Author: Cottage Life

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Cottage Life

What restrictions can you put on your rental cottage?

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Cottages became a sought-after pandemic escape as Canadians gravitated to local vacation rentals over the past few years. But some owners, though excited to turn their summer retreat into an income property, are still weary of letting strangers in. Luckily, if it’s your place, your rules apply. 

“There are rules and policies that each host sets for their vacation home,” says Alison Kwong, a spokesperson for VRBO, the online vacation rental marketplace. “It gives hosts that peace of mind.”

Here are some of the common restrictions you can set for your cottage:

Guest policy

Cottage owners can restrict additional guests if they choose, or stipulate that guests can’t stay overnight. “It’s common for renters to invite people over for lunch or to hang out during the day, but when it comes to who’s sleeping there, you can be strict,” says Kwong. 

Age of primary renter

The age of the primary renter is something guests need to disclose on VRBO, says Kwong. “The age restriction varies from host to host. Some set it at 25 or 21. The minimum is to prevent parties or misuse of the property. You can also require that the primary renter is staying on site to avoid a case where an older sibling, or the parent, is renting for the kids.”

Length of stay

Looking to really cash in on your income property? While you may be tempted to rent it out all year, ensure that you’re not violating your insurance policy. Some companies might allow one month of rentals, while another might allow six months. If you’re restricted to a certain length, be sure to inform potential renters before they book. Your insurance may also stipulate additional restrictions—including maximum occupancy—so familiarize yourself with your policy before setting your rental restrictions. 

Pet policy

According to VRBO, one of the most popular search filters is for properties that allow pets. “It’s really fantastic to be able to bring your dog along,” says Kwong, who adds that they’re seeing a lot of that during the pandemic. But there are reasons to ask renters to leave Rover at home, including severe allergies, protection from possible damage, or having to pay a premium on housekeeping fees.   

Local rules

Hosts have a variety of preferences for what happens on their property, and many will restrict things like smoking or holding events. Beyond that, make sure you and your renters are following local rules and bylaws. For example, not all lakes allow motor boats, or your municipality may be under a fire ban. “It’s just a win-win for everybody when you’re abiding by the local rules and restrictions in that community,” says Kwong.

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Cottage Life

Cottage real estate region: Lake of the Woods and Rainy Lake

Photo by Keith Levit/Shutterstock

Two big lakes dominate cottage country in Northwestern Ontario: Lake of the Woods (LOTW) and Rainy Lake. Both areas include much Crown land, so cottages aren’t easy to come by. The LOTW is speckled with more than 14,000 islands, innumerable sandy beaches along its south shore, and countless coves throughout, making it a boater’s playground. Most LOTW cottagers hail from Winnipeg, a two-hour drive, or the U.S.—no surprise, considering parts of the lake are in Manitoba and Minnesota. The 4,000-member-strong Lake of the Woods District Property Owners Association’s current concerns include preventing blue-green algae blooms.

Rainy River links LOTW with the western end of Rainy Lake, which also straddles the Minnesota border. Rainy Lake is considerably smaller than its neighbour to the northwest, but it still boasts more than 1,300 km of shoreline on the Ontario side. Fishing is great—you’ll find walleye, pike, trout, and crappie—and every July the lake is home to the Fort Frances Canadian Bass Championship. As at Lake of the Woods, wildlife includes moose, deer, eagles, and, for lucky spotters, lynx and martens.

Want a virgin island of your own? Good luck. All vacant islands owned by the Crown were designated as conservation reserves in 2002, which means that no new development can take place.

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Cottage Life

The surprising way woodstove ashes can help your forest

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Muskoka’s trees are famously colourful, but are not as strong or productive as they could be. The soil lacks calcium, a vital nutrient for growth, and an Ontario non-profit is working on a clever solution to fertilizing the soil: scattering recycled wood ash. 

