Tag: Kawartha Lakes

Accessible cottages you can rent in Ontario

Post author By Cottage Life
Post date 20 June 2022

Photo by Blanca Bean/VRBO.com

Everyone—regardless of physical ability—should be able to enjoy time at the cottage. To promote cottaging for everyone, we have rounded up five Ontario cottage rentals that are accessible for different abilities. Also, check out these design features you can add to your own cottage to make it more accessible.

Large accessible wood deck with two Muskoka chairs, over looking Head Lake.

Photo by Natasha Tolub/VRBO.com

Kawartha Lakes Idyllic Escape

Cottage enclosed in trees with flat path to entrance.

Photo by Natasha Tolub/VRBO.com

Kawartha Lakes Idyllic Escape

Photo by Natasha Tolub/VRBO.com

Kawartha Lakes Idyllic Escape

Inside wooden cottage living room with couches and television

Photo by Natasha Tolub/VRBO.com

Kawartha Lakes Idyllic Escape

Accessible flat path from driveway to front door.

Photo by Natasha Tolub/VRBO.com

Kawartha Lakes Idyllic Escape

Located just under two hours from downtown Toronto, this cottage, located on Head Lake, is suited for people with limited mobility. While it is not fully accessible for a wheelchair, there is a flat path from the driveway to the front door.

Features:

All door handles have levers
Bathrooms and bedrooms are large enough to accommodate a walker
Stone path has railings on either side down to the lake

Location: Head Lake

Price: Averages $374 per night

Sleeps: 6

Bedrooms: 3

Notes:

Waterfront
Wireless internet
Heating
Fire pit
Fitness room and equipment
Canoe, kayak, and standup paddle boards
Parking

Click here to book

Large dining area and kitchen with wood floors.

Photo by Ahmic Lake Resort/VRBO.com

Ahmic Lake Resort’s Romantic Getaway

Wheelchair accessible bathroom and shower.

Photo by Ahmic Lake Resort/VRBO.com

Ahmic Lake Resort’s Romantic Getaway

Photo by Ahmic Lake Resort/VRBO.com

Ahmic Lake Resort’s Romantic Getaway

Cottage bedroom with bed and ceiling fan.

Photo by Ahmic Lake Resort/VRBO.com

Ahmic Lake Resort’s Romantic Getaway

Ahmic Lake Resort offers two one-bedroom wheelchair-accessible cottages. Both the Blue Jay and Loon cottages are equipped with ramps to the entrance, and a three-piece, wheelchair-accessible bathroom with a large shower and grab rails. The doorways are large enough for a wheelchair to pass through.

The Blue Jay cottage offers stunning views of the Almaguin Highlands and the Loon cottage has an extra special feature—a canopy hot tub. The resort is home to the Swiss Country House Restaurant, a wheelchair-accessible dining option. It has a ramp at the entrance, an automatic door, and an indoor ramp that leads to tables with a lake view.

Location: Almaguin Highlands

Price: Averages $210 per night

Sleeps: 2

Bedrooms: 1

Notes:

Lake views
Hot tub
Pull-out couch (for additional guests)
Children allowed
Pets allowed
Internet
Kayak, canoe, and boats available

Click here to book

Photo by Blanca Bean/VRBO.com

Family-friendly and wheelchair accessible cottage

Photo by Blanca Bean/VRBO.com

Family-friendly and wheelchair accessible cottage

Photo by Blanca Bean/VRBO.com

Family-friendly and wheelchair accessible cottage

Sunset dock with chairs along the waterfront.

Photo by Blanca Bean/VRBO.com

Family-friendly and wheelchair accessible cottage

White cottage with stone path, leading to a ramp.

Photo by Blanca Bean/VRBO.com

Family-friendly and wheelchair accessible cottage

Located on a small picturesque lake in Westport, this cottage has been purpose-built to be wheelchair accessible. It is currently undergoing renovations but will be available to rent in August of this year.

Features:

Ramp to the front door, deck, and lake.
Flat surface by firepit and waterfront
Elevated electrical outlets
Floors are free of thresholds
All doors are 36” in width, and are equipped with door handles.
The main bathroom includes a roll-in shower, wall-mounted sink, grab bars, and shower chair.
The kitchen has a roll-under kitchen island, drawers with handles, and an ADA-compliant basin.
Life track to the master bedroom
WaterWheels wheelchair and path to the shoreline

Location: Tay Valley, Ont.

