer hotel (jointly owned by Grand Trunk and Muskoka Steamships); and the celebrated “Muskoka cure” vacation. e brothers’ publishing conglomerate unabashedly ﬁxed and projected Muskoka’s image this way, galvanizing awareness of healthy holidaying.e Muskoka mystique is an expression of many distinct features which combined hold a unique drawing power. Being able to “take the Muskoka cure” is one of those features, which has and continues to draw travellers to the region. In September 1864, aer four years of making their annual fresh air pilgrimage to Lake Joseph for what they called “the Muskoka cure,” young Torontonians created The Muskoka Club to formalize what Indigenous Peoples had been doing in Muskoka since time immemorial on Beausoleil Island. Muskoka’s Cottage Sanatorium set a high standard in every respect for people coming for a particular version of the Muskoka cure, at a fearful time when some district resorts advertised “No Consumptives,” as victims of consumption whose lungs were wracked by tuberculosis were called. The curative benets of the district’s clean fresh air made Muskoka home of Canada’s rst TB treatment centre, with more added at Gravenhurst between 1902 and 1923.Photograph: Mason Family & Muskoka Discovery CentrePhotograph: Gravenhurst Town ArchivesPURE COMFORT,SUSTAINABLY-BUILT28 MANITOBA STREET, BRACEBRIDGENEW ARRIVALSPACKS BAGSCLOTHINGEND OF SEASON SALE: UP TO 40% OFFSAVINGS OF UP TO 40% OFF ON SOME LINE ENDS

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56 UNIQUE MUSKOKA June 2024Major construction work to cause delays in GravenhurstA massive infrastructure project in Gravenhurst is expected to cause traﬃc headaches this summer. e District of Muskoka, who are in charge of the project, has dubbed the work “Bay and Beyond” and it will aﬀect a two km stretch of road from Steamship Bay Road to Gull Lake Park. Work is expected to begin in May and last until 2026 as part of the three-phase project. e primary driver of the project is to replace the water and wastewater pipes in the aﬀected area. Some of the pipes date back as far as 1944. In addition to new underground pipes, the project will also incorporate roadway improvements and increased opportunities for active transportation. e ﬁrst phase of the project includes extensive work in the area around Muskoka Wharf. at area is typically home to a number of events and festivals throughout the year, which have been either cancelled or relocated for 2023. e Gravenhurst Farmers Market, which is typically one of the busiest farmers markets in the region and runs on Wednesdays, is being relocated between June and October to Gull Lake Rotary Park. Organizers are putting a positive spin on the move, calling it “Market in the Park.” Organizers say most of their regular vendors will be at the new location and some new ones will also join them.e Tall Pines Music Festival, which typically takes place at Muskoka Wharf Park, will be joining the Farmers Market at Gull Lake Park this summer. e Festival will run between July 18 and 20 and feature headliners City and Color, July Talk, Dan Mangan and JJ Wilde. e festival will make the most of its relocation by adding free programming at the Barge located in Gull Park on the ursday of that weekend.Another major tourist draw for the Muskoka Wharf area is the Canadian Antique and Classic Boat Society (ACBS) Show, which typically runs in July. is year the ACBS has decided to cancel the show. “Our show is the largest vintage and classic boat show in Canada and our team determined that if circumstances did not allow us to host a ﬁrst class show we would cancel,” said ACBS chair Mike Gridley. Local healthcare debate continuese highly contentious issue of Muskoka’s future healthcare structure continues to spark debate across the region.Earlier this year Muskoka Algonquin Healthcare (MAHC) announced changes to the service delivery levels to go along with the construction of two new hospitals: one at the current site of the existing Huntsville Hospital and a second at a new location on Pine Street in Bracebridge. e announcement was heavily criticized during a number of public meetings held throughout the region. Under the original plan both hospitals would retain intensive care units (ICUs) and surgical centres but Bracebridge would only have 14 inpatient beds while Huntsville would have 139.In response to the outcry, MAHC said they would reconsider the plan and in April 2024 they presented an updated version. Photograph: Matt DriscollPhotograph: The District of MuskokaIn response to signicant outcry from the community upon presentation of an initial plan for hospitals in Bracebridge and Huntsville, Muskoka Algonquin Health Care continues to speak with physicians and residents to revise the plans.Whats HappenedThe “Bay and Beyond” project in Gravenhurst, beginning this year and extending until 2026, has caused many events that usually operate from Muskoka Wharf to change plans or cancel altogether this year.