“Calcium plays many of the same roles in trees as it does in humans,” says Norman Yan, a retired biology professor at York University. Yan is a board member of the Friends of the Muskoka Watershed, a not-for-profit group that is dedicated to researching and finding solutions to Muskoka’s environmental challenges. With their ASHMuskoka program, they hope to replenish the calcium deficient soils of the region in order to boost forest productivity.

Yan explains that in Eastern Canada, the Northeastern United States, and parts of Scandinavia, a history glacial retreat has towed much of the soil away, leaving behind low-calcium granite bedrock. “We’ve also had decades of acid rain. It took about a third, sometimes to a half, of the residual calcium away,” says Yan. He estimates that Muskoka soils have lost around half a ton of calcium per hectare, mostly due to acid rain.

Like in humans, calcium plays an important role in all kinds of physiological functions, from basic cellular processes to wound repair. Yan says that wood from trees that are deficient in calcium are actually 20-30 per cent weaker than their non-deficient counterparts, and the phenomenon of calcium-poor soils results in a condition called ecological osteoporosis.“The implications of that are lower photosynthesis, weaker wood, lower rates of oxygen production and sugar production, and weaker regeneration.”

To mitigate the calcium deficiency, the ASHMuskoka program is focused on research and sustainable solutions. Rather than importing limestone or dolomite to restore the lost calcium, the program proposes recycling wood ash from residential wood stoves. “Hundreds if not thousands of people out here heat with wood,” says Yan. “The ash that’s leftover is kind of a waste. It has more or less all the nutrients that the tree needs in the right proportions.” Except, he says, for nitrogen, which isn’t a concern because Muskoka soils already have plentiful amounts of that nutrient.

In the program’s study plots Yan and other researchers have already found that fertilizing forest stands increased calcium and potassium levels in foliage and dramatically improved calcium levels in root systems. “The most interesting result that we don’t quite understand yet is a dramatic increase in sap volume from sugar maples,” says Yan. In one experiment, some maple trees supplemented with wood ash doubled in sap flow.

12 little known facts about maple syrup

 The broader benefits of fertilizing forests with wood ash are multifold. For one, trees supplemented with wood ash transpire—or release water vapour through their leaves—25 per cent more than non-fertilized trees. The added water vapour in the atmosphere could influence the water cycle and mitigate the spring flooding issue the region often faces.

8 things every cottager can do to get ready for the next flood

Critically, boosted forest growth can be vital for capturing carbon dioxide from the Earth’s atmosphere. “This could make a real contribution to Canada’s goal to be carbon neutral by 2050 if we can roll out a program like this across the landscape,” says Yan. A study done in New Hampshire found that calcium-fertilized forests captured a ton more carbon dioxide per year per hectare.  

Now, the AshMuskoka program is looking to collaborate with logging companies that could oversee the widespread  implementation of wood ash fertilization. They’re also interested in raising awareness for recycling wood ash and involving the public in their project.

People interested in ASHMuskoka can contribute in several ways. For one the program is planning a citizen science project where property owners can volunteer some of their land as a study plot. ASHMuskoka also runs monthly wood ash drives where volunteers can drop off their ash at the Rosewarne Transfer Station in Bracebridge, Ont. Lastly, people that have groves of maples or other hardwoods can also sprinkle about a yoghurt container per square yard of wood ash in their forest stands. “You’ll see a real benefit for the health of your trees,” says Yan. Just be sure the ash is completely cold to eliminate any risk of starting a forest fire.

“If we look after our forests, our forests will look after us,” says Yan. “The forest could be a lot healthier in mitigating climate change and mitigating spring floods.”

 

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Cottage Life

A primer on cottage exchanges

Photo by ksenchik30/Shutterstock

You love your cottage and wouldn’t trade it for the world. Permanently, anyway. But do you ever wonder what it would be like to experience cottage life in some of the other part of the province, country, or world? If so, then perhaps you should consider a cottage exchange.

Before you go down that road, there are a couple of hurdles to clear. First off, you must be comfortable with the idea of strangers staying in your space. You’re free to change the linens and restrict guests from using certain items (more on that later) but know that swapping cottages means that someone else will be sleeping in your beds, using your cutlery, and so on.

