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JULY 2026

OXTONGUE ADVENTURES Roaming with a Paddle

conJuring ethereal art by pushing boundaries Dockside Dining Days Are Senosory Perfection

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Features

Yvonne Heath Knows What It Means to Show Up

Article by J. Patrick Boyer

Article by Meghan Taylor

Rooted in Faith — Church of the Redeemer

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Throughout Muskoka, communities of seasonal residents formed summer churches that acquire characteristics reflecting both their lake and their congregation. Church of the Redeemer in the village of Rosseau has achieved a complementary integration of seasonal and full-time Muskokans for its year-round services.

In her newest book, Addiction, Grief and Joy: A Son’s Struggle and a Mother’s Love, Yvonne Heath writes as a mother living inside a family crisis and navigating what it means to keep loving someone when the ending is unknown. Her philosophy of showing up anchors both her storytelling and her broader message.

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Take a Hike — Jevins and Silver Lakes Conservation Reserve Article by John Challis / Photography by Andy Zeltkalns The Jevins and Silver Lakes Conservation Reserve is a challenging trail covered in dense forest, barren rock hilltops and lush meadows, decorated with small lakes, beaver ponds and wetlands. The trail is a remote, wilderness hike with variable terrain, depending on the season. Lace up those hiking boots and be sure to come prepared!

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Colourful Backyard Characters – Birds in Your Neighbourhood Article and Photography by Lauren Todd From songbirds to woodpeckers to birds of prey, a whole host of colourful characters take up residence in your neighbourhood in the summer months. Learning to identify these birds can turn a simple moment in your backyard into a rewarding experience.

Col Mitchell — Pushing Boundaries and Creating Beauty Article by Bronwyn Boyer / Photography by Josianne Masseau In a quiet studio, artist Col Mitchell creates worlds with sculpted paper, acrylic inks and layered reliefs. Using a technique she calls “pen and ink on sculpted paper,” Mitchell moulds paper into a composition, washes it with colour, and uses fine acrylic ink lines to conjure her subjects into life.

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July 2026 UNIQUE MUSKOKA 3

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Women on the Water – Celebrating Female Record Setters JULY 2026

Article by J. Patrick Boyer A new chapter of acknowledgment to women in boating was written last summer when the Canadian Raceboat Hall of Fame showcased female race boat champions in an exhibit titled Women in Racing. Fittingly, the exhibit carried the subtitle Setting Records / Breaking Barriers – a phrase that captures victories on the stopwatch, along with the quiet and persistent courage required to claim space in a sport long shaped by men.

OXTONGUE ADVENTURES Roaming with a Paddle

conguring ethereal art by pushing boundaries Dockside Dining Days Are Senosory Perfection

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Article and Photography by Andy Zeltkalns

Our Cover

The Oxtongue River is just one example of Muskoka’s rich paddling history. Examined as a trade route, a settlement route and for travel, the natural beauty of the Oxtongue River has its own story to tell and gives adventurers countless opportunities to explore its winding banks.

Navigating the Oxtongue River by paddleboard, kayak or canoe gives adventurers countless opportunities to explore.

With a Paddle — Oxtongue River

Photograph by Andy Zeltkalns

Departments 56

52 What’s Happening

Cottage Country Cuisine

Article by Matt Driscoll

Article by K.M. Wehrstein / Photography by Brittany Clark

The Muskoka Music Festival completes a 10-year run with headliner Serena Ryder, Muskoka scores FIFA World Cup 2026 legacy funding and the Rosseau Classic Cruise returns August 1. Floodplain changes cause concern for residents, Muskoka Algonquin Health Care receives a patient advocacy award, and writers are invited to join the 25th Muskoka Novel Marathon. Huntsville Legion celebrated a milestone birthday for a local veteran, summer concert series bring free live music to Bracebridge and Gravenhurst, and new pedestrian crossings are in the works for Bala and Port Carling.

There’s just something about the outdoor Muskoka air – the warm breezes, the scent of trees, the blue sky, the rippling lake. Dining en plein air is a must during a Muskoka summer. Chefs Daniel Kozluk, Darren Hehir and Saurav Sarkar share their picks for fresh fare to elevate your outdoor dining experience.

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Opinion 9

Muskoka Insights By Meghan Taylor

From an Artist's Perspective

Muskoka Moments By Nichole Kitchen

By Lori Knowles

July 2026 UNIQUE MUSKOKA 5

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Muskoka Insights you what people are really chasing when they come north. What they are chasing is a feeling – that rare mix of beauty, freedom, familiarity and possibility. For a few fleeting months, Muskoka offers it in abundance. That is why, no matter how many summers come and go, this one always feels worth the wait. That same invitation to notice, to slow down and to see Muskoka more closely carries through this July edition of Unique Muskoka. Our photo feature from wildlife photographer Lauren Todd highlights the colourful summer characters found in our own backyard. From hawks to songbirds, owls to woodpeckers, bird watching is a sure sign of summer and another reason to pause and take in your surroundings. Also in this issue, regular contributor Bronwyn Boyer shares the technique and ethereal depictions of the natural world by artist Col Mitchell. Through her unique process, Mitchell captures textures, shadows and colours that transport the viewer elsewhere. Even in Muskoka, you can be taken to another dimension. Finally, this edition features record-setting women in boat racing who paved the way for future generations. As contributor Patrick Boyer notes, the Canadian Raceboat Hall of Fame’s 2025 exhibit Women in Racing: Setting Records / Breaking Barriers emphasized how the human story behind the watercraft delivers lasting impact. Come to the cottage. Come to Muskoka. Come for the tranquility and solitude and come for the adventure. Come in person or immerse yourself in these pages to convince yourself you’re here. Or, if you are here, enjoy. Photograph: MacKenzie Taylor

There’s a Canadian-made show that’s been all over social media for months (you may know the one…) that features the line “Will you come to my cottage this summer?” Anyone who has a cottage or lives in cottage country knows that an invitation is so much more than welcoming someone in for a short visit. And yes, in the show the meaning is multi-layered too. The cottage is a special place. A hidden gem where each person can be themselves. It is both an emotional and physical sanctuary, where time feels longer, expectations feel lighter and the noise of everyday life softens. Ordinary routines are replaced by uncomplicated rituals – swims before breakfast, long afternoons drifting into evening, and the comfort of being exactly where you are meant to be. It is not just a place you visit, but a place that stays with you. While the cottage is at the heart of that feeling for many, the same pull can be felt across Muskoka in summer. What makes the season unforgettable is it belongs to many kinds of people at once: the family here for one treasured week, determined to squeeze every possible memory out of seven days; the people who return every July and August and measure their lives in Muskoka summers; and those who are here year-round, who know the quieter version of these towns and still welcome the burst of energy summer brings. The season moves quickly; there is a reason people guard these weeks so fiercely. In a place like this, summer teaches you not to postpone joy. Go for the swim. Stay for the sunset. Take the long way home by boat. Say yes to one more evening on the dock. The days may feel endless in the moment, but anyone who has spent enough time in Muskoka knows how quickly they become memory. Yes, it is busy. Yes, the roads are fuller, the waterfronts are livelier, and every errand can take a little longer than expected. But it is also a season of reunion, ritual and gratitude. Whether you are here for a short stay, every summer, or all year long, Muskoka reminds

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From an Artist’s Perspective

Finding Joy at a Farmer’s Market Creations, who gets a kick out of watching people sift through her homemade greeting cards. “How’d you make this?” is the best start to a conversation according to Pearsall. “I’m a shy person; markets are good for me.” Katja Uhde of Milford Bay SmokeHaus has been bringing her smoked fish to the market for 32 years. And while the family business was sold recently, Uhde is staying on. “I enjoy the people,” she says. “There isn’t a market morning that goes by that someone doesn’t offer to bring me a coffee. My customers have become my good friends.” Ditto for Josianne Masseau, who travels throughout Ontario all summer in an RV to sell boho-style earrings and bracelets for The Bohemy Co. As a Bracebridge resident, Josianne’s favourite stop is the Bracebridge market. “These are my people,” she says. “I love our market,” adds jewelry-maker Stan Tait, whose been showcasing his silver in person at shows for more than 52 years. “After such a long career I have discovered that being a vendor at our local farmers market has been the most rewarding experience of all. It is an absolute joy.” Perhaps the quickest confirmation of market bliss comes from Jasmine Rouleau, whose Vitality Untamed products are dedicated to what she calls “gut health.” Jasmine sums my question up in a word: “Community,” she says. “We’re nothing without it. Finding everything you need within the community, that’s what a market is all about.” Photograph: Patrick Boyer

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At a pre-season potluck dinner attended by vendors and organizers, I learned I’m not alone. Curious, I posed this question: What is it about your booths that brings you joy? Debbie Hamell was the first to reply. As proprietor of a booth called All Things Pretty, she makes cork bags, canvas purses and charms. A grandchild once told her: “Grandma, all your things are pretty.” Indeed, they are. Hamell says she’s a vendor because the people she meets in the park “are lovely.” She adores the chit-chat and the questions and the chance to talk about her art. When was that last time you heard that from a salesclerk in a Walmart? Jim and Catherine Clay have been bringing Pivot Coffee Roastery to Memorial Park every summer for the past five years. “I’m here for the conversation,” Catherine says. “People are friendly, I love hearing about their travels, some have come a long way. I just sit in the booth and gab.” Same goes for Pauline Pearsall of Card

Photograph: Andy

t’s an early Saturday morning in summer in Muskoka, dew still glazing the grass. Memorial Park in Bracebridge is abuzz with marketeers – crafters, farmers, fish mongers, honey-makers. They’re raising tents, unfurling banners, lugging plastic bins filled with food and wares to and from their cars. “Morning Joe, morning Marg!” goes the chit-chat. “Another warm day!” The busker near the bandstand connects an amp, conducts a soundcheck, strums a guitar. A baker stacks fresh bread and pies on a folding table, and little green baskets filled with rosy strawberries are arranged just so. Across the park, the scent of frying bacon is lifting from a great big grill… Welcome to the Bracebridge Farmer’s Market, or any Muskoka farmer’s market on any given day, all summer long. There are at least 10 farmer’s markets throughout the district according to Muskoka Tourism, visited daily by locals, cottagers, and people just passing through. Mondays in Bala. Thursdays in Port Sydney. Fridays in Baysville. A new one in Gravenhurst on Sundays near the Muskoka Wharf. It’s a place to pick up a spicy ring of kielbasa, a stack of asparagus, or that special smoked gouda you can’t find any place else. Maybe you need a greeting card for a hostess gift, or a pretty bunch of flowers, or a homemade hot sauce for Sunday brunch. Necklaces, kombucha, hats, artwork and blankets – if it can be handcrafted, it’s probably here. I’m now a three-year veteran at these Muskoka farmer’s markets, selling my books at a little stand festooned with blue hydrangeas and a lacy cloth. It’s not the easiest way to peddle my wares – boxes of books are cumbersome to carry, rain and wind are perilous, and yes, sometimes my tent leaks. Still, the process brings me joy.