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June 2024 UNIQUE MUSKOKA 57Under the latest proposal, Bracebridge would have 36 acute care beds including four ICUs. Obstetrics have now been reinstated at the Bracebridge Hospital, having been removed under the original plan. An organization called the Save South Muskoka Hospital committee (which was formed shortly after the announcement of the original plan) said the revised version does not go far enough. e group is advocating for acute and equal hospitals.MAHC said they will continue to speak with physicians and residents to review the new plans. Bracebridge Father's Day Car Show set to return Just when it seemed the Father’s Day Car Show was headed for the scrap yard, the Rotary Club of Bracebridge has her rebuilt and back on the road.e antique car show had previously been hosted by the Bracebridge BIA on Manitoba Street but the show was permanently cancelled in 2023, citing a lack of volunteers and increasing costs. e Rotary Club recently decided to breathe new life into the show and host it at the Rotary Centre for Youth and the surrounding parking lots on June 16, 2024 from 8 am to 4 pm.“e car show oﬀers something for almost all ages; the young seem to marvel at the older cars and how much diﬀerent they are from today’s transportation and the older folks have a chance to see cars from years past,” says Darcy Hammond, who helped spearhead eﬀorts to revive the show for the Rotary Club. “It’s also a chance for those who put in so much eﬀort into collecting and restoring these vehicles to get a venue to show oﬀ.”e car show will be held at 131 Wellington Street and will incorporate the parking lots for Georgian College and the Dewey Institute, as well as the Rotary Centre for Youth.“We’re hoping to create a bit of a walking tour of the vehicles,” says Hammond. “is is our ﬁrst eﬀort at organizing one of these, so the site was chosen for its central location in town. ere’s no need to close roads and create traﬃc challenges but we’ll still have excellent visibility for those driving through town.” No spectator parking will be allowed on site but a free shuttle will be available from 505 Highway 118 West (Bracebridge ReStore parking lot). e shuttle will run every 20 minutes. Prizes will be awarded to fan favourites. “Any opportunity to bring people together outdoors to walk about and be social is extremely important both for community and personal well-being,” says Hammond. “e club is always trying to oﬀer events for the public to come and join in, whether it’s the musical, selling Christmas trees, Canada Day or any of the other events we host. We also want to thank everyone who takes part, whether it’s registering their vehicle or simply coming out and enjoying the show.”Huntsville Festival of the Arts announces summer seasonWhether it's comedy you crave, familiar favourites or some of Canada's most legendary performers, the Huntsville Festival of the Arts (HfA) has something for every taste. In fact, the theme of this year's summer concert series is “we've got you covered.”For the past 31 years the HfA has presented a full summer season of concerts and events and this year they promise to have something for everyone. Returning favourites include the legendary Jim Cuddy and Celtic sweethearts Natalie MacMaster and Donnell Leahy. Both Cuddy and MacMaster are multiple Juno Award winners and members of the Order of Canada. And, after two sold-out shows last summer, CHOIR!CHOIR!CHOIR! returns for back-to-back nights of giant sing-a-longs.Expect top notch takes on your favourite artist with tributes to Billy Joel, Elton John, Led Zeppelin and more.Programming will also continue to venture into alternative venues. Garret T. Willie, blues virtuoso, graces the stage at Etwell Concert Series – an outdoor covered venue in the lush forests near Huntsville. Hillside Farm will once again host MORE BARN: e Music of Neil Young, spearheaded by Tobin Spring. Other local artists featured this season include an intimate candlelit solo performance by piano virtuoso Kyung-A Lee at the Algonquin eatre and Living on Muskoka Time with musician Sean Cotton. Cotton presents a multimedia concert full of songs and stories inspired by Muskoka and the people who live here. Other local artists to be featured this year include several musicians playing in the popular Music at Noon Series running July 15 to 19. Comedy fans won’t want to miss Girls Nite Out, featuring an all-female comedy night with Elvira Kurt and friends. Fridays of the long weekends will feature Yuk Yuk’s On Tour at Canvas Brewery. New amphitheatre seating being installed at Gull Lake ParkGuests to Gull Lake Park in Gravenhurst can expect a newly re-invigorated park with tiered granite stadium seating when summer arrives.Photograph: Jim CuddyLegendary favourite Jim Cuddy returns to Huntsville as part of the Huntsville Festival of the Arts summer lineup. Other concerts feature Natalie MacMaster and Donnell Leahy, CHOIR!CHOIR!CHOIR! and Garret T. Willie.