You should also check with your insurance provider to see if they have any concerns or restrictions on sharing your cottage with strangers and make sure you’re covered for any liabilities. Some insurers won’t cover short-term rentals, for example, but may have a different policy if no money changes hands.

Types of cottage exchanges

The simplest form of exchange is a direct swap: you trade places with someone else at the same time for the same length of time.

The second option is an indirect swap. In this case, you exchange properties at different times. You might, for example, want someone’s cottage in winter that’s close to a ski hill, while they’re keen to explore the fall colours in your area.

Finally, some cottage exchange websites have points systems. You earn these from signing up with an exchange site, completing exchanges, by accepting points in lieu of a swap, or buying them from the exchange company. Once you’ve accumulated enough points, you can offer them without necessarily having to make your place available to someone else.

How to find someone to swap with

The easiest way to find a cottage exchange is to sign up with a home exchange company such as Love Home Swap or HomeExchange. Other than registration costs (Love Home Swap starts at $11 a month while HomeExchange is $150 for an annual membership) there are no other fees involved in arranging an exchange.

These sites and others like them list thousands of homes and cottages available around the world. Start by entering the location you’d like to visit, then peruse the detailed listingscomplete with multiple photos – to find what you’re looking for. Once you do, contact the owner through the site to see if they’re interested in a swap.

You could also take the DIY approach to tracking down someone to trade with. If there’s a particular area you’re interested in visiting, contact local cottagers’ associations to see if they’d be willing to share a message about your proposal for a swap with their members.

Another option is to post a message on social media. That’s how Andy Mullen found a cross-border swap during the 2020 Covid lockdown. Mullen, an American teacher with a Thousand Islands cottage on the Canadian side of the border didn’t want to be locked out of the area for the summer. So, he posted a request on a local Facebook group and arranged to swap with Canadian Phil Murdock whose family cottage was on one of the American islands.

Prep work

There are some preparations involved in exchanging a property. As part of the process of arranging an exchange, some people like to set up a video conference call to “meet” the people they’re exchanging with.

You also need to do some work to get your property ready for the exchange. Store away any fragile heirlooms and valuables for starters. If you think you’ll do this more than once, it might be worth investing in guest towels and linens to use for your guests.

A common practice in the property exchange world is to put together a package of information and rules for your guests about the house and local amenities and attractions—key information to include covers how to operate the heating and cooling systems and appliances. Photos with diagrams are useful in helping explain, say, how to adjust the flow and temperature on your multi-function shower.

And you might want to set rules on what can and can’t be used. Your insurer might also have restrictions on allowing guests to use powered watercraft.

You could also include a list of your favourite restaurants in town, the best places to shop, the location of the closest Beer Store or LCBO, and favourite trails to explore, along with local tourism maps and events calendars.

Finally, include instructions on cleanup and lockup procedures: Do you want your guests to strip the beds, or should they wash the bedding before leaving? And where should they leave the key?

Cottage (and home) exchanges are a great way to explore new areas and create new cottage memories. Happy swapping!

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Cottage Life

How much should I charge to rent out my cottage?

Photo by fizkes/Shutterstock

Over the past two years, the persistence of COVID-19 has laid many industries low, but the cottage rental market doesn’t appear to be one of them. Six months out from summer and desirable locations are already being booked, says J.T. Lowes from All-Season Cottage Rentals, a property management company that specializes in cottages.

“We take most of our summer bookings during January and February,” says Lowes. “Every year seems to get earlier and earlier. Bookings for this coming summer actually started to pick up late October, early November.”

Lowes admits that the cottage rental rush may wane slightly once COVID has abated and people feel comfortable travelling abroad again. But if you’re looking to make some ancillary income off your cottage, now is a great time to jump into the rental game. Before you throw a listing up onto booking sites though, there are a few details you need to consider:

How much to charge

There’s no magic formula for calculating how much to charge a guest. The fee will depend on a range of variables, says Lowes. “The size of the cottage; exposure; the lot—is it a hilly lot or is it a flat lot?; the waterfront—do you have a nice, sandy beach; is there a dock; does it have deep water for nice, clear, weed-free swimming?”