Article by Lori Knowles

Lori Knowles is a journalist and author of Summers with Miss Elizabeth, a Muskoka novel. The second book in the series, Summers with Gin, is coming soon. In this column, Lori explores what it’s like to live and work as an artist in Muskoka. www.loriknowles.com @ loriknowles_author

July 2026 UNIQUE MUSKOKA 11

Photograph: Church of the Redeemer and Rosseau Historic Society

Article by J. Patrick Boyer

round Muskoka shorelines, communities of seasonal residents formed summer churches that acquire characteristics reflecting both their lake and the congregation’s fit within the district’s year-round society. Of the halfdozen featured in this year’s six-part series, none has closer integration of seasonal and full-time Muskokans than Church of the Redeemer in the village of Rosseau. The norm for summer churches is July and August services. The Redeemer’s Anglican congregation worships, with seasonal fluctuations in attendance, throughout the year. “The well-known and much-loved church represents a shared devotion uniting permanent and seasonal residents,” observes the Rosseau Historical Society. Organized services began in the early 1870s when an ordained Anglican

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By 1891, Church of the Redeemer in Rosseau, had been upgraded in many ways by its devoted congregation of summer and year-round Muskokans. Most noticeable is a steeple replacing the simple belfry. missionary, Dr. William Newton, arrived in Helmsley, as Rosseau was known before taking the lake’s name. Building a log cabin he dubbed “The Hermitage” on Elephant Head point, Newton began his ministry to villagers and others arriving from further down the lake. Sunday worship was held in the Hermitage, but the growing number of worshippers made a church building desirable. This was a pattern to also emerge when Muskoka summer residents congregated at lakeside for worship outdoors or in someone’s cottage with a cleric or true believer leading worship. In March 1871, Rev. Dr. Newton presided over a vestry meeting that decided to build. He and church warden S.G. Best signed a $500 contract with Bracebridge carpenter Charles Story to erect the church according to plans drawn by architect congregant William Ditchburn. The church

would be built on land donated by William Pratt whose Rosseau House Hotel was now flourishing, using cedar logs and lumber that Ebenezer Sirett contributed. Also, in the communal spirit of Muskoka’s other lakeside churches, most every congregant volunteered for the project’s innumerable roles – their church being rooted in faith. Early members of this Church of England congregation were the Beasley, Beley, Best, Brown, Coate, Ditchburn, Draycott, Holton, Knight, Lawrason, Magor, Martin, Morgan, Pratt, Ross, Spratt, Taylor, Williams, Wilson and Young families. Three decades later, most of these British stalwarts, still registered members of the growing village’s Anglican church, had been joined by more families: Ariss, Atkinson, Bartlett, Bishton, Clubbe, Crowley, Dawson, Einarson, Finnson, Presley, and Topp – now several Icelanders

Photograph: Rosseau Historic Society

arrived to conduct communion. A new full-time minister tried for a difficult decade to exorcise the demon at the bottom of his liquor bottles. The situation was only redeemed by the strength of the believers and, on cue (or in answer to unremitting prayer) the appearance in 1891 of a priest from Ireland. Rev. Gowan Gillmor, an ex-military officer, scholar, and musician, would be remembered in Rosseau as “a gentle giant, witty and winsome, who brought healing and love, joy and laughter.” In performing his ministry, Gillmor walked miles. After

Photograph: Douglas Gammage

Rev. Gowan Gillmor, a spritely spirit from Ireland who revived the Redeemer congregation in the 1890s, walked great distances to administer to Anglicans, joyfully referring to himself as “The Tramp.”

William Ditchburn, architectural draftsman and student of ecclesiastical architecture before he and brothers John, Henry, and Arthur came to Canada in 1869, settling in Rosseau, drew blueprints for the Redeemer church and, later, the manse. Sunday’s 11 a.m. worship in Rosseau, he crossed country to his next service at St. Thomas, Ullswater, eating a lunch en route. “The Tramp,” as he called himself, declined use of a farmer’s horse, saying it needed a day of rest whereas he needed to stay fit by walking. Besides, walking gave him time to think and pray. Gillmor was a force. Finding no rectory to house an Anglican minister, he convened a church meeting which decided to build one. In 1892, two decades after they’d built the church, many of the same volunteers helped erect this further structure. William Ditchburn again designed its architecture, William Pratt’s Rosseau House had just

Photograph: Rosseau Historic Society

amidst a community of Britons. An 1874 photo of the church shows a simple board-and-batten frame structure on cedar posts. The sanctuary was added later. The dug cellar and stone foundation also followed. For 30 years, with no steeple gracing it, the building’s all-important bell was housed in a belfry atop the roof, rung a half-hour before Sunday morning’s 11 a.m. service and again as worship began. It also sounded throughout Rosseau for weddings, funerals, and emergencies. In the 1880s, desperate peels alerted the community to an approaching forest fire, summoning men to organize as firefighters, warning women to evacuate into the lake if they heard it ringing again. Coal oil lanterns provided light inside the church before electricity, note compilers Evelyn Parker, Isabel Swainson, and Audrey Tournay in their 1871 to 1982 church history. Heating was by wood-burning stove, with people keeping their coats on during winters. The pump organ kept someone warm, working its handle so Minnie Cooke, the first organist, could play hymns. The early altar was an unadorned wooden utility table. “Introduction of candles was a big issue,” the historians observed, “because our forefathers were definitely not High Church.” High Church Anglicans burn candles symbolizing Christ as Light of the World; Low Church members emphasize the Word above ritual. Getting to church, villagers walked, some crossed water and docked, guests staying at Pratt’s hotel or Rossmoyne Inn strolled over, and several farm families arrived in horse-drawn vehicles, an adjacent shed sheltering the steeds during worship. Decorating the church for special occasions was rustic, reflecting being close to nature: evergreen boughs for Christmas and bullrushes for weddings. His missionary work accomplished, William Newton left Rosseau in 1874. Then the congregation entered a twilight zone. On their own, tested, they bonded closer as a human flock and stronger in their faith. William Ditchburn, the church’s architect, became a lay reader and dozens more participated in the lay ministry. Occasionally a supply minister

William Pratt, an American, took a major role in Rosseau’s early growth, building and operating the large Rosseau House Hotel while supporting Church of the Redeemer in material ways. July 2026 UNIQUE MUSKOKA 13

Servers’ Guild members of Church of the Redeemer in 2003 were Rev. C. Peter Simmons, Robbie Wolfe, Margaret Crawford (nee Sainsbury); Corbin Patten, Harrison Gilbert, here holding a bible, Cameron Lang, Austin Lang, shown holding a candle, and Devin Bissonette. 14 UNIQUE MUSKOKA July 2026

Photograph: Peter Wood

Photograph: Emily (Holton) Wood Photograph: Church of the Redeemer and Rosseau Historical Society

Five-year-old Peter Wood, whose mother was organist and father caretaker at Church of the Redeemer, appears fully at home in the presence of the 1950s Anglican hierarchy: Archdeacon Lindsell, Bishop Wright, and Rev. Inshaw.

burned down so he donated its foundation stones. Volunteer Harry Coate, aged 17 in 1873, again helped, his father’s diary noting: “Harry with team and tools to join bee to haul stone for foundation of parsonage.” Many muscular volunteers joined that busy work bee, hauling over 70 loads of stone. Other work bees and fundraising events got the job done. “It can be said the Redeemer Church’s ongoing story into the 20th and 21st centuries is built on the physical and spiritual foundations of the 19th century,” Parker, Swainson, and Tournay concluded. Their book documents dozens of ways seasonal and year-round church members bond, as three random examples illustrate. In 1980, for very costly repairs and painting of the church exterior, an appeal for funds went out to all; the great generosity of summertime Muskokans ensured the necessary funds. The following year, two robberies claimed treasured sterling silver items, from altar chalice to baptismal font liner; congregants responded to the desecration by donating replacement memorials. One, Anne Lougheed, travelled from her Memphis home in Tennessee to Rosseau with replacement silver candlesticks. In 1982, when Rev. Robert Charles gave notice he’d leave in December, a retirement party was held, not at year’s end but in August so cottager members of the

Redeemer members Evelyn Parker, Isabel Swainson, and Audrey Tournay compiled a fulsome hand-written record of their church’s history from 1871 to 1983.

Photograph: Rosseau Historical Society

During the Roaring Twenties, 1927’s class of 13 new confirmands into Anglican membership gathers before the Redeemer entrance with Rev. Roxborough Smith (rear, centre) flanked by Frank G. Wood, Rex Smith, Allan Frost and Bill Einarson. Others include Ethel Cox, Florence Gates, and Margaret Webster.

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congregation could participate. The popular minister and his wife Joan, deeply involved in the local community through the 1960s and 1970s, ardently supported wildlife preservation and helped Audrey Tournay establish what today is Rosseau’s Aspen Valley Wildlife Sanctuary. As with most dimensions of Muskoka life, the combined strength of permanent and seasonal residents sharing common cause creates exceptional results – in this instance, a church that does not sit empty most of the

Photograph: Peter Wood

With the Dirty Thirties Depression, 1932’s confirmation class at Redeemer numbered only three; a significant reduction from 1927’s class.

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Photograph: Church of the Redeemer & Rosseau Historical Society

Music, essential for suiting worship to occasion, makes organist and choir vital leaders of the spirit, heard and on display in the chancel throughout the service. In 1929, Redeemer choristers wore robes, and mortarboards for the altos and sopranos for the first time, marking a refined church advancement.

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year but is supported and safeguarded on a daily basis. The extent of church fixtures and improvements donated by permanent and seasonal Muskokans alike also speaks to their blended support of the Redeemer. Church windows have been fully converted

to magnificent stained glass. Seen from the moment one enters the narthex, where windows honour Emily Wood’s amazing 72 year dedication as organist, through the nave of the church with side windows memorializing both seasonal and year-round

Photograph: Church of the Redeemer & Rosseau Historical Society

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In 1951, members of the Anglican Women’s Auxiliary at Church of the Redeemer formed a cohesive work force devoted to families and their church’s well-being, making it hard to imagine any task these women could not handle. 16 UNIQUE MUSKOKA July 2026

Photograph: Peter Wood

Emily Wood, pivotal in village life, served for decades as Rosseau post mistress and municipal clerk, was secretary-treasurer of the local power utility, and sold real estate while also active with the Women’s Institute and Legion Auxiliary. She was equally devoted to church life as organist for 72 years, member of the Anglican Church Women, and Sunday School teacher. families and individuals who helped sustain the church through time, in the chancel and above the high altar with a centre piece window from the Coate Family’s full devotion to the faith. The multitude of items continue with lecterns, reredos paneling, alter cloths, communion service pieces, and candle sticks, then also baptismal font, prayer books and hymnals with personal dedications, and the Gospel Book. A recent full-throated Rogers Organ is in a class by itself, and certainly is donation of a building – the annexed Frost Hall. All these, notes the Rosseau Historical Society, “demonstrate how uniting and nourishing the communal devotion has carried the church through its past, as it will into its future.” Organist Emily Wood’s son Peter sums it up for all: “Coming to the Church of the Redeemer is like coming home.” To this day, worshippers return each summer from the United Kingdon, southern United States, and distant reaches of Canada.

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Jevins and Silver Lakes Conservation Reserve Length: 9.5 km one-way Difficulty: Hard Suitable for: Hiking, Paddling and Snowshoeing Operation: Year-round To get there: For the north entrance, take Highway 11 to Muskoka Road 6. Conservation Road is about 5.5 km east of the highway. The south entrance is 15 km from Highway 11 on Muskoka Road 6 to Sam Cook Road. The trailhead is a further 3 km along Sam Cook Road; the last stretch is dirt road and steeply hilly.

Article by John Challis / Photography by Andy Zeltkalns

he Jevins and Silver Lakes Conservation Reserve Trail is a necklace ornamented with small lakes, beaver ponds and wetlands strung along a broad arc of glacial striations. Dense forest canopy is alive with birdsong, broken by rock barren hilltops scattered with twisted, stunted oak, opening again to marsh and meadow. The erratic pattern repeats, interspersed with deep ravine streams, where the air is rich with the scent of wildflower blossoms, pine, and damp earth. One can imagine what the first settlers thought as they trudged their way into Muskoka: this landscape can’t make up its mind. For the recreational hiker though, this is a divine, vigorous wilderness hike. Muskoka’s actual settlement routes

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were farther west of this trail, along more passable ground between Sparrow Lake and Kahshe Lake. Settlement, sawmills, and a railway grew along that corridor. The land east and north of Kahshe Lake was left to the wild. Ignoring the region became a blessing. The patchwork of Crown land lots from Housey’s Rapids to Muskoka Road 6 (Doe Lake Road) and east to Highway 11 was consolidated into the Jevins and Silver Lakes Conservation Reserve in 2000. The reserve covers 2,100 hectares of classic Muskoka wilderness. Canoe routes are popular with wilderness campers. Jevins Lake, shallow and surrounded by swamp and marsh, is a provincially significant wetland. Provincially and nationally rare plants thrive in the reserve. It’s also noted for

The patchwork of Crown land lots from Housey’s Rapids to Muskoka Road 6 (Doe Lake Road) and east to Highway 11 was consolidated into the Jevins and Silver Lakes Conservation Reserve in 2000.