Price: Averages $883 per night

Sleeps: 10

Bedrooms: 7

Notes:

Wheelchair accessible
High chair
Lakeview
Fire pit
Pets allowed
Internet
Kayak and canoe available
Parking

Click here to book

Photo by Roland/VRBO.com

Haus Roko Cottage

Photo by Roland/VRBO.com

Haus Roko Cottage

Photo by Roland/VRBO.com

Haus Roko Cottage

Wheelchair-accessible three-piece bathroom.

Photo by Roland/VRBO.com

Haus Roko Cottage

Log cottage dining room with wooden table and chairs.

Photo by Roland/VRBO.com

Haus Roko Cottage

Gorgeous Grand Bend sunset with yellow and orange skies.

Photo by Roland/VRBO.com

Haus Roko Cottage

This charming four-season, log cabin is wheelchair and stroller-accessible on both the main and lower floors. The main floor is accessible by a ramp and includes a wide door that leads directly into the main living and dining rooms. The upstairs bedrooms and bathrooms are not accessible by wheelchair. The lower level has three bedrooms and a bathroom with a large shower, equipped with a seat and railing, and can only be accessed through the outside patio.

Location: Grand Bend, Ont.

Price: Averages $395 per night

Sleeps: 10

Bedrooms: 5

Notes:

Wireless internet
Heating
Air conditioning
Fireplace
Pets allowed
Parking available
Fully-equipped kitchen

Click here to book

Photo by Kirill/VRBO.com

Waterfront Vacation Loft

Living room and kitchen with balcony doors.

Photo by Kirill/VRBO.com

Waterfront Vacation Loft

Patio furniture on third-floor balcony, looking over resort pool.

Photo by Kirill/VRBO.com

Waterfront Vacation Loft

Bedroom with queen-sized bed and large window.

Photo by Kirill/VRBO.com

Waterfront Vacation Loft

This four-season, waterfront condo is on the third floor and can be accessed by elevator. There are two bedrooms on the main floor and a third bedroom that can only be accessed by stairs. For those looking to explore Blue Mountain, Collingwood’s historic downtown and harbour, and Wasaga Beach, the Town of Collingwood has wheelchair-accessible buses with routes to the surrounding areas.

Location: Collingwood

Price: Averages $125 per night

Sleeps: 8

Bedrooms: 3

Notes:

Wireless internet
Air conditioning
Washer and dryer
Fireplace
Swimming pool
Patio
Gas barbecue
No pets allowed

Click here to book

Tags accessibility, accessible, beach, booking a rental, Collingwood, Kawartha Lakes, Limited Mobility, Muskoka, National AccessAbility Week, Ontario

Cottage Life

Your next summer cottage read: Cover Art by Vanessa Westermann

Post author By Cottage Life
Post date 10 June 2022

Photo courtesy Cormorant Books

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Cottage country, chocolate, and murder—what more do you need for a thrilling dockside read this summer? In her new mystery novel, Cover Art, Canadian author Vanessa Westermann offers up all three, packed with surprising twists and even a little romance.

A cottager herself, Westermann understands life at the lake, and says she tried to evoke a sense of escapism in Cover Art. “My brother and I grew up spending summers in the Kawarthas—eating s’mores around bonfires, diving off the dock, reading thrillers in Adirondack chairs, while watching canoes drift by,” says Westermann. “My own cottage life experiences are infused into the book’s sense of place.”

What’s it about?

Charley Scott, an aspiring artist with a love of hard-boiled crime fiction, quits her job in the city and heads to Oakcrest, a small lakeside town in the Kawartha lakes region, for the summer. Still processing his father’s recent passing, local chocolatier Matt Thorn is trying to piece together clues from his mother’s death eighteen years ago that his dad left behind. Matt and Charley keep running into each other—and flirtation ensues, of course. As Charley prepares to launch a pop-up gallery in town, she becomes increasingly entangled in the drama of the local residents. When one of them turns up dead by way of poisoned chocolate, everyone is a suspect—even Matt. Will Charley’s determination allow her to solve the crime in time to open her gallery?