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58 UNIQUE MUSKOKA June 2024e project is being funded by the Rotary Club of Gravenhurst, as part of their Rotary Rocks the Barge initiative to celebrate their 85th anniversary.Seating will be along the slope facing the lake, adjacent to the barge. People can use the seating to watch performances on the barge and other activities at the waterfront.Construction has now begun and is expected to be completed by June.Kee to Bala reveals 2024 summer lineupFrom Louis Armstrong to Drake, the Kee to Bala has delivered top notch entertainers to Muskoka for more than 80 years. is summer will be no exception as the Kee recently announced a summer lineup headed by Smashing Pumpkins, Sean Paul and the Glorious Sons. May 18 – Big WreckMay 31 – Josh RossJune 28 and 29 – e SheepdogsJuly 5 and 6 – e ReklawsJuly 12 – April WineJuly 13 – Tim HicksJuly 18 – e BeachesJuly 19 and 20 – MetricJuly 26 – e TrewsJuly 27 – 54-40July 28 – Loud LuxuryJuly 31 – e Smashing PumpkinsAug. 2 and 3 – James Barker BandAug. 9 and 10 – David WilcoxAug. 11 – James KennedyAug. 16 and 17 – e Glorious SonsAug. 22 – Kim MitchellAug. 23 and 24 – Dallas SmithAug. 27 – Sean PaulAug. 31 and Sept. 1 – Sam Roberts BandTilley book launch a smashing successe life of a Canadian business icon has been documented in a new book and, by all accounts, the grand reveal of that biography was a great success.“I was thrilled with the two book launches for e Endurable Alex Tilley,” says Nancy Beal, author of the 330-page book, which was released in April. As the founder of Tilley Endurables, Alex Tilley became a Canadian icon when his self-proclaimed “persnicketiness” for quality earned him a devout following. A quirky and complex personality, Tilley provided top-quality travel and outdoor clothing. He became internationally famous for the crown of his creations: a Canadian-made cotton hat sold with an owner’s manual, insurance policy and lifetime guarantee.e ﬁrst book launch was held in Toronto at the historic Arts & Letters Club. In attendance were friends and family as well as some employees from Tilley Endurables. “e second launch, held at the Gravenhurst Opera House, was ﬁlled to the brim with our friends and community supporters,” says Beal. “Muskoka author Cheryl Cooper emceed this lively event, Rotary sold Tilley Hats and members of the audience told their personal stories of their own experiences with Alex and their Tilley items. It culminated in a standing ovation for Alex. My favourite reaction to the event was later recounted to me through a friend: ‘I didn’t know book launches could be so much fun’.”Photograph: The Kee to BalaFeature by Matt DriscollThe launch of the biography The Endurable Alex Tilley in April was a smashing success for author Nancy Beal, with events in Toronto and Gravenhurst. The summer lineup of concerts at the historic Kee to Bala features the Sheepdogs, Smashing Pumpkins, Sean Paul and the Glorious Sons.Photograph: Nancy Beal

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60 UNIQUE MUSKOKA June 2024Article by K.M. Wehrstein / Photography by Tomasz SzumskiCoffee: the avourful start or nish to your day or mealFull disclosure: I don’t drink coﬀee and never have, avoiding stimulants as a rule. I’m high-strung enough as it is. However, I think a certain innocence of palate can help in sampling objectivity, so rather than a disadvantage from lack of familiarity, this oﬀers a fresh perspective. Coﬀee is best known, of course, as the universal mental-energy drug that arguably powers the economy of the entire Western world (except England, where it’s tea). According to one legend, it all started with a Yemeni goatherder in 850 CE who noticed his goats became energetic to the point of dancing after eating certain berries, so naturally tried them himself. e global journey from there to a coﬀee machine in every oﬃce is caﬀeine-fueled history.However, coﬀee’s inimitable and always recognizable deep nut-like ﬂavour is much loved as an ingredient, too, whether in savoury marinades and sauces, desserts like tiramisu, the many iterations of mocha, or the simple cup of coﬀee enhanced by a wide range of other ingredients into spectacular beverages. For this issue, there’s lots of sweetness.We’ll start at Muskoka’s very ﬁrst coﬀee manufacturer, Muskoka Roastery, founded in 2000 when Patricia Snell began at Huntsville’s 7 Main Café. “When we started out, 24 years ago, roasting in small batches for the local community, we had a vision to become