From either end, the Conservation Road trailhead or from the south at Sam Cook Road, the Jevins and Silver Lakes Conservation Reserve trail is a remote, wilderness hike, alive with birdsong and filled with all types of terrain.

several unusual potholes, carved out by glacial meltwater, by both Jevins and Silver Lakes. The only lizard native to Ontario, the five-lined skink, inhabits the rock barrens. The trail itself runs about 9.5 km, one way. It’s part of the Trans Canada Trail and is well maintained in the winter for snow machines, so it is wide and mostly well-marked. However, it’s not regularly maintained in the other seasons. A full out-and-back may be too much; wet stretches, at least one sizeable beaver dam and other obstacles will

Mid-way through the trail, several larger ponds have rock outcrops overlooking the water that make ideal spots for a lunch break. However, come prepared -- in the full of summer, biting insects can be discouraging. July 2026 UNIQUE MUSKOKA 19

The Jevins and Silver Lakes Conservation Reserve Trail is ornamented with small lakes, beaver ponds and wetlands, interspersed with dense forest, lush meadow and barren rock jutting from the ground. The varied landscape lends itself to wildlife. slow progress. Mid-way through the trail, several larger ponds have rock outcrops overlooking the water that make ideal spots for a rest and a bite to eat. To the west of the trail, Three Mile Lake can occasionally be seen through the trees. Just at the northern end of this lake, the trail runs east-to-west across a large marsh on a private lot. Heavy snow melts and rainy springs may make this wetland impassable, but later in the summer should be dry enough to cross. Keep in mind that hunting is allowed in late autumn. But spring, early autumn and late winter are good seasons for visiting. In

the full of summer, biting insects can be discouraging – especially in August when deer flies and horse flies are out. At the Conservation Road trailhead there is limited space for parking. Decades ago, a local hunt club managed a clubhouse and a wetland draining into nearby Doe Lake for duck hunting. The clubhouse remains, and a weir manages water levels on that wetland pond. The trail from the south at Sam Cook Road is in good shape; a lane over an ancient beaver dam is passable but can be flooded in early spring. The drive in from Housey’s Rapids is a delightful meander along a cottage lane and the trailhead has enough

room for several vehicles to park. From either end, the trail is a remote, wilderness hike. Keep that in mind and stay on the trail. At 2,100 hectares, getting lost in this reserve is not a good idea. Sturdy, water repellent hiking boots are advised, along with loose fitting, comfortable clothing that can adapt to changes in the weather. Pack some food, more water than you think you need, and insect repellent. More recently, hikers have reported ticks in this area. There is cell phone signal along a good part of the trail so using a trails app will help guide you. Alternatively, you can create and download a topographical map from the Ontario government’s website.

For the recreational hiker, the Jevins and Silver Lakes Conservation Reserve Trail is a divine, vigorous wilderness hike, with a full variety of rugged landscape. 20 UNIQUE MUSKOKA July 2026

Celebrating 10 Years

...telling

the Muskoka Story July 2026 UNIQUE MUSKOKA 21

Article by Meghan Taylor

Photograph: Mark Reeder

or most of her adult life, Yvonne Heath worked in the places where life turns suddenly fragile. She spent 27 years as a nurse in Canada and the United States, moving through hospitals, emergency rooms, intensive care units, chemotherapy clinics, palliative care and hospice. Day after day, she stood beside families in shock, in sorrow, in disbelief – watching not only illness unfold, but the human responses to it. And she saw, repeatedly, how often people were left to carry overwhelming moments with far too little support. “A lot of it came from observing patients who came in for chemo and the difference between families who came in acknowledging the grief, showing kindness and not treating their loved one to death versus those families that were not wanting to talk about death or face the inevitable,” Heath explains. That difference, she saw, shaped everything that followed. Families willing

22 UNIQUE MUSKOKA July 2026

to have honest conversations were often able to grieve together and support one another. Others fractured and fought under the weight of avoidance. “Experiencing that all chipped away at my soul,” she says. Those years became the foundation for a major life shift, but Heath’s road to that work was anything but straight. Her family moved to Muskoka in 1983, and after nursing school she became a travelling nurse, eventually living and working in Texas, where her first son, Tyler, was born. “You never know where the road of life is going to take you,” she shares. Following a divorce, Heath came back to Huntsville, certain it was only a stopping point while she decided where

Photograph: Yvonne Heath

Photograph: Geordie Heath

Yvonne Heath’s work as a writer and speaker is doing more than sharing what happened to her family. She asks what care might look like beyond the hospital – in kitchens, schools, workplaces and neighbourhoods, wherever people are quietly trying to survive the impossible and how compassionate communities can have an impact. that space, Heath experienced firsthand what she had long observed professionally: the discomfort people feel in the face of suffering. “A lot of people, just out of fear of what to say, avoided us,” she recalls. “We want to fix everything and make it better and that’s not always what people need. Sometimes, they just need you to show up.” That absence became part of the story she now tells publicly in Addiction, Grief and Joy: A Son’s Struggle and a Mother’s Love, published in September 2025. In the book, Heath moves beyond the role of nurse, speaker and advocate and writes as a mother living inside a family crisis. It traces her family’s experience with substance use disorder – overdoses, treatment attempts, relapses and the long uncertainty in between. It is not distant or analytical. It is lived. Her philosophy of showing up anchors both her storytelling and her broader message. Addiction, as Heath presents it, is devastating – but it is not the whole story. What gives the book its emotional force is its refusal to simplify the experience. Grief exists alongside love. Fear coexists with resilience. And joy – unexpected, fleeting, stubborn – still surfaces. Heath is not interested in a neat redemption arc. She is interested in what it

In her recent book, Addiction, Grief and Joy: A Son’s Struggle and a Mother’s Love, Yvonne Heath shares her personal journey as a mother living inside a family crisis. Her philosophy of showing up anchors both her storytelling and her broader message.

Photograph: Geordie Heath

to live and work next. In 1997, she secured a job at the hospital. “I thought ok, I’ll stay until I figure out where to live and what to do,” she explains. What began as a temporary return became a life rooted in family, care and community. In 2003, she married her now husband, Geordie, and in 2005 gave birth to twins, making them a family of five. In 2015, Heath left nursing and built a new kind of practice around a deceptively simple idea: people need to learn how to show up for one another better. Through speaking, workshops and writing, she began urging communities to have the conversations they usually avoid – about dying, grief, caregiving, fear and the upheavals that can split a life into before and after. Her first book, Love Your Life to Death, introduced many readers to that mission and to her trademark mix of candour, compassion and plainspoken warmth. Her message would eventually reach a deeply personal turning point. “You never know what awaits on the other side of grief,” she says. When an injury derailed her son’s dream of becoming a professional snowboarder, substance use became part of the family’s reality and affected the entire Heath clan. In

During speaking engagements, Yvonne Heath encourages everyone to “just show up” for those in their community who are struggling.

July 2026 UNIQUE MUSKOKA 23

Photograph: Geordie Heath

Addiction, Grief and Joy: A Son’s Struggle and a Mother’s Love shares a broader message about how people live alongside hardship and how they might do so differently. Yvonne Heath has found that concept resonates across a wide audience. means to keep loving someone when the ending is unknown. “We need to be able to recover out loud,” Heath says. “We need to create

compassionate communities where we recover out loud from whatever we’re facing and show up with our humanness. ” This call for “compassionate communities”

is central to her work. Heath believes society relies too heavily on professionals to carry the burden of care – an approach that leaves many people unsupported until problems become emergencies. Drawing on her health care background, she often compares it to emergency room triage, where those in less critical condition, deemed fours and fives on the scale, must wait despite still being in need. “We will never have enough health care professionals, counsellors, or addiction facilities to adequately treat everyone,” she says. “If we had compassionate communities, those fours and fives could be supported by the people around them.” In that sense, Addiction, Grief and Joy is about far more than addiction. It is about how people live alongside hardship – and how they might do so differently. Heath’s writing avoids easy solutions, instead making space for the messy reality of loving someone in pain. That message resonates across a wide audience: parents navigating addiction, caregivers supporting others, educators and

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In 2015, Yvonne Heath left nursing and built a new kind of practice. Through speaking, workshops and writing, Heath rallied around a deceptively simple idea: people need to learn how to show up for one another better. In Addiction, Grief and Joy, Yvonne Heath is doing more than recounting what happened to her family. She is widening the frame. After decades spent caring for people at the bedside, she has written a book that asks what care might look like beyond the hospital – in kitchens, schools, workplaces and neighbourhoods, wherever people are quietly trying to survive the impossible. Her answer is both modest and radical: stay, listen, tell the truth and do not let others carry the hardest parts of life alone.

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Photograph: Yvonne Heath

health care workers trying to respond with empathy. Heath doesn’t offer scripts or certainty. Instead, her work makes room for the messy truth: loving someone in pain is complicated, endurance can look ordinary from the outside, and compassion is most meaningful when it costs us some comfort. At a moment when public conversations about addiction often collapse into blame, panic or easy rhetoric, Heath offers something steadier and far more difficult: compassion with stamina. She asks readers to see addiction not as a moral failure or a distant crisis, but as a human reality that enters homes, reshapes relationships and demands more of us than opinion. It asks for presence. For Heath, writing this book seems less like a departure than a deepening. For years, she has taken subjects many people would rather sidestep and made them speakable. Here, she does something riskier: she lets readers see how those ideas hold up when they are tested inside her own family. In doing so, she transforms storytelling into a form of advocacy – not polished, not self-protective, but generous in its honesty. Her most direct advice remains striking in its simplicity: “If you’re concerned, say something,” she says. “It’s the greatest thing I think we can do.”

Yvonne Heath’s career shift from nurse to author and speaker puts her own philosophy into action. She lives the truth that joy can co-exist with grief.

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RubyThroated Hummingbird

The ruby-throated hummingbird beats its little wings around 53 times per second while flying. When hovering, their wings beat up to 80 times per second. This consumes so much energy they often need to eat more than their own body weight in nectar and insects daily.

Article and Photography by Lauren Todd

tepping outside in the summer is always an adventure, and sometimes you don’t need to travel far to meet the residents of your neighbourhood. From songbirds to woodpeckers to birds of prey, a whole host of colourful characters take up residence in the summer months. Learning to identify these birds can turn a simple moment in your backyard into a rewarding experience. Start by paying attention to colour, size, and behaviour – bright flashes

of yellow might signal a goldfinch, while a robin’s red-orange breast stands out easily. Observing how birds move can also help: some hop along the ground searching for worms, while others cling to tree trunks or hover near flowers. Beyond appearance, listening closely to birdsong and calls can sharpen your identification skills. Many species have distinctive sounds, from melodic whistles to sharp calls or even unique noises, such as a

American Robin

The robin’s rich song is generally the first to be heard in the morning, sometimes even before first light. Robins hunt for earthworms primarily using their eyesight rather than hearing. They are famous for cocking their head to one side, using each eye individually to scan the ground. They can consume up to 14 feet of earthworms in a single day!

26 UNIQUE MUSKOKA July 2026

cat-like meow. Habitat and feeding habits are equally useful clues – watch for birds visiting feeders, probing tree bark, or swooping overhead. By taking the time to notice these details, you’ll begin to recognize familiar visitors and better understand their daily routines. With practice, your backyard transforms into a lively, ever-changing ecosystem where each bird brings its own personality and story to discover.

Blue Jay

You’ll likely hear blue jays arrive before seeing them. One of the loudest birds with their raucous signature sound, blue jays can also be quite musical, adaptable and resourceful. Believe it or not, blue jays aren’t actually blue. Their feathers lack blue pigment. Instead, microscopic structures scatter light in a way that reflects the blue spectrum to our eyes.

Broad-Winged Hawk

Baltimore Oriole

The broad-winged hawk is a compact raptor, about the size of a crow, with broad wings that come to a distinct point when seen in flight. While these hawks can be found in Muskoka backyards during the warmer months, they migrate thousands of miles to their wintering grounds in South America. During the migration, they gather in massive flocks called “kettles,” which can include tens of thousands of individuals.

Orioles are a striking addition to your neighbourhood with their brilliant orange and black feathers. Orioles love eating ripened fruits such as berries and oranges. They employ a unique foraging technique called “gaping”, where they stab their closed bill into the fruit and then forcibly open their mouth to release and consume the juices.

Barred Owl

Barred owls have amazing hearing. Like many other nocturnal owls, one of their ears is slightly higher than the other, which helps them pinpoint exactly where a sound is coming from. Assessing which ear hears the sound first helps them identify if the sound is coming from the left or right, and assessing which ear hears the sound louder helps them determine if the sound is coming from above or below.

American Yellow Warbler

Yellow warblers act as natural pest control. Their diet consists largely of caterpillars, and they frequently feed on destructive species like inchworms or cankerworms and larval gypsy moths that can devastate native trees such as maple, elm, and oak. As their preferred diet is insects, these buttery yellow birds won’t attend a backyard feeder.

July 2026 UNIQUE MUSKOKA 27

Gray Catbird

The catbird is named after, and famous for, their distinctive cat-like meow. Catbirds can produce two sounds at once by independently controlling both sides of their vocal organs. Relatives of mockingbirds and thrashers, catbirds can also copy sounds of other birds and make their own distinctive tune.

