The Kahshe Krier Vol 12:Issue 3 September 2020 |
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It has been a year like no other. Due to COVID-19 we waited for what seemed to be a long time for summer to arrive, then for the Marinas and Nagaya Beach to open.
However, when summer finally did arrive the weather was spectacular, and many cottagers added wifi and were able to work from "home" while enjoying canoeing, kayaking, boating, water skiing, swimming or working on jobs around the cottage.
Most cottagers from the United States were unable to visit Kahshe Lake this year and they were truly missed. However, some with Canadian Passports did make it north and after quarantine enjoyed their time here.
However, all was not calm on our beautiful lakes. To learn more, click on Cottage Rules Revisited and Letters to the Editor opposite .
Although most of those who rented cottages, privately or through Airbnb, treated the lake responsibly, there were some who, perhaps through ignorance, were less considerate of the lake and their neighbours. We urge owners who wish to rent out their cottage to click here to access an excellent FOCA article for Cottage Landlords and their renters. |
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With three new picnic tables this year and very well maintained grounds, Nagaya Beach was very busy all summer. Unfortunately many issues arose here too. There were far too many illegally parked cars along the road, mostly on weekends, creating a dangerous situation for walking to or by the beach and for getting into and out of driveways. Social distancing was not always observed, garbage was left on the beach, people were seen cooking, consuming alcohol and doing drugs. Dogs were allowed on the beach at times and fireworks were set off on several occasions. Finally some people decided to use to the beach rather than the port-a-potty (see Letters for a member insight). These concerns were discussed at the Annual General Meeting and a committee has been formed, to work towards helping make the beach area safe and compliant with the town posted rules. |
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Waste Management changes for the bin sites on the lakes are presently on hold due to COVID-19. Extra bins were placed at Nagaya Road, and at Rockhaven, thus improving the waste area.
The summer events that were not possible this year were replaced by the Kahshe Covid Car/Boat Treasure Quest, a fun event encouraging cottagers to explore the lake and the surrounding area. Thank you to Keith Price for time he spent organizing these fun quests. Click here to see more.
The KLRA Cares: Night at the Drive-in 2020 on September 2nd, organized by Gord Robinson and his team, was a great success. The event raised almost $3000 dollars for Gravenhurst Against Poverty (GAP) and the KLRA added an additional amount for a total donation of $3500. Click here to see more.
I would like to wish John Kuropatwa the best of luck as he resigns from the board and as Chair of the Communication, Outreach and Membership Committee (COM-Com). His dedication to the board and to COM-Com, his enthusiasm, his hard work and his diplomacy will be sadly missed. I know John will be just as dedicated in his on-going volunteer activities in other areas.
The Volunteer of the Year Award for 2020 goes to Ron Pearson who has donated countless hours as the Lake Steward and has spoken many times at our AGM on the health of the lake as it relates to phosphorus levels, invasive species and septic systems. He has written many articles for our web site and newsletter. This past winter he also worked on making the KLRA website lake health reports more accessible. Click here to see more.
The Photo Contest end date was extended until September 12, 2020. I wish to thank Clare Henderson and Toby Fletcher for all the time they spend each year making it a successful event. Click here to see the wonderful photographs from this year.
Finally, we held our first ever on line Annual General Meeting (AGM) via Zoom on September 12th. See below for a brief report.
I wish everyone a safe and happy fall season.
Margaret Taylor, President, KLRA |
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The Annual General Meeting The meeting was very well supported with 69 attendees. Thank you to all who participated. Hopefully next year we will be able to meet in person at a real AGM. The Agenda and 2019 Minutes were quickly voted on and passed followed by our Treasurer's Financial Reports and Budget proposal for 2021, which were also passed. I am happy to report that our finances are in pretty good shape, as evinced by the proposal to NOT raise the Membership Fees for next year. Alex Milburn was reconfirmed as our official auditor.
