Raven News

We are saddened to learn that Gayle Smallbridge has passed away at the age of 91. Gayle and her husband John have been members of the Raven Lake community at their cottage on the East Shore for many years.

For many years prior to 2000, Gayle was a member of the RLCA Board of Directors. She served as the RLCA Secretary and her role included issuing membership cards to all new members.

You will find her obituary at: https://www.legacy.com/obituaries/theglobeandmail/obituary.aspx?n=gayle-louise-smallbridge&pid=200282607

Dear Raven Lake Cottage Association Members & Raven Lake Dock Association Members,

Negotiations with the various government agencies who are involved in approving the creation of the new docks at the Raven Lake Landing have been progressing slowly but without interruption until last Friday. Christine Apostolov, the representative of the Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry (“MNRF”) that we have been working with, unexpectedly sent us notice that the Minden Office of the MNRF would be posting an “unauthorized docks” notice at the landing, with a 60-day period to have the unauthorized docks removed.

This notice has come as a complete surprise to the RLCA landing committee as she had authorized and instructed us to have a survey completed of the property which would then enable us to obtain a lease with the MNRF for the lands that would be occupied by the new docks. The survey is almost complete and should be in hand within 2 weeks.

Immediately following receipt of the notice, we attempted to engage with her to determine if she could be persuaded not to post the notice based on our good faith efforts to date. Regrettably, she advised that she would not be available to deal with this matter until September 17.

The purpose of this letter is to update you on this change and to assure you that we are and will be addressing this unexpected event in the coming days. We have alerted our lawyers and will be formulating a strategy on how best to proceed and to ensure that we are not prejudiced by these unexpected actions of MNRF.

We will continue to keep you informed as we work through completion of the land survey, securing of a temporary lease with the MNRF and engaging with the Township of Lake of Bays on building approvals.

Sincerely,
RLCA Landing Committee
(Sean Hungerford, Scott Lewis, Graham Donald, Ross Lawrence)

We had a great turnout and high engagement for our virtual Annual General Meeting on August 18th, 2021. Thank you to all the members who participated, joined the discussion, and showed their support.

While we certainly missed seeing everyone in person, the virtual meeting did allow good access by computer or phone; also, we were pleased to receive many questions in advance of the meeting that we were able to address.

Please click the links below to download the AGM Presentation (the agenda and reports) as well as the meeting Minutes.

RLCA 2021 AGM Presentation (Final).pdf

RLCA AGM Minutes 2021 (Final).pdf

Susan Kanitz had been a fixture around the lake and the RLCA Board for so many years that selling her cottage two years ago caught many Ravens by surprise. Understandable, perhaps, since husband Gil had passed away several years before and managing a cottage alone is no easy task, but still... after all, the Kanitz family has been a mainstay on the lake since the late 1950s.

Susan’s ready smile and easy laugh put everyone at ease, be that at the landing, regatta, AGM or, if you were really lucky, on Mona Bay for some Kanitz fine dining. She and Gil loved to entertain, to cruise the lake at sunset, and while Gil spent his summers building additions, docks and stock-piling firewood, Susan found multiple ways to engage with the lake community. An inspiring teacher by profession (I know; I worked with both Susan and Gil) and avid canoeist and nature lover by avocation, she served as RLCA secretary during the critical Lake Planning years. Her work there, like everything she did, was exemplary. While preferring to keep out of the limelight, she was willing to step forward and speak up as needed. Considerate, generous, patient and a clear thinker in all matters, she instilled in her family the fine art of Raven cottaging. It is difficult to imagine Raven Lake without her and her family.

We lost Susan in June after a difficult year. Daughter Hilary wanted to let everyone who helped the Kanitz family carry on cottaging in Gil’s absence know how much Susan appreciated their help. Such was Susan, the consummate giver, always surprised by kindnesses offered her. Raven Lake says thank you, Susan, one last time and extends its most sincere condolences to your family.

     – Harry Wilson

The RLCA Annual General Meeting is being held Wednesday, August 18th, at 7-8 PM.

To ensure everyone's safety (including those with children and others who are ineligible for vaccinations) and also to allow access for those unable to get to the lake, we will be again holding the meeting virtually via Zoom.