Northern Flicker

Unlike other backyard woodpeckers, flickers largely forage on the ground, consuming ants and beetles with their slightly curved bill. They consume more ants than any other North American bird.

Cedar Waxwing

Waxwings travel in large, highly social flocks. They love to gorge on overripe, fermenting berries, and have been known to eat so much they become intoxicated! Plants such as cedar, juniper and dogwood may attract waxwings to your yard.

Eastern Kingbird

The Eastern kingbird’s scientific name, Tyrannus tyrannus, reflects their extreme aggressiveness – Tyrannus means tyrant or king. They are known to attack much larger birds, including hawks, crows, and herons, that get too close to their nests. During the summer months, they are territorial and will protect their nesting ground from other kingbirds.

Common Raven Yellow-Bellied Sapsucker

The yellow-belled sapsucker drills horizontal rows of shallow holes into trees to consume the sap and insects that emerge. The sap wells they create serve as an important food source for other species as well, including hummingbirds.

28 UNIQUE MUSKOKA July 2026

Ravens are among the most intelligent birds. They have been known to use tools to accomplish tasks, plan for the future, and remember human faces. They’ve even been known to hold grudges against individual humans, so don’t upset your backyard ravens!

Northern Cardinal

Potentially one of the easiest identifications, the bright red of a male cardinal is a flashy addition to your neighbourhood. Both female and male cardinals sing, which is rare among songbirds, and a mated pair will share song phrases. Cardinals are fiercely territorial and may attack their own reflections in windows or car mirrors, mistaking them for rival cardinals.

American Goldfinch

Male goldfinches are a sunny yellow flash of colour in the summer. Goldfinches only eat seeds, with sunflower and nyjer being their favourites. This makes them relatively vegetarian in the avian world, as most other songbirds prefer insects. Plant purple coneflowers or sunflowers in your backyard and watch the flocks of goldfinches (a group of goldfinches can be called a “charm”) arrive. Goldfinches nest later in the summer, during July and August, likely due to their preference for seeds which are more available during these months.

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Palm Warbler Downy Woodpecker

These woodpeckers are frequent backyard visitors, often joining chickadees and nuthatches and being remarkably similar in size. They are particularly drawn to suet feeders, black oil sunflower seeds, and chunky peanut butter. They are the most likely of the woodpeckers to visit a feeder in your yard.

Palm warblers constantly wag their tails up and down, earning them the nickname “wagging warbler.” Unlike many warblers, they forage on the ground and can be found in shrubby areas.

Yellow-Rumped Warbler

The yellow-rumped warbler earned itself the nickname “butterbutt” due to the bright yellow patch located above the tail that somewhat resembles the colour of melted butter.

Pileated Woodpecker

Pileated woodpeckers are the largest woodpeckers in North America. Their deeply resonant drumming sound is unmistakable, and they can hit around 17 beats per second!

Red-Tailed Hawk

Red-tailed hawks have amazing eyesight, which is up to eight times more powerful than human vision. They can spot a mouse from up to 100 feet in the air! Their raspy scream is highly identifiable so while you may not see one up close, you’ll definitely hear it.

Red Crossbill

Crossbills have unique, asymmetrical beaks where the tips of the upper and lower bills cross over each other. This adaptation allows them to effortlessly pry apart seeds.

30 UNIQUE MUSKOKA July 2026

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For Col Mitchell, artistic inspiration comes from indelible childhood memories from her childhood summers spent at Smoke Lake in Algonquin Park.

32 UNIQUE MUSKOKA July 2026

Article by Bronwyn Boyer / Photography by Josianne Masseau

n a quiet studio filled with sculpted paper, acrylic inks, and layered reliefs, Col Mitchell creates worlds. Each one has a story of the spark of a vision, long hours and years spent experimenting, reconfiguring, and layering lines, colours, and textures until the final result is achieved. Mitchell is driven by creative goal setting and a deep connection to nature. Her work invites viewers into a realm where textures, shadows, and colours evoke a sense of mystery and spiritual depth. Mitchell’s images aren’t just seen but felt. Her textured reliefs, layered papers, and thousands of intricate lines form portraits of flora and fauna that articulate the spirit of the wild. Her artistic inspiration comes from indelible childhood memories of the natural world’s intricate beauty. Through her creations, Mitchell seeks to return to summers spent at Smoke Lake in Algonquin Park, where her grandfather owned three cabins.

“It was a very rustic place,” she shares. “The main cabin had propane, a refrigerator, an electric stove, and a wood stove. There was also a sleeping cabin and a boathouse. There was no running water, just an outhouse. We didn’t have a radio or anything like that. We swam, played and invented games, and explored a lot. I think it taught us to see the world differently. It was the textures of the bark, the smell and sensation of the air on our skin, and the way the light played on leaves and water. It was like an endless canvas of textures and shadows, and I think I’m always trying to capture that in my work.” Growing up near London, Ontario, Mitchell is a born artist. “I have very early memories of kindergarten, and even pre-kindergarten, working with crayons and paper,” she recalls. “I was constantly colouring, drawing, and spending my allowance on pads of paper. Honestly, I don’t remember a time when I wasn’t drawing or painting.” Mitchell studied fine art at Fanshawe College,

July 2026 UNIQUE MUSKOKA 33

where the hands-on, studio-focused approach sharpened her technical skills. Beyond that, her artistic evolution came from a relentless curiosity and willingness to experiment. “I love finding new ways to push the boundaries of what paper can do,” she says. “It’s not just about making something pretty. It’s about exploring the textures and the feelings they evoke. When I fold or crumple paper, I’ll get a vision of what it could be, and then it becomes a new challenge.” Before Mitchell launched into her new creative career, she was busy balancing motherhood, homeschooling, and community involvement. “I had a break where I wasn’t creating much for myself,” she recounts. “But I realized that I suffer without art, because it’s part of my Dedication to her craft is evident in Col identity and well-being.” Mitchell’s continuous creation and preparation Her perseverance led her back to her for shows and markets. She emphasizes that calling in 2008, when she attended a pushing boundaries is essential for growth.

The long hours, painstaking effort, and sometimes overwhelming challenges are worth the struggle for Col Mitchell. Creating something that will last beyond her is success, in her estimation. workshop that reignited her passion. This led to the invention of a technique she calls “pen and ink on sculpted paper.” Over the years, it has evolved into a unique process where she sculpts and moulds paper into a composition. Then, she washes it with colour, before using fine acrylic ink lines to conjure her subjects into life. During that fortuitous paper workshop in early 2008, Mitchell was guided to create a tree. Instead of following the instructions, she was inspired to explore beyond the boundaries of the assignment. Just a week prior, she had acquired acrylic inks, which she hadn’t yet experimented with. These inks, paired with a carefully

Col Mitchell’s work has evolved over nearly two decades, from experimenting with grayscale and black and white palettes to tackling complex compositions featuring multiple animals, layered backgrounds, and intricate cut-outs. 34 UNIQUE MUSKOKA July 2026

sculpted sheet of textured paper she had prepared, sparked an idea. The combination of materials revealed a hidden synergy. The way the ink interacted with the textured surface was unlike anything she had experienced before. This accidental discovery became a turning point, unlocking a new realm of creative possibilities centered around paper and ink. From that moment, Mitchell’s curiosity grew. She immersed herself in applying her idea to diverse subjects, from the haunting visage of The Joker to a seven-foot-tall tree trunk and large multi-paneled pieces. Her endeavours involved pen nibs and gravityfed inks, and understanding how different types of paper could alter the outcome. Over time, she began to recognize the patterns and techniques that define her style. It took four years for Mitchell to perfect her smallest detailed bird, just three inches in size, and five years before she successfully rendered her first lifelike animal, which won an award. Many of Mitchell’s works were created through a collage approach to cutting and pasting foreground and background subjects,

creating more depth. “I’ve only recently begun to cut away the background to leave just the animal or object,” she notes. “It’s a different process, but it allows for a kind of transparency and focus that I love.” In the early days of developing her technique, Mitchell faced challenges that no tutorials or peer guidance could resolve. But it was the daunting realization that she was on her own that made her a pioneer of her craft. “There were moments when I ran into problems I didn’t know how to solve and I felt completely alone in what I was doing,” she recalls. “There were no tutorials and no one to ask. But it forced me to trust my instincts.” This independence fostered resilience and innovation.

Mitchell’s work has evolved over nearly two decades, from experimenting with grayscale and black and white palettes to tackling complex compositions featuring multiple animals, layered backgrounds,

Over time, through curiosity and experimentation, Col Mitchell began to recognize the patterns and techniques that define her style as an artist.

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During her studies of fine art at Fanshawe College, Col Mitchell sharpened her technical skills with the hands-on, studio-focused approach of the classes. Beyond that, her artistic evolution came from a relentless curiosity and willingness to experiment.

36 UNIQUE MUSKOKA July 2026

and intricate cut-outs. Her bold and remarkable “Passion Garden,” a large floral piece, exemplifies her technical prowess and her ability to seamlessly combine digital and traditional mediums. “I think I am an artist because I work at it,” she explains. “That’s what makes the difference. Art isn’t just about talent. It’s about dedication and continual learning.” Though it isn’t intentional on her part, bringing a vision to fruition is perhaps what gives Mitchell’s animals such depth. They appear like symbols, spiritual guides, and stories in their own right. “Winter’s Ghost,” was inspired by Mitchell’s goal to create something depicting winter. The viewer feels as one might feel walking through a whiteout to see a snow leopard coming towards them, like an apparition of the spirit world. This aptly titled piece exemplifies her ability to evoke mood and emotion through subtle gradations of grayscale and delicate textures. Mitchell’s recurring foxes, owls, and deer are embodiments of her connection to the natural world. They depict resilience, grace, and mystery. While they may have been born

out of Mitchell’s determination to reach new heights in testing her skills, a glimpse of the ethereal comes through in the process. Mitchell’s dedication to her craft is evident in her continuous creation and preparation for shows and markets. She emphasizes that pushing boundaries is essential for growth. “If you don’t challenge yourself, you don’t really improve,” she explains. “But sometimes I get so caught up in the work that I forget to breathe. I’ve learned that stepping back, taking time for myself, actually makes me a better artist.” Mitchell’s artwork has garnered multiple awards and has been exhibited in Times Square and the G8 and G20 Summits. In 2020, it also caught the attention of CBC Arts. She admits that she never had ambitions for such recognition but finds fulfillment in knowing her art resonates with others. “I think success is when my art lasts beyond me,” she says. “That’s my Col Mitchell’s recurring foxes, owls, and deer in her art are embodiments of her connection to the natural world. While they may have been born out of Mitchell’s determination to reach new heights in contribution – adding something beautiful testing her skills, a glimpse of the ethereal comes through in the process. and meaningful to the world.” The long hours, the painstaking effort, and

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sometimes overwhelming challenges are worth the struggle. Each piece Mitchell creates is a chance to see and feel the world through her eyes. And it’s an extraordinary world with depth, character, and a sense of wonder. “Art is about connection,” she states. “It’s about feeling, observing, and sharing that experience. That’s what keeps me going, knowing that my work can evoke those feelings in others, and inspire them to see things a little differently.” Despite her achievements, Mitchell won’t rest on her laurels but continues to create new goals for herself. Currently, she’s excited to collaborate with the prestigious Paper Artists Collective in the UK, as well as an upcoming

Recalling her childhood summers, Col Mitchell aims to capture the textures and shadows from the water, the bark of trees and the way the light played across leaves. project for Sappi, a global paper manufacturing company that promotes sustainable wood fibre sourcing. “There’s so much I haven’t done yet,” she says. “I want to do more sculptural work, complete larger pieces, and experimental projects. I feel like I’m just beginning to scratch the surface of what’s possible.” Mitchell’s work is a bridge that allows her audience to connect with the visceral feeling of imagination that nature evokes. It’s also an invitation to join her in her quest to keep experimenting, pushing, and creating. And to never stop being in awe of the beauty in this world.

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Each piece Col Mitchell creates is a chance to see and feel the world through her eyes. It’s an extraordinary world with depth, character, and a sense of wonder. 38 UNIQUE MUSKOKA July 2026

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Article by J. Patrick Boyer

or many Muskokans, blazing trails is simply a fact of life. From early settlement days when people carved a homestead from the untouched wilderness to those who built businesses and industries as Muskoka began to boom, Muskokans have been on a forefront of change. Throughout these years, Muskoka has been attentive to women gaining their place in the sun through sports, science, breaking social barriers, and crafting careers in male-only

domains. While their numbers may be lower than for men receiving recognition, female Muskokans have made important contributions to the region and within their career fields. Traditionally male-dominated fields, such as raceboat operator and on-board mechanic, were commandeered by women in Muskoka’s earlier days. Their success made, and continues to make, room on the water for more female competitors.