In Lowes’ experience, cottages with southern or western exposures tend to be more popular. But to nail down an exact figure, Lowes compares the cottage he’s managing to similar cottages in the market.

There is often a price pattern depending on the size of the cottage. “A two-bedroom cottage might rent from $1,200 to $1,400 a week up to $2,400 a week. Three-bedroom cottages would rent anywhere from $1,500 a week up to $3,000 a week. There’s a pretty big range for each size. And then that’s when all the other variables come in to figure out where within that range your cottage sits.”

Additional costs

Raking in $3,000 a week sounds great, but keep in mind there are costs associated with renting out a cottage. To start, most booking sites charge a fee to list. These are non-negotiable, says Lowes.

You also have to take into account the cost of cleaning, particularly during the age of COVID when guests are looking for fully sanitized rentals. Cleaning costs can be exacerbated if you host a guest who damages your property or throws a party and doesn’t clean up after themselves.

To mitigate these costs, Lowes suggests having guests sign a rental agreement and asking for a security deposit. The rental agreement outlines your rules, binding the guest to them when they sign. A security deposit helps cover the costs of any damages or parties. Plus, having extra money on the line should keep guest behaviour more accountable.

“Back in the day, the standard amount [for a security deposit] used to be $500. Today, $500 doesn’t go that far anymore,” says Lowes. “Most people are going to do $1,000–$2,000 security deposit, depending on the calibre of cottage.”

Property management companies

If you’re willing to forfeit a portion of your earnings to have the rental process handled for you, a property management company is a good option. On average, Lowes says a rental company will take a 20 per cent commission on each booking. But many rental companies will bring that commission down on a sliding scale based on the value of the property, he adds.

In exchange for the commission, the rental company helps you determine an appropriate amount to charge for your cottage and then handles all bookings and guest communication. This often includes marketing your property to a wider viewership rather than relying on your listing to get noticed on a booking site. Many rental companies will also coordinate cleaning services for you.

“If you want to have somebody else take care of all the details to make the rental process smooth and easy,” says Lowes, “I’d recommend going with a rental company. We essentially would take everything that has to do with the guests off of the cottage owner’s plate.”

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Cottage Life

How to fully embrace the lake at your next cottage rental

A weekend at the lake is the perfect way to unwind with friends and family. But with a little planning, a long weekend at a Vrbo cottage rental can become the ultimate source of lifelong memories for everyone who joins you. So whether you’re sharing a rental with seasoned cottagers or lakefront rookies, these tips will ensure everyone gets the most out of their time at the lake.

Bring your own outdoor games

The ideal cottage rental will have a well-stocked games cupboard for rainy days, and you might find some pool noodles or a web-laden badminton set in the boathouse. But if you want to keep your crew happy outdoors, we recommend bringing some classic cottage games like ladder toss and corn hole. Even better, you can easily build those games yourself—they’re the perfect family DIY project.

Know your priorities

The perfect cottage experience is more than just barbecued steaks and drinks on the dock. It’s the little things you might not think about that can make or break the perfect family weekend. For instance, do you want to have the perfect view? That means you might end up at an elevated cottage with a precipitous walk down to the water. Do you crave privacy, or would you rather be nestled in an active cottage community? And what about swimming? Do you want to be able to jump off the dock, or are you bringing young kids who’d rather splash around in sandy shallows? Either way, you’ll be able to specify the perfect swimming experience for your family through Vrbo’s cottage-rental filters.

Focus on accessible water toys

Even if you have access to serious lake toys like personal watercraft or waterskis, skimming along the lake at high speeds isn’t everyone’s cup of tea. If you’re looking at rental options for a group at the lake, focus on more accessible water toys like tubes, kayaks, canoes, and standup paddleboards. That way, everyone will have a chance to dip their toes into the action.

