Unique Muskoka Issue 49 - Spring 2025 : simplebooklet.com

2 UNIQUE MUSKOKA Spring 2025Features13Person of Note – Chief John BigwinArticle by J. Patrick BoyerHereditary chief John Bigwin represented in words and symbols First Nation ways to non-Indigenous society during his long life. While he witnessed much Ojibwe land become today’s Simcoe and Victoria counties and the District of Muskoka, he lived in both Indigenous and settler worlds. 17From Heartbreak to Healing – Beverley BrewerArticle by Bronwyn Boyer Photography by Josianne Masseau Author Beverley Brewer’s memoir Dance Into e Light is a candid and intimate account of Brewer’s experience of holding space for a close family member battling addiction and mental health issues.[13]24Celebrating the Seasons – Outdoor FestivalsArticle by Susan StephenIn Muskoka, the changing of the seasons provides ample opportunities to enjoy the outdoors. Winter, spring, summer or fall, outdoor festivals and events – from art shows to triathlons and cranberry harvesting to maple syrup – showcase the dynamic nature of Muskoka.32Creative Chemistry – Owl Light CeramicsArticle by Bronwyn Boyer Photography by Josianne Masseau Having her own studio nestled in the wilds of Muskoka is a dream come true for Sue Hlywka and she’s still pinching herself. As a potter who likes to create functional work, Hlywka draws on her fascination with nature in her craft.[32][17]...telling the Muskoka story[24]

Page 5

Page 6

Page 7

40Muskoka's Elastic BordersArticle by J. Patrick BoyerMuskoka’s borders are both natural and manmade. While some seem to be arbitrary delineations, shorelines and granite also played a role in deﬁning boundaries. However, these boundaries have also shifted when required, or when forced, causing confusion in identity and classiﬁcation.Departments54What’s HappenedArticle by Susan Stephene Town of Bracebridge prepares to mark its 150th anniversary and the Seguin Sled Dog Mail Run celebrates 40 years of “sledvelopes.” e Muskoka Maple Festival returns, community groups organize Easter egg hunts, and the District of Muskoka launches the Tariﬀ Information Hub. e Muskoka Discovery Centre announces Artist Life Stories Speaker Series, Huntsville Festival of the Arts launches a pop-up concert series, and Bracebridge’s iconic silver bridge is closed for repairs.58Cottage Country CuisineArticle by K.M. Wehrstein Photography by Tomasz Szumski Muskoka Springs, Muskoka Granola and Muskoka Brand Gourmet Foods are products proudly made in Muskoka. While two are newer to the scene and one has long history in Muskoka, all three have built followings for their tasty products. Enjoy these starter recipes, along with the stories of how these products developed and evolved.Opinion9Muskoka InsightsBy Meghan Taylor11From an Artist's PerspectiveBy Lori Knowles64Muskoka MomentsBy Hannah LinOur CoverPhotograph by Tomasz Szumski Heather Glumac, founder of Muskoka Granola, stands behind and readily enjoys her products, especially because there are no ‘‘stupid’’ raisins.SPRING 2025EXPLORING TOURISM- the next evolutionINSPIRED BY NATUREFunctional Potterywith Natural FlairTANTALIZINGDELICACIESMuskoka  avours are top-tier tastyMuskoka’s flexible boundaries shifting with the times[58][48]48Regenerative TourismArticle by Meghan TaylorAbout more than just sustainability, regenerative tourism aims to inspire visitors to impact a destination positively. Traditional tourism focuses on ﬁnding exciting new destinations, while regenerative tourism is deeply connected to many aspects, including nature, culture and economy.Spring 2025 UNIQUE MUSKOKA 5

Page 8

…telling the Muskoka story Unique Muskoka is published six times per year by Unique Publishing Inc.Meghan TaylorPublisher/EditorDonna AnsleySalesLisa BrazierMarianne DawsonDesignSusan SmithAdministrationBronwyn BoyerJ. Patrick BoyerTim Du VernetLori KnowlesHannah LinJosianne MasseauSusan StephenTomasz SzumskiK.M. WehrsteinAndy ZeltkalnsContributorsAnnual Subscription Rates: (including HST where applicable)In Ontario $30.00 All Other Provinces $36.00HST: 773172721Canada Post Publications Mail Agreement Number: 43268016Copyright © 2025Unique Publishing Inc.No content published in Unique Muskoka can be reproduced without the written permission of the publisher.Mailing AddressBox 616, Bracebridge ON P1L 1T9www.uniquemuskoka.cominfo@uniquemuskoka.com 705-637-0204 6 UNIQUE MUSKOKA Spring 2025bigriverbakingco.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 DessertsHIRAM ST MARKET 705-204-0857SULLYS MUSKOKA705-204-0857BIG RIVER BAKING COMPANY705-394-4499OPEN TUESDAY TO SATURDAY11A TAYLOR ROADFOUR UNIQUE BUSINESSES UNDER ONE ROOFBUY CANADIAN, SUPPORT LOCALServing Fresh Goods DailySpecial Orders Available on RequestOPEN TUESDAY TO SATURDAY 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Page 9

Page 10

Page 11

Muskoka InsightsWhen going oﬀ the beaten track becomes the norm, what’s at risk? Adventuring and exploration are part of being human. We’re curious. We want to know more, and we want to ﬁnd new places. at want or need to seek out the unexplored can be beneﬁcial or detrimental, depending on the approach. In Muskoka, surrounded by wilderness – lakes, trees, granite – the urge to explore is intrinsic. But we have to consider the impacts we have by traipsing into the woods. We can no longer say we don’t know or understand the consequences of our actions. If we want to explore, we have to also plan to protect and conserve the land we call home. Globally, famed attractions and destinations are changing rules about how and when these places can be accessed. Stonehenge in England, the Acropolis in Athens, the city of Venice, as well as temples, pyramids, vast wildlife reserves and more are no longer freely available for anyone to access. Changes like this aim to prevent damage while also repairing what has been over-used. While we cannot prevent the passing of time and changes associated with it, we can preserve, protect and consciously adapt our own behaviours to ensure we’re sustaining, or even leaving things better than we found them. Nature can regenerate over time. We can also do our part to help Muskoka remain a beautiful, wild place. Perspective is important. Understanding things from another viewpoint can help to build relationships and inform action. is year, we’re adding a new column to the mix. Local author Lori Knowles shares her view of Muskoka in From an Artist’s Perspective. In each installment, Knowles will cover the trials and triumphs of living an artist’s life. In this edition, Knowles shares how art has the power to transport us somewhere familiar. Also, in this issue of Unique Muskoka, regular contributor Patrick Boyer gives a detailed look into Muskoka’s boundaries. During settlement, both manmade and natural boundaries were used to deﬁne the region. Over time, those boundaries have shifted, whether for geographical or political reasoning. Being inspired by the natural world, as contributor Bronwyn Boyer shares, potter Sue Hlywka creates functional items that reﬂect Muskoka – from shaping bowls with rocks to using pine needles or fern fronds as stamps to glazing pieces with colours derived from trees and rocks. Hlywka’s home studio for her Owl Light Ceramics has long been a dream that came true in 2020. Now, inspiration is right outside her door. In this edition, we also learn about Chief John Bigwin, a hereditary chief of the Ojibwe people who played an active role in Muskoka during its settlement, advocating for his people. Living to the age of almost 102, Chief Bigwin balanced existing in two worlds – settler and Indigenous. He honoured his heritage and beliefs while also engaging settlers with story-telling and attending community events. Products that are made in Muskoka are a point of local pride and the food-based companies highlighted in this edition’s Cottage Country Cuisine feature are no exception. Muskoka Springs has a long Muskoka history, over 150 years of it, which means many will recognize their Muskoka Dry Pale Ginger Ale starring in a cocktail recipe. Newer to the scene are Muskoka Granola and Muskoka Brand Gourmet Foods. However, both have rapidly built followings, thanks to ﬂavourful, quality products. Spring is the season of renewal. Temperatures ﬂuctuate, snow melts and slowly white is replaced by green. As we make this transition into a new season, take time to consider your own role in the present and the future. And maybe, take a moment to read the features in this edition of Unique Muskoka. You never know where they may take you!Happy reading!Photograph: MacKenzie TaylorYour Home and Cottage Mattress CentreTHE LARGEST SELECTION OF IN-STOCKMATTRESSES IN MUSKOKA705.646.2557www.mattressesofmuskoka.comMUSKOKACURATED COLLECTION by Marshall MattressOUR SHOWROOM IS MOVINGNEW LOCATION opens May 1, 2025 at195 Wellington St., Unit 7, BracebridgeUNTIL THEN, PLEASE SHOP WITH US ONLINE AT www.mattressesofmuskoka.comDISCOUNTED WAREHOUSE PRICINGwww.muskokafurniture.net705.645.8183NEW LOCATION61 Keith Road, BracebridgeMADE INCANADAOPEN WEDNESDAY TO SATURDAYSpring 2025 UNIQUE MUSKOKA 9

Page 12

Page 13

Somewhere I’ve been, the doctor’s or the dentist’s oﬃce, I’ve passed a surrealist painting of a woman on a dock in early morning, her two feet dangling in still water. Something in her stillness makes me think of myself as I often am – alone in the soft light of dawn, with sparkles on water, and sounds of waves gently lapping. For a second I’m there, on that dock somewhere in Muskoka. e thought that comes to me amid the bustle of the doctor’s oﬃce: is is a skill, a remarkable skill, this ability to transport me away.Recently I’ve had the luck and privilege to get to know people who can do this for me. Like many beautiful places, Muskoka attracts and traps artists – woodworkers, potters, painters, actors, and writers like me. Some were born here, some retired here, some never left, and some came back after time elsewhere. Maybe it’s the rock, or the blue water, or the green of the trees. Or maybe it’s the snow, I don’t know. Whatever it is that’s drawing them here, they feel a need to draw the place back for me – to show me what they see. As a writer I’ve spent a lifetime trying to render Muskoka with words. I’m guessing it’s the same for sketchers and photographers, jewellers and furniture makers. See? I imagine them saying. See how magical this place is? See?I was one of those who left and came back. At age 18 I’d never have guessed I’d come to live in Muskoka again. But you can’t take Muskoka out of a girl any more than you can take country out of a cowboy, so here I am in midlife, back again. And one of the best parts about being back is getting to know Muskoka artists.Among the ﬁrst I met upon my return was a wildlife and landscape painter called Wendie Donabie. She settled here in the second half of her life after a ﬁrst half that was peripatetic. “I think Muskoka chose me rather than the other way around,” Donabie says of the place that’s ﬁnally claimed her. “Muskoka exudes a powerful energy, a magnetism created by the natural terrain. Inspiration exists everywhere.” Donabie’s website quotes a French ﬁlm director, Robert Bresson, who once advised artists to “make visible what, without you, might perhaps never have been seen.” Hmmm, I’m thinking, that explains things. Here in Muskoka, Donabie paints simple, natural landscapes: pine needles blanketing rock or a crocus popping up in early spring. As Muskokans we see these natural scenes every day, but do we really see them? It’s a question Donabie is exploring. I imagine for her, the pine needles are like Horton’s Whos: “We are here, we are here, we are here!” It’s Donabie’s job to make them seen.I come from a family of pilots and what astounds me most when I ﬂy with them is the vastness of Muskoka’s lakes. ere’s more water than land – more blue than green – at least as it appears to me from up high. Which may explain why a second artist I’ve come to know, a photographer called Andy Zeltkalns, is embracing drone photography. “I search for unique perspectives,” Zeltkalns shares. “Capturing photos with a drone, with its unique bird’s-eye view, has opened up many new possibilities.” From snow-laden landscapes to shimmery patterns created by light on water, “the perspective from above,” Zeltkalns says, “can be truly stunning.” is perspective, this artist’s perspective, is not one most of us get to witness every day. Here in my oﬃce on a dark February day, gazing at Zetlkalns’ images – well, again, I’m transported away. See? I imagine him saying. See how magical this place is? See? Lori Knowles is a journalist and author of Summers with Miss Elizabeth, a Muskoka novel. In this column, From an Artist’s Perspective, Lori explores what it’s like to live and work as an artist in Muskoka. www.loriknowles.com @loriknowles_authorPhotograph: Andy ZeltkalnsFrom an Artist’s PerspectiveArticle by Lori KnowlesTake Me AwayArt has the ability to transport the viewer away from their every day to a dierent time or place. By word, by image and more, Muskoka’s artists are inspired by the landscape and graciously share aspects of the world, through their eyes.Photograph: Andy ZeltkalnsSpring 2025 UNIQUE MUSKOKA 11