Few of the women who set records and broke barriers ever met one another, but at the Canadian Raceboat Hall of Fame this photo montage has been dubbed their “group hug.” Recognized in the 2025 Women in Boating exhibit were female racers Marion “Joe” Carstairs, Fiona Hodgson, Tammy Wolf, Heather Pietz, Tiffany Abel, Lorna Reid Wilson, Stephaine Blain, Fiona Hodgson (again), Megan Fralick, and Summer Coulter. 40 UNIQUE MUSKOKA July 2026

Those achievements, stretching across decades and to present day, are worth more than a passing nod; they deserve to be gathered, told, and celebrated. A new chapter of acknowledgment was written last summer when the Canadian Raceboat Hall of Fame showcased female race boat champions in an exhibit titled Women in Racing. Fittingly, the exhibit was subtitled Setting Records / Breaking Barriers – a phrase that captures not only victories on

water beneath them, boats liberate competitors from the limits of physical strength, allowing skill alone to take the helm. Here, on this shimmering plane between water and air, men and women race as equals – propelled not by power, but by precision, courage, and craft. Born in 1900, Marion “Joe” Carstairs was a speed fanatic. A British-born heiress to the Standard Oil fortune, Carstairs used that immense wealth to fund her obsession, becoming renowned as a speedboat racing phenomenon and in the Roaring Twenties dubbed the “fastest woman on water.” The flamboyant, tattooed, cigar-smoking

Carstairs also wanted women to be in charge, so launched an all-female London limousine service. She commissioned a succession of high-performance boats, each named Estelle, consecutively numbered. Her constant companion on the water was her devoted mechanic Joe Harris – a pair the press called “The Joes.” In 1927, Carstairs set a world speed record for a 1.5-litre class boat on Lake Windermere, reaching nearly 55 mph, a phenomenal speed in that era. The very next year, bedazzling everyone in sight, Carstairs arrived in Gravenhurst with flourish and her latest Estelle.

Photograph: Canadian Raceboat Hall of Fame

the stopwatch, but the quiet and persistent courage required to claim space in a sport long shaped by men. “The boating community is closely knit, widespread, and generational,” explains Courtney Provan, curator at the Hall of Fame, “and truly welcoming. In speedboat racing, there was never a separate category or organization for women.” In speedboat racing, the measure of excellence is not muscle, but mastery, making it one of few gender-neutral sports. Victory is shaped by finely tuned engines, instinctive strategy, lightning reflexes, and the delicate art of guiding a vessel that skims the water’s surface like a living thing. Buoyed by the

Photograph: Ian Turnbull and Boston Mills Press

Motorboat racing, as seen here at Beaumaris, became a popular sport on Muskoka Lakes, from world-class competitions to local races at Port Carling and Bala and wherever the Muskoka Lakes Association held its summer regatta. speeds up to 94 mph. Not just a winning racer, Carstairs’ obsession with speed led her to fund prominent Canadians striving to set records and, moving in Canada’s elite racing circles, became a major patron of naval engineering in Canada. She commissioned a 30-foot high-speed hydrofoil by Canadian engineer

Photograph: Harold White and Boston Mills Press

She was intent on working with legendary Canadian boatbuilder Herb Ditchburn at Ditchburn Boat Works to modify and refine her already fast vessel for the international Harmsworth Trophy race. A magnetic draw, thousands around Lake Muskoka watched in awe as Carstairs tested her upgraded racer, up and down the lake, achieving

Photograph: Harold White and Boston Mills Press

Lorna and Harold Wilson, riding mechanic and driver aboard Little Miss Canada IV, their Muskokabuilt race boat proven on district waters, win the annual CNE race in Toronto.

Casey Baldwin, partner of telephone inventor Alexander Graham Bell. Baldwin built the craft – designed to hit 115-mph – at their Baddeck boatyard in Nova Scotia. At the Hall of Fame, Carstairs is aptly celebrated for “fearless” racing. Lorna Reid, born in Toronto in 1914, met Harold Wilson at University of Toronto as students. When they married, she became a pioneering Canadian speedboat racer and on-board mechanic who, both alongside Harold and in her own right, achieved international fame through the mid-20th century, breaking gender barriers that led to the contemporary sport’s gender equality that curator Provan describes. From 1925, the Wilsons cottaged in Muskoka, with many of their winning boats built by Gravenhurst’s Greavette Boatworks and tested on Lake Muskoka. As the first husband-and-wife racing team, with Muskoka-built and tested racing craft, the duo won World Championships in 1934, 1935, and 1939. They then set two North

In the 1930s the Wilsons won the annual race at Toronto’s CNE three times, in 1934, 1935 and 1939, seen here on Lake Ontario with their Muskoka craft Miss Canada III. 42 UNIQUE MUSKOKA July 2026

Photograph: Gravenhurst Archives

The “fastest woman on water,” Marion Carstairs, can be made out powering Estelle V like a blur – a combination of morning fog, slow 1920s film, and her record-setting speed.

Lorna Reid Wilson, of Ingersol and Muskoka, was 19 when winning Canada’s first ever World Championship. In a series of Miss Canada race boats, training in Muskoka, she and her husband Harold set speed records for decades, in 1950 hitting 172 mph.

to performances the public sees. That is why, truly comprehending the sport it celebrates, the Hall of Fame also turned its spotlight on the many women who took backstage roles in speedboat racing that traditionally only men filled: running registrations for racers, co-ordinating race boat registration, flagging races, watching for starting-line violations, refereeing, keeping score, and becoming indispensable mechanical

engineers. “Often, in our sport, women act in support roles that are quite commendable but not much recognized,” observes Emile Daust, herself the barrier-breaking generalmanager of the Hydroplane Racing League at Valleyfield, speedboat centre of Quebec. “The support they offer so their spouse, child, or friend can do their favorite activity is beautiful to see. Sometimes, when I stop to think during a race weekend, their dedication moves me enormously, all passionate people giving body and soul. I love what I do and find pleasure seeing the smiles and emotions experienced by everyone participating in boat racing.” The Canadian Raceboat Hall of Fame stands in the heart of a lakeland district where boat building, every manner of watercraft, the enduring romance of steamships, and the thrill of national speedboat races have shaped local identity for generations. In Muskoka, the story of racing is not tucked away in a single gallery; it lives on the shoreline, in the boathouses, in workshop lore, and in the memories passed from one summer to the next. In a sense, the District of Muskoka itself became a hall of fame at times – its lakes serving not only as a setting, but as a stage. The large and prestigious Muskoka Lakes Association featured Gull Lake racing competitions at Gravenhurst in its summer schedules, with categories for “sea fleas” (small plywood racers) up to large and powerful sport runabouts. By Photograph: Canadian Raceboat Hall of Fame

American speed records, including shattering the 200-mph barrier with Miss Canada IV in 1950. “Each boat has a story, and most, very colourful ones,” explains Provan. “By changing the exhibits each year, we can tell more stories. There are so many! Women in Racing was our feature for 2025, so it’s not up anymore, although we still have the Setting Records / Breaking Barriers images, information, and gear in the Hall.” “People may look at impressive classic boats and be amazed,” adds Ann Curley, Hall of Fame executive director, “but what they really want is the boat’s story.” Women piloting speedboats to recordsetting victories naturally command attention, bask in championship glory, and earn their places in the Canadian Raceboat Hall of Fame. Yet the story of women in racing does not end at the spray line or the winner’s podium. Flying atop the water is only one part of a much larger picture, and beyond the roar of engines lies another realm where women also set records, broke barriers, and helped shape the sport from the inside out. Behind the scenes, for each person in the limelight, dozens more are essential

July 2026 UNIQUE MUSKOKA 43

Photograph: Canadian Raceboat Hall of Fame

Canadian Raceboat Hall of Fame curator Courtney Provan and executive director Ann Curley draw on extensive prior experience with classic Muskoka boats connecting the impressive watercraft with members of the public through the stories of their champion drivers.

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44 UNIQUE MUSKOKA July 2026

and built world-class racing hulls. Attracting racers from afar, like Briton Marion Carstairs to Ditchburn in the 1920s, Muskoka’s boatbuilders achieved critical mass and won wide-renown as masters of the craft. Muskoka’s specialized racing boats, however finely built, were never meant to

Photograph: Harold Wilson & Boston Mills Press

mid-1950s, the in-town lake had also become popular as a convenient incubator for speedboat enthusiasts as local youths raced small rigs and practiced high-speed runs. The world-famous Miss Supertest III – the only Canadian boat to win the internationally coveted Harmsworth Trophy – sometimes raced in larger venues like Picton but primarily became a deep and cherished part of Gravenhurst heritage. To this day, demonstration runs and displays of such legendary boats, including Miss Canada IV, draw thousands to the town’s waterfront. From the end of the First World War to the late 1960s, powerboat racing was wildly popular across Muskoka for participants and spectators alike. Gravenhurst’s Gull Lake, being such an exceptional speedboat racing venue, often drew the largest crowds, closely meshing with Muskoka’s specialized boat building operations in Port Carling, Bracebridge, and Gravenhurst. Ditchburn Boats with its renowned Rainbow racing series and Greavette Boats each designed

This 1939 advertisement, spotlighting the use of “B-A Oil and Gasolene,” shares the news of Harold and Lorna Wilson’s win on the Hudson River in New York and their achievement of bringing the prestigious Gold Cup to Canada.

triumph on craftsmanship alone. Their sleek hulls and tuned engines demanded captains equal to their design – people with nerve enough to press for speed, judgment enough to respect the water, and tough enough to make a powerful machine seem almost responsive to thought. In that meeting of engineering and instinct, Muskoka’s racing tradition found its fullest expression. Winning on the water demands a rare mix of instincts and discipline. Racers rely on sharp agility, the stamina to withstand punishing G-forces, and a calculated sense of risk that balances daring with control. Just as crucial is the intuitive ability to read the course and carve the cleanest racing line – where every split-second decision can mean the difference between chasing the wake or crossing the finish first, regardless of gender. “Although we are lady racers, which remains a shock even today for some, we are racers first and foremost,” shares Tammy Everitt of Haliburton. “As good as it feels to beat the boys, it feels just as good to beat any strong competitor. We all have the same

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July 2026 UNIQUE MUSKOKA 45

Photograph: William Micklethwaite Collection

First Nation women, settler women, then seasonal women vacationing in Muskoka all knew first-hand the many pleasures of being on water. Photographer Frank Micklethwaite preserved this image of what it was like before motorboats and competitive racing captured women’s interest.

Photograph: Harold White and Boston Mills Press

drive, the love of the sport, the determination, no matter our gender. I don’t want to be the number one female racer. I want to be the number one racer – period. And if I can help break down any barriers for those who follow, even better!” Adding an afterthought,

Racing partners Harold Wilson and riding mechanic Lorna Reid head out to test the limits of their Muskoka-built Little Miss Canada III, a Greavette “Fury” model. They wed shortly after winning the coveted Gold Cup, and Lorna Wilson went on from her role as riding mechanic to win many races at the controls herself. 46 UNIQUE MUSKOKA July 2026

“A woman being told she can’t is a woman who will show you she can!” Women have been part of boat racing in Muskoka for a century and have successfully shared in the wider North American tradition of the sport – but their numbers at the helm have remained comparatively small. Generation after generation, a determined few take up the challenge, drawn by the thrill of speed and the test of skill. The barriers are no longer as overt as they once were, though linger in quieter ways: fewer role models, limited exposure, and the weight of expectation in a field where women remain a minority. And yet, those who do step into the cockpit continue to reshape the narrative, proving with each race how presence leads to progress, and that the path forward widens with every wake they leave behind. Born into a boat racing clan, by age ten Megan Fralick was piloting a hydroplane across the lake at her family’s cottage. It was a junior stock craft, her father and grandfather the ardent competitor’s instructors. “I finally won a heat in Redwood, New York,” she gleefully reported about the annual powerboat races on Crystal Lake, “with another girl coming second and a boy, third.” All three were Canadians. Mikayla Gordon of Innisfil competes against members of her own family on Six Mile Lake in Muskoka’s Georgian Bay Township – “the racecourse” – with her dad, brother, cousin, and uncle. In 2023 she finished third in the Gravenhurst races, “ahead of my dad and brother.” She will consider her career in powerboat racing “a complete success” being on the podium with my family, “preferably in first overall,” quipping “We’re mildly competitive!” Another joyous competitor, Summer Coulter, an emerging star now considered “the one to beat” in the Stock Outboard Motor class of racing, overcame her initial sense of intimidation. “Boat racing taught me to have confidence in my abilities, opening my

horizon to a sport I did not think I could do. A male-dominated sport, it was exciting and intimidating to start, but I realized I have the abilities to be a top racer if I set my sights on breaking barriers.” “Racing boats is a fun and comforting environment for everyone,” Provan smiles. For generations, women in boat racing have defied expectation by stepping into cockpits and engine bays once considered off-limits and proving that determination and skill, not gender, define success on the water. Each of their victories carved out space in an initially male-dominant sport, inspiring others to follow in their wake and widening the channel to other women coming on behind. Gender barriers in speedboat racing, as in other fields, are embedded in the Canadian social culture’s still-evolving norms. Female racers remain under-represented, often face lingering stereotypes, have limited public visibility, and find fewer opportunities to compete at the highest levels. Even so, and indeed because of this, with each race entered and each podium earned, they continue to press against those limits – reshaping the sport not only by what they achieve, but through the steady force of their presence, their example, and their refusal to drift back from the course on which they’ve embarked. At the Canadian Raceboat Hall of Fame, no matter how fascinating a boat’s design or ingenious its technology, the human story behind the craft delivers the lasting impact. Hulls, engines, and polished wood may first catch the eye, but what stays with visitors are the lives of people who animated them: the nerve it took to climb aboard, the hours of unseen labour, the risks accepted, and the resolve to go where no clear path existed. In that sense, the women celebrated in this highly relevant new district attraction are not only part of racing history; they are part of a larger Muskoka story of people who saw an open stretch before them and rushed to take it. Their wake continues to widen, carrying forward not only memory, but permission – for others to imagine themselves on the water, over the workbench, or at the starting line, and follow with confidence where once there was no trail at all.