We elected three new board members for a two year term. Congratulations to Jocelyne DeRomana, Alison Smithers-Ryan and Rick Glatt. To read more about them click here. Following the announcement of Ron Pearson as our 2020 Volunteer of the Year, a lively, open discussion was held about the two major problems facing the lake this year: damage and danger from "big wake" boats and problems at the beach. Great concern was shown by many of those in attendance and steps have been taken to try to solve both of these difficult problems. The meeting was adjourned at 11:15. |
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Meet the new KLRA Board Members |
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I am a third generation Kahshe Laker. My grand-parents Fred and Nora Robinson put in the first road on the south shore west of the Gartersnake River that connects Kahshe to Bass Lake. Originally called Robinson Road, it has since become Frederic Lane and Nora Lane. I have spent all my summesr at the lake where I enjoy time with my family, water sports (especially water skiing), boating, and just relaxing and enjoying all the beauty Kahshe has to offer. When not at the lake I am at home in Toronto with my husband, Rod, and two children, Carrson (9) and Peighton (6). I am a Registered Nurse and manage a 30 bed in-patient Thoracic Surgery, Respirology and ENT service at TGH and am the co-chair for the TGH Operations Committee and the after hours Administrator on Call. I cherish my time at Kahshe and take every opportunity to get to the lake. I have assisted with the Housey Rapids Picnic for the past three years and most recently assisted with Kahshe Cares: Night at the Drive-In 2020. I am passionate about preserving the beauty of Kahshe and am looking for opportunities to engage the community and make positive change. |
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My family (wife Jodi Lees and three kids) have been cottagers on Oak Road since 1998. I am an ardent outdoors person - fishing , golfing and exerciseing. I was born and grew up in Orillia, and thus never too far from Kahshe. I am a CPA and attended The University of Toronto. Until 2011 I was a senior partner in an accounting firm which I co-founded. Currently semi-retired, I am a director/secretary of SGGG Financial Services Inc. which provides valuation and unit record keeping services to investment fund managers since 1997. I look forward to contributing to the Kahshe experience as a member of the KLRA Board. rick.glatt@goodmancpa.ca 416 399 1132 |
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alisonsmitherss@gmail.com 416 930 0865
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Kahshe has become one of the highlights of my world since I first came here 24 years ago as a one year old. My childhood memories are filled with swimming lessons, diving contests, tubing rides, dirty bare feet, mountain climbing, and spending tons of time with friends and family.
Five or so years ago, I introduced this special place to my (now) husband, Tyler. In 2018 Tyler proposed to me at the lake, pulling up to the dock in a boat with a sign asking me to marry him! This makes the cottage and Kahshe even more special to me. We even named our new Chocolate Lab puppy "Kahshe".
You may recognize me as the MC for the Kahshe Lake Regatta at Nagaya Beach, an event I’ve volunteered at for the past five years. I had planned to take on organizing the Regatta in 2020, and am looking forward to planning the 2021 event. I enjoy organizing, and participating in this community event, particularly meeting other cottagers and learning about their history at the lake. I have also written and contributed recipes for the monthly newsletter (The Kahshe Krier) to share my passion for great food being shared at the cottage!
Looking into the future, as a member of the KLRA Board I will bring to the table; dedication, professionalism, love for this community and a desire to preserve the history and beauty of this very special part of Ontario.
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Updated list of Board Members
and Support Team
President Margaret Taylor mt485848@gmail.com 647 998 4858
Vice-President April Drane aprilgadsbydrane@sympatico.ca 705 684 9087
Past President Steve Wild steve_wild@yahoo.com
Secretary Michele Phillippe michelephillippe20@gmail.com 647 208 1059
Treasurer Greig Holder greigholder@hotmail.com 416 233 2251
Newsletter Keith Price keithonkahshe@bell.net 416 233 7688
Conservation Cttee Bob Reyburn bob_reyburn@vianet.ca 705 644 1063
Rock Markers Marnie Cryderman macryderman@bell.net 519 636 6511
Water Access Henry Kowalewski Henry.Kowalewski@nVent.com 905 336 1039
FOCA Sandra Moad sandramoad1@gmail.com 416 221 7253
Members at large:
Cathy Dunphy catherinedunphy@rogers.com 416 558 0817
Marlene Clune marlene.ecorp@sympatico.ca 905 715 9018
Jocelyne DeRomana jocelynederomana@gmail.com 416 803 9911
Rick Glatt rick.glatt@goodmancpa.ca 416 399 1132
Alison Smithers Ryan alisonsmitherss@gmail.com 647 992 7253
Non-board member Support Team:
Webmaster Clare Henderson crhenderson@sympatico.ca 905 469 0551
Social Media Maureen Smithers smithers.maureen@gmail.com 905 616 3102
Lake Steward Ron Pearson ron.pearson.pics@gmail.com 416 843 2805
Nagaya Beach Jesse Mirlocca jsmirlocca@gmail.com 416 770 3756 |
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Oh What a Night......at the Drive-In
by Gord Robinson and Keith Price
Day-long rains washed the sky and the grounds before clearing just in time to provide a fine evening for the KLRA FUNdraiser -- KAHSHE CARES 2020: Night at the Drive-In -- at the Muskoka Drive-In Theatre on September 2. Fifty-six cars unloaded about 160 socially-distancing cottagers who were thrilled to see and chat with people they had not had the opportunity to get together with throughout this long Covid affected summer. |