Page 14

Page 15

Hereditary chief John Bigwin, pillar of his Lake Couchiching community at Rama, was also home in Muskoka, his people’s hunting ground. Living with the land, Ojibwe women picked medicinal plants and berries while families summering at Trading Lake (Lake of Bays) raised vegetables around Cedar Narrows (Dorset). John grew potatoes on Bigwin Island until a control dam at Baysville raised the lake ﬁve feet and ﬂooded out his spud patches.ey peeled bark from large birch trees to make canoes, baskets and vessels for holding liquids. Other peoples, without the high-quality bark, traded for coveted scrolls of it. With two trading posts, the lake was a place of meeting, sharing and living in a good way. Especially, Muskoka was a spiritual realm. John cherished its water, rocky hills, and forests. e largest island bore his father’s name, Chief Joseph Bigwind, though known as Bigwin, a version of the name he used. As the burial place of his father, the ground was hallowed.e ﬁrst non-Indigenous traders who came to Muskoka in the 1840s were sustained by Ojibwe food. en more came, exploring and settling. Encroaching upon Ojibwe territory, foreigners claimed what seemed to be unowned as their own, signing treaties and introducing reserves, poorer land on which to shunt First Nations to the margins. Joseph Bigwind, Chief Musquakie, and John Bigwin all signed treaties to accommodate the new realities. Over his lifetime, John witnessed most Ojibwe land become today’s Simcoe and Victoria counties and the District of Muskoka.Chief John Bigwin defended the rights of Ojibwe families whenever they were infringed on by settlers or governments. Seemingly inseparable from his headdress, buckskin clothing and beadwork, he represented in words and symbols First Nation ways to non-Indigenous society. Alongside Rama’s elected chief and council members handling day-to-day government, he provided a potent symbolic connection to Anishinaabeg traditions, declaring “I will always ﬁght for justice for my people.”Chief John BigwinPERSON OF NOTEArticle by J. Patrick BoyerPhotograph: Muskoka Heritage Place Collection, Huntsville, OntarioChief John Bigwin, a magnetic feature at Muskoka community events, was joined at this 1920s Huntsville celebration by a daring dandy, seemingly one of the aristocratic British remittance men scattered around the district, who craved a picture of himself with an Indigenous person. Others, less bold, cannot take their eyes o the Ojibwe chieain.Spring 2025 UNIQUE MUSKOKA 13

Page 16

14 UNIQUE MUSKOKA Spring 2025Ever observant Chief John Bigwin, here with Union Jack and war club, closely watches the action. Chief Bigwin lled his time on earth in such vital ways that his place in Muskoka heritage endures to this day.On festive occasions in Orillia, Bracebridge and Huntsville, settlers thrilled to glimpse his ceremonial drum-dance and feather headdress. e chief knew his appearance, in Muskoka’s period of Indian Tourism, provided an entrée to non-Indigenous folk. But he was no actor sent from Central Casting. Chief Bigwin used these openings to tell stories and “teach people well.” When events demanded it, he deployed his authentic presence for maximum impact. In 1938, the centenarian in full regalia appeared in an Orillia courtroom to defend members of his community against charges of unlawful ﬁshing. Holding up a parchment bearing regal signature, he read aloud its guarantee that his people could hunt and ﬁsh “for as long as the grass grows and the river ﬂows.” In the hushed chamber, looking gravely into the judge’s eyes, John Bigwin solemnly asserted, “You must not harm my children.” e charges were dismissed.In Bracebridge, Chief Bigwin sat in full regalia below the falls or near the library, a self-scheduling attraction, recounting “Indian stories” for tourists and wide-eyed children. Twice he travelled to Ottawa to urge Prime Minister Mackenzie King to uphold treaty rights. Royals were entranced by Chief Bigwin, who accompanied Prince Edward from Gravenhurst’s train station when the future king visited Muskoka. In 1938, he greeted Lord Tweedsmuir when the Governor General retraced Samuel Champlain’s 1615 route down the Trent-Severn waterway. In 1939, the King and Queen saw him as their royal tour train stopped at Washago.John Bigwin, like his people, had to live in both Indigenous and settler worlds. He and Huntsville industrialist C.O. Shaw would spend days together, talking and walking Bigwin Island. When Shaw bought the island and built Muskoka’s most prestigious summer resort, Bigwin Inn had Indigenous motifs throughout. Shaw promised John land with his ancestors for his own burial. 705.645.4294 TF: 866.645.4294STORE: 228 TAYLOR RD., BRACEBRIDGEOFFICE: 1646 WINHARA RD., GRAVENHURSTSales & Service of MajorPropane Appliances(refrigerators, ranges, fireplaces, furnaces & more)Safe & reliableNo electricity requiredBulk propane deliveryto your home or cottageAppliancesSERVING MUSKOKA &PARRY SOUND FOROVER 70 YEARSPhotograph: Muskoka Heritage Place Collection, Huntsville, Ontario

Page 17

Bigwin outlived both of his wives and their children. Following his death in 1940, the chief’s remains were not brought to his Muskoka home for burial as planned but interred instead in an Orillia cemetery. By living for more than a century after his 1838 birth, Bigwin ﬁlled his time on earth – 1,223 moons, as measured by those to whom he was patriarch; to settler society, a month shy of 102 years – in such vital ways that his place in Muskoka heritage endures to this day. For years he’d canoed from Lake Couchiching up the arduous Black River to Trading Lake, where he bartered furs and hides himself. He’d acquire some en route, from settlers at places like Vankoughnet, where he ate supper in the Boyes family’s home. Oﬀered a bedroom for the night, the chief declined. “I will sleep outdoors.” John Bigwin would not be conﬁned. He would study the stars, feel the breeze against his face, inhale Muskoka woodland scents and remain grounded in who he truly was.100% Canadian Artists• Large Original Paintings• Turned Wood Bowls• Sculptures & Carvings3181 Highway 169, Bala, Muskoka, Ontario705-765-7474www.redcanoegallery.comCELEBRATING 32 YEARS IN MUSKOKANOW LOCATED IN BALARolling Mist, 60x40 (acrylic)Artist Peter ReidPhotograph: Doug Cunningham CollectionChief John Bigwin in his regalia, with headdress a comfortable combination of fedora and eagle feathers. Chief Bigwin was an active public gure throughout the region, and beyond, attending political and even royal events in full regalia, in addition to sharing stories with travellers.Spring 2025 UNIQUE MUSKOKA 15

Page 18

Page 19

Page 20

18 UNIQUE MUSKOKA Spring 2025“I feel like I've transitioned to being very much a Muskoka person,” she says. “In my heart of hearts, I always knew that I was going to live here.” After completing programs at Seneca College of Applied Arts and Technology and Brock University for Adult Education, Brewer thrived in her career as an educator and social worker. She later enrolled at the Ontario Institute for Studies in Education at the University of Toronto and acquired a Master of Education degree. It was there she studied “narrative inquiry and personal experience,” which sparked a natural transition into writing. Muskoka was not just a pretty place to retire for Brewer – it was medicine. “My husband was going through serious health issues and is still recovering from lung cancer,” Brewer explains. “We would huddle in our small cottage in front of the wood stove and he could recover from his chemo treatments and I could catch my breath as his caretaker. At the same time, I was trying to help my sister ﬁnd a diﬀerent path than the one she was heading down.” Dance Into e Light is the manifestation of this journey, a candid account of the experience of holding space for a close family member battling addiction and mental health issues. In the memoir, Brewer gives readers an intimate view of how she handled the trauma of ﬁnding her younger sister Jacquelin after she had committed suicide. As the title suggests, it’s through the therapeutic writing process that Brewer is able to move from heartbreak to healing. From the sanctuary she found in Muskoka, Brewer worked closely with her In her memoir, Dance Into the Light, Beverley Brewer candidly shares her own experience navigating a close family member’s addiction and mental health issues, as well as how she handled the trauma of her younger sister’s suicide.

Page 21

therapist to bring the memoir to fruition in a way that was beneﬁcial; not only to the writer and the narrative but also to an audience that could beneﬁt from the work. “Using nature in both my writing and my grief work really helped me,” shares Brewer. “Especially being in water. I do a lot of kayaking because it helps me let go of frustrations that I'm carrying around and that’s when new ideas come to me. And I’m inspired by the way there’s always something diﬀerent to notice about water when you look at it from one moment to the next.” Another essential ingredient in Brewer’s creative process is being part of various writing communities in Toronto and Muskoka. It was through her involvement with the library groups in Gravenhurst, Bracebridge and Baysville, she was introduced to the Muskoka Authors’ Association (MAA). “Sharing your writing is really putting yourself out there,” Brewers says. “But this community has been so welcoming, and it felt really safe to do that here. At that time, my dad’s health was failing, my mom had just died, my husband was battling cancer, and my sister was struggling. But I didn't talk about any of that. It was just a safe place to leave my troubles behind and just be a writer.”Brewer also credits her recovery to ﬁrst responders and Victim Services in Toronto. “When I found that my sister took her life and called 911, the ﬁrst responders were wonderful,” Brewer recalls. “A few days later, a woman from Victim Services called me. She really let me be vulnerable and Spring 2025 UNIQUE MUSKOKA 19

