12 www.georgianbay.ca GBA UPDATE Fall 2023 diving, and playing in the refreshing waters of Georgian Bay. After breakfast, guests gathered at the dock to meet with a fishing guide or climb into a canoe for adventure on the water. Davis and his wife used to greet guests personally as they disembarked from the steamships and made sure to give departing guests special attention on the dock, hoping that a stay at the hotel would create a summer tradition for them. Second World War and After (1939 - 1960s) By 1939, life in Pointe au Baril seemed the same, but there were signs that things were about to change. The area experienced a slowdown in its summer population, made worse by the effects of the ongoing war in Europe. Davis had successfully turned the Ojibway into a place most cottagers considered their own. So when he decided to retire in 1942, he offered the hotel to the islanders, intending that the Ojibway remain an essential part of the Pointe au Baril summer community. Shares were issued throughout the 1940s and 1950s to finance the hotel’s ongoing operations. But the islanders wanted the Ojibway to continue to be run as always. None of the investors expected to make any money. And they didn’t. After Davis sold the hotel, a series of managers were hired to run it, but the expenses of maintaining the buildings continued to rise. In the 1950s, demographics, transportation, and labour costs changed, making it difficult to attract visitors who wanted a relaxing, old-fashioned holiday like the one offered by the Ojibway. And although people could easily get to and from Pointe au Baril for the weekend, the long and unhurried vacations Davis had built his hotel’s success on had become as outdated as steamer trunks, linen suits, and long dresses. The cost of upkeep remained high, but the Ojibway continued to operate thanks to the generosity of the cottagers. Harry MacLennan had managed the King Edward in Toronto, and his 21-year-old daughter, Sondra, was the Ojibway’s manager. She threw herself into the task of returning the beloved hotel to its glory days, assisted by the enthusiasm of her youthful employees. Sondra developed a firm but friendly working relationship with her employees, some of whom were only a few months younger than she was. The Ojibway once again experienced a few years of prosperity, but as heartfelt as the dedication of the MacLennan family was, it became increasingly difficult to make the dollars and cents add up. People wanted a different kind of holiday, and by the end of the 1950s it was apparent that the days of the Ojibway were numbered. The hotel stopped taking overnight guests in the late 1960s. The Township of the Archipelago approved a bylaw in 2001 recognizing the hotel’s historical significance, and the Ojibway Historical Preservation Society (OHPS) was established. The OHPS signed a 99-year lease with The Ojibway Club to restore the historical elements of the hotel, designated buildings, and island features to their original condition. The Ojibway has never been more active than it is now: its members maintain the club and enjoy access to tennis courts, while a day camp for children gives them a chance to learn to sail, canoe, swim, play tennis, do archery and more. Numerous social events occur during the summer, such as art shows, dances, weekly dinners, and a semi-annual auction. And yet, it is somehow impossible to walk around its grounds or sit on its veranda without contemplating its past. Harry MacLennan introduced a bright red refrigerator truck that delivered fresh produce from St. Lawrence Market in Toronto to Ojibway twice a week. The insulated container was unloaded at the Pointe au Baril Station, craned onto a barge and then towed by Evoy’s Taxi Service out to the island. It was a fixture at the Ojibway dock for many years – almost as much of a landmark as Claude Bragdon’s tower (pictured). Heritage continued from page 11 Source: Ojibway Historical Preservation Society
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