And then they grooved to the sounds of DJ Scott Dunlop, sang along with Steve Rae's programme of well-known and well-loved 60's, 70's and 80's songs, and thrilled to Randy Craig’s superb collection of Kahshe Lake photos before enjoying an entertaining and timely film: The Peanut Butter Falcon starring Shia LeBeouf and Dakota Johnson. |
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Scott Dunlop and Steve Rae ready to rock'n'roll! |
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Jocelyne DeRomana drove up from Toronto with Peighton(6) and Carrson(9) just for the show |
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Social distance parking Social distance chatting. |
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Gord Robinson presents Rob Abbott with the Grand Prize: a free Foursome donated by the Muskoka Bay Resort |
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William Alexander Owner/Operator of Muskoka Drive-In
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Shawn Corbett thinks the bottom of the lake is that way! (See Quest Report!) |
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Nancy Corbett ready with the winning tickets. |
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The event, sponsored by the Kahshe Lake Ratepayers Association, raised $3,500 for Gravenhurst Against Poverty (GAP) to help establish a wellness centre in Gravenhurst. It was a rare night of socializing and entertainment for the community in this strange year. Our sincere thanks to William Alexander, the owner of the Drive-In, for supporting us in this endeavour. The Drive-In Crew: Cathy Dunphy (co-organiser), Maureen Smithers (Social Media publicist), Marg Taylor (leaflet distributor), Jocelyne DeRomana (movie acquirer), Nancy Corbett and Sandra Moad (raffle ticket distributors and gatekeepers), April Drane (leaflet distributor, talent scout and gatekeeper), Shawn Corbett (parking lot supervisor) and Jill Robinson (constant support). |
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Marg Taylor and Gord Robinson (on the left) present a cheque for $3500 to Bonnie Dart (Vice-Chair of GAP) and Joanne Twist (chair of GAP) on behalf of the KLRA. |
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The Walk to the Cottage by Cathy Dunphy
So, you’re going to the cottage again this weekend. And you would do anything, you think, to beat the traffic.
Are you sure?
Last August, Rob Pollard walked from his home in Mississauga, Ontario to the cottage his family has owned on the Kahshe River in Muskoka since 1912. Three days. One hundred and ninety nine kilometres. Two hundred and forty six thousand, eight hundred and thirty two steps. |
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It was hot; actually it was sweltering. His legs cramped, then ached. Blisters bloomed. His swollen right ankle had to be taped.
Why, you may well be asking. Why on earth would an otherwise perfectly rational portfolio manager at an investment firm want to do this?
“To find out what I was capable of,” Pollard says. But also he wanted to ponder some questions. “How do you know that you have a good quality of life?” for Day One and “What defines what people believe they deserve?” for Day Two. “I wanted to give myself time to think,” Pollard said. “You have nothing but time when you walk.” So he noticed things. Discovered things. The mural in Islington Village explaining why there was once a pub with no beer. |
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He experienced things: The swoop of six vultures overhead near the Holland River. A breathtaking sunrise at 5 a.m. over Barrie. And the curiosity and kindness of a garbage truck driver in Innisfil. |
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The garbage truck in Innisfil
"The guy pulls over and jumps out of the truck to ask what I’m doing. When I tell him he jumps back on the truck, pulls out his lunch box and insists that I have his pops. He says “you need this more then me”. Super nice. People are great. "
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The truck driver was right. By day three, Pollard was in so much pain he doubted he’d finish. “Keep walking,” he told himself. “Just keep walking.” |
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Rail Trail: Barrie to Orillia
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A pair of doves strutted ahead of him for ten minutes. That helped. Then, around Washago, the pain faded as he willed himself to keep walking until there it was – the sign leading off the highway to his cottage. Only one kilometre to go. One of his sons was waiting for him with pasta and Gatorade. Pollard thinks he might have gone into shock – he felt weak and nauseous and was drenched in pain. It took him four hours to get to sleep.
The next morning he was up at 7 a.m. knowing that he will keep walking -- to get to the train to his work ; around his neighbourhood in the evenings; and on the weekends there will be longer jaunts. He used to run, but he’s happier walking. “You see your community,” he says. “You are not running from; you are walking towards.” |
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If you are a seasoned cottager then you are no stranger to cottage rules. Years ago, when things were not so fancy, they were listed on an available piece of paper and pinned to outhouse doors, taped to fridges, and nailed to boathouses. The topics included privy cleanliness, approved soaps and detergents, water safety, boat, and dock maintenance schedules, etc. These lists were handed down to younger generations and shared with renters. Some went even as far as listing outdoor activities for children to offset boredom and help foster the love of nature.