the biggest and the best specialty coﬀee roaster in Canada,” shares Snell.e company soon outgrew the café and moved to an expandable location on Crescent Road in 2008. Factory and oﬃce space combined is now 17,000 square feet. Muskoka Roastery products can now be bought in more than 900 Canadian stores from coast to coast and are ordered online by people all over the world, from the USA to Italy, Germany, England, the Netherlands and even Saudi Arabia. “It has been pretty incredible,” Snell enthuses.e roastery imports its beans from 10 top-coﬀee-growing nations in South America, Africa and Asia, then roasts and blends them to craft the diﬀerent roasts. In the case of its few ﬂavoured coﬀees (two of which are featured in recipes), the beans are ﬂavoured after roasting. “We choose subtle yet distinct all-natural ﬂavours,” says marketing manager Jordan Neudorf. “We make them very Canadian, very unique and very us.”All the coﬀee farms Muskoka Roastery buys from are Rainforest Alliance-certiﬁed, which brings forward a key concept in the company’s mission: sustainability.“It has been a focus for us since day one,” explains Neudorf. “Patricia and her family have been in Muskoka a very long time.” (Since 1862, according to the website.) “e rest of us work and play here, and if you’re surrounded by it, you value it. We’d like to ensure future generations can see and enjoy Canada the way we get to.”Muskoka Roastery is the ﬁrst coﬀee roaster in North America to source all its beans from Rainforest-Alliance-certiﬁed farms starting in 2011. is means that not only are the beans cultivated sustainably but workers are paid fairly and live in good conditions. It’s also the ﬁrst roastery in Canada to sell 100 per cent compostable coﬀee pods. “Last summer we began producing those in our factory,” says Neudorf. “You can put them in your green bin.” In 2017, the company went totally Bullfrog Powered, “meaning we choose 100 per cent green electricity, green natural gas and green fuel. Since 2017 we have avoided 726 tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions, equivalent to 162 cars taken oﬀ the

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June 2024 UNIQUE MUSKOKA 61road for one year.”In its 20th anniversary year of 2020, Muskoka Roastery became a certiﬁed B Corporation, meaning it must report its impact on employees, customers, suppliers, community, and the environment, every three years. e 2023 report can be read on its website.Finally, the roastery gives one per cent of its proceeds to environmental causes. “Our brand is very anchored in nature,” says Neudorf. “If we don’t have an environment we don’t have a brand.”But let’s get to the deliciousness aspect now, with two oﬀerings which, in Neudorf ’s words, “take recipes traditional for coﬀee and puts our own twist on them. You put cream and sugar into coﬀee, so…”Muskoka Maple Aﬀogato is absurdly simple with just two mandatory ingredients, though adding additional toppings, such as the fairly large drizzling of chocolate syrup I added to my sample, only adds to the sweet ﬂavour. e maple in combination with the vanilla makes it.Combining the classic tastes of café au lait and s’mores – you know, those gooey campﬁre delicacies often consumed in Muskoka – is S’mores Café Au Lait. Especially delightful is the way the coﬀee and milk mixture gradually sweetens as the marshmallows melt into it.“I did not have ‘barista’ on my bingo card even as soon as two years ago, but here I am, and I’m loving it,” says Chris Vanderbeek, self-described “introvert doing extrovert things” and owner of Baristah Coﬀee in Bracebridge. “I love being part of the community fabric, love the support that most give to each other, love meeting the quirky people. A rising tide lifts all boats.”Born in Dundas, Ontario, Vanderbeek got a foundational business education at Niagara College. From there he did a co-op placement in Muskoka and met his future wife, Ashley, then went on to work as a golf pro at the Lake Joseph Club.