Read an excerpt from Cover Art :

“It was murder,” Alex announced. The word pulsed shock waves across the table.

It was the first time one of them said it aloud, though they’d all been thinking it. Charley fought back a shiver.

She sat with Meghan and Alex on the patio of the Blue Heron B&B. They decided to stick to their plan and have dinner out, despite what happened last night. It was that or dig out the two frosted-over boxes of frozen pizza Meghan vaguely remembered buying. Tough choice.

The wrought iron chair was warm from the sun. The air thick with the scent of green herbs and smoke from the charcoal grill.

The restored Victorian farmhouse nestled between maple trees at the top of—well, more of an incline than a hill—just a short drive from Main Street. All around them, flowerpots overflowed with bright blooms. Mason jar lights dangled from wires. The flickering flames danced shadows over the face of the terracotta archer, kneeling between sage and lavender. Past all those green leaves around them, beyond the yellow and red flowering spikes of gladiolus, the lake gleamed, smooth as glass. A white sail flashed. In the distance, a great blue heron rose up from the shore. With slow wingbeats, it flew overhead.

The scene was idyllic. And deceptive. The peaceful lakeside village marred by murder.

Photo courtesy Cormorant Books

paperback book

Cover Art by Vanessa Westermann

Cover Art is a murder mystery set in the Kawartha Lakes region of Ontario cottage country. Follow along as Charley Scott, an aspiring artist, moves to the small town of Oakcrest for the summer to open a pop-up gallery. When one of the local residents turns up dead by way of poisoned chocolate, everyone is a suspect—even Matt Thorn, the charming chocolatier who has struck up a flirtation with Charley. Will Charley be able to solve the crime, in time to open her gallery?

Buy from Indigo

$24.95

Buy from Amazon

$24.70

Tags affiliate, books, canadian author, canadian book, cottage reads, cover art, Kawartha Lakes, paperback book, vanessa westermann

Cottage Life

Environment Canada reviewing alert system protocol after deadly wind storm

Post author By Cottage Life
Post date 1 June 2022

Photo by @JanetMiron1/Twitter.com

After a storm swept through Ontario and parts of Quebec killing 11 people, the efficacy of Canada’s emergency alert system is being called into question. When asked by reporters at the Global Platform for Disaster Risk Reduction if Canada’s emergency alert system is working as well as it could be, Bill Blair, Minister of Public Safety of Canada acknowledged that alerts should be sent out quicker, provide more detailed information, and be issued to all residents consistently. “The very simple and straightforward answer is no. I think there need to be improvements,” Blair said.

Many people took to social media to express their frustration with the alert system because they were caught off-guard by the storm either because the lead time between when the alert was issued and when the weather hit was short, or in some cases, they didn’t receive an alert at all.

Alert Ready is designed to send critical and potentially life-saving alerts so that people can make informed safety decisions. Alerts are sent through television, radio and LTE-connected wireless devices. The system was developed through collaborative efforts by federal and provincial governments, emergency management officials, Environment and Climate Change Canada, Pelmorex, broadcasting services and wireless service providers.

Trent University history professor Janet Miron says she did not receive an alert for her area. The night before, Miron saw the Weather Channel was forecasting rain and possible thunderstorms. While she did receive an alert for the Temagami region, which is several hours away, she did not receive one for Peterborough. “I need to receive alerts so that we can take appropriate action and seek shelter,” Miron explained. “I would much rather err on the side of caution in these cases. Those alerts are absolutely critical for safety, well-being, and life.”

During the storm, Miron was not able to reach her children, who were several kilometres away. “It was a very dangerous situation. I could not even contact them,” she says. “Even a five or 10 minute alert beforehand would have been enormously helpful,” she says.

After speaking with her neighbours, she learned that they also did not receive an alert. “It looked like a trauma scene [outside], where my neighbour, who is a nurse, attended to people with open fractures, and a seven-year-old boy who was struck by a falling tree.”