Today, our signs are far more beautiful and whimsical. They are carved, painted, and embroidered – long gone are the yellow tipped pinned up pages. We have a few colourful ones around the cottage that encourage us to relax, read, walk, and nap. All the things cottage owners need to be reminded to do other than work on their properties.
I have been thinking about rules more and more – in particular, the rules that help promote common sense and respect. It started after a long winter and spring watching hours of bad news and outrageous behavior unravel on my television set. We have been inundated with rules, albeit necessary ones devised to keep us safe. I believe we need to listen to the experts and do our part – I have an issue with those people who continually put others at risk.
After becoming saturated in isolation, I had a pent-up desire to head to Kahshe Lake to our beloved cottage to escape the craziness. I dreamt of the deep, tea coloured waters, the song of the phoebes and the cry of the loons. I was hoping that our northern home would offer peace and respite. For the most part, time spent here has restored balance lost to Covid fatigue, but there have been weekends that make me realize that collectively we need to review water safety rules and remind ourselves to be respectful to nature and to our neighbours. I am not suggesting we ban waterskiing, tubing or people out enjoying their seadoos. All of us want to enjoy our water activities within reason, however, there have been a few incidents that have left me raging on my dock.
To provide context, we have a big family and we are blessed to have 5 grandchildren who are truly “cottage babes”. They love swimming, skiing, tubing, paddle boarding, and hanging at the beach. As grandparents, we have enforced the rules of the cottage particularly those focused on water safety and nature. Several times this summer, we have pulled our younger granddaughters out of the water to safety after waves caused by the large wakeboard boats and seadoos made swimming difficult. We have suffered through weekends when we cannot hear our guests’ conversations because some seadooers feel the need to slap their crafts on the water or continually do donuts in our bay. We have lost dock boards, ramps, and our boat is banging against our dock more than usual. I have also noticed that our waterways are crowded on weekends and some are travelling at high speeds, which brings me to another example.
On the July 1st weekend, as we were returning from the beach, we were almost rear ended by a much larger boat filled with young adults. We got lucky when the driver was able to regain control after he realized how close he was to ending up on our bow. I do not believe any of us would have survived otherwise. The experience left us shaken for the rest of the weekend. I would like to say that the August long weekend was more pleasant, but unfortunately it provided another disturbing experience – one that showed great disrespect to nature.
I look forward to seeing the waterfowl babies on the lake. I love to watch adult geese teach their babies how to swim in the early summer and then teach them how to land in the water as they get older. I felt lucky to be on the dock with my grandchildren when a large gaggle of geese were getting into formation. The kids were excited to see them as well. While we were enjoying watching them, a seadoo emerged at full throttle causing them to disperse quickly. My grandkids asked me if the young man was trying to kill the geese. I explained that indeed geese can be a nuisance particularly if you have a beach or grass, but that his actions were inappropriate – in fact they were menacing and in contrast felt violent compared to our peaceful morning on the dock. I am confident that treating waterfowl in this way is against the law. Sadly, I regret that my children and grandchildren had to witness it.
Cottage rules were written down and shared throughout the generations not just for practical reasons, but to foster respect. I believe that many Kahshe Lakers share my sentiments and are committed to the health and safety of our lake and fellow cottagers. It is time to get reacquainted with the cottage rules – particularly the ones that promote order and safety for all while maintaining the integrity of the lands and the water we are so fortunate to enjoy.