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48 UNIQUE MUSKOKA July 2026

During the final kilometre of the journey along the Oxtongue River you paddle through Marsh’s Falls Nature Reserve, 177 acres owned by the Lake of Bays Heritage Foundation. On the north side of the river, you can disembark to explore Marsh’s Waterfall on foot, with the added option of following the Nature Reserve’s four kilometre interpretive trail network.

Article and Photography by Andy Zeltkalns

uskoka’s rich paddling history and natural beauty provides each waterway with its own story to tell and gives adventurers countless opportunities to explore. The Oxtongue River is one such example and is certainly worth a visit. The Oxtongue River originates within Algonquin Park and winds its way for 42km through the landscape before entering Lake of Bays. For centuries the river was an important waterway for Indigenous people. Later, European explorers journeyed up the river to determine if it could be used as a navigable waterway linking the Ottawa River with Georgian Bay. The idea for this route was

quickly abandoned due to the ruggedness of the terrain. However, it was later surveyed in 1837 by David Thompson as there was interest in bringing settlement to the area. A subsequent survey by Alexander Murray for the Canadian Geological Society in 1853 led to the naming of Oxtongue Lake based on its shape, and the river which passed through this lake was eventually given the same name. The Oxtongue River was also important for the early lumbering industry which used it to float logs down to Lake of Bays and then further south. By the early 1900s the number of people seeking picturesque solitude in this area started to increase and has continued to this day. This location

also attracted artists like painter Tom Thomson who used the Oxtongue River as a means to investigate the beauty of the area and gather inspiration for his work. Depending on the type of paddling experience you are pursuing, the Oxtongue River has a few good choices. Paddling to Marsh’s Falls from Dwight and return is a manageable 10 kilometres that can easily be done as a half day or full day trip depending on how you pace yourself. Starting from Dwight beach, you paddle about one kilometre along the eastern shore of Lake of Bays before arriving at the mouth of the Oxtongue River. Once you exit the lake and glide into the peaceful tranquility of the sheltered backwater, the

July 2026 UNIQUE MUSKOKA 49

The Oxtongue River-Ragged Falls Provincial Park is another section of river to discover which lies further north-east. Exploring this part of the river can be either a quick one-hour paddle, or several hours depending on where you start. The spectacular Ragged Falls, once you arrive, is a place to spend a few moments savouring the view and taking some great photos before you return. river becomes a refreshing escape from the pace of everyday life. From here, the waterway becomes part of the Lower Oxtongue River’s 425-acre Muskoka Heritage Area and follows a sinuous course for the next four kilometres. Along the way you will encounter a mix of scenery consisting of deciduous and coniferous forest marked by sections of taller white pine standing like sentinels over the river. The shoreline, infrequently punctuated by small seasonal buildings, consists mostly of low-lying sandy banks interspersed with the occasional stretch of higher and steeper bluffs. The river’s soft sedimentary banks have been scoured and eroded over time by strong spring flood currents, creating its distinctive meandering character. Silt deposits left behind by the flowing water have also cut off some of the meanders from the main river forming small Oxbow lakes or ponds. Some of these still bodies of isolated water have eventually become wetlands, creating fens, marshes, and swamps that add to the river’s rich natural

50 UNIQUE MUSKOKA July 2026

The Oxtongue River was important for the early lumbering industry which used it to float logs down to Lake of Bays and then further south. By the early 1900s the number of people seeking picturesque solitude in this area started to increase and has continued to this day.

diversity. As each bend of the river reveals a new scene watch for tiny inlets that invite exploration into these wetland areas and bring a new perspective to your journey. As you pass through this landscape, the soothing sound of water against your paddle and the whisper of wind through the trees are often interrupted by birdsong. Listen for the distinct “Oh sweet Canada, Canada, Canada” whistle of the whitethroated sparrow echoing through the forest in springtime, or scan the river ahead for glimpses of beavers, otters, white-tailed deer, and turtles basking on sunlit logs. During the final kilometre of this journey you paddle through Marsh’s Falls

Nature Reserve, 177 acres owned by the Lake of Bays Heritage Foundation. When you finally arrive at your destination you will be greeted by a beautiful seven-metrehigh waterfall cascading into the river before you. On the north side of the river, you can disembark to explore Marsh’s Waterfall on foot, with the added option of following the Nature Reserve’s 4 kilometre interpretive trail network to learn more about the area’s history and ecology. Another section of the river to discover is Oxtongue River-Ragged Falls Provincial Park which lies further north-east. Exploring this part of the river can be either a quick one-hour paddle, or several hours depending on where you start. If you don’t have a lot of time, you can park at the Oxtongue River picnic area just east of Oxtongue Lake on the south side of Hwy

60. From here you paddle upriver for 1.3km until you reach the spectacular Ragged Falls – a place where you can spend a few moments savouring the view and taking some great photos before you return. If you prefer a longer paddle, which includes a section on Oxtongue Lake, the public Oxtongue Lake Boat Launch off of Harris Road is a good jumping off point. From this location, about two km of paddling north will let you join the river followed by another 2.5km paddle upriver to Ragged Falls. Although not as wild and dramatic as paddling to Marsh’s Falls, it is a pleasant paddle worth doing with a nice reward at the end. Algonquin Outfitters, located on Oxtongue Lake north of Hwy 60, can also be used as a starting point if you choose to rent a canoe or paddling equipment from them. They also provide information on local paddling options and provide guiding services as well. Various resorts and cottages on or near Oxtongue Lake also offer the use of canoes if you are staying there and are good places to explore from. For a more adventurous and challenging alternative, paddling from Canoe Lake in Algonquin Park to Oxtongue Lake is a 38km journey that can be done in two days and requires seven portages or the option to run some rapids depending on water levels and your paddling skills. If you prefer a condensed version of this experience, starting near Park Lake in Algonquin Park will shorten the route to four to six hours with three portages. Both these options require a car shuttle and will give you a taste of the more dramatic side of the river. Whatever adventure you choose, always ensure you are properly prepared and have the right safety equipment with you. Water levels and current will vary throughout the year but are always highest and strongest in the spring when the water is still cold, so caution is needed. Whether navigating swift currents, winding through quiet marshlands, or simply drifting beneath towering pines, paddling the Oxtongue River offers a unique connection to the natural world and history of Muskoka that will stay with you long after the paddle is set aside.

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Whats’ Happening

Bracebridge and Gravenhurst are among four Ontario communities receiving more than $550,000 in funding through Airbnb’s $5 million FIFA World Cup 2026 Impact Program. community that has supported the festival. This year’s lineup will be headlined by acclaimed Canadian singer-songwriter Serena Ryder, known for hits such as Stompa and What I Wouldn’t Do. Joining her on the bill is Indigenous artist Mimi O’Bonsawin, whose blend of folk, roots, and soulful storytelling has earned her growing national recognition. Festival organizers say the milestone event will honour the artists, volunteers, sponsors, and audiences who helped shape its 10-year run. Attendees can expect a weekend filled with live performances, community celebration, and reflections on the festival’s legacy in Muskoka’s cultural landscape.

Serena Ryder headlines finale of Muskoka Music Festival The Muskoka Music Festival is preparing to take its final bow this summer as organizers celebrate the event’s 10th and final year, marking a decade of live music in the heart of cottage country. Since its launch, the festival has grown into a signature summer tradition in Muskoka, showcasing Canadian talent and drawing audiences from across the region. Organizers say the 2026 edition will serve as both a celebration of its history and a farewell to the

Muskoka scores FIFA World Cup 2026 legacy funding Photograph: Rosseau Classic Cruise

Car enthusiasts and families alike are invited to the Rosseau waterfront on Saturday, August 1, as the annual Rosseau Classic Cruise returns for another year of vehicles, entertainment and community fundraising. The event will take place from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. along the historic Rosseau waterfront in Seguin Township and is expected to attract between 125 and 150 vehicles. Attendees will have an opportunity to view a wide variety of automobiles, including classic cars, custom builds, muscle cars, modern sports cars and exclusive supercars. The Rosseau Classic Cruise began in 2007 through the efforts of a dedicated group of community volunteers led by Tony and Bev Hawkrigg. Since then, it has grown into one of the area’s signature summer events. In addition to the vehicle displays, visitors can enjoy live music, local vendors and a variety of food options throughout the day. Organizers say the event is designed to provide a fun and welcoming experience for the entire family. The cruise also serves as an important fundraiser for local causes. Admission is by donation, and funds raised are distributed to community organizations and charitable initiatives. Previous beneficiaries have included the Parry Sound Hospital Surgical Suite, Huntsville Hospital Cancer Unit, Parry Sound Harvest Share, the automotive program at Parry Sound High School and accessibility improvements at the Rosseau Fairgrounds.

The annual Rosseau Classic Cruise returns for another year of vehicles, entertainment and community fundraising on Saturday, August 1 at the Rosseau waterfront. 52 UNIQUE MUSKOKA July 2026

Bracebridge and Gravenhurst are among four Ontario communities receiving more than $550,000 in funding through Airbnb’s FIFA World Cup 2026 Impact Program. The announcement was made recently at Queen’s Park by Ontario Minister of Tourism, Culture and Gaming Stan Cho, Minister of Sport Neil Lumsden, and Airbnb Canada Country Manager Hannah Parish. In Bracebridge, funding will support replacement of the aging lighting system at Randy Gostick Park with modern LED upgrades

Photograph: Matt McNama

Rosseau Classic Cruise Show returns August 1

over our keyboards for 72 hot summer hours,” says K.M. Wehrstein, marathon convenor, noting the event has helped launch literary careers and raised significant support for literacy services. “For many it has been life changing.” The marathon offers both in-person participation ($100) and virtual entry ($25), with only 40 in-person spots available. Registration includes meals and refreshments, and participants can also purchase 25th anniversary merchandise. Writers may compete in Best Novel or Best Spanish Language Novel categories, working solo or in pairs. While submissions are optional, manuscripts can be reviewed by a panel including editors, librarians, and professional writers, with winning entries forwarded to publishers or literary agents. Funds raised support adult literacy services delivered by YMCA Simcoe Muskoka in Huntsville and surrounding communities, which organizers say are essential for employment, independence, and quality of life. To register or learn more, visit www. muskokanovelmarathon.com

the amendment is the result of years of consultation and focuses on growth management, resort development, environmental resiliency, lake system health and alignment with provincial planning policies. Several residents questioned whether the public had been adequately informed about the potential impacts of the changes. Others raised concerns about water levels, hydroelectric operations and the economic effects on waterfront properties. A number of speakers also stated they intended to preserve their right to appeal to the Ontario Land Tribunal. The Muskoka Lakes Association voiced general support for the amendment while recommending adjustments to policies related to buffers and setbacks near sensitive environmental features. Councillors noted many concerns surrounding water levels and hydroelectric generation fall under provincial jurisdiction. District staff said all public comments and responses will be documented before a final recommendation report is presented to District Council for consideration.

