Steenburg Lake

BY MARLENE POLLARD

My story starts in the early 70’s. We were living in Oshawa and our son Dan wanted to play hockey. He joined the church hockey league and ended up on a team coached by Jack Horne and Bob Boyce. We became friends with the Horne’s and the Boyce’s immediately. We had lots in common and mainly boys who played hockey. We were invited the Boyce’s cottage in 1972 who just happened to have the Horne’s as neighbours.  They invited us to their cottage on Steenburg Lake. Well where on earth is Steenburg Lake I asked??????? They gave us the directions and once we finally reached the South shore road it seemed we drove forever on the dirt road in the woods. When we arrived it was love at first sight.  My boys were so excited to visit their hockey friends.  We had a great weekend.  The Horne family were being transferred to Australia for a couple of years and lucky for us they thought because we were friends with the Boyce’s that maybe we would like to take care of their cottage while they were down under. Of course we were delighted. Wow I thought how lucky we are, yes the luckiest family in the world. We took care of the Horne’s cottage for the summer of 73 and until the end of July of 74. During this time we put a new top on their deck as we kind of fell through a rotten board. Ron had a meeting with some racoons over the garbage one night. I remember Ron yelling at them.  “ I don’t care if you are wearing masks I still know who you are and this is MY garbage.”  During that time we got to know a lot of members on that part of the south shore. The cottage next to the Horne’s burnt down and left Tom and May Hill without a roof over their heads. While rebuilding their cottage they stayed in the Horne’s Bunkie. I had never seen two people work so hard that summer. We got to know them quite well and became friends.  When the Horne’s arrived home from Australia we were able to convince the Horne’s and the Boyce’s to rent their cottages for a couple of summers. Once our boys started working their summers we didn’t cottage for our holidays.

Then in 1990 Ron and I had 2 weeks vacation and wondered what to do. The boys were either working or on their own so it was just the two of us. After discussing what to do, we asked ourselves which holidays did we enjoy the most in the past. Well we enjoyed a cottage holiday the most. So that summer we went on a hunt for a cottage. We went east and north and ended back at Steenburg Lake.  We had found a couple of cottages on other lakes but still when we ended up on Steenburg Lake it felt like home.  We fell in love with the McCarthy’s cottage on the north shore road. We didn’t know anyone here and all we knew was that it was approximately across from where Miller’s Marina was. We went home and worked on our finances.  After a bit of work we managed to make an offer and yes the rest is history. Our boys could not believe their parents had bought a cottage on Steenburg Lake. As young boys they had many fond memories of Steenburg Lake. They both learned how to swim in Steenburg Lake. This is where we discovered our dog Shultz couldn’t swim. Yes there are dogs who can not swim and ours was one of them.

Well in the year 2000 Ron and I retired and thought it would be nice to live at the cottage at the lake. We never imagined this was even possible. April 2000 we moved to the cottage. We had to wait until the ice went out as we were not winterized. From April to June I washed dishes in the bathtub, cooked our meals with an electric frying pan while Ron gutted the kitchen and rebuilt. Our refrigerator was in the living room. This was Ron’s first renovation and with the help of Don Fitzgibbon everything turned out just great. It was an adventure and we loved every minute of it well at least I did. No Ron did too but sometimes he just won’t admit it.   Where else could you wake up every morning and with coffee or tea in hand look at this beautiful Steenburg Lake.  NO WHERE !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

During the last 9 years we have met many members and have wonderful neighbours. Barb Rockwell talked me into taking over the memberships of the association. I was reluctant but I will admit I have enjoyed meeting so many nice members and working with the canvassers. The executive has changed over the years and again working with so many nice people who love the lake has been a pleasure. We have made our cottage a home and have been very comfortable and we LOVE living here on STEENBURG LAKE. The last 9 years have been delightful. What do we enjoy the most? Well I have to say I have enjoyed the seasons. The FALL is the most beautiful as far as the colours. The winter (yes the lake is frozen but it is still beautiful) is a nice quiet change to the rest of the year. Watching the lake freeze and listening to the crystals forming is amazing.  Then there is SPRING, the part I love most about this season is watching nature bud and produce the beautiful greenery. Watching the ice melt in the lake is quite a sight.  Actually it is amazing the way the ice turns black and just disappears. AMAZING!!!!!!!

Sooooooooooooo what do we love the most about STEENBURG LAKE??????

WOW -----------HOW LUCKY AND FORTUNATE ARE WE TO BE LIVING HERE FULL TIME, THE MOST WONDERFUL LAKE  AND JUST HAPPENS TO BE THE BEST LAKE IN CANADA.