Heather Lethbridge
Hunter’s Bay |
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The Kahshe Covid Car/Boat Treasure Quest 2020 soon to become simply The Quest |
I wish I could report that over 200 people got out on the lake and the surrounding roads to take part in the Kahshe Covid Car/Boat Treasure Quest, but I cannot tell a lie. But I can happily tell you that all those Kahsheites who did venture forth to see the sites and sights (especially the teenagers and younger kids) enjoyed themselves thoroughly while doing so. Quite a number of people signed up saying it was a great idea, but fell victim to procrastination. Even though this wasn't a race, KLRA President Marg Taylor, accompanied by her cousin,Wendy Graham and Wendy's husband, Jim, was first past the post, submitting pictures and answers on August the 6th. Over the course of the next several weeks, photos and answers continued to roll in with very few mistakes in either the locations or the answers. The complete list of participants follows: Combined Brian & Theresa Pritchard Sandra Moad & Gabriel Davies(11) Road only Marg Taylor, Wendy Graham & Jim Graham John Kuropatwa & Joan Kuropatwa Water only Shawn, Nancy & Alison Corbett, Amanda and Hailee Smith(4) Barb deKat Matt Barker, Alison Price & Hayden Barker(1) Kids Team Benum Jasmine(15), Phoebe(15) & Christian(6) Team Pitts-Perkins Meagan(16) & Connor Pitts(14), Maddie(14) Tim Perkins(13) Team Iley Noah(12), Madeleine(9), Olivia(9)
Special mentions Marg Taylor - first to submit a completed Quest Gabriel Davies - the only "kid" to do the combined (with his grandmother) Barb deKat - submitted an entry without leaving her cottage!!! Shawn Corbett - for not knowing where he was when he was at the bottom of the lake Brian & Theresa Pritchard - for being the only ones to complete the Tree Museum part of the Quest Team Pitts-Perkins - for being the only all-kids team Madeleine & Olivia Iley - for being real-life twins at the Twin Islands Jasmine and Phoebe Benum - for putting together a great slide show of their adventure Peter Benum - for the maps of Team Benum's routes on 5 different days of exploring Kahshe and Bass Lakes, and for turning the slide show into a Youtube video https://youtu.be/3EWxRMl6YYI John & Joan Kuropatwa - for being the first to nail everything on the Road Quest and finally.... Hayden Barker - for being the youngest participant, but mainly for being my grand-daughter! |
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Marg Taylor, Wendy & Jim Graham
Marg at the Housey's Rapids Quilt
We had a very enjoyable time. Loved the Black River road and eating ice cream at Summerland. |
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Team Benum
We have been learning a lot of new things about the lake despite the fact that I have been spending summers here for more than 30 years. We are doing the water hunt by canoe and yesterday my wife and our 3 kids paddled 19 km around the lake exploring. It was a fantastic day, lots of fun! The kids especially liked finding and jumping off Little Gib and paddling the river to Bass Lake.
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Mini Gib ↑ Did Christian, Phoebe and Jasmine jump? (or is it Christian, Jasmine and Phoebe?) The Dam at the end of Grant"s Bay ↓ |
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Over the course of five days the Benums paddled 56 kms at an average speed of 4.9 km/h. Total paddling time -- 14 hours and 22 minutes. A real Odyssey. Next year I'll get them to pass between the Symplegades ... if they dare! |
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Gabriel Davies & Sandra Moad
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Gabriel at his W_______ E_______ on the R_______ to R_______. Next stop -- the Tree Museum! |
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And here he is again deciding NOT to jump off Mount Mary! |
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Team Pitts-Perkins
Maddie Perkins, Connor Pitts, Tim Perkins, Meagan Pitts
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at MiniGib ↑ and being Canadian ↓ |
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They actually caught Bailey's Barge heading off on a job. Way to go Bailey! |
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Brian and Theresa at the Ryde Fire Hall |
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Half of Brian at The Outhouse |
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Theresa at the Upside Down House |
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Hayden Barker, Matt Barker, Alison Price Yes, that is my grand-daughter on the left! |
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Team Iley Madeleine, Olivia and Noah (or is it Olivia, Madeleine and Noah?) The kids had an absolute blast doing the Quest - and discovering some new points of interest we hadn't heard of before! It was a lot of fun.
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Can you believe they wanted bonus points for being real twins in front of the Twin Islands? |
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What a way to finish the day! |
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Team Corbett
Shawn, Nancy and Alison Corbett
Amanda and Kailee Smith
As a summer quest we had to make it last the summer. It was the only thing we
had on our calendar and everyone likes a boat ride. |
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Big Momma scene of Alison's finest moment, or maybe the most painful! |
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Team Kuropatwa
John and Joan
A compliment to you regarding the Quest which Joan and I thoroughly enjoyed. We particularly liked the part where we saw parts of the Black River that we had never seen before.
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The dam at SKLR in the 1920's.
Barb managed to "complete" the Quest without leaving her cottage thanks to Grant Heaps' postcard collection. |
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Bayview House in 1935.. It later became Rockhaven Inn.
Click here to see Grant's collection on the KLRA website. |
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Answers to the Quest questions. Water questions W1 The "cute little ducks" live at the south end of Grants Bay as you enter (or leave) the channel to the dam. W2 This new rock marker tower is opposite the Hens and Chicks. Road questions
R1 It is now condominiums. R2 Hastings Drive R3 Snowmobiles only R4 Harmony Corners R5 Coopers Falls Recreational Trail
R6 Simcoe 5 R7 BAF Landscaping
Last question for all participants, especially those who did the Water Quest: Where were you when you were at the bottom of the lake? |
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Free to a good home!
