S1 | Rewind Design | E11 Gerry on Sunny Cove
Gerry, Wanda + Lisa on Sunny Cove
A 90 year history on Lake Muskoka
Intro
Welcome to Rewind Design! I am your host, Katy McNabb, a local interior designer dedicated to discovering the stories of Cottage Country in Ontario!
This episode is dedicated to Gerry and Wanda Henderson. I met two wonderful people, Gerry + Wanda Henderson in summer of 2022. I had the absolute pleasure of meeting them at their lakefront cottage nestled in the trees on Lake Muskoka near Bala. I was working on another episode of the Podcast, Bonnie on Bannockburn Rd, who is their neighbor just around the cove, on an episode about her cottage history (which I released a few weeks ago). She introduced me to Gerry + Wanda who were more than happy to share their own cottage history story with me. They have been married for 52 years, (1970) and have spent all of the summers in Muskoka. Gerry’s family has owned the property for 90 years, bought by his grandfather in 1932. Over the past few months I have visited with Gerry, and gained a wonderful friendship with him. I learned all about his remarkable life full of tremendous adventure, travel and excitement. He invited me over for Sauvignon Blanc on his front deck overlooking the lake, as we chatted for hours about his Muskoka history we also dove into the love of his career at Suncor as a merchandising manager and all the travels after retirement with Wanda. Including many cruises, travels to New Zealand, Europe and Africa. We realized we had travelled to many of the same countries and we connected through speaking about our adventures. He inspired me to live my life to the fullest, to travel everywhere I possibly can and to appreciate the beautiful area we live in. He was so in love with Muskoka, his childhood cottage, and it felt so heartwarming to share this time with him and learn about his love and deep history in the Muskoka area. I was so saddened to hear of his passing in September, and his wife’s subsequent passing last month as I had just visited with them both a few months ago. I wish to share my condolences with their family, and also his niece Lisa and her daughter Brooke who also shared their story with me. In the audio version of this episode, you will be hearing from Lisa (Gerry + Wanda’s niece) and her cottage history story which intertwines with Gerry’s.
I am dedicating this episode to Gerry + Wanda and wish lot's of love to all the extended family.
The Original Farmhouse
View of Sunset Bay + Sunny Cove to the North where both Gerry + Lisa’s cottages are located
Meeting Gerry and listening to his life story and his love of cottage country a cherished memory for me. At the time I met with him, he was 91 years old, still making the seasonal trips to his lakefront cottage on Sunny Cove Lake Muskoka from his home in Mississauga. He spoke of he love for golf, his love of his New Years celebrations at the cottage and his home in Etobicoke he loved on the end of a Cul de Sac. To jump into the history of the cottage property, Gerry’s grandfather was from Barrie with Scottish ancestry, and was an engineer for CNR. He bought the original farmhouse on Sunny Cove in 1932 on Lake Muskoka without his wife’s permission (Gerry winked when he told me this). He had been on the same cottage property since 1932, and this year was his 90th year, Gerry being the third generation cottager. Sunny Cove is located on Lake Muskoka, on the North West corner of the lake with a southern exposure. The cove is calm, and the water is so glassy and calm that many people come to barefoot waterski in this cove.
Gerry initially reached out to me, in the following email describing how his family acquired the property:
Gerry + I on his front deck, sipping Sauvignon Blanc
Land Transfer in 1932 for $500!
“The property, the entire cove, was purchased by my grandfather, Luke Spearn in 1932. He had 6 children, willed the property to his family, each of his children got a lot. Lots were decided by picking a number from a hat, in order of birth.
The original cottage was a farmhouse with a wrap around veranda which was the cottage for 27 yrs, then upon death and division of lots, it was torn down in 1950s and, new strictly summer cottages were built. When the original cottage was torn down we found news papers in the wall used for insulation . They were 75 yrs old!!! My mother said she would put up the lot and $2500 and the rest was the responsibility of my sister and I. AFTER 15 years sharing, my wife and I bought the only undeveloped lot from uncle Frank in 1975. We built a winterized cottage in 1976. At that time there were no winterized cottages on Bannockburn Rd. To access we cross-country skied in (from highway 169) back packing all food wine etc. including our Lhasa apso. We spent 16 New Years Eves there (from 1976-1992), it was WONDERFUL!!!. Actually spent a week there one one winter.
That gives some info for a start, Katy, if interested in taking this further.
P S Today there are 10 cottages that are now used in winter on the same road ,and road is plowed.”
Description of Gerry’s Property, the Current 1976 Cottage
Today, the property has changed quite a bit from he original 1900’s farmhouse that originally stood where Lisa’s cottage now stands. Gerry's cottage, built on the vacant property he bought from his uncle Frank. Has a beautiful southern exposure, with low lying shrubs in front of the 70’s style cottage with a asymmetric peaked roof and large single pane windows with mullions which is surmounted by large deciduous trees with canopies enveloping the property. The cottage is painted an olive green that blends into the landscape with an understated disposition. They also have a garage which has a unique living quarters full of pops of colour, and a boathouse with a rooftop platform to enjoy the view of Sunny Cove. notably, Gerry pointed out that when he firt built the ccottage he had an issue with his roof, Paul Donaldson (now owner of Muskoka Lumber) was a young 21 years old at the time.
Description of Lisa’s Property
4th + 5th Generation
Lisa, Niece, + Brooke, Great Niece + me with their cottage view of Sunset Cove
Once I met with Gerry, he spoke so highly and lovingly about his niece Lisa. He thought it would be a wholesome idea for me to meet with her to capture her side of the conversation as well as her love of Muskoka. In this weeks podcast episode, I speak to Lisa about the emotional attachments we have to our cottages and what we love so much about being up here in Cottage Country! Lisa’s cottage is located on the original build site of Gerry’s grandfather’s original farmhouse, and looks directly down the cove out towards Lake Muskoka with beautiful sunset view. Her lot if one of 6 that was divided from the original property. Her lot is roughly one acre with 160 feet of frontage. The new cottage was built in the 50’s and has many memories for Lisa, including her childhood spent with Bonnie, from our previous episode’s, daughter Mary! - Stay tuned to hear her story!
Tank you so much for taking the time to read the blog! And a big thank you to Lisa, Brooke, Gerry + Wanda.
Katy McNabb
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