Page 22

Fast 180kWReliableZero DowntimeLocalBracebridgeLakeland Electric VehicleCharging Networkacross Muskoka/Parry Sound...telling the Muskoka storywww.uniquemuskoka.comMissed an issue?Read our archives online 20 UNIQUE MUSKOKA Spring 2025INTRODUCING KIATHE21 Robert Dollar Dr, Bracebridge, ON P1L 1P9705-645-6575muskokakia.caMUSKOKA KIAEV9normalized what I was going through. She also told me about the Toronto Distress Centre and highly recommended that I go there, which was a program for suicide loss survivors. is is when I ﬁrst really started working through my trauma.”During this critical time, Brewer also started seeing a cognitive behavioural therapist. Around her third or fourth session, she felt strongly that she needed to write about her experience. Her therapist agreed and added there is a need for more stories from the family perspective. Brewer wisely took another year or so before she felt ready to tackle the project. “I followed my intuition about knowing when it was time,” Brewer says. “It wasn't about going through the trauma again but to talk about mental illness in the family and ﬁnding hope after death. It’s the teacher in me – I guess in some way I was still wanting to teach and share.” If there’s a cohesive message behind Dance Into e Light, it’s that vulnerability is constructive and keeping secrets is destructive. “We don't have to be stoic about this stuﬀ,” Brewer explains. “I think the reason why some people ﬁnd the book a little bit hard to read is because I don't anything hold back. I really showed my vulnerability on the page, which can be diﬃcult for some, even though it's not all sad. Mostly it's about love and hope. My sister was a funny person, quite sarcastic. So that's in there, too. But it’s messy because the story of grief can’t be told in sequence – it’s all over the place.” As a life-long educator, Brewer teaches herself and others, the various ways writing can be therapeutic. e book she’s currently editing, No One Knew, is the ﬁctional story that gave her relief from the real-life story she was living in Dance Into e Light. “I was writing No One Knew while my sister was acting out,” recalls Brewer. “And I escaped into that book. I liked my characters and I enjoyed creating them. It was a sanctuary for me, like the cottage, because it was my own drama.” e courage it took to publish Dance Into e Light was well worth mustering for Brewer. “It was very healing,” she says. “I was dwelling in it but in a constructive way. I was able to take myself out of the story and

Page 23

Page 24

Page 25

Page 26

Page 27

Muskoka may be best known as a summer destination for enjoyment of its lakes and rivers. However, all four seasons in Muskoka have their turns as opportunities to explore and enjoy the region. Local businesses and development organizations, and the dedicated individuals who work for them, have diligently worked to expand the oﬀerings for those who visit, cottage and live in Muskoka. Organizations throughout the district, such as chambers of commerce, service clubs, business improvement organizations and economic development groups often join together to launch and continue outdoor events that highlight Muskoka’s natural beauty and fun in every season. Muskoka’s four seasons may overlap and blend as they transition from one to another. Outdoor events often mark either the peak of a season or the start of a new one. Summer is the deﬁnitive time to “get outside” but it’s no longer the only one. Muskoka’s event calendar has ﬁlled up, oﬀering festivals, events, concerts and performances at any time of year. Often more than just a single experience, outdoor festivals in Muskoka can be a chance to try new activities, for kids and adults. You’ve never seen a cranberry bog? Muskoka has that. Want to try snow tubing for the ﬁrst time? You can do that too. You haven’t tasted maple taﬀy made on snow? at’s right, you can try it here. Whether you’re experiencing something for the ﬁrst time or it’s an annual tradition, outdoor festivals and events demonstrate the dynamic nature of Muskoka’s entertainment, arts and hospitality industries. Whether an event is based on a holiday, a tradition or the time of year, Muskoka events are one-of-a-kind. Are you ready to ﬁll your calendar? Winter festivals throughout the region, such as Bracebridge’s Fire and Ice Festival, Port Carling Winterfest, Dorset’s Snowball Winter Carnival, Gravenhurst Winter Carnival and Huntsville Snowfest, make the most of the cold. Winter events can mean all kinds of weather – snow, wind, ice, cold and even sunshine. Whatever the weather is doing outside, as long as you’re bundled up, festivities can help keep you warm. From night skating to outdoor games to sliding down a tube hill on main street, winter is no longer just a time to hibernate. Snow tubing and night skating are just a few of the engaging winter activities that make the most of the cold and snowy season. Outdoor festivals in the winter oer a range of activities to keep you warm, whether you’re skating or enjoying s’mores around a bonre.Photograph: Tim Du VernetArticle by Susan StephenOutdoor FestivalsWinterSpring 2025 UNIQUE MUSKOKA 25

Page 28

26 UNIQUE MUSKOKA Spring 2025SERVING MUSKOKA / GEORGIAN BAY / HALIBURTON1-888-417-8761 www.techhomeltd.comBUILDING CUSTOM HOMES & COTTAGES FOR 50 YEARSGREATER TORONTO AREA DESIGN CENTRE130 Konrad Cres, Unit #18 Markham, ON | L3R 0G5905.479.9013 • 1.888.417.8761Visit our Toronto Design Centre, & we’ll bring your dream to lifeIn Muskoka, spring can bring any mixture of weather – a late snowstorm is just as possible as rain or sun. As the snow recedes and the ground thaws, the tradition of maple syrup making takes centre stage. e Muskoka Maple Trail and Muskoka Maple Festival celebrate the sweetness of spring. While maple is at the forefront, there’s much more. Spring art shows, Easter egg hunts, and even the ﬁrst farmer’s markets of the year take place before summer oﬃcially begins. Outdoor athletic events also begin to take oﬀ in spring, including the Spin the Lakes cycling tour, that challenges riders with various routes in Muskoka’s scenic landscape. Similarly, as the weather warms, craft beer and food events start to line up as Victoria Day weekend approaches. SpringPhotograph: Josianne MasseauMaple tay, made by pouring warm maple syrup on cold snow is a specialty as the spring weather ramps up maple syrup production.

Page 29

Page 30

Sweet summer events range from concerts and music festivals in open-air amphitheatres, like Muskoka Chautauqua, Muskoka Music Festival and Tall Pines Music and Arts Festival, to triathlons, marathons, duathalons and fun runs that explore Muskoka’s roads and waterways. Summer regattas and boat shows, like the Muskoka Boat and Cottage Show, Rotary Dockfest, Muskoka Lakes Association Antique Boat Show, the Antique and Classic Boat Society’s Summer Vintage Boat Show, commemorate Muskoka’s boating past and present. Cruising the lakes is an iconic summer activity and, whether you’ve done it before or not, seeing historic boats in the water is incredible. Sunshine, fresh air and warm nights also lead to outdoor art, with events like Baysville Arts and Crafts Festival, Nuit Blanche North, and Muskoka Arts & Crafts Summer Show, to name a few. While so many artists draw inspiration from Muskoka’s landscape, summer events connect directly to that creativity. Outdoor festivals, whether in a park or on a closed main street, give attendees the chance to explore businesses and activities they otherwise would not come across. Summer art festivals, like Nuit Blanche North in Huntsville, are an incredible way to enjoy the season.Summer boat shows at docks across Muskoka provide visitors the chance to see history in the water. Vintage and antique boats, as well as newer watercra, seen in the water are a fan-favourite summer sight.Photograph: Tim Du VernetPhotograph: Josianne MasseauPhotograph: Josianne MasseauSummer

Page 31

Page 32

30 UNIQUE MUSKOKA Spring 2025As the days get shorter, the temperatures begin to drop and the trees start to change their colours, fall festivals celebrate both the end of summer and the preparation of the harvest for the winter. Rosseau Pumpkin Festival and Bala Cranberry Festival bring fall harvest to the forefront, highlighting foods and activities that peak during the season. While both events came to be thanks to their respective food items, their expansion celebrates the culmination of a fruitful summer. Fall fairs take place in every community in the region to honour agriculture and the importance it plays in our lives, historically and today. What could be seen as a last hurrah before the snow ﬂies is also a peak time to enjoy outdoor activities, sans snow. Whatever the season, whether you have a favourite or not, Muskoka is ﬁlled with exciting opportunities to enjoy each one. Local or visitor, prepare to have a good time, at any time of the year. The annual Bala Cranberry Festival is a must-attend event. The street festival of vendors and the cranberry harvest itself are unique events to Muskoka that mark the fall season.Photograph: Josianne MasseauPhotograph: Tomasz SzumskiFallFall fairs and pumpkin festivals are love letters to agriculture and the bounty of a good summer season; a celebration before the cold sets in.

Page 33

Page 34

Page 35

awesome in the summers and it’s where my love of nature and the outdoors came from.” Hlywka’s fascination with the natural world inspired her to study wildlife biology at university. From there, she worked for a non-proﬁt organization called Scientists in School, which operates across Canada teaching workshops in science, engineering and technology, with a focus on environmental stewardship. When she got married, she moved to the United States, where her husband attended grad school. ey moved to Guelph for a period of time and then back to the U.S., bouncing between Minneapolis and Chicago. Hlywka worked for the U.S. Forest Service for a while, then did volunteer work teaching English as a Second Language to adult immigrants. As rewarding as she found that work, Hlywka craved a creative outlet. “I’ve always wanted to try pottery,” she shares. “My son had Sue Hlywka thinks of herself as a potter more than a ceramics artist because of the functionality of her work. She also credits nature for the artistic aspect of her designs, because it’s her biggest inspiration.Spring 2025 UNIQUE MUSKOKA 33

Page 36

34 UNIQUE MUSKOKA Spring 2025done pottery in high school when we lived in Minneapolis and he was bringing home these beautiful pieces and it made me really want to try it myself.” When she moved back to Chicago, Hlywka enrolled in classes at a studio called e Pot Shop, where she was instructed by Dominic Mosca. “I just fell in love with the process,” she recalls. “I loved the feel of the clay and how it can be shaped into whatever you want it to be and the creative component of that. And I liked the practical component too – the self-suﬃciency of making pieces that can be used every day.” Although ceramic arts are a common MODERN 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 & CottageSue Hlywka has always dreamed of having a pottery studio in the woods. She and her husband relocated to Huntsville in 2020, settling in just before the pandemic, and she now makes pottery full time in her own studio.

Page 37

Page 38

“hobby” type craft oﬀered by schools and community workshops, it’s a skill that requires a lot of commitment and discipline.“I didn't realize it would be as challenging as it was,” says Hlywka. “It took me a year to get consistent with centring the clay on the wheel. It was quite a while before I started making pieces. And I’m amazed at how diﬀerent those pieces are from what I’m making now – it takes a lot of practice.” Moving to Huntsville in 2020 meant Hlywka was cut adrift, as the closest potter’s guild is in North Bay. “When I belonged to Dominic’s studio, I paid a studio fee and could use his glazes and ﬁlms and he would do all the ﬁring,” she explains. “Since we moved to Huntsville, I’ve had to teach myself to mix glazes. I had a wheel, but I’d never ﬁred anything myself. My husband and I built a little shed on our property so I’d have a studio and I took online courses in mixing glazes. It’s still a work in progress but I enjoyed learning about the chemical formulations of mixing glazes. I feel so lucky that I can do it all on my own now.” Hlywka is also grateful for her study in wildlife biology, which gave her the foundation for understanding glazes. “While I loved the biology side of it,” she says. “I didn't love the chemistry and the physics part. But it proved useful all these years later learning to mix glazes.” And after living in cities for so long, Hlywka and her husband were ready to get back to the woods. Muskoka was already familiar from visiting relatives in Huntsville and its proximity to Toronto was an advantage when Hlywka’s husband has to travel for his job as a food toxicologist. eir move couldn’t have been timed better, as they had just settled in when the COVID-19 pandemic hit. “I had always dreamed of having a pottery studio in the woods,” says Hlywka. “It just so happened that the dream got fast-tracked because the isolation forced me to make pottery full time. So, here I am, living my dream.” As an observer and an introvert, being immersed in nature and honouring her creative spirit is the life Hlywka was destined for. She thinks of herself as a potter more than a ceramics artist because of the functionality of her work. And she credits nature for the artistic aspect of her designs, because it’s her biggest inspiration. “As a child, my dad was always creating things,” she recalls. “He'd ﬁnd a growth on a tree and make something out of it, like a planter or a bookend. He was always making things that were creative and functional, so that must be where I got it from.”Hlywka gets design ideas everywhere she looks when she’s immersed in the wilderness. e imprint from a fern frond can look like a tree, and countless designs can be made from pine needles. She also makes what she calls “rock bowls,” which are bowls shaped from rocks she’s collected. “ere are so many great shapes rocks can make,” she explains. “And they have so many varieties of colour in them. I have been formulating my glazes actually to try and mimic them. I have a glaze that I call ‘lichen’ because it reminds me of lichen. I also have one I call ‘the aurora glaze’ created from overlapping colours, that looks like the aurora borealis.” Hlywka is very intentional when it comes to her craft. She’s not a fast “production potter” that can produce a high Aer pieces are formed on the wheel, they must dry for a couple days. Then they’re trimmed and handles or extra pieces are attached. Then they’re red, then glazed, then red again. A nished product takes at least three weeks to produce.cutline 36 UNIQUE MUSKOKA Spring 2025