“I left there and did a few diﬀerent jobs,” Vanderbeek recounts. “is is my ﬁrst real business venture. Two Januarys ago, a friend and I were talking about what we could do as a side hustle. We looked into the coﬀee business. As we didn’t have skills or knowledge to start a roastery, we went into drop shipping: you have a website, people order your coﬀee on the website and the supplier ships to their door.” Vanderbeek and his partner then made contact with retailers in the Hiram St. Market complex, who were willing to try selling their line. “So, we got our foot in the door; people could see, feel, smell and taste our coﬀee.” Invited by Big River Bakery to sell out of a corner in their shop, he had two Saturdays Honey Lavender Latte – Chris VanderbeekIngredients • 4 oz espresso or strongly brewed coﬀee• 6 oz milk or milk alternative• ½ oz natural honey• ½ oz lavender infused simple syrup• ½ oz vanilla simple syrup• Whipped topping (optional)• Nutmeg (optional)Method Combine milk, honey, lavender and vanilla syrups and heat up to approximately 150° F on a stovetop on medium heat or with espresso steam wand. • Carefully pour into a 12 oz cup• Add espresso or strong coﬀee• Top with whipped cream and a dash of nutmeg if desired• Enjoy!Baristah's Tips • “With simple syrup you can control how much is going in.”• Possible milk substitutes: soy, almond, oat (“most popular by far”).• Use a candy thermometer to track the temperature to 150° F – so long as it’s digital. “It has to be fast or it won’t keep up with the heating.” Baristas use metal pitchers so they can feel the temperature and avoid scalding the milk that way.• Use a milk frother if you have one.While butter tarts were not part of the coee-related recipes, Janette MacNaughtan’s are a recipe she’s been tweaking for quite some time and pair deliciously with Chris Vanderbeek’s Baristah Coee beverages.

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62 UNIQUE MUSKOKA June 2024that were so successful that he gave his employer his two-weeks’ notice.“at was last June,” Vanderbeek recalls. “I had a great summer and now I’m here full-time Tuesday to Saturday.” Partnering with Bumble Pastry, he has opened a storefront café next to Big River on Taylor Road. At time of writing the plan was to oﬀer coﬀee, pastries and other “grab and go” stuﬀ including, perhaps, salads and wraps. Meanwhile Bumble Pastry owner Janette MacNaughtan, who is also Ashley’s longtime best friend, will be baking and cake decorating downstairs.Baristah Coﬀee is supplied by a roastery in Nepean who brings in beans from across the world and Vanderbeek crafts his wares by tasting, tweaking and giving the roastery instructions. “I like to taste the bean, but I also like a little of the darker ﬂavour, just a little bit of oil,” he expains. “I don’t like an acidic coﬀee. e longer you roast a bean, the less acidic it becomes, and also the less caﬀeine it keeps. e oils are always in the bean; they come to the surface the longer you roast.”Of course, he can’t base all oﬀerings on his personal favourite (mocha/java blend, as it reminds him of growing up in the 90s) and must provide a range. Vernon Dark Roast is from Ethiopia, Moon River from Guatemala and Skeleton is his favoured mocha/java blend – Baristah coﬀees are all named after bodies of water in Muskoka. He even stocks two decaﬀeinated roasts. “I try to cover everything.”All week, Vanderbeek says, “I’m thinking about what the next special weekly drink will be. It takes trial and error to create; I taste it myself or share with friends. I try to keep it fun but sometimes make it a little bit elevated, like this.” He is referring to his Honey Lavender Latte. It has such a lovely, sweet, fragrant and irresistible taste that I kept sipping as we chatted, and soon got that familiar I-just-took-a-stimulant feeling coﬀee lovers all swear by. If Janette MacNaughtan’s surname seems familiar, it could be because her grandfather founded MacNaughtan’s Home Hardware in S’mores Café Au Lait – Muskoka RoasteryIngredients • Muskoka Roastery S’mores Coﬀee, strongly brewed• Warmed milk• Chocolate syrup• Graham crackers, ground to crumbs• Mini marshmallowsMethod • Rim your mug of choice with chocolate sauce and graham crackers. Line the inside of the mug with chocolate sauce.• Fill the mug half full with Muskoka Roastery S’mores Coﬀee and ﬁll the remaining half with warmed milk.• Top with mini marshmallows and use a kitchen torch (or a regular household blowtorch at its lowest setting) to toast them to your likeness.• Garnish your drink with some crushed graham crackers, and it’s ready to enjoy.Muskoka Maple Aogato – Jordan NeudorfIngredients• 1 scoop of vanilla ice cream• ¼ cup of strongly brewed Muskoka Maple coﬀee • Optional: Shaved chocolate, chopped nuts. Method • Scoop ice cream into a cup. Gently pour in coﬀee and add any desired toppings. Muskoka Maple Aogato, a twist on the traditional dessert, from Muskoka Roastery’s Jordan Neudorf is a sweet, elegant and satisfyingly simple treat for coee and dessert lovers.