Muskoka Novel Marathon invites writers to 25th season

Floodplain changes draw concerns

Registration is now open for the 2026 Muskoka Novel Marathon, a 72-hour creative writing challenge that raises funds for adult literacy programs across Muskoka. The milestone 25th anniversary edition runs Thursday, July 16 to Sunday, July 19, 2026, at the Port Sydney Community Hall and online via Zoom, bringing together writers from across the region and beyond to draft an entire novel in a single weekend. “This year marks a quarter century of toiling

A recent public meeting by the District of Muskoka on an Official Plan Amendment drew numerous speakers with differing views on the proposed policies. Much of the discussion centred on proposed floodplain mapping updates in low-lying areas throughout Muskoka. Some property owners argued the changes could limit future development opportunities and negatively affect property values. Nick McDonald of Meridian Planning said

MAHC honoured with patient advocacy award for digital surgical care program

Photograph: Matt Driscoll

expected to cut energy use by more than half while serving the community for decades. Mayor Rick Maloney said the investment will improve the experience for athletes and families while supporting the town’s long-term climate and infrastructure goals. “This investment through the Airbnb FIFA World Cup 2026 Impact Program is an exciting opportunity for Bracebridge and our local soccer community,” says Maloney. Gravenhurst will receive funding for field upgrades, equipment, lighting and soccer programming for children aged two to 14, including subsidized participation opportunities for families who may otherwise be unable to enrol. “This will make a difference in so many lives in terms of skill development and healthy living,” says Gravenhurst Mayor Heidi Lorenz. “This is definitely a win for Gravenhurst.” The funding is part of Airbnb’s $5 million USD FIFA World Cup 2026 Impact Program, designed to create lasting community benefits connected to the tournament across participating Ontario communities.

A recent public meeting by the District of Muskoka on an Official Plan Amendment centred on proposed floodplain mapping updates in low-lying areas throughout Muskoka.

Muskoka Algonquin Healthcare (MAHC) has received the Patient Advocacy Award from SeamlessMD, recognizing its efforts to improve patient-centred surgical care through digital innovation. The award was presented at the SeamlessMD Conference held in Toronto in May. MAHC surgical transition nurse Shannon Hubbard attended the event on behalf of the organization and accepted the honour. MAHC launched the SeamlessMD platform three years ago as part of its ongoing push to enhance pre-operative education and provide patients with greater support throughout their surgical experience. The digital system delivers reminders, educational materials, and recovery instructions before and after surgery, aiming to improve patient understanding and readiness while reducing anxiety and complications. MAHC president and CEO Cheryl Harrison said the recognition reflects the organization’s commitment to extending care beyond hospital walls. “As healthcare continues to evolve, supporting patients beyond the walls of the hospital is increasingly important,” Harrison said, noting the program’s focus on innovation

July 2026 UNIQUE MUSKOKA 53

Huntsville Legion celebrates 100-year-old veteran

Photograph: Courtesy of MP Scott Aitchison

Members of Royal Canadian Legion Branch 232 in Huntsville gathered recently for a special luncheon recognizing longtime members and honouring the extraordinary service of Lawrence Main, a Second World War veteran who has spent 80 years in the Legion. Main, who recently turned 100, was born in 1926 and served in the Canadian Army from 1944 to 1946 during the Second World War. After returning home from military service, he joined the Royal Canadian Legion in September 1946, beginning a lifelong commitment to veterans and community service. His decades-long involvement with the Legion has taken him across several Ontario branches. He first joined Branch 22 in Toronto’s Woodbine Heights, later transferred to Branch 34 in Orillia, and eventually moved to Branch 405 in Burk’s Falls. During his time there, he served as Sergeant-at-Arms and was elected branch president in 1982. In recognition of his contributions, he received an Award of Merit in 1972.

MP Scott Aithcison recently celebrated with members of Royal Canadian Legion Branch 232 in Huntsville at an event honouring the extraordinary service of Lawrence Main, a Second World War veteran who has spent 80 years in the Legion. 54 UNIQUE MUSKOKA July 2026

Main became a member of Branch 232 in Huntsville in 2009, where he has remained an active and respected member of the Legion community. The luncheon brought together veterans, family members, and community leaders to recognize his lifetime of service. He received a standing ovation along with multiple presentations, including tributes from the Town of Huntsville through Mayor Nancy Alcock, as well as certificates and acknowledgements from MPP Graydon Smith’s office and MP Scott Aitchison, who also presented a special recognition on behalf of his own office. Speakers highlighted Main’s military service, long-standing dedication to the Legion, and his enduring role as a source of inspiration within the veteran community.

Summer concert series bring free live music to Bracebridge and Gravenhurst Free outdoor concert series will bring weekly live music to both Bracebridge and Gravenhurst this summer, showcasing local and regional performers in two popular waterfront and downtown venues for all ages this summer season. The Bracebridge Bandshell Concert Series returns to Memorial Park, running Wednesdays from June 24 to August 26, 6:30 to 8 p.m. The

New pedestrian crossings set for Port Carling and Bala The District of Muskoka is moving ahead with plans to install three new pedestrian crossings in the Township of Muskoka Lakes this summer to improve safety and accessibility for residents and visitors. In Port Carling, a pedestrian crossover equipped with overhead signs and flashing lights will be installed on Muskoka Road 118 (Frank Miller Memorial Route) near Stephen Road. Construction is expected to begin as early as June, with the crossing anticipated to be operational by late summer. Two additional pedestrian crossings will be built in Bala at the intersections of Gordon Street and Muskoka Road 169 and Portage Street and Muskoka Road 169. Both crossings will be controlled by traffic signals. Construction in Bala will occur in two phases to help reduce disruptions. The first phase, scheduled for June, will include excavation and installation of the crossing infrastructure. The second phase, expected in late summer or early fall, will involve installing signal control equipment and activating the crossings. “Pedestrian crossings enhance walkability and the public realm as communities grow,” said James Steele, commissioner of public works. He noted the crossings will improve comfort and safety for pedestrians while maintaining traffic flow on District roads. Drivers may encounter occasional lane closures and delays during construction. The district says updates will be posted through Municipal511 and on its website as work progresses.

Photograph: The Town of Gravenhurst

and compassionate care. MAHC says the program has strengthened communication between patients and care teams and improved continuity of care across surgical services. The organization congratulated staff involved in the initiative for their work in advancing patient-focused care.

Free outdoor concert series will bring weekly live music to both Bracebridge and Gravenhurst this summer, showcasing local and regional performers in two popular waterfront and downtown venues. free series opens with a grand celebration featuring Luke Crans and continues with acts including Northern Lights Steel Orchestra, Broadtree, The Hopheads, and Sean Cotton. Residents are encouraged to bring chairs and enjoy summer evenings. Gravenhurst Music on the Barge runs Sundays at Gull Lake Rotary Park from June 28 to September 6, with shows starting at 7:30 p.m. in June and July and 7 p.m. in August and September. The lineup spans from pop to classic rock acts including tributes to Taylor Swift, Johnny Cash, Blue Rodeo, Billy Joel, Lynyrd Skynyrd, Gordon Lightfoot, and Foreigner. Both series offer free admission through donations, inviting residents and visitors to enjoy live music, community atmosphere, and summer evenings in Muskoka throughout the summer season.

Feature by Matt Driscoll

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July 2026 UNIQUE MUSKOKA 55

Patio weather brings big flavour Article by K.M. Wehrstein / Photography by Brittany Clark It’s true. There’s just something about the outdoor Muskoka air – the warm breezes, the scent of trees, the blue sky, the rippling lake. So let us serve you up delights from some of Muskoka’s best chefs and spectacular patios, to influence your own dining space in paradise. We’ll start at Cliffside at Muskoka Bay Resort, near Gravenhurst. The restaurant that is indeed perched atop a rocky cliff overlooking the resort’s golf course. We’ve seen chef Daniel Kozluk in these pages before, featured in our flambé instalment a while back. As of last October, he left Water’s Edge on Lake Joseph and became

Dock of the Bay’s heirloom tomato tower provides a delightful experience of colours, layers, textures and tastes – a feast for all of the senses.

executive chef at Cliffside. In late summer, the resort plans to open a second patio eatery, called Skybar, which will offer a small-plate Asianinspired menu. “We’re not quite ready to share the full concept yet,” Kozluk teases, “but what I can say is it will make the most of the views, the atmosphere, and the energy of the resort. This is not just a golf course, but a destination. We’ve got 14 weddings planned this summer. There’s something happening every day.” Kozluk has enjoyed the fast-paced, high-energy life of gourmet cuisine since

age 14, when he started a job at an Italian restaurant in his native Caledon East. He worked at the golf course Caledon Woods while studying culinary management at Niagara College, trained in meat curing, smoking and sausage making at a butcher shop, and cooked for various luxury hotels in Toronto and Calgary, learning from chefs from diverse backgrounds. He moved to Huntsville, near his family’s cottage in Kearney, about three years ago. “Lobster is easy to make taste good,” Kozluk notes regarding his choice of dish. “You can just use garlic butter, a few herbs – parsley, chives, tarragon is classic

DIP

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Chef Daniel Kozluk recommends enjoying his lobster and pasta dish on a patio with a crisp glass of Chablis. “A classic pairing for lobster,” the citrus and minerality complement the lobster and cut through the lemon cream. with lobster – and a little lemon to finish, that’s it.” He recommends Canadian lobster, as cold water makes the meat sweet. But the dish takes things up a notch, adding ’nduja. “That’s a cured spreadable south Italian sausage, with Calabrian chili, that has a natural smoky flavour,” he explains. The ’nduja absolutely makes this dish, which, incidentally, should be on the Cliffside menu now. Most of it is melted into the sauce, gently heating it, but delectable hunks remain to add another layer that launches the classic lobster experience into another dimension. Now let’s head to Muskoka Wharf in Gravenhurst to go sitting on the Dock of the Bay. This restaurant, as its musical name suggests, has a large curving patio right on the water of Lake Muskoka, neighbouring the steamships. Tie up your boat on one of its many docks. Executive chef Darren Hehir was born in St. Catharines but raised from age five in Magnetawan. “I worked in the little greasy spoon in Sundridge as a teenager for a summer job, and loved it,” he reminisces. “I said, if this is something I want to do, I want to do it as good as it possibly can be done.” After taking his chef ’s training at George Brown College in Toronto, he apprenticed

then worked at top-of-the-line establishments such as the Windsor Arms, Three Small Rooms, Barbizon and Rogues. After a three-year stint in Barbados, he came back to rural Ontario to raise a family, owning and operating Principio’s in Lindsay for six years. Then, returning closer to his roots, he worked at Windermere House from 1997 to 2004, and ever since then at Dock of the Bay. “I’ve been here growing the program,” Hehir enthuses. “We have a global clientele, so my menus are more of a global type of cuisine. It was a certain fusion; it morphed into chef Darren style.” Staying current with newest culinary techniques is important to this chef, so he likes to be challenged by young apprentices. “Anything and everything goes – there are no rules.” Because the dish he has shared with us is called “Heirloom Tomato Tower,” Hehir shares why gourmet dishes are often given a fair degree of loft. “You can show more off with levels,” he says. “Shapes and colours. The human is eye is very jittery; it takes in thousands of bits of information. It’s a visual journey. How you experience food is first with the eyes, then the nose, then the palate, then the taste buds.” His favourite feedback from diners: “It hits the table and the cameras

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Canadian Lobster Bucatini with Nduja, Asparagus and Lemon Cream - Daniel Kozluk

Ingredients For Pasta: 1 lb (450 g) bucatini pasta Kosher salt for pasta water For the Lobster and Garlic Butter: 4 Canadian lobster tails, 5–6 oz. each ¼ cup unsalted butter 2 garlic cloves, minced 1 Tbsp chopped parsley 1 Tbsp chopped chives 1 tsp smoked paprika For the Sauce: 2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil 2 shallots, finely diced 4 garlic cloves, minced 4 Tbsp ’nduja sausage 1 bunch asparagus, trimmed and cut into 2-inch pieces 1 cup cherry tomatoes 1 cup dry white wine 2 cups heavy cream 1 Tbsp fresh lemon juice 1 tsp lemon zest salt to taste

Optional Garnish: Extra lemon zest, fresh parsley or chives, cracked black pepper, shaved parmesan

Method 1. Bring a large pot of generously salted water to a boil (1 Tbsp salt per 2 litres water). Cook the bucatini until just shy of al dente (follow the cooking times on the box and set a timer). Reserve 1 cup of pasta water before draining. 2. Preheat the oven to 425°F (220°C). Using kitchen shears, cut down the centre of the top of each lobster tail’s shell. Gently loosen the meat and pull it slightly above the shell while keeping it attached at the tail end. Place the lobster tails on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Brush generously with the garlic herb butter and season lightly with salt. Bake for 8-10 minutes, or until the lobster meat is a solid opaque white (135-140°F internal temp). 3. Remove from the oven and let cool

slightly. Reserve any butter from the baking tray to stir into the sauce later for extra flavour. 4. Place a large sauté pan on the stove and turn the heat to medium high. Once the pan is hot add the shallots and cook for 2–3 minutes in the extra virgin olive oil until softened. Stir in the garlic and cook for 30 seconds until fragrant. 5. Add the ’nduja and stir until it melts into the olive oil and becomes slightly caramelized. 6. Add the asparagus and cook for 2 minutes. Stir in the cherry tomatoes and cook until they begin to soften

Cliffside at Muskoka Bay Resort’s executive chef Daniel Kozluk recommends using Canadian lobster in his recipe for Lobster Bucatini with Nduja, Asparagus and Lemon Cream.