Page 39

Page 40

38 UNIQUE MUSKOKA Spring 2025quantity of pieces at a time. While she’s in awe of those potters, her studio is small and geared towards perfecting a smaller quantity. If she spends all day working, she can produce about 20 pieces. Part of what slows her down is she carefully weighs her clay and meticulously perfects the art of glaze mixing. After the pieces are formed, they have to dry for a couple days, then they’re trimmed, and that’s when handles and extra pieces go on. en they’re ﬁred again, then glazed, then ﬁred again. Overall, it takes her a minimum of three weeks to produce the ﬁnished product. While Hlywka enjoys the artful and scientiﬁc process of creating her pieces, she ﬁnds the business aspect challenging. “I struggle ﬁguring out what to charge because that aspect of it is not my M.O. at all,” she shares. “But I love that it connects me with people in the community and people who buy my pieces. I love the thought that someone is enjoying something that I created. at satisfying human connection is how I deﬁne success.” Making glazes is perhaps the most exciting part of the process for Hlywka. “It’s like Christmas morning when it’s time to see how it turned out,” she says. “Sometimes it doesn’t turn out anything like I expected, which is always interesting.” Hlywka tries her glazes on a variety of clay “test bodies” to see how they’ll look. If she runs low on a glaze, she needs to formulate it carefully before making a full new batch. “It takes some trial and error,” she says. “Some of them don't work very well with certain clays, so it takes a while to get one that works and then be able to reproduce it. Consistency is really important to me. Working with the clay is the creative right-brain part and the glaze is the analytical left-brain part and I love having that balance.”Pottery is certainly about balance for Hlywka. “It's actually quite therapeutic for me,” she shares. “at’s why I like to go at my own pace. It’s a creative outlet and a meditation at the same time. I retreat into my studio, put music on, or just listen to the birds. It feeds my soul.” Locally, Hlywka’s ﬁnished pieces can be found at Cole’s Art Market or Muskoka Tea Company in Huntsville, Algonquin Art Centre in Algonquin Park and Kala House of Colour in Bracebridge. Her studio in the woods is a place for peace and creative chemistry.Sue Hlywka’s studies in wildlife biology also gave her the foundation for understanding glazes. While chemistry and physics were not her favourite part of her studies, the knowledge has proved useful in learning to mix her own glazes.Sue Hlywka’s fascination with the natural world inspired her to study wildlife biology at university. That love of nature continues to come through in her pottery, stamping images of trees, ferns or pine needles into her work.

Page 41

Page 42

40 UNIQUE MUSKOKA Spring 2025Looking at a map of Muskoka you can see its borders have not changed for a century and a half. Well, changed slight-ly but not so anybody today notices. Pioneering homesteaders in the district’s northwest faced an arduous journey south to Bracebridge to register their free grant lot of land, so Humphrey Township was transferred temporarily to Parry Sound District, its con-veniently closer Crown Land Oﬃce available for legal niceties. Like many temporary arrange-ments, Humphrey has since remained ﬁrmly welded to Parry Sound District. A second change, at Muskoka’s northeast corner, resulted from expansion of Algonquin Park when a preference for straight boundary lines bisected unorganized Finlayson Township, its eastern half in the park, the western half in limbo. When Muskoka’s internal municipal boundaries were revamped in 1970, the orphaned half of Finlayson, still unorganized for municipal government, was quietly ﬁxed to the District. Except for those two tweaks, losing one township but gaining half of another, Muskoka’s territorial outline has remained intact since the 1860s. Muskoka’s borders are both natural and manmade. e western boundary, Georgian Bay’s shoreline, oﬀers a natural edge. e district’s southern boundary, the Severn River, is also a recognizable natural boundary. However, to the east and north, where the unbroken land-scape just keeps on rolling, provincial oﬃcials drew two lines across a map, inventing divisions Article by J. Patrick BoyerBy mid-20th century, northern district Muskoka was fully laid out in 21 townships (Humphrey Township now with Parry Sound District), its heavily marked border suggesting an intent that, now complete, it would remain this way forever.Photograph: Boyer Family ArchivesMuskoka's Elastic Borders

Page 43

This 1836 commercially published map of Upper Canada, showing the Muskoka area empty, marked an intermediate point between Euro-Canadians knowing nothing and knowing everything about the northland interior. Near the top of the map “Mississagua” designates Ojibwe lands.Photograph: Library & Archives Canadawhere nature herself imposed none. One arti-ﬁcial break indicated where Muskoka stopped and Haliburton began, the second where Mus-koka and Parry Sound districts split from one another. ese two arbitrary borders present the same tussle with Canadian Shield physicality surveyors encountered laying out Muskoka’s internal grid with many irregular property lines. Early Muskoka councils appointed lot line inspectors and refereed disputes between neighbours. Rough terrain boundaries proved fungible in nature then and today still confound many real estate transactions. When driving Highway 11 north from Huntsville or the roads around Rosseau, it’s hard to tell from the terrain where you’ve left Muskoka and entered its twin district. If seen from above, whether by bird, aircraft or satellite camera in outer space, Muskoka spreads seamlessly east and north and even south of the Severn, unrecognizable as a mapped block because it is an integral part of a larger contiguous zone. Across the district at ground-level, frogs and otters and moose are as much at home in these woodland swamps as they’d be in the wetlands of Haliburton, Parry Sound or the continuing Canadian Shield territory beyond. On February 28, 1868, these geographic boundaries for Muskoka were formally enacted by Ontario’s legislature when also setting borders for Parry Sound and Nipissing, all three as northern Ontario districts. It was a step to open the northlands for logging and farming, and to populate the region with a large number of Euro-Canadian settlers. The action was to prevent Americans from moving into “empty land” across the Great Lakes, fearing another invasion because Abraham Lincoln’s Secretary of State, William Seward, promoting the Manifest Destiny doctrine that all North America be part of the United States, aggressively championed Canada’s annexation.It was no simple thing to orchestrate all this. In the 1850s, the province had already allowed logging to begin in south Muskoka, while settlers were claiming land as squatters, with little local administration and no control. e three districts Spring 2025 UNIQUE MUSKOKA 41

Page 44

42 UNIQUE MUSKOKA Spring 2025had to be surveyed, challenging work that continued for decades. Despite the urgent need for municipal government, Muskoka’s embryonic townships remained northern extensions of Victoria County and Simcoe District for most purposes, townships in Muskoka’s eastern half part of Victoria, in the western half, with Simcoe. Politically, Muskoka’s internal borders were porous. To form any municipal structure at all, scattered homesteaders improvised a frontier solution by combining lightly settled townships until their population reached the Municipal Corporations Act threshold to become a “township municipality” whose residents could elect one council serving them all, eﬀectively making their township boundaries vanish. Early “united townships” included Draper-Macaulay-Stephenson-Ryde, Cardwell-Watt, Morrison-Muskoka, and McLean-Ridout – ten minimally populated townships become four. Reeves in east Muskoka travelled to Lindsay for Victoria council meetings, those from the west down to Barrie for Simcoe council. e provincial government believed this doubled-up role provided life support for infant Muskoka townships but required reeves to preside over their own township’s council meetings and participate in Victoria or Simcoe councils, too. Expected to share information between elected representatives of Simcoe, Victoria, and Muskoka, few councillors in the larger centres cared about what was going on in the bush to their north and remained attentive to their own electors’ needs. Not until 1888 did the province elevate Muskoka to provisional district status, severing the cord with Simcoe and Victoria after 20 years. is upgraded Muskoka townships so they could develop and allowed district reeves to focus on doing so, no longer having to sacriﬁce time and travel to be a phantom presence elsewhere. It took decades for the three districts to come into their own and establish viable operations within their boundaries. Muskoka was either sliced and parts grafted or kept whole and joined entirely, to neighbouring jurisdictions north, east, or south. is began when the district was combined with Parry Sound to elect a representative in the House of Commons, as is again the case today for both federal and provincial elections. Muskoka and Parry Sound also formed a single district for administration of justice. Initially, Muskoka was joined with counties to the south, too, for land registration.With time, each district enjoyed good runs as self-governing entities, with Muskoka in particular reaching its zenith by the 1950s as a fully-functioning, free-standing, and publicly Photograph: Ontario ArchivesThis 1861 map by Thomas Devine shows some northern townships outlined and named, with internal surveying of lots complete in Morrison and Macaulay townships while still in progress for Muskoka and Draper townships, with similar states of advance in seamlessly connected Simcoe and Victoria counties.Photograph: Ontario ArchivesIn 1852, William Lyon Mackenzie introduced an urgent motion the assembly approved calling on the Governor General to order “an immediate survey of the lands between Georgian Bay and the Ottawa River with a view to their immediate settlement.” David Thompson (pictured above) was commissioned by the legislature 15 years earlier, and his survey went unmentioned in the debate.

Page 45

recognized place with a distinct identity. In 1955, when Robert Boyer was elected Muskoka’s MPP, it was the ﬁrst time the district stood on its own as an electoral district.But then, especially through the 1970s and since, Muskoka’s boundaries again turned to jurisdictional rubber as the provincial government, deeming lines on a map artificial and irrelevant, stretched the district to ﬁt into aggregated groups. Queen’s Park joined Muskoka to Simcoe and Haliburton counties and Parry Sound District for more and more public purposes such as education, health services, medical programs, social and family services and economic incentive programs. Muskoka had not moved but being stretched in so many diﬀerent operational and administrative directions, its boundary lines on the map, with little enduring relevance, eﬀectively vanished. When Ian Turnbull of Port Carling served Muskokans as District Commissioner for Community Services, he, his staﬀ and councillors interacted with surrounding jurisdictions in the same region as the district and liaised with regional headquarters. To begin, North Bay was headquarters because Muskoka was in a regional unit of northern districts. en headquarters was Toronto because someone in the provincial government reassigned Muskoka to a group of counties all the way south to Lake Ontario. Next, Queen’s Park again reunited Muskoka with the north, but now headquarters was Sudbury.That one example reveals the problem when extraterritorial operation of local aﬀairs is multiplied across the entire spectrum of government, ministry by ministry. Rotation of varying partners creates paralysis in daily work and decision-making. Muskoka councillors and staff must establish working relationships with hosts of diﬀerent counterparts in separate silos of government amidst changing procedures and personnel – in Haliburton with education, Simcoe for community and social Photograph: Drawing by Charles William Jeffreys / Library & Archives Canada The legislature voted to have the north country surveyed in 1837, commissioning legendary David Thompson, pictured here mapping Western Canada, to explore and map Muskoka. He did and recommended dierentiating arable from infertile land before homesteaders came.Photograph: Ontario ArchivesPhilip VanKoughnet, commissioner of Crown Lands and Indian aairs from 1858 to 1862, drove development of northern and unsettled parts of the province, including Muskoka, by ordering a colonization road survey from eastern Ontario (the Peterson Road). He named Oakley Township’s village of Vankoughnet for his family.EXPERIENCEYOU CAN TRUSTExperienced drilling & blasting for roads, ditches, foundations and septic systems. Exceptional service and top-quality results.FREE ESTIMATESSpring 2025 UNIQUE MUSKOKA 43