Halcyon Punt complete with oars, plush seats with cane backs (one of which needs repair as a mouse ate some of the cane.) Our cottage is on Birch Island.
Call 416 924 0055 in Toronto or 705 687 5377 some weekends until Thanksgiving
Ruth Miller ruthiekmiller@gmail.com |
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Dorothy Anne Reid (1918-2020)
James Douglas Reid (1954-2020)
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This year the Reid family on Oak Road said goodbye to their matriarch, Dorothy, and her beloved son, Jim.
Dorothy Anne Reid was born in 1918 and died in 2020, entering and leaving during world pandemics. Her parents, Tom and Annie Wright bought 100 acres in 1923 at Kilworthy Road and Hwy 11 (ITLDU), plus 112 acres of waterfront at the south end of Kahshe. (They sold the Kahshe property in 1948 for $450.) Dorothy spent much of her childhood at the farm with her grandparents who operated a grocery store and gas station. She fondly told stories of ‘The Nagaya Beach Gang’ raiding their fruit stall, attending the little red one room schoolhouse, and helping her Granny who was the local midwife and helper of girls ‘in trouble’. She married Douglas Reid and both served in the army during WWII, Dorothy in Orillia and Doug overseas. They had six children and when Jim was thirteen, they bought two lots on Oak Road. Even though Doug died suddenly while building the new addition and son, Bill, died at the cottage three years later, Dorothy remained at her cottage for another fifty years. Dorothy was generous, feisty, and hardworking. Throughout her life she volunteered for many organizations, including for years as secretary for the Oak Road Cottagers’ Association.
Our family was devastated when only six months later James Douglas Reid - Jim, to his family and friends - died at 66. He leaves behind his wife, Rosemary, and sons, Jamie, Mark and Andrew. Throughout his childhood, Jim enjoyed summers at rented cottages in Muskoka, most often on Kahshe Lake. He remembered fondly when Pop Wright doled out nickels to buy ice cream on South Kahshe Road, or popsicles at Denne’s. Our Uncle Tom, who tested motor boats, would take Jim and the many cousins waterskiing. Later, Jim would test out his own handcrafted kayaks on the lake. Like his father, Jim spent his holidays working on the cottage instead of relaxing. He was a ‘Jack-of-all-Trades’ and could build or fix anything. One of his many hobbies and interests was brewing craft beer, which he also enjoyed at the cottage.
Life will never be the same at the cottage, especially since the marks of Dorothy and Jim are everywhere, but, just as Dorothy had the courage to carry on after tragedy, so will the Reid family on Kahshe Lake. |
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David Edgar Reinhart (1954-2020)Dr Reinhart passed away unexpectedly with his family by his side on June 30, 2020 at the age of 66. Loving husband of 32 years to Debra (nee Bartlett) Reinhart and forever proud father of David, Deanna and Derek. Brother of Paul (Kathy) Reinhart of West Simsbury, Connecticut, Kathy Rose of Paris, and Clarence Bartlett of Kitchener. Predeceased by parents Dr. Edgar and Mary Reinhart and Donald Bartlett and survived by Catherine Bartlett. He will be missed by many aunts and uncles, nieces and nephews, cousins, extended family and his wide circle of friends.
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David had diverse interests and aptitudes and was a strong advocate for learning. He completed his B.A., B.Ed. and M.A. before becoming a Doctor of Chiropractic. His patients were touched by his ability to connect with them and coach them through life's successes and challenges.David was a deep thinker who continued his lifelong love of learning by reading, researching and sharing - especially in the areas of religion, history and philosophy. He was always up for a good conversation and loved deepening his understanding and perspective by listening to others’ ideas. David’s care and interest in people and their stories will long be remembered.
He enjoyed golfing, and curling, took up the guitar at age 50 and loved strumming along to old songs and learning new ones, His favourite place was Kahshe Lake where he savoured time spent on or in the water, swimming, fishing and boating. He instilled in his children his own love of learning about the world through travel. He will be sorely missed by many. |
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Bird count 2020
This has been a bountiful year for birds.
Can you beat this tally? 35 species and counting:
robin great blue heron herring gull common tern common loon
eastern phoebe redwing blackbird starling bluejay song sparrow kingfisher mallard (mom and 12 chicks) Canada goose cormorant
yellow warbler chestnut sided warbler
bay breasted warbler blackpoll warbler
pine warbler black & white warbler
ruby throated humming bird crow
Baltimore oriole mourning dove
ruby throated humming bird
hairy woodpecker pileated woodpecker
downy woodpeckers turkey vulture eastern kingbird spotted sandpiper
starling white breasted nuthatch
red breasted nuthatch
American Goldfinch
Spotted and recorded by Doug and Karen Paul |
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Kahshe Photo Contest 2020
The 2020 Kahshe Photo Contest is now closed and the 2021 Contest is open.