58 UNIQUE MUSKOKA July 2026

juice, herbs, green onion, and cracked black pepper if desired. Prep time: 20 minutes Cook time: 25 minutes Yield: four portions.

Chef's Tips • Don’t overcook the lobster: It should be just opaque and tender. • Finish with pasta water: The starch helps the cream sauce cling to the bucatini and give it the velvety finish. • ’Nduja heat levels vary: Start with less if you prefer a milder sauce. For an extra kick, add Calabrian chili. Can’t find ’nduja? A nice chorizo sausage is a great substitute.

and blister. 7. Pour in the white wine and simmer for 2–3 minutes until reduced by half. 8. Lower the heat and stir in the heavy cream, lemon juice, and lemon zest. Simmer gently for 2–3 minutes. The sauce should be thick and coat the bottom of a spoon. 9. Add the cooked bucatini directly to the sauce along with a splash of reserved pasta water. Toss until glossy and evenly coated. 10. Taste and season with salt as needed. Add in the lobster butter and juices from the baking tray of the shells. 11. Twirl the bucatini into shallow bowls and spoon over extra sauce. Place lobster tails on bucatini and top with additional lemon zest and lemon

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Chef’s tip for creamy pasta? Finish with pasta water. The starch helps the cream sauce cling to the bucatini, giving it a smooth, velvety finish.

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Heirloom Tomato Tower - Darren Hehir

Ingredients 1 English cucumber 1 red and 1 yellow heirloom tomatoes 2 Tbsp ricotta cheese 1 tsp basil pesto 1 Tbsp Grana Padano (or parmesan) cheese Balsamic glaze Balsamic vinaigrette Edamame Watermelon radish or daikon Spring greens Sea salt Edible flowers and greens – e.g., edible orchid, tulip, pansy, wheat grass. lemon thyme, garlic flowers.

Method Preparation: 1. Core and cut tomatoes horizontally into very thick slices, almost half a tomato thick. Ribbon-slice cucumber on a mandolin. 2. Slice watermelon radish or daikon on a mandolin, then cut julienne. 3. Grana Padano crisps: shave cheese onto parchment-covered baking sheet, shape into a circle as round as possible; bake at 400°F until it just starts to turn a light

brown, remove and let dry until crispy. 5. Mix ricotta with basil pesto. Pre-season tomato halves to taste with sea salt. Assembly: 1. Place one ribbon of cucumber ribbon flat on plate 2. Centre red tomato slice over cucumber 3. Stack yellow tomato slice on red tomato 4. Place cheese crisp on yellow tomato 5. Spread basil/ricotta mix on cheese crisp 6. Spike spring greens on basil/ ricotta mix 7. Garnish artistically with edamame, daikon and edible flowers/ greens. 8. Garnish balsamic glaze on red tomato (and also on plate if desired) 9. Drizzle top with balsamic vinaigrette. Serve! Makes one tower; double recipe for each additional tower. Beverage pairing: “A nice buttery oak Chardonnay or Pinot Grigio… really, anything with floral notes.” Chef Darren Hehir describes his heirloom tomato tower as something he created based on the summer season: “Patio is summer, summer is tomatoes! It’s light, fresh, fresco.”

60 UNIQUE MUSKOKA July 2026

Feta and Chili Dip - Saurav Sarkar

Ingredients 3 red bell peppers 1 red hot pepper 2 cloves garlic 300g feta cheese 100g ricotta cheese 35g extra virgin olive oil

Method 1. Roast the peppers on a grill to get a nice char, until soft. 2. Place in a bowl and cover (“The steam will make it easier to peel the skin”). Wait until cool. Peel the charred skin off (“This leaves you with

a smoky flavour without the bitterness”). 3. Place in a blender with garlic and olive oil. Blend until it becomes a dark red puree of peppers. 4. Add in feta and ricotta and blend once again. 5. Serve in a bowl with chilled crudité. 6. Garnish with chilled summer vegetables (“it can be anything you want”) and good quality olive oil. Yield: Three portions

Beverage Pairing A fruity, tangy summer cocktail, or just plain coconut water.

Chef's Tips • If you don’t have a smooth final product: add 10 grams of olive oil and one ice cube, and blend one more time for a restaurant-quality texture.

JW Marriott The Rosseau Muskoka executive chef Saurav Sarkar describes his shareable Feta and Chili Dip as “summer on a plate.”

July 2026 UNIQUE MUSKOKA 61

DIRECTORY YOUR GUIDE TO SERVICES AND RESOURCES Using ‘nduja, a spreadable south Italian sausage with Calabrian chili and a natural smoky flavour, creates multiple textures when sautéed as part of the sauce in chef Daniel Kozluk’s Lobster Bucatini dish. come out.” Hehir created this recipe off the cuff last fall. “I just grabbed a bunch of stuff and started putting it together and that appeared. Patio is summer, summer is tomatoes! It’s light, fresh, fresco.” True, the eyes, nose, palate and taste buds tell you “fresh” when experiencing this dish, but it also has a plethora of flavours and textures to go along with the abundance of colours, mixing sweet with salty, crisp with soft, rich with light – visual palette by nature, gustatory palette by the chef. Last but definitely not least – maybe best in Muskoka in the category of “spectacular view” – is the JW Marriott The Rosseau Muskoka. This resort hotel complex in Minett was specifically located and designed to provide guests stunning views of Lake Rosseau, at altitudes from beachside to high enough to see for kilometres. It has three patio eateries, no less: Cottages for relaxed lakeside dining, Summer Dining for seasonal experiences, and its signature patio, The Deck, with its multiple levels, differenttemperature pools, wood-fired pizza station with extraordinary pies, and stunning sunsets. Executive chef Saurav Sarkar is from Mumbai and grew up in a family that was, in his words, “obsessed with food. There were always four or five dishes with several sides. Going through the market with my

62 UNIQUE MUSKOKA July 2026

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grandmother every Sunday morning to buy whatever was in season and see it come to plate for dinner was amazing.” It was here also that he learned what he calls his mantra: food is for sharing. At age 17, he flew the coop to study at Le Cordon Bleu and work fine dining establishments in Adelaide, Australia. Like many Muskoka chefs, he’s a gastronomic world traveller, visiting Singapore, Hong Kong, Dubai, and more recently France, the Netherlands and Belgium, to work, taste and learn. In 2015 he arrived in Toronto and worked in financial district eateries for about 10 years. Then when an opportunity in Muskoka came up, Sarkar says, he did what so many of us have done: “I drove up to see, and I just fell in love with it.” He moved to Gravenhurst this past May. “I went from a concrete jungle to a jungle,” he laughs. Sarkar chose his Feta and Chili Dip to share because it’s accessible; “Anyone can make it.” Many guests have asked how, he says – so here you go, guests! Also: “During the winter months, we did a very nice French onion dip. When I saw guests sharing, I thought, I have to do something similar for patio season. Something bright, fresh, shareable, non-fussy, that you can eat with your hands. For me, it’s summer on a plate.” Locavores will be pleased to learn that the peppers and some of the crudités used in the dip and its adornments, along with herbs and other plants used in other dishes, are grown right onsite in what is affectionately called the “JW Garden.” General chef ’s tip from Sarkar: “If it grows together, it goes together,” meaning that two different vegetables that mature in the same conditions will be complementary, for example, radishes and asparagus. This elegant, tangy, cheesy dip draws its saltiness from the feta and its creamy lightness from the ricotta. Its heat is very subtle and smoky, and it grows on you as you eat, contrasting well with the veggies, especially sweet ones such as snow peas. Stick potato chips in it? Yes, even executive chef Sarkar recommends that. Share with friends and loved ones. And savour the sunset.

July 2026 UNIQUE MUSKOKA 63

Muskoka Moments The Place that Welcomes You Back Article by Nichole Kitchen

64 UNIQUE MUSKOKA July 2026

Photograph: Nichole Kitchen

ome places never really leave you. For me, Muskoka has always been there, woven quietly through the chapters of my life. Long before I called it home, it lived in my memories as the call of loons echoing across Raven Lake in the adorable cottage hamlet called Dorset. Memories of black balls at Mr. Robinson’s convenience store, boat rides, fishing, bonfires and trips to the dump to watch the bears with grandpa. My grandparents built their cottage on Raven Lake, creating not only a place but a way of life. Summers spent there became the backdrop of my childhood and planted the seeds of a lifelong love affair with Muskoka. Even as life carried me elsewhere, those memories remained. They became a compass, pointing me back toward the place that always felt like home and still does despite my many moves in life. My childhood was shaped by movement. I grew up on a dairy farm in Southern Ontario and lived in many places along the way – Princeton, Brampton, Shelburne, the Northwest Territories, and eventually Elliot Lake. Each place left its mark on me. Elliot Lake, where I spent most of my teenage years, nurtured my love of the arts and creativity. That passion led me to study interior design and eventually a career in project management. Life eventually brought me to Toronto, where I reconnected with the man who would become my husband in 2014. We fell in love, got married, and welcomed our beautiful son, Ollie in 2016. The city was exciting and full of opportunity. It was the perfect place for young professionals and new parents. But as Ollie grew, so did our longing for something different. We missed small-town life and wanted that same experience for our son. For years, we spent our summers escaping north, exploring Muskoka and quietly searching for the place where we hoped to build our future. Time and

again, we found ourselves drawn to Bracebridge. When the time finally came to make the leap, we knew exactly where we wanted to be. Our move happened during the uncertainty of the pandemic. My husband’s career as a musician had come to a sudden halt as live performances disappeared overnight. At the same time, we purchased a building that had previously been a law office and set out on the enormous task of transforming it into our home. Renovating during COVID presented countless challenges, but there was also something deeply rewarding about doing the work ourselves. Every wall, every room, and every finished project became part of our family’s story. What surprised us most was how quickly Muskoka embraced us. For the first few years, I remained somewhat on the outskirts, travelling extensively for work. Then one day, my son asked me to stop going away. Knowing how quickly childhood passes, I realized something needed to change. I wanted to be present for the moments that matter. Joining Muskoka Arts & Crafts as executive director, I found not only meaningful work but deep roots within the community. Connections formed instantly, and before long, it became impossible to walk through town without seeing familiar faces. Today, I am surrounded by an incredible network of artists, makers, musicians, and

entrepreneurs who inspire me daily. I am deeply grateful for the opportunity to direct and shape the future of Muskoka Arts & Crafts, fostering new artistic experiences, meaningful connections, and innovative events for generations to come. My husband has found his place too, helping foster Muskoka’s vibrant music scene. What I’ve come to realize is that our story isn’t unique. Through my work, I’ve met countless people whose journeys followed a similar path. Many left small towns to build careers and raise young families in larger cities, only to hear the same quiet call years later; the call to return to a slower pace, stronger community, and a life more connected to nature. Perhaps that’s the magic of Muskoka. It calls people home. Every time I hear a loon call across the water, I’m reminded that some places never leave you. Sometimes, if you’re lucky, they welcome you back.

Nichole Kitchen joined Muskoka Arts and Crafts, one of Ontario’s oldest arts organizations, as the executive director in February 2022. A graduate of the Interior Design program at Georgian College, Kitchen’s previous career focused on project management in office, hotel and retail environments with budgets of up to $40 million. Bringing enthusiasm to her work, she has received a number of awards and recognitions.

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