Page 46

44 UNIQUE MUSKOKA Spring 2025services, health, administration of justice, and more. Those at Queen’s Park subdivide the province into regions for their particular ministry’s operations, causing fragmentation or duplication of eﬀort and resources in rural communities. Yes, viewed laterally from above, Muskoka is a single district within long established borders. However, seen horizontally, the place is sliced to shreds. The province places Muskoka, a northern district, in three diﬀerent places at the same time. First, the government’s “Central Ontario Region” conﬁguration incorporates Muskoka geographically within what, to Queen’s Park, is a larger “primary region” it calls “Southern Ontario,” which speciﬁcally brands northern district Muskoka, within that context, as part of the “south-central section” of the province. Second, despite Muskoka and Parry Sound districts both being in so-called Central Ontario, some reality can be glimpsed from the fact that each is actually administered by public entities, including the federal government, as part of Ontario’s other primary region, “Northern Ontario.” Adding to this geographic confusion, the provincial government accords Parry Sound, but not Muskoka, administrative status as what it calls an extended primary Northern Ontario region. ird, for certain programs the provincial government deems Muskoka part of its “Eastern Ontario Region,” another Queen’s Park secondary zone, because it sees the district “as a transitional area between the geographic regions.” Ontario’s Ministry of Municipal Affairs promotes its view that Muskoka no longer exists as one of the province’s 11 northern districts. Similarly pushing Muskoka into this twilight zone, Ontario’s Health Ministry, in mapping its administrative regions across the province, excludes Muskoka from its fellow districts, grouping it instead with all counties south to Lake Ontario and Toronto. The Ontario Municipalities Association, in lockstep, only sees 10 districts in the province, not 11. Photograph: D.F. Macdonald / Ontario ArchivesA survey crew had two groups: cutting away the bush and measuring and marking the line. By day’s end, camp was moved farther along the survey route, depending how much progress had been made. On the Canadian Shield, the gruelling work had rest breaks.Accessible Hospice Palliative Care for All in MuskokaWhether you're spending a summer by the lake or a lifetime in our community, Hospice Muskoka–Andy's House is here to provide comfort, dignity, and support.705-702-2273 (CARE) hospicemuskoka.comintake@hospicemuskoka.com

Page 47

Back in the 1970s, Muskoka’s publicized identiﬁcation with wealthy summering folks made several senior civil servants in the Department of Municipal Aﬀairs, radicalized by the 60s cultural revolution, see the district as a privileged enclave for the rich. Intent on ending all financial benefits received from Ontario’s government, based on its status as a northern district needing help, they pushed for revocation of Muskoka’s northern classiﬁcation. e “North” would start at the French River, not the Severn. MPP Robert Boyer, knowing Muskoka’s realities, managed to thwart that ill-informed gambit. But for half a century, the tug-of-war over reclassifying Muskoka as part of southern Ontario has continued. Ten years ago, Muskoka was removed from the Northern Ontario Her-itage Fund, the Northern Health Travel Grant Program and all other northern programs. is year, Northern Ontario Heritage Fund Corpo-ration, a provincial operational service agency, reinstated Muskoka to receive economic devel-opment funds. Although the territorial borders of Muskoka, enacted by the legislature and established by settler society a century and a half ago, may now seem a time-trapped aberration, appear-ances are often deceiving. Muskoka registered on North America’s social map and even im-printed itself onto psychological projections of people across the continent, through the human phenomenon of identifying with place. Achieving “a Muskoka state of mind” or becoming entranced by “the Muskoka Mystique” is neither focused on, nor conﬁned by, formal geographic boundaries. By bonding with the place’s uniqueness, “Muskoka” became a treasured destination as people far distant Photograph: Boyer Family ArchivesBy the 1870s, as this detailed section of an 1871 Ontario map with correctly labelled Georgian Bay shows, surveying of townships in Simcoe, Victoria, Muskoka and Parry Sound was underway. Sections marked “Free Grant Lands” reect 1868’s enactment of the Free Grant and Homestead Act, to incentivize settlement.Spring 2025 UNIQUE MUSKOKA 45

Page 48

46 UNIQUE MUSKOKA Spring 2025established a sense of belonging to what, in 1914, Prime Minister Robert Borden, speaking at Port Carling about Muskoka, called “this far-famed district.”Muskoka’s northland character atop the southernmost exposed section of the Canadian Shield’s rocky lakelands and forests proved convenient for those in other areas craving some place special, sparking the district’s vacation economy. Government oﬃcials and land promoters in the mid-1800s envisaged only logging, farming, and manufacturing. Yet deeper patterns will out. Summer holidaying had been part of Indigenous life in this area for time beyond memory, with First Nation peoples returning year after year to Beausoleil Island (now in Muskoka’s Georgian Bay Township) and Trading Lake (now Lake of Bays.) Muskoka’s borders are now stretched in new ways by telescoping through time. Relentless exploration and discovery, advancing mapping technologies and the ability to photograph Earth from outer-space and its’ ocean bottoms from deep below the waves, cause constant updating of maps. With digital technology, the ability to integrate a wide range of data about the same site, for which Muskoka’s online GeoHub is a stellar example, further enhances maps and records. GeoHub enables people anywhere on earth to access through cyberspace in a single location the mash-up of the 1876 Guide to Muskoka, changing water levels through time, almost limitless amounts of municipal data, even projections of how one’s property might look in the future if certain structures and changes, modelled on the screen, were implemented – a triumph of elastic borders.This free-floating awareness of Muskoka, unhinged from the district’s oﬃcial borders, runs back millenniums with Indigenous way-ﬁnders arriving from the Severn River and its distant reaches to enter a large lake and be nourished by its enthralling unmeasured realms. In 2022, Indigenous leaders developing the Misko-Aki: Conﬂuence of Cultures exhibit on the very same Lake Muskoka bay at Gravenhurst required a much larger area than “oﬃcial” Muskoka to illustrate their lived heritage on this territory inland from Georgian Bay. Tak-ing a millenniums-long view, their account embraces land known to diﬀerent First Nations and used by them for thousands of years, the territory of today’s “Greater Muskoka.”e timeless elasticity of Muskoka’s borders teaches they are inconsequential for a place that is a crossroads community. e district has long been both meeting place and shock-absorber for values of the metropolis and practices of the hinterland.Reﬂecting on the broad scope Muskoka’s place in Ontario, Ian Turnbull draws from his experience to emphasize this facet of being between. In his work with the District, “I came to understand this betweenness in many ways. With our fabric of small towns and seasonal economies we were more like Parry Sound and Algoma Districts than Simcoe County and burgeoning urban areas to the south. Yet we had a regional government, distinguishing us from our friends to the north and aligning us with regional municipalities in Ontario.” He adds, “We shamelessly adopted best practices from north and south to Muskoka’s beneﬁt. We innovated program delivery as a small regional municipality in ways smaller and larger entities couldn’t.”Accepting Muskoka as “a land between” is essential for the district’s future. “ere were some beneﬁts to our betweenness in the ﬁrst three decades of district government,” Turnbull concludes, while pointing out that “Queen’s Park couldn’t fathom it and switched program funding mechanisms north/south and vice versa over time, to our beneﬁt/detriment.” In recent decades, failure to recognize Muskoka’s unique location betwixt others – socially and culturally a one-oﬀ in Ontario, the only jurisdiction having two-tier municipal government within a district – caused distant officials to confound proper municipal functioning by making the district a larger catchment area for such community-centric realms as schools and public health, simply by mistaking elasticity for invisibility.Photograph: Government of OntarioPhotograph: The Muskoka GeoHubMuskoka GeoHub’s advanced mapping digitally integrates a vast amount of stored data about properties and district geography. Accessible online around the world and oering past, present, and future information and images, GeoHub makes reading a map an entirely new experience for a borderless universe. The “future” component is a viewer’s ability to project and rearrange possible structures and changes, before making them. In contrast, when Queen’s Park began playing ping-pong with Muskoka, back and forth between northern district or appendage to counties south to Lake Ontario, the government showed Muskoka’s “regional context” as southern by the shaded area in the map, above right.

Page 49

Page 50

Article by Meghan TaylorEven before settlement, Muskoka was a gathering place. Indigenous peoples travelled to Muskoka to hunt, ﬁsh and trade, living with the environment while they were in it and leaving the landscape as it was when they arrived. Much of Muskoka throughout history has been built on traditional tourism. Discovering new landscapes and exploring unknown destinations are hallmarks of traditional tourism. Clear-cutting timber to build, hunting wild animals to near extinction and building roads through important wetlands were all normal practices at the time but now seem barbaric and unjustiﬁed. Our discovery and exploration methods have adapted and continue to evolve. Generally, traditional tourism is transactional and singular. It stands alone. Regenerative tourism is rooted in every aspect of a community. It requires collaboration across the board as it connects with nature, society, culture and economy. Regenerative tourism expands on the concepts of traditional tourism and sustainable tourism. Large groups of visitors at peak periods can have signicant impacts on a local community. Muskoka’s population is known to swell in the summers, which is why organizations have worked to incentivize travel to the region in non-peak periods. 48 UNIQUE MUSKOKA Spring 2025Photograph: Josianne Masseau

Page 51

Page 52

50 UNIQUE MUSKOKA Spring 2025Sustainable tourism looks to increase the beneﬁts and to reduce the negative impacts caused by tourism. It is deﬁned as “tourism that fully considers its current and future economic, social, and environmental impacts, while addressing the needs of visitors, the industry, the environment, and host communities,” according to the Global Sustainable Tourism Council (GSTC). Regenerative tourism is about more than just conservation. e primary objective of this tourism is to encourage visitors to positively impact a destination. e impact may vary by location but can include supporting environmental revitalization or helping to build or repair habitat for wildlife. According to the GSTC, “Regenerative tourism is often described as a practice that seeks to leave destinations in a better state than they were found. It draws inspiration from regenerative agriculture, which emphasizes restoring ecosystems and enhancing biodiversity.”e GSTC “has long emphasized that Photograph: Josianne MasseauMuch of Muskoka throughout history has been built on traditional tourism. A shi to regenerative tourism creates a greater diversity in communities by connecting to multiple aspects of a place, including nature, society, culture and economy....telling the Muskoka storywww.uniquemuskoka.comMissed an issue?Read our archives onlineA key objective of regenerative tourism is to encourage visitors to positively impact a destination, not just to reduce negative impacts.