This year we received a record number of photos: 175.
Thanks to everyone who submitted their photos for the 2020 Kahshe Photo Contest after a beautiful, yet unusual summer. We marveled at your entries, but had to narrow it down to the following winners. All of the photos are on the web site with a special page for the winners.
2020 Kahshe Photo Contest Winners
Life on Kahshe: First Place: Steve Minns
Second Place: Karen Kading
Third Place: Jillian Lawson
Kids On Kahshe: First Place: Andrew Bowie
Second Place: Hugh Tait
Third Place: Darcy Lake
Wildlife: First Place: Jeanne Keston
Second Place: ChrisMiller
Third Place: Nancy Cronin
Landscape: First Place: Declan Rohr
Second Place: Chris Miller
Third Place: Jason Bell
Kids Eye View: First Place: Lily Sahli
Second Place: Ava Hunter
Third Place: Lily Sahli
Judges: Randy Craig and Bruce Gibson Judges' Comments by Randy Craig approved by Bruce Gibson To view ALL the entries on the KLRA website click here |
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Landscapes
1st Place Declan Rohr A stunning long exposure photo with excellent composition, lighting and intrigue. Wow! |
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Wildlife
1st Place Jeanne Kesten
The combination of this unique wildlife moment in such a colourful setting makes this a winning shot. |
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Kids on Kahshe
1st Place
Andrew Bowie
Light-action-camera! It all came together in this sharp and energetic photo!
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Kids' Eye View
1st Place
Lily Sahli
Kid's Eye View ... or Dog's Eye View? Either way, this combination makes for a winning photo. Thanks Lily!
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Life on Kahshe 1st Place Steve Minns
We love the deep composition and sharp imagery in this photo. The calm simplicity makes it a winner.
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2020 Outstanding Volunteer Award The recipient of this year’s Outstanding Volunteer Award will be no stranger to anyone. This person has been a cottager at Kahshe Lake since the 1980’s, and then purchased property across from Hilda Island in 1999. In 2017, he and his wife subsequently sold their water access cottage and purchased another one on Oak Road. |
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Ron social distancing with his Paddle and Award Certificate |
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He has served as a KLRA Board member and took on the position of Secretary for a few years. However, his real passion is ecology and so he left the board in order to devote his time to his life-long passion. He is a trained and highly skilled environmental scientist and has eagerly shared his expertise with us. He has volunteered as our Lake Steward for almost 10 years and has recently developed a Lake Health education portal on the KLRA’s web site.
As such he has monitored the quality of our lake and organized hands-on sampling workshops where participants surveyed the living organisms that live in our lake. He has submitted reports to the Environment Ministry, analyzed the results and made both written and oral presentations to KLRA. This is where many of you would have come across this person. His quiet and competent approach has made him a regular presenter at our Annual General Meetings.
Amongst his other contributions, this person has served as the Secretary for the Oak Road Association.
Additionally, he is quite an accomplished amateur photographer. He participates in our photography contest and has won many prizes for his work. When asked, he willingly volunteered to share two of his photos with us so that we could create stationery items for sale at our boutique.
I’m sure that by now, almost everyone has figured out who we are speaking about. It gives us great pleasure to announce that this year’s recipient of the KLRA Outstanding Volunteer the Year Award is none other than Ron Pearson.
Ron received the traditional canoe paddle and certificate at a private ceremony immediately after the AGM.
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Hi, My name is Gail Dignam and I have been on Kahshe for 52 years. This year has shown an unprecedented amount of boat traffic on our little lake. Boats are bigger and faster and throwing off monstrous wakes to the detriment of anything in their path, including swimmers, other boaters, moored boats, beached boats, docks and other personal property, as well as our precious shoreline. I just got off the Safe Quiet Lakes webinar with Transport Canada and it would appear that there are no enforceable “no wake” laws, only the universal 1030 rule of 10 Kmh - 30 meters from shore and in Muskoka the 930 rule of 9 Kmh - 30 meters from shore, boat or dock. This does little or nothing to prevent the threat to personal safety, personal property and our precious shorelines from Wake/surf boats with ballasts/bladders throwing off up to a ton of water at our shorelines . Our place is in Deep Bay (a favourite playground for tubers and surfers) and I can attest to the havoc wreaked by irresponsible boating practices. One has only to skim the Kahshe Lake FB page to see that I am not alone in my concerns. It would appear that the KLRA is powerless to enact any regulation on its own restricting boating activity, but surely we can educate and communicate with cottagers as to safe boating practices. I personally do not feel that there is a place on Kahshe Lake that is safe for these monstrous wake-inducing boats to operate, but until we enlist our local authority to apply for a Vessel Operating Regulation we have to make these boat owners aware of the carnage they leave behind in their wake (pun intended). How can we count on the KLRA to support this education and communication process and are we willing as members of this association to ask our local authority to apply for a VOR on our behalf. I would welcome your thoughts on this.