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June 2024 UNIQUE MUSKOKA 63Chocolate Espresso Biscotti – Janette MacNaughtan and Miranda T.Ingredients 2 cups all-purpose ﬂour½ cup unsweetened cocoa powder2 tsp Baristah Hardy Espresso Blend, very ﬁnely ground (or your chosen espresso)½ tsp salt½ tsp baking soda4 oz semi-sweet chocolate, chopped or broken into small pieces8 Tbsp unsalted butter, softened1 cup granulated sugar2 large eggs2 tsp vanilla extract1 cup dark chocolate chips2 Tbsp Baristah Hardy Espresso Blend, coarsely ground (or your chosen espresso)Method • Preheat oven to 300° F. • Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.• In a food processor, combine the ﬂour, cocoa, espresso powder, salt, baking soda, and chopped chocolate. Pulse until the chocolate is ground into the ﬂour mixture.• In a stand mixer, cream together the butter and sugar.• Mix in the eggs and vanilla.• Gradually add the ﬂour mixture just until combined. (Don’t overdo it.)• Stir in the chocolate chips and ground espresso beans (coarse and ﬁne ground at the same time) into the dough.• Divide dough in half and form two logs about 14” x 2”. Place logs on prepared baking sheet at least 4” apart for the ﬁrst bake. (ey will puﬀ a tiny bit and spread.)• Bake for 30-35 minutes. Logs should be ﬁrm but not hard.• Cool on a wire rack for at least 30 minutes. Leave the oven on.• On a cutting board using a serrated knife, cut each loaf into ½ inch slices. (If the slices crumble, let the loaf cool a little longer.)• Place slices, standing half an inch apart, on a parchment-lined cookie sheet for the second bake. Bake for 30 minutes until the surface of the cookies is dry (the chocolate chips will be gooey).• Cool on a wire cooling rack. Can be stored in an airtight container for up to three weeks.Baker's Tips• “I use only real vanilla, not the fake stuﬀ.”• Why both course and ﬁnely ground coﬀee? “e ﬁne-ground spreads coﬀee ﬂavour through the dough, and the course gives a little crunch – texture and ﬂavour together, almost like a chocolate-covered coﬀee bean.”Bracebridge. Her educational background is in illustration and education, in which she has a master’s degree. “I still do artwork, have shown work at e Annex,” she says. In fact, among her publicly viewable works are the storefront signs and illustrations for Baristah Coﬀee and Bumble Pastry.MacNaughtan has been baking from childhood, taught by her mother and her grandmother. “It was something I dabbled in for a while,” she shares. “I’d have friends who’d commission me to do wedding and birthday cakes. I helped run a little café in e Annex some years ago and we had this huge discussion about my friend Joan’s butter tarts and how I could tweak her recipe.” en one year while Big River Bakery was closed for a New Year’s vacation, she provided the tarts along with Just like at a campre, using a kitchen torch or a regular household blowtorch (on low) to roast the marshmallows, adds the crisp yet gooey sweetness of s’mores to a café au lait.