Environment Canada stated that a severe thunderstorm watch was issued at 1:09 p.m. and a severe thunderstorm warning was issued at 1:20 p.m. in the Kawartha Lakes region. The radar reveals that the storm reached the area approximately 15 to 20 minutes later. For the Ottawa region, the severe thunderstorm watch was issued at 11:19 a.m. and the severe thunderstorm warning was issued at 3:18 p.m. The storm touched down 15 to 20 minutes later. Details for other regions will differ.

According to Steven Flisfeder, a warning preparedness meteorologist with Environment and Climate Change Canada, “Environment Canada cannot control when the alert is received as dissemination depends on the network.” However, he says, “given some of the feedback that we have received, there’s going to be a review to see if there are any kind of changes that can or should be made.”

Out of the 11 people who were killed as a result of the storm, 10 were hit by falling trees including Joanne Labelle, 64, who was camping on a friend’s property, Chad Convery, 44, who was visiting a cottage, and Ian Fraser and Robert Hayami who were both golfing at the time. A woman, 51, drowned after the pontoon boat she was on capsized.

How do the alerts work?

Flisfeder explains that tornado alerts are sent any time a forecaster believes a tornado is in progress. For severe thunderstorms, alerts are sent out when winds reach 130 kilometres per hour or more, or if hail reaches seven centimetres in diameter or more.

Thresholds were determined based on, “climatology information across Canada, in conjunction with some building codes (to determine what certain structures could withstand). It was an engineering and climatology decision,” he says.

For thunderstorms specifically, Flisfeder recommends seeking shelter in the most stable environment, away from windows and having a reliable information source like a weather radio, as cell service is not always available. Further safety information can be found through Public Safety Canada.

It is also important to, “check the forecast on a regular basis,” he says.

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Tags Canada Alert Ready, deadly storm, Environment Canada, Kawartha Lakes, long-weekend storm, Minister Bill Blair, Ontario storm, Peterborough, Public Safety Canada, storm alert

Cottage Life

Waterfront cottage rentals in the Kawartha Lakes under $300 a night

Post author By Cottage Life
Post date 25 November 2021

Photos courtesy of VRBO

Photo courtesy of Tanya Stevens/VRBO

Balsam Lake cottage

Photo courtesy of Tanya Stevens/VRBO

Balsam Lake cottage

Photo courtesy of Tanya Stevens/VRBO

Balsam Lake cottage

Photo courtesy of Tanya Stevens/VRBO

Balsam Lake cottage

Photo courtesy of Tanya Stevens/VRBO

Balsam Lake cottage

Photo courtesy of Tanya Stevens/VRBO

Balsam Lake cottage

Photo courtesy of Tanya Stevens/VRBO

Balsam Lake cottage

Photo courtesy of Tanya Stevens/VRBO

Balsam Lake cottage

Photo courtesy of Tanya Stevens/VRBO

Balsam Lake cottage

Photo courtesy of Tanya Stevens/VRBO

Balsam Lake cottage

Photo courtesy of Tanya Stevens/VRBO

Balsam Lake cottage

Photo courtesy of Tanya Stevens/VRBO

Balsam Lake cottage

Photo courtesy of Tanya Stevens/VRBO

Balsam Lake cottage

Location: Balsam Lake

Price: Averages $250 per night

Sleeps: 8

Bedrooms: 3

Notes:

Canoe and kayak available for use
Laundry on site
Less than two hours from Toronto

Click here to book

Photo courtesy of Tiffany Wilbur/VRBO

Fenelon Falls river cottage

Photo courtesy of Tiffany Wilbur/VRBO

Fenelon Falls river cottage

Photo courtesy of Tiffany Wilbur/VRBO

Fenelon Falls river cottage

Photo courtesy of Tiffany Wilbur/VRBO

Fenelon Falls river cottage

Photo courtesy of Tiffany Wilbur/VRBO

Fenelon Falls river cottage

Photo courtesy of Tiffany Wilbur/VRBO

Fenelon Falls river cottage

Photo courtesy of Tiffany Wilbur/VRBO

Fenelon Falls river cottage

Photo courtesy of Tiffany Wilbur/VRBO

Fenelon Falls river cottage

Location: Fenelon Falls river

Price: Averages $275 per night

Sleeps: 8

Bedrooms: 2

Notes:

Canoe, kayak, and paddleboards available for use
Laundry on site
Air conditioning
Pets welcome