Know what’s fair game

If you’re renting a cottage, it’s fun to zoom in on every photo and analyze the amenities. But just because it’s in the photo doesn’t mean you’ll have access to it. If you see an overturned canoe near the water, a paddleboat moored to the dock, or a pair of kayaks perched on the boathouse wall, be sure to ask your host-to-be if they’re fair game. Otherwise, you might find yourself at the lake without a paddle.

Sunrise or sunset?

Are you a sunrise person? Or are sunsets more your thing? You might love both, but unless you founded a Silicon Valley startup, a cottage that spans both sides of the lake might not be in the cards. That means you’ll have to choose whether you want the sun to rise or set over the water—and not everyone in your family might agree. Pro tip: if you love sunsets, a hillside cottage at the Eastern edge of a lake lets you walk down to the water and enjoy it even longer.

Don’t waste a minute

If you’re on a tight schedule back in the city, you might be tempted to spend your weekend at the cottage waking up when the sun is high and lazing your way through a leisurely breakfast. While that sounds like heaven, it can’t hold a candle to getting up before the kids and paddling around a silent lake with a travel mug of good coffee as the mist rolls off the water. Sure, the cottage is about doing things together, but sometimes it’s those quiet moments spent alone that make the “together” all the more meaningful.

Book well in advance

If you think searching for a summer rental the Monday before a long weekend is going to score you a coveted cottage, think again. By the time February rolls around, a lot of cottages are booked. So to find the best spot for creating family memories this season, start searching for week-long rentals well in advance. That said, if you’re behind the buzzer, you can still find great short-term rentals if you’re flexible with your schedule and willing to spend a shorter time at the lake.

Use a trusted source

With cottage-rental scams making waves in Canadian lakefront communities, it’s more important than ever to rent from a trusted source—which means that bigger is better. When you’re searching for the perfect cottage rental, stick with a trusted partner like Vrbo, which has an endless array of verified rentals in beautiful cottage communities throughout Canada.

Looking to make memories with your family at a cottage this season? Find a rental that’s perfect for you with the help of Vrbo.

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Cottage Life

How to get rid of carpenter ants at your cottage

If you’ve spotted carpenter ants inside your home or cottage recently, it might be a sign that there’s an infestation. Unfortunately, ants sighted during the winter months are likely nesting in your wall voids or hollow doors, so they’re not just temporary visitors from the garden. 

Besides being a nuisance, carpenter ants can also cause serious damage to your property. Here’s how you can get rid of this common pest and prevent future infestations. 

What are they?

In Canada, you’ll typically find black carpenter ants and red carpenter ants; both have dark brown or black bodies, but red carpenter ants have a reddish-brown thorax and head. Ranging from a quarter-inch to one inch long, they’re visibly larger than the average field or pavement ant. They have bent antennae and narrow waists, and reproductive carpenter ants are winged. 

What do they eat?

Unlike termites, carpenter ants don’t actually eat wood. But they will burrow into dead or damp wood to dig tunnels (also referred to as galleries) and nest, weakening structures and leaving telltale piles of sawdust in their wake. Carpenter ants are omnivores, and they’ll eat plant matter, a sugary aphid secretion called “honeydew,” insects, fruit, and any garbage or food that’s lying around. 

Where do they like to hide?

Carpenter ants are drawn to damp, damaged wood—outdoors, you may find them nesting in tree stumps, decaying trees, and logs. Wooden decks and fences are other common outdoor targets. 

Indoors, once they’ve found their way into your cottage, these ants will seek out wood that has been exposed to moisture, setting up a smaller “satellite” colony in your attic, walls, doors, and floors—signs of damaged woodwork and small sawdust-like piles can help you locate and identify a carpenter ant nest inside your property. 

What kind of damage can they cause?

Carpenter ants may bite you in self-defence, and none of us want an army of ants in our kitchen, but the biggest threat is that, over time, an indoor colony could cause serious damage to your cottage by tunneling through structural wood. 

How can you get rid of them?