Gail Dignam |
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Hi Gail, Having seen for myself how high some of the waves are that roll into your little bay and crash into the boats moored there, mine included on one occasion, I really appreciate your concerns. COM-Com will be spearheading efforts to solve/mitigate these problems, by increased signage, boater education and appeals to the Town. Feel free to reach out to COM-Com to offer your support and/or suggestions by contacting me. Best wishes, Keith keithonkahshe@bell.net |
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To the KLRA Board, I understand that you have been contacted by a few people regarding Nagaya Beach. This beach has been overrun this summer with too many people breaking every single rule on the board. The lack of parking is of major concern, as the road is very dangerous to navigate on a busy beach day. It’s just a matter of time, before there is an accident. The lack of public washrooms on site is also very disturbing. The garbages are overflowing and people are literally using this beach as an ashtray and the water as a toilet, with no regard to public safety. (We are in the process of trying to have the water tested.) We do not feel that this beach should be open to everyone coming in from Barrie, Orillia etc. It is simply too small for a public designation. As you know, we are on the agenda for the next KLRA meeting on September 12th. I just wanted to voice my concerns as a fellow Kahshe Lake resident who uses the North Kahshe Lake Road frequently. Thanks so much for your time. Sincerely,
Concerned Year-Round Lake Resident |
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Hi, Again I fully understand your concerns. As a result of the presentation by Stephanie Boyd at the AGM, Steve Wild and Stephanie have put together a Committee to look into ways of dealing with these problems. Please contact Steve if you would like to be part of this process. Best wishes, Keith Steve Wild steve_wild@yahoo.com 732 216 3349 |
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Editorial What a strange summer this has been! No Picnic, no Fishing Derby, no Craft Show, no Regatta and a virtual AGM. Not only that, but we couldn't jump in the boat and tootle over to a friend's place with the same casual abandon as in year's past. No. We had to be sure they were part of the same bubble. |
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No wonder the Night at the Drive-In was so enjoyable. We got to hear some good music, watched a wonderful slide show of Randy Craig's beautiful drone pictures of Kahshe on the BIG screen, enjoyed a great movie and, best of all, got to chat with friends and acquaintances we hadn't seen or spoken to all summer. Moreover we had the satisfaction of knowing that we were helping the local community to the tune of
$3500 being raised for Gravenhurst Against Poverty. A win-win situation all round.
Although the Treasure Quest did not attract as many participants as I had hoped, it was a great success for those who did venture forth. So much so that I will definitely do something along the same lines next year. Make the decision now to not miss out again.
Despite the restrictions due to Covid-19, most cottagers, other than our American members, were able to enjoy the lake, perhaps even more than usual for those who could work from "home". For me, however, the year was spoiled by the "big wake" problem expressed so forcefully by Gail Dignam and in Heather Lethbridge's article, Cottage Rules Revisited. Those who regularly use Nagaya Beach have been horrified by the abuses of this wonderful facility. I truly hope that measures can be put in place to ensure that these two problems are not major issues again next year. In many ways it is up to all of us to act responsibly and encourage others to do the same. Let newcomers, visitors and renters know what is appropriate and what is not. If we are not part of the solution, we might be part of the problem.
I hope you have all enjoyed a safe and relaxing summer. Stay safe,
Keith Price
Editor |
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When I took over as Boutique Manager I never imagined that we would have a Covid Summer with all our events being cancelled. How were we going to sell all this new merchandise and still stay safe?
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Thank you to my fantastic team who came up with the idea of a Pop-up Store. We held two this summer. In July at Denne's Government Dock and in August at Rockhaven Docks. Both Pop-ups were very successful.
We also promoted the products on Facebook and delivered dock to dock.
I would like to thank all the Kahshe Lakers who supported the KLRA Boutique. 100% of proceeds go back to our own KLRA.
When I volunteered for this position, my family didn’t realize it meant a family affair! I couldn’t have done it without all their help! Thanks to all my family and friends that helped us succeed.
If you would like to order merchandise at any time,
please call or text me at 905-724-2022 or email me at Lesliepinard@gmail.com.
Leslie Pinard,, Boutique Manager
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