To participate in the meeting, click here to register. If you do not have a reliable internet connection, you will be able to join via telephone (please note: phone-only participants will be able to listen, but not provide input during the meeting).

You will receive details about how to connect to the meeting from Zoom after you register.

MacDermid roots are deep in our Raven Lake community, and none deeper than Jack’s. We lost Jack this past week, and while things just won’t be the same without him, we will all continue to benefit enormously from his 54 years on the lake. His legacy is everywhere.

Jack was an RLCA director and the Association’s “buoy fairy” for many years. He knew every inch of the lake from years of discovering and marking shoals, and while out dropping buoys he was as likely to stop by for a chat as drive by. His kids and grandkids are the same way. Jack was up for everything: fishing, water-skiing into his 80s, regattas, jetskiing, snowmobiling, Ravenstocks, corn roasts, Jack was always there, smiling quietly… His big tinnie with Hilda in the bow announced that the family was back on the lake and everyone knew if a situation arose on the lake, they would be there to help. That family trait lives on today.

Hilda and Jack built their cliff cottage in 1967 as a “Centennial Project”, erecting first the shed down at the shore so the family of four had some place to sleep while Jack built. No doubt John learned a great deal from that experience. Jack came by his pioneering spirit honestly; growing up on a farm near Cornwall where, if something needed fixing, you fixed it; if someone needed help, you helped them. A close friend and neighbour for 46 years describes Jack as the nicest man he ever met: “He never boasted. A true BFF. Always friendly, generous and welcoming, a man who left the fish he caught in the lake for someone else to catch tomorrow. The very model of the Raven Lake Spirit.” That spirit shines bright in so many that Jack touched, most strikingly in his kids and grandkids.

We will all remember Jack in different ways, but for many his quick smile and concern for our community will come to mind every time they pass one of the yellow minion buoys wearing those silly goggles. “What a wonderful lake!” we muse, as an inescapable smile begins… and that’s exactly the way Jack would want it.

–– Harry Wilson

Raven Lake has lost a true legend.

Dunc Johnston was one of a kind, which we are not likely to see again. It is truly the end of an era on Raven.

Dunc travelled the lake summer and winter since 1968; he was as familiar as the Raven Rock.

With his beautiful wife Jean by his side, they added several additions to their cabin purchased from parents of a friend.

They built a wonderful “home away from home” for their children Paul (Leslie) and Karen (Doug). As well as their 4 grandchildren and 2 great grandchildren. Who love spending their time in his happy place.

Dunc touched so many lives around Raven Lake. Always willing to lend a hand, fix cottages, build decks, docks, and outhouses. Or just run people down the lake to their cottage on a Friday night.

We will remember him roaring down the lake in one of his three pontoon boats he built, with a home rolled cigarette burning in the wind.

The Raven Lake Rum Runners will forever know him as our Grand Poobah (Wizard). His tireless spark would encourage all of us to follow his footsteps. With fundraisers, beach parties, Radar Runs, Triathlons, and everything else in between, he knew how to bring our group together. Just hanging out on his beach in the summer or late night winter hangouts in the boathouse. It was always lots of laughs and good times with Dunc leading the pack. The Rum Runners will forever keep his legacy alive.

We are sure Dunc is together with the other Rum Runners who passed before him and they are sending cheers our way with a glass full. Please raise your glass to the sky and send cheers back to them!

Rest easy Zip, you will be missed!

– Love, Katie Van Pelt

We are organizing to have a barge on the lake from July 26 to August 6 to pump out septic systems. Several people have already expressed an interest. If you would also like to join in, please send an email to mgw@bell.net with your full name, phone number and lake lot number before June 24th. The contractor has quoted a price of $1,000 - $1,250 per tank, depending on total numbers. You’ll need to be sure you’ve had your septic inspection completed prior to the pump out date.

It's here and it's bigger and better than ever!

Download your 2021 Raven Lake Cottagers' Association Newsletter here.

Due to the current Covid restrictions on event gatherings, the RLCA has to cancel the in person events again for this summer

Unfortunately that means the Regatta will have to be postponed. Hope to see everyone in 2022!

The AGM will be a virtual meeting again. Invites to come.

There will also be a virtual Family Fishing Day on July 3. Keep your eye out for details to come for that event as well.