To get rid of carpenter ants, start with a direct treatment. Raid Ant Roach & Earwig Insect Killer 2 is a spray that works on contact and can be used indoors. A bait system like Raid Max Double Control Ant Baits 2 can also help you address the infestation, and it’s an especially good choice if you can’t locate the nest. 

Once you’ve dealt with the indoor pests, address the outside parent colony and work to discourage new visitors. There are many ways that carpenter ants can get into your cottage, and it’s important to seal any holes or cracks in or around doors, windows, foundations, and exterior walls. Be careful when bringing firewood indoors, store log piles away from your outside walls, and cut back any tree branches that are touching your buildings. 

Finally, address any damp areas or water leaks inside your cottage, making sure you’re storing food in airtight containers and regularly cleaning up any crumbs or food sources that might attract ants.

 

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Cottage Life

Wild Profile: Meet the ptarmigan

By Carrie Olson/Shutterstock

Think of the ptarmigan as a kind of winter-hardy chicken. The alpine-dwelling bird, part of the grouse family, has feathered feet, the better for walking on snow, and plumage well-adapted to keeping it camouflaged year-round. North America has three species of ptarmigan (taar-muh-gnn): the rock ptarmigan, the willow ptarmigan, and the white-tailed ptarmigan (pictured). They’re all chunky-bodied, with short tails, legs, and wings.

What’s unique about this bird?

In winter, all three species are nearly snow white. Unlike other birds, they go through three plumage changes during the year. (Other species typically have only breeding plumage in spring and summer, and their drabber, non-breeding colours come winter.) As the snow starts to melt, ptarmigans begin to moult their white feathers into a barred pattern, starting from the head and progressing towards the tail. By mid-summer, males and females look nearly identical. Then, as the summer turns to fall, both turn more and more grey. The process is barely complete before the birds begin moulting back to white again.

How do they survive winter?

Winter is a lean time for the ptarmigan. Food sources are low, and the birds are limited to the few plants growing above the snow—they eat the seeds, buds, and twigs of low shrubs. Willow ptarmigans, in particular, are very good at balancing on spindly branches of higher shrubs to get at the catkins and other goodies. The rock ptarmigan, on the other hand, prefers to scratch down into the snow to get at buried vegetation such as purple saxifrage. This avian is also smart enough to take advantage of the craters dug by caribou and muskoxen. Interestingly, research shows that each ptarmigan species has evolved a slightly different bill size and shape to allow it to successfully feed through the winter.

But can they fly?

In the spring, ptarmigan chicks hatch in their shallow nests; it can take an entire day for a baby to break out of its shell. Then, it eats its own yolk sac for protein. Uh, yum? Within a few days, chicks can scurry, mouse-like, along the ground. By the time they’re a week old, they can fly—though they’re very clumsy. They get better at it, of course. (Less chicken-like.) Flying skills become especially important for our northern-dwelling adult rock ptarmigans. Some migrate as far as 800 km in a year, making them the most nomadic of the grouse species.

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Cottage Life

U-Haul names North Bay Canada’s top growth city for second consecutive year

Photo by Lester Balajadia/Shutterstock

Considering a move? North Bay may be your best bet. For the second year in a row, the city of 51,000 nabbed Canada’s top spot for population growth on rental company U-Haul’s Growth Index report.

The report looks at how many U-Haul trucks entered a city or province in a calendar year and compares it to how many left, taking the net gain. It then lists the top 25 cities in Canada and ranks each province in terms of population growth. This year’s report compiled data from over 2 million one-way U-Haul truck transactions.

According to the report, people moving to North Bay rose by 40 per cent compared to last year, while departures from the city also rose, sitting at 27 per cent. Overall, the report states that U-Haul customers accounted for 59.2 per cent of North Bay’s incoming traffic in 2021.

Two other Ontario cities followed closely behind North Bay, Belleville and Greater Sudbury. “At the start of the pandemic, we saw a mass exodus from Ontario to other provinces, particularly the Maritimes,” said Jake Spelic, U-Haul area district vice president of Eastern Canada, in the report. “People were in search of cheaper housing as they worked from home. As time has passed and things are shifting closer to normal, we are starting to see that trend reverse. Ontario is still the economic centre of Canada and offers a high quality of living, thousands of job opportunities, and attractive salaries.”