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64 UNIQUE MUSKOKA June 2024YOUR GUIDE TO SERVICES AND RESOURCESDIRECTORYJOHNSON LOG HOMERESTORATIONS705-738-7831 jcd.johnson@hotmail.com Staining Chinking Log Repairs Sandblasting Timber Frames Renovation Log Wash Custom BuildsLogHomeRestore.caWE BUILD QUALITY - Roads, Septic Systems, Driveways and Landscaping - On Budget and On Time!Our Business Depends on Your Satisfactiongreenleafexcavation.ca 705-229-9985 greenleafexc@gmail.comYOUR FURNITURE & CUSTOM UPHOLSTERY SPECIALISTS Cal Cur an Paul Toda!705.784.0906muskokauph@gmail.com • MuskokaUpholstery.com other baked goods. As she recalls: “Warren Dix, the owner of the bakery, said ‘Your butter tarts are the best, keep going!’”“Janette does signs, does butter tarts – she’s awesome,” Vanderbeek interjects.“And Chris keeps me in coﬀee and laughs,” MacNaughtan shoots back. “We’re also really lucky because we have really supportive partners” (meaning in both business and romance). “We have those people we can celebrate and an extra shoulder to grab onto when you need some support.”I haven’t tasted her butter tarts but her Chocolate Espresso Biscotti, based on a recipe from her friend Miranda T., are delightful. Hard like dense toast from the double bake, they are full of crunch and chocolate with a subtle coﬀee ﬂavour, neither too sweet or too bitter. If you want them a little softer… just dip them in your latte!Why course and ﬁnely ground coﬀee, both? “e ﬁne-ground spreads coﬀee ﬂavour through the dough, and the course gives a little crunch – texture and ﬂavour together, almost like a chocolate-covered coﬀee bean.” Muskoka Roastery’s specialty coee avours, such as S’mores, are perfect to drink on their own or to be craed in specialty beverages with a twist, like this café au lait.

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66 UNIQUE MUSKOKA June 2024Muskoka MomentsArticle by Dan WatsonMuskoka, a place of peace and gratitudeey say absence makes the heart grow fonder. at is if you keep reminding yourself about what makes you fond of that which you are missing.I grew up in Huntsville. After high school I moved away to pursue a life in the theatre. It took me on all kinds of adventures, including a life with my amazing partner, Christina, and our incredible children, Bruno, Ralph and Simone. We ended up making a home in Toronto and, even though our work and life was there, we remained connected to Muskoka. I still had family and friends to visit, and I was also able to work here from time to time. We presented plays in parks and theatres and I was most fortunate to produce Nuit Blanche North each year through the support of the Huntsville Festival of the Arts (HfA).In 2018, I was oﬀered the role of executive director of the Huntsville Festival of the Arts and we decided to make the move to Muskoka. e time was right and the opportunity was there. It was the right move and it was living here full time that reminded me about all the things that make me fond of Muskoka.Of course, it’s a beautiful place to live and life here aﬀorded more feelings of safety and space for my children and family. I suddenly found I had more time. In Toronto, it takes about an hour to get anywhere. Here, not so much. I still ﬁnd myself slipping back on Toronto time where I leave for an event an hour before and ﬁnd that I have 55 minutes to kill. And that extra time creates space for reﬂection, for diﬀerent interests and pursuits and inner peace. I see it not only in myself but in my family and the community that surrounds me. Living here also reminded me of how fortunate Muskoka is to have such vibrant arts and culture. From visual arts, to music, to media, dance and theatre, there is so much happening in Muskoka. And the community supports and takes part. Not out of a sense of obligation, but because they genuinely enjoy it and appreciate the beneﬁts that arts and culture bring to our lives.Is it as large as Toronto’s arts and culture scene? Of course not, but for the size of our population and region, it is exceptional. And as someone who works in the arts and culture industry, I feel so fortunate to have the opportunity to produce events and programs that can make an impact. In Toronto, I felt my work was making ripples in a big pool. In Muskoka, I feel it has the potential to make a big splash and create waves that carry a deeper, more meaningful impact which helps enhance the lives of those living in and visiting the region. It took my move back to Huntsville to remind me about how amazing the Muskoka region is. I still try to remind myself every day about what I love about life here, to not take all these wonderful gifts for granted. I believe that’s called gratitude and it’s what I feel about living in Muskoka.Dan Watson is the executive director of the Huntsville Festival of the Arts. He grew up in Muskoka and is a past recipient of a Huntsville Festival of the Arts scholarship. Watson attended Humber College in Toronto to study theatre and also studied in Paris. For over 12 years, Watson lived and worked in Toronto, including teaching at his alma mater. He returned to Huntsville in 2018 to take on his current role. He lives in Huntsville with his wife and three children. Photograph: Lacey CreightonPrior to taking on the role of executive director, Dan Watson was responsible for bringing Nuit Blanche North to the Huntsville Festival of the Arts.Photograph: Huntsville Festival of the Arts

Unique Muskoka Issue 44 - June 2024

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