Page 53

sustainable tourism also focuses on increasing positive impacts alongside reducing negative ones.”Sustainability and regeneration are interconnected, and they should be. Regenerating spaces has little impact if planning for sustainable long-term use is not also discussed and overseen. However, many use the terms interchangeably, and regenerative and sustainable tourism are not the same. Key diﬀerences are in the purpose and the approach to each type. In sustainable tourism, the purpose is to lessen environmental and social impacts of tourism while seeking economic growth. Regenerative tourism supports the evolution, renewal and restoration of communities and ecosystems. In its execution, sustainable tourism looks to lessen the impact of activities on communities and ecosystems. In comparison, regenerative tourism focuses on achieving harmony and alignment for ecological, economic, cultural spiritual and social development. Regenerative tourism requires collaboration among associations, businesses, government and providers. It begins with sustainability and continues to evolve. Local organizations like Explorers’ Edge (RTO12) and Muskoka Tourism are at the forefront of supporting businesses and individuals through this shift in actions and mindset. Explorers’ Edge has developed their 2025-2026 Business and Operational Plan with regenerative practices built in. On their website, the current plan “continues work established in the Regenerative Tourism Strategy that positioned EE as a destination development organization within the Canadian tourism industry.”e Regenerative Tourism Strategy developed as part of Explorers’ Edge’s 2021-2022 business plan, provided eight key principles that they have enacted since then. Photograph: Andy ZeltkalnsPhotograph: Andy ZeltkalnsOver the last two summers, Muskoka Tourism has successfully carried out a “Go Lightly” marketing campaign prompting guests to safeguard the natural elements of Muskoka while they visit the region.Positive impacts created through regenerative tourism can include supporting environmental revitalization or helping to build or repair habitat for wildlife.cutlinePhotograph: Tomasz SzumskiSpring 2025 UNIQUE MUSKOKA 51

Page 54

e strategy continues to evolve as conditions change. Muskoka Tourism’s role in regenerative tourism is outward facing, connecting with consumers. “Our role is diﬀerent from Explorers' Edge as our focus is solely on creating marketing excitement that inspires visitors to choose Muskoka,” explains Val Hamilton, executive director of Muskoka Tourism. “And they have diﬀerent pillars to support tourism for a bigger region.”Over the last two summers, Muskoka Tourism has successfully run a “Go Lightly” marketing campaign that seeks to motivate visitors to safeguard the natural elements of Muskoka while they visit the region. “e campaign highlights farm-to-table dining, farmers' markets, and sustainable tourism operators, promoting responsible travel choices that support the local community and environment,” says Hamilton. In many ways, regenerative tourism is the next evolution of sustainable tourism. It adds layers to the existing foundations of tourism. Regenerative tourism recognizes that the host community is the primary broker of tourism. e community members are the stewards of the local environment, enabling them to ﬂourish together. “We’re committed to developing new eco-friendly tourism initiatives that highlight Muskoka’s natural beauty,” shares Hamilton. “Muskoka: Home of the Stars invites visitors to reconnect with the night sky, while our new spring initiative, Birding in Muskoka: Nature Takes Flight, encourages exploration of local wildlife and ecosystems. Our focus is on getting back to basics – celebrating and preserving the natural environment that makes Muskoka so special. ese events take place in the shoulder season to grow our year-round appeal and to move people out of the peak periods.”Regenerative tourism does not maintain economic factors as the primary indication of success. While economic success is one indicator, regenerative tourism also considers landscape integrity, cultural prosperity and community sentiment and well-being as important factors in determining outcomes. Perhaps one of the most signiﬁcant principles acknowledged by regenerative tourism is that activities and processes take place within an ecosystem and people are part of that ecosystem. From within, people are both the creators of tourism and the guardians of the natural world. Photograph: Andy ZeltkalnsPhotograph: Andy ZeltkalnsRegenerative tourism requires collaboration among associations, businesses, government and providers. People are both the creators of tourism and the guardians of the natural world. The community must work together to restore and revitalize the ecosystem.Regenerative tourism recognizes the local community as the stewards of the local environment, enabling the environment and the community to ourish together.Photograph: 52 UNIQUE MUSKOKA Spring 2025

Page 55

Page 56

54 UNIQUE MUSKOKA Spring 2025Seguin Sled Dog Mail Run marks 40 yearsis year’s Seguin Sled Dog Mail Run, held February 22, marked the 40th anniversary of the fun-ﬁlled event. Started in 1985 by Elsie Chadwick, a Torontonian who cottaged in the area, it began as a way to showcase the Siberian husky sled dogs Chadwick adored. It also provided attendees an opportunity to have some fun during the long Muskoka winter and to replicate a sled dog mail run. It has evolved into an annual fundraising event.e run starts in Humphrey and the sled dog teams participating travel the 17 kilometres to Rosseau. e “sledvelopes” with letters that have been prepared for the event are pre-purchased. ey are placed into mail bags and loaded onto sleds that travel to the Rosseau Post Oﬃce. A portion of the “sledvelope” price is donated to the Aspen Valley Wildlife Centre.Many businesses now help sponsor the event which includes a pancake breakfast, a Kidz zone activity area, a Beavertail food truck, a food hall, a beer tent and local musicians. Organizers said this year’s event was “simply incredible” and thank businesses, volunteers, snowmobile club, community groups and Seguin Township staﬀ for making the event “extra special.”Huntsville Festival of the Arts unveils new intimate concert series A new intimate pop-up series of concerts began in March and will run to May at the downtown studio location of the Huntsville Festival of the Arts, announced Hannah Naiman, HFA’s director of programs, education and outreach recently. Folk musicians and singer/songwriters, including several local favourites, will be featured up close and unplugged in these house-style concerts. e series kicked oﬀ with Gina Horswood on March 13 and continues with James Gray with Hannah Naiman and Nathan Smith on April 10 and Emma Cook and Cindy Doire on May 1. HFA Studio is located at 58 Main St. E (Riverfront entrance) in Huntsville. Doors open at 6 p.m. and concerts begin at 7 p.m. A $20 cash donation at the door is the suggested admission. BYOB and bring your favourite snacks to share.“Come for the music, stay for the good vibes,” says Naiman. “It’s all about a night of music with friends at our “house.” Whats HappenedPhotograph: Kaitlynn TidwellPhotograph: Huntsville Festival of the ArtsHuntsville Festival of the Arts launched a new pop-up acoustic concert series. The concerts are unplugged, intimate house-style events, taking place at HFA Studio in Huntsville. Gina Horswood kicked o the series on March 13.The Seguin Sled Dog Mail Run celebrated its 40th anniversary this year. Started in 1985, dog teams run “sledvelopes” from Humphrey to Rosseau, with proceeds from the event supporting Aspen Valley Wildlife Centre.

Page 57

Speakers Series featured in GravenhurstArtist Life Stories Speaker Series is Muskoka Discovery Centre’s series of intimate evenings with Canadian artists beginning May 1 in Gravenhurst.Each event is a combination of live music, thought-provoking conversation and maybe even a surprise. e $60 ticket to each event includes two 40-minute interview sets, live performances and a meet and greet following the show.Author, screenwriter and Oﬃcer of the Order of Canada Maureen Jennings will be the speaker at the ursday, May 1 event. e creator of the beloved Murdoch Mysteries series, Jennings will share her latest work, e Charlotte Frayne Series, which explores pre-Second World War Toronto. She will also oﬀer insights into the creative process and share personal photos.Twin Flames is the Friday, September 26 oﬀering in the series. A husband-and-wife duo, who share over 44 music awards and nominations, blend folk, rock and Indigenous spirit in their performances. Using English, French and Inuktitut, Twin Flames share their stories through song.Tickets to the series are available at: www.realmuskoka.com or at the oﬃce at 705-687-2115. Check in regularly for additional shows. Annual Festival celebrates maple syrupe true harbinger of spring and an iconic symbol of the country, maple syrup, will be on full display at the annual Muskoka Maple Festival, held in downtown Huntsville, Saturday, April 26.e event is family friendly and runs from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. It is a full day of activities, vendors and displays, live music, street performers and food. Make sure to bring your appetite. Local cafes, bakeries and restaurants will be serving up maple treats. A maple marketplace will feature many local syrup producers and gives you the chance to chat with them. Attendees can learn everything about the process from collecting sap to the production of the ﬁnal product – maple syrup.Once again, the Rotary Pancake Breakfast will run starting at 9 a.m. roughout the day, Big Brothers/Big Sisters of Muskoka will be oﬀering maple taﬀy on snow. Live music featuring local musicians (11 a.m. to 5 p.m.) and wood carving demonstrations will take place on the Main Street. e Kiwanis Sap Run, a safe and fun fundraising event for kids has two options: a 500-metre distance with a 10:00 a.m. start for kids ages 3 to 7 and a 1-kilometre distance with a 10:15 a.m. start for kids ages 8 to 13. e registration for the run includes a free pancake breakfast at the Muskoka Maple Festival. ere will be interactive activities and displays from local ﬁreﬁghters and paramedics as well. e maple syrup festival marks the end of the Muskoka Maple Trail, a maple-themed tourism initiative that runs from March through to the end of April throughout Muskoka. Photograph: Muskoka Discovery CentrePhotograph: Andy ZeltkalnsThe Muskoka Discovery Centre in Gravenhurst welcomes Twin Flames on Friday, September 26 as part of their Artist Life Speaker Series – evenings lled with performances, interviews and a meet and greet with the artists following the show.The Muskoka Maple Festival returns to downtown Huntsville on Sunday, April 26. The festival celebrates all things maple and has something for all ages. The event marks the conclusion of the Muskoka Maple Trail, running across Muskoka from March through April.Spring 2025 UNIQUE MUSKOKA 55

Page 58

56 UNIQUE MUSKOKA Spring 2025Silver Bridge in Bracebridge is closed for repairsBracebridge’s iconic Silver Bridge over the Bracebridge Falls has been closed since early January, with no access to a portion of Ecclestone Drive.During regular sidewalk snow clearing by the Town of Bracebridge, an operator noticed an issue with the bridge and notiﬁed the District of Muskoka. After a preliminary inspection, a “deformation of truss members” was conﬁrmed. e District made the decision to close the bridge.A senior structural engineer inspected the bridge and conﬁrmed there were issues with the trusses. e District then erected barriers, fencing and signage to prevent vehicular and pedestrian traﬃc on the bridge.Work is ongoing by the District to develop a repair plan. e bridge is regularly inspected and there was no indication of problems at the November 2024 inspection. ere is currently no timeline for when the bridge will reopen.Easter Egg Hunts in Huntsville and Bracebridgee annual Nutty Chocolatier Community Easter Egg Hunt will take place at Muskoka Heritage Place, 88 Brunel Road, Huntsville, on Sunday, April 20 at 12 p.m. ousands of chocolate eggs are hidden around Muskoka Pioneer Village. Children are divided into age groups before the hunt begins. en the hunt is on! It’s a 45-minute family event as kids scramble to ﬁnd eggs. If some are lucky enough to ﬁnd a golden egg, they receive a special prize from e Nutty Chocolatier. Bracebridge families can scramble for chocolate eggs on Friday, April 18 at noon sharp at the Bracebridge Fairgrounds. e annual Easter Egg Scramble, hosted by the Bracebridge Agricultural Society, is open to all children ages 10 and under. Participants should dress for the weather, bring their own basket and arrive at least 15 minutes early. Some farms animals will be available to pet and there will be an activity section presented by the District of Muskoka. e Easter Bunny will be in attendance.District of Muskoka Launches Tari Information Hub “Businesses across Muskoka are preparing for the impacts that U.S. tariﬀ increases will have on trade, supply chains and Muskoka’s economy, and they need access to resources to help them be resilient as they navigate these economic shifts,” says District of Muskoka Chair Jeﬀ Lehman. “e Muskoka Tariﬀ Information Hub connects local businesses and residents to valuable tools and provides access to the most recent information right at their ﬁngertips,” said Chair Lehman in a recent news release.e Muskoka Tariﬀ Information Hub provides updates, resources and tools to help businesses and the public navigate the current tariﬀ challenges. e website will be regularly updated with business support tools, public awareness initiatives, and relevant content.e Team Muskoka tariﬀ working group is led by the District’s new regional economic development and grants oﬃcer Luke Preston, with representatives from area municipalities, chambers of commerce, tourism organizations and business support groups. Since early February, the group has been meeting to identify resources for the new hub and other collaborative initiatives to support Muskoka’s tariﬀ response.e “Be Vocal About Shopping Local” marketing campaign is another way Team Muskoka is gearing up to support Muskoka businesses. e campaign encourages members of the community to highlight their favourite local businesses and outdoor spots, reinforcing the importance of making choices to spend and source items within the region whenever possible. Businesses and residents can get involved in the campaigns by following their local chamber’s social media channels.Additional support for local businesses is available from local area municipality economic development oﬃcers (EDOs) and chambers of commerce. Visit venturemuskoka.ca to connect with local EDOs and chambers of commerce.Bracebridge marks its 150th AnniversaryFounded in 1875 as a village, the Town of Bracebridge will be marking its 150th anniversary with events held throughout the year.“Rich in history, community spirit and natural beauty, Bracebridge has come a long way,” said Mayor Rick Maloney. Calling 2025 “…an opportunity to reﬂect on our past and celebrate the progress and growth that has brought us to where we are today,” the mayor called on the community to “…join me in celebrating a monumental year with special events, legacy projects around Photograph: District of MuskokaThe District of Muskoka has closed Bracebridge’s iconic silver bridge following a preliminary inspection that noted damage to the trusses. Work on a repair plan is ongoing with no timeline for reopening the bridge yet.