North Bay Mayor Al McDonald attributes his city’s population growth to a number of factors. “I think the secret’s out,” he said. “We started a ‘Move Up’ campaign targeting the GTA about three years ago, and I think people are starting to recognize that the city of North Bay is only a three-hour drive to Toronto. Plus, they’re starting to discover all the amenities and lifestyle that we offer, including being named one of the top 20 places in Canada to invest, as well as factors like our beaches, trails, arts and culture, restaurants, breweries, affordable housing, and space.”

Since McDonald was elected mayor in 2010, he’s prioritized economic development and population growth, balancing these commitments with maintaining the city’s outdoor spaces. The result has been a growth in job opportunities and a community with an abundance of recreational activities.

Plus, McDonald added, North Bay has one of the strongest internet connections in the country. “Last year, we were considered as having the fastest mobile network in Canada. Part of it is being driven because we have NORAD (North American Aerospace Defense Command) here. So, our internet infrastructure is extremely strong.”

Beyond listing Canada’s top 25 growth cities, the U-Haul report also looked at migration trends among provinces. In 2021, Alberta took the top spot with U-Haul customers accounting for 50.8 per cent of Alberta’s traffic inflow. Compared to last year, the province saw a 33 per cent increase in one-way U-Haul arrivals and a 29 per cent increase in departures.

“There are initiatives in Alberta that are creating more job opportunities and attracting residents,” said Naga Chennamsetty, U-Haul area district vice president of Western Canada, in the report. “In the last year, we have seen a lot of movement into Alberta. More communities are developing in and around major cities. Not only that, but the Canadian Rockies are so accessible to residents here, and they offer a variety of recreational activities.”

Calgary ranked as Alberta’s top migration city, sitting fifth on the list. Other Alberta cities to make the top 25 included Red Deer-Lacombe (8), Medicine Hat-Redcliff (15), and Airdrie (24).

Alberta was followed by British Columbia and Ontario, respectively.

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Cottage Life

A simple modification guaranteed to make your Muskoka chair more comfortable

Photo by Bradley Reinhardt

What could be more comfortable than lounging in a Muskoka chair? Answer: an upgraded Muskoka chair. The lumbar spine—your lower back—is often tested by the cottage lounger. By adding lumbar support to the flat backrest, you can bring your spine into its proper alignment. Better ergonomics can improve your breathing and circulation, as well as reduce spinal pressure and muscle stress. This all adds up to greater relaxation!

Curved strips fastened on top of the existing back slats will provide support for the spine. Any dry 2x lumber will work to create the supports—one support per slat. Make a pattern by drawing an arc on cardboard, using a compass set to a radius of 10″. Cut off a slice (a chord, technically) with an 8″ base. Trim 1/8″ from each end of the pattern; those sharply tapered ends will just chip off unevenly when you’re sawing and sanding.

To make supports that sit cleanly against the chair slats, you’ll need to saw or plane off the radiused corners on the lumber to leave sharp, square corners. Then cut the curve with a jigsaw (or a scrollsaw or bandsaw).

Using one of the offcuts as a curved sanding block, sand off any saw marks with 80-grit sandpaper, followed by 100-grit. And while you’re at it, lightly round over the long, curved edges. For the finish, I like Sansin ENS for outdoor furniture; it’s highly durable, quick-drying, and enviro-friendly. For longevity, finish the backs of the supports before attaching. If your upgrade is to a new Muskoka chair, you’ll want to finish the slat fronts too. 

Test-fit the supports before securing them permanently. Tape the supports in place, with the bottom edge 3″–5″ above the seat. Have different users sit to test the support position for comfort. Once the supports feel right, attach each from behind with two small stainless-steel screws. Then remove the tape and relax. Did someone say, “Cottage Kolsch time?”