Page 59

town, community gatherings, sharing stories and so much more.”A signature community celebration will be held Saturday and Sunday, June 7 and 8. It’s a weekend long event to celebrate Bracebridge’s arts, culture, and history at the Bracebridge Fairgrounds where attendees can enjoy live music, food vendors, games, activities and more. e community can help the Town celebrate the sesquicentennial by sharing stories, photos and favourite locations that make Bracebridge so special. Submissions will be shared throughout the year to help celebrate the anniversary. Learn more and submit your entries at engagebracebridge.ca/bracebridge150.Register Now for High School Reunion Past students of Bracebridge and Muskoka Lakes Secondary School (the former Bracebridge High School) will be celebrating the 100th anniversary of the school and the 150th anniversary of Bracebridge on Saturday, June 14, starting at 5:30 p.m. for a reception and an opportunity to mingle and reconnect with classmates, friends and staﬀ.Following the reception, participants can join friends on the dance ﬂoor as they rock to the tunes of two local bands – Wheelhouse and e Griﬃn Pub Band. is is a ticketed event on a ﬁrst come, ﬁrst serve basis for former students, staﬀ and guests. is celebration is also providing an opportunity to give back to the community’s roots with all net proceeds going to the South Muskoka Hospital Foundation.The Town of Bracebridge unveiled the logo for the town’s sesquicentennial. With a signature community event to be held June 7 and 8, the community is asked to share photos, stories and favourite locations.Photograph: Town of Bracebridge2025 marks 100 years of Bracebridge and Muskoka Lakes Secondary School (formerly Bracebridge High School). A reunion is set for the occasion welcoming back sta and students to celebrate and reminisce.Photograph: BMLSS Reunion CommitteeFeature by Susan StephenSpring 2025 UNIQUE MUSKOKA 57

Page 60

58 UNIQUE MUSKOKA Spring 2025Article by K.M. Wehrstein / Photography by Tomasz SzumskiMade in Muskoka is good(and it’s made in Canada)It’s been a long, hard, cold winter, but the days are lengthening at a gallop, the mountainous snowbanks are melting away and in no time, we’ll be throwing steaks, sliders, lettuce, watermelon, and more onto the barbecue. (Yes, lettuce and watermelon. CCC has been there!)Because locavorism is all the rage these days for its climate and freshness beneﬁts, not to mention supporting the local and national economies, we’re serving up a ﬁrst course laid out by three local businesses, all with “Muskoka” in their name. We’ll start with the most venerable: Muskoka Springs, established in 1873.Visiting Muskoka Springs’ 43,000 square-foot headquarters in Gravenhurst is a trip down the most pleasant of memory lanes. I have never been a fan of soft drinks, even as a child, so there is only one I ever drink, because, as a young Torontonian, I associated it with my happy place. I’d ﬂee here to the trees and the lakes and the rocks, and a pop that was only subtly, not blatantly, sweet: Muskoka Dry Pale Ginger Ale. It was made in an old brick building in Gravenhurst labelled “Brown’s Beverages” that we’d pass on each trip to a friend’s cottage.It was quite something to actually enter that building decades later and suddenly be surrounded by innumerable antiques, some of the more recent ones achingly familiar –and to actually see the company’s yellowed “black book” of recipes, including the original one for Muskoka Dry. “We feel we’re one of the longest lasting businesses in the same location in Ontario,” says current president Christopher Kadonoﬀ. “152 years – it didn’t stop for the wars, didn’t stop for the pandemic.” Founder Dougald Brown began bottling the water from an artesian well onsite, Kadonoﬀ explains, “to supply water to the locals as the lakes were becoming increasingly polluted by the logging and tanning industries.” en, as soft drinks became popular in the early 20th century, Brown’s Beverages created several, including Muskoka Dry. Its current incarnation – Muskoka Springs Pale Ginger Ale – “tastes just like it did during World War I,” the company website aﬃrms. e company partnered with Coca Cola to bottle its products, and in fact leveraged the popularity of Muskoka Dry to introduce Coke.Five generations of Browns operated Brown’s Beverages but due to a proliferation of soft drinks in the 70s, Muskoka Dry sales began to languish. e company was bought out in 1993 by Muskoka Springs, then owned by business partners Michael Billinghurst and Terry Galbraith. Much to the delight of staunch fans like me, they revived the brand in 1995.Muskoka Springs’ Gravenhurst headquarters is a step back in time, lled with antiques that go back to its inception. Current president Christopher Kadono calls their products “living history” and “nostalgic,” bringing people back to their childhood experiences in Muskoka.

Page 61

Easy Creamy Dill Pickle Coleslaw Recipe– Andrew AllenIngredients1 small green cabbage, about 1 pound, outer leaves removed 1 small red cabbage, about 1 pound, outer leaves removed 1 medium carrot, peeled and shredded 1 package Milford Bay Smoked Trout (approx. 325 g) 1 cup (225 g) Muskoka Brand Gourmet Foods Dill Pickle Aioli Method • Quarter green and red cabbage through the core, then cut out the core. Cut each quarter crosswise in half and ﬁnely shred. Place the shredded cabbage in a very large bowl (you will have 6 to 8 cups). • Add the shredded carrot to the cabbage and toss to mix. • Roughly chop all of the Smoked Trout into pieces (leaving out any skin that comes oﬀ the ﬁsh) and add to mix.• Pour the Dill Pickle Aioli over the mix, then combine well with two large spoons.• If the coleslaw seems dry, add a little more aioli. Chef ’s Tips Serve immediately, or place in the refrigerator for about an hour to let the ﬂavours mingle and the cabbage soften. Not a fan of dill? Allen suggests, “Try our Creamy Sweet Italian Dressing instead.”Owner-operator of Muskoka Brand Gourmet Foods, Derek Gravelle, changed distribution during the pandemic and hasn’t slowed down since. First the Original Garlic Sauce took o and, more recently, Dill Pickle Aioli has exploded onto the scene.Muskoka Dry® – Christopher KadonoﬀIngredients4 or 5 oz. Muskoka Springs Pale Ginger Ale1.5 oz premium Canadian whiskey3 dashes of bitters1 sprig rosemary Method • Stir and enjoy on ice! Everything can be adjusted to taste.President’s Notes More typically a drink of this type would be garnished with lime. Kadonoﬀ recommends taking a sniﬀ of the rosemary ﬁrst, then a swig. Spring 2025 UNIQUE MUSKOKA 59

Page 62

60 UNIQUE MUSKOKA Spring 2025In 2015, Muskoka Springs was bought out by a partnership, e Rosseau Group, and when the general manager left in 2019, Kadonoﬀ was oﬀered the retitled job. Originally living in Oakville, his family moved to Muskoka when he was 10 and bought the IGA in Port Carling, introduc-ing their son to the world of retail at an early age. After 28 years working for Sobeys, he wanted something diﬀerent, and made the switch to Muskoka Springs.“It took 100 years to perfect our product and now we’re taking it out to Ontario and Canada,” Kadanoﬀ enthuses. Since 2019, sales of Pale Ginger Ale, Old yme Orange, Maple Cream Ale (“our take on Canada in a bottle”) and other products have doubled. ey are now found in 400 locations in Canada and Muskoka Springs employs a regular staﬀ of 11, adding another four or ﬁve in the summer months.“We’re living history,” Kadonoﬀ says. “We’re nostalgic; we bring back childhood experience. You’d go to Weber’s, then pick up a case of Muskoka Dry.” Future plans include the launch of lemon and ginger-ﬂavoured hop water this spring, and in the late 2020s, a general store on Muskoka Wharf. Kadonoﬀ likes to think ahead. “We want to continue for another 150 years.”Muskoka Brand Gourmet Foods in Huntsville is a much younger company – currently in the midst of a sales expansion that’s more like an explosion. Owner-operator Derek Gravelle started in the food ﬁeld as part of his parents’ family business on Manitoulin Island at the age of 13. “I could work out of anywhere,” he says, “but my wife, Dr. Leslie Cuthbertson, wanted to ﬁnd a teaching position in a small town. She got an oﬀer from Huntsville High School, so we moved here and she’s still there.” Gravelle’s food business at that time used trade shows and events as a sales staple, until that moment in you-know-what year (2020). “I went home and thought to myself, how am I going to feed my family and children?” he says. A quick call to a friend – Darcy Bullock, co-owner with his wife Alycia Simmons of Bullock’s Your Independent Grocer in Huntsville – got him some shelf space in the store, if he could ﬁll it. “He’s an amazing man, responsible for where I am,” Gravelle says. Starting one frantic Friday night, he quickly designed a brand and set up a commercial-grade kitchen on the back of his house. He drew on his own family’s recipes and sales went well. In 2021, Muskoka Brand Gourmet was picked up by a distributor, which got them into a couple of Loblaws stores, then Sobeys. “I wasn’t in the home kitchen very long,” he recalls.In 2022, the company’s ﬁrst big growth spurt was triggered by the introduction of its Original Garlic Sauce, which will hit your tongue with a surprise – it has the boldness to include raw garlic. “You can use it as a substitute for garlic purée, with veggies, burgers, mashed potatoes or mashed cauliﬂower,” says Muskoka Brand Gourmet’s sales and operations manager Andrew Allen, who is made in Muskoka himself, having grown up near the Huntsville Fairgrounds. Several new products such as jalapeno and black olive garlic sauces and salad dressings were spun oﬀ the garlic sauce for addition to Muskoka Brand Gourmet’s existing line of dips, jams, jellies, garlic oils and more. e company expanded its range locally, adding Sobeys in Gravenhurst, the Nutty Chocolatier in Huntsville, the Farm Store in Bracebridge and many more. Following that, Gravelle was contacted by the massive food wholesaler/retailer Costco and began selling Original Garlic Sauce to the organization.And then, he hit on Dill Pickle Aioli.After about a year of working out the deal – Costco wanted the aioli a little thicker, for instance – it was released on February 13. “We got a phone call Tuesday (ﬁve days later) – do you have more?” Gravelle recalls. “ey wanted it today. Heather Glumac started making her own granola during the pandemic to overhaul her own diet. Aer a local chef and friend, David Friesen, stole an entire jar, he suggested Glumac begin selling granola and even oered her kitchen space for production to get started.

Page 63

Muskoka Granola Power Bowl - Heather GlumacIngredients ½ cup yogurt (Glumac’s favourites: Liberte Greek 2% Coconut, Riviera Non-Dairy)¼ cup chia pudding (to make: combine one cup of any milk and ¼ cup of chia seeds, stir together, refrigerate for ﬁve minutes, stir again, store in fridge until serving) ½ an avocado, cubed or sliced¼ cup pomegranate seeds¼ cup Muskoka Granola (any ﬂavour) ¼ cup wild blueberriesStir and eat!Yield: single portion.Now they want to send it out west and to the Maritimes.” e company’s regular staﬀ of six plus two more at full production, some of them in Gravelle’s extended family, looks like it’s going to have to get bigger.I think I understand the quick uptake, having now tried it myself, not only in the recipe but also on smoked ham and Montreal-style smoked meat sandwiches, maple breakfast sausages, Brussels sprouts and a few other things. is stuﬀ is addictive. My theorized secret success ingredient, you’ve perhaps noticed yourself: garlic. It’s such a well-loved ﬂavour that it’s used in the cuisine of every culture on the planet that has access to it. But equally crucial to Muskoka Brand Gourmet’s success, I think, is the way it’s used: unapologetically, yet gently tamed by a process that truly is secret, so that even in its ﬁery raw state it’s tastebud friendly.Andrew Allen is the source of Muskoka Brand Gourmet’s recipe, Easy Creamy Dill Pickle Slaw with Milford Bay Smoked Trout. It’s a simple, typical cabbage and carrot slaw mix with the aioli and another made-in-Muskoka ingredient with which you can’t go wrong. “It was invention out of necessity,” says Allen. “I had the coleslaw mix and no dressing, so…” Smoked trout with coleslaw? Absolutely. e aioli binds them together. Allen happened to mention he also makes deadly devilled eggs using Muskoka Brand Gourmet Jalapeno Garlic Sauce.Since Heather Glumac studied ﬁlm at Queen’s University, it was inevitable she would go on to spearhead a Bracebridge food business called Muskoka Granola.Okay, the trajectory wasn’t quite that direct – graphic design was an intermediate step – but she loves where she landed. “I’ve based all of my choices on joy,” she says. “From the design to designing employee hours. From the recipe – I couldn’t ﬁnd any granola on the shelf that I wanted to eat, which is why I started making my own – I did everything that brought me joy and ﬁgured someone else would like it.”Glumac was born and raised in Guelph. “I was very fortunate that my mother was a stay-at-home mom, able to cook,” she says. “She focused a lot on nutrition, so I grew up eating very well and have always been nutritionally conscious.” After studying graphic design at George Brown and living 10 years in Toronto, she moved to Bracebridge in spring 2014 to do graphic design work for Camp Muskoka. In fact, she also did layout for this very magazine in its ﬁrst year.“Right before COVID, I was working at the Griﬃn Gastropub; so I had a lot of time over COVID because they were shut down and I decided to start overhauling my diet,” Glumac recounts. “I wanted to make everything from scratch because the amount of chemicals and preservatives in food was awful. I shouldn’t need a chemistry degree to read what’s in my food.” e granola she created she shared with friends, one whose name you’ll know if you’re a regular reader: Chef David Friesen. at was in spring 2021. “I handed David Spring 2025 UNIQUE MUSKOKA 61

Page 64

62 UNIQUE MUSKOKA Spring 2025the jar of granola I’d made as we were hanging out six feet apart and he wouldn’t give it back, ate the whole thing,” Glumac fondly reminisces. Friesen not only suggested she start selling it but let her borrow the kitchen of his Bracebridge restaurant e Pasta Tree to start up, since it was idle anyway.Renting a spot at the Huntsville Farmer’s Market in August, Glumac realized she likely had a product that would sell itself, so prepared samples. She still does, as she learned from one event that without samples, she sells about 5 per cent of what she sells when she provides samples. “It started snowballing,” Glumac shares. “at summer I expanded to the Bala and Bracebridge Farmer’s Markets. I was working 16 hours a day, would go to the markets in the morning at 6 a.m., then bake for ﬁve hours, package for two hours, then pack samples at home until midnight. People were coming back for more and I needed help quickly. It was proﬁtable right oﬀ the hop.”Glumac outgrew her home-based kitchen in October 2023 and leased the converted warehouse her business now occupies. Muskoka Granola now has ﬁve year-round employees and she has had to abandon the kitchen to do admin, sales and marketing (including package design, of course). For the summer’s markets and events, she’ll hire another three or four people. From her original granola ﬂavour, now referred to as Cashew Almond, the selection has been YOUR GUIDE TO SERVICES AND RESOURCESDIRECTORYwww.budgetpropaneontario.com Budget Propane Sales & Service705.687.5608 Toll Free 1.888.405.7777Serving: Muskoka • Gravenhurst • Haliburton • Barrie • Simcoe CountyWe’ll take care of your propane needs for your home, coage, or business.Muskoka Granola is made with simple ingredients that you can recognize, including maple syrup for sweetness, as owner Heather Glumac believes “I shouldn’t need a chemistry degree to read what’s in my food.”...telling the Muskoka storywww.uniquemuskoka.com

Page 65

JOHNSON LOG HOMERESTORATIONS705-738-7831 jcd.johnson@hotmail.com Staining Chinking Log Repairs Sandblasting Timber Frames Renovation Log Wash Custom BuildsLogHomeRestore.caYOUR FURNITURE, CUSTOM UPHOLSTERY & DRAPERY SPECIALISTS705.784.0906705.784.0906muskokauph@ghmail.com • MuskokaUpholstery.comCall Curt and Paula Today!expanded to four ﬂavours, the most recent, Pistachio, having been released to great success at last year’s Bala Cranberry Festival.ree times a year, Glumac pays for the whole staﬀ to go on an outing like Cirque du Soleil, a Jays game or a spa day. “I want to be a great company to work for and not just for my own selﬁsh ends – it comes out in the granola – energy is everywhere,” she says. “We’re good energy people. You get good energy from the trees, from the syrup, from the whole nuts.”Her irreverent approach to marketing shines out on her website, where she furthers her righteous crusade against raisins (“we are a raisin-free company because I think they’re gross”) and displays testimonials like “I sprinkle it on my wife at night.” Be sure to check the bottom of a bag of Muskoka Granola, as it might say something like “Sharing is overrated” or “Eat my nuts.” “One thing I really enjoy about business that I did not perceive earlier: there’s so much room for creativity in the choices you make,’’ says Glumac. “I am at heart a creative.”e Muskoka Granola food philosophy: “Simplest is best. e ingredients of the granola are foods that you can recognize. Same for the recipe: put it in a bowl and eat it. is is what I’ll typically eat for breakfast. I would substitute anything from it depending on what you have available. It’s high in protein, avocado is really good for you – it’s a power bowl!”Muskoka Granola is sweet, but not overwhelmingly so, having instead a light and subtle palate feel with a certain depth – no doubt from the use of maple syrup rather than reﬁned sugar. Each nut coated in oatmeal is an elegant little package melting inward in the mouth to reveal the ﬂavour of the nut.e power bowl is a harmonious riot of ﬂavours, which combine to form entirely new ﬂavours and textures, though no other ﬂavour overrides the granola, which thus holds the whole work together. Not in an imposing “you’ll be our 51st state” sort of way, more like a spontaneously-unifying “nope, we all agree we’re staying Canada” style.Maybe that’s because it was made in Muskoka. HUNTERS | JUMPERS LESSONS | SALES 4171 Line 11 N Coldwater, ON(705) 641-0754muskokahorseco.comSpring 2025 UNIQUE MUSKOKA 63

Page 66

64 UNIQUE MUSKOKA Spring 2025I was introduced to Muskoka just over 20 years ago. We came here with two big dogs, a truck full of treasures, books, art supplies and tools, my life-partner and myself. We did a lot of hiking and explored the region looking for a place we could call home. We house-sat and winterized a cottage, then found a small house on ﬁve forested acres, 20 minutes from town. We’ve skied, walked and snowshoed behind the property which winds through several acres of boreal forest, juniper where it opens into rocky clearings, crosses a creek and navigates a few swamps. Back there, somewhere, we found an artesian well and the foundation of a log cabin church near the main road. Getting to know Muskoka has been a slow dance. We didn’t fall in love at ﬁrst sight but we were closer to family in Ontario. Opportunities and choices led to interesting work, meaningful projects and we loved the place in the forest. I am grateful for the quiet, the quality of air and water. We raised chickens and built a yurt. We tried maple syruping around the yard. Personally, I’d rather support locals at the farmer’s market. My commute is winding back roads, only occasionally interrupted by wild turkeys.e ﬁrst community we met was the artists community – we volunteered at Muskoka Arts and Crafts and were involved in seasonal shows and exhibitions. We were among the 20 co-founding members of the Arts at the Albion cooperative gallery. In large part because of my work at the YWCA, I am grateful to be part of a growing community of activists, women and gender diverse folk across the region. I’m a proud member of the District Inclusion Advisory Group which is playing a critical role as the region becomes more populated and racially diverse. Sometimes rural living still makes me feel lonely and isolated. Muskoka can be divided by townships, bylaws, property lines, attitudes and that can be challenging and frustrating.Five years ago, Muskoka became a balm for the soul. I worked from the bunkie. We paid attention to devastating news but also watched the ice retreating and the woodpeckers that occupied the trees unfurling new leaves. I downloaded Seek to identify more plants, and I discovered there were several on daily dog walks that actually originated from somewhere else.I am a settler here. My heritage is ﬁrst generation Chinese and also Welsh and Swiss or German. Similar to the families who have named roads across Muskoka, my ancestors came from Europe to Nova Scotia in the 19th century. I believe it’s important to remember that Indigenous peoples have cared for and travelled these lands long before us. Muskoka is the traditional territory of the Anishnaabeg and home to three sovereign nations: Wahta Mohawks First Nations, Moose Deer Point First Nation and the Moon River Métis. e Huron-Wendat and the Haudenosaunee Nations have also inhabited this territory over time. I feel both honour and humility to take the time to walk the road with families through Wahta in June and September. I will volunteer at Muskoka’s second powwow coming up at the end of June. I used to think of myself as nomadic, from Ottawa to Trent University, to the west coast, a cannery museum, Haida Gwaii and the Kootenays. I realize I’ve now lived in Muskoka longer than anywhere else in my life. is is my land acknowledgement. Like the many turtles we stop to help across the roads every May to June, it’s taking a while to make the journey. I love Muskoka for the gift of place it has instilled in me. Hannah Lin is the executive director of the Community YWCA of Muskoka. She received YWCA Canada’s Carolyn B. Bray Award for Spirit, Dedication and Creativity in 2024. Her partner is David Cureton, a luthier who owns and operates Muskoka Guitars where he builds musical instruments from Indigenous hardwoods.Muskoka MomentsArticle by Hannah LinA Gift of PlacePhotograph: Farah van der Rest

Unique Muskoka Issue 49 - Spring 2025

Page 1

Page 2

Page 3

Page 4