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August 22, 2008

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Corrections, additions or suggestions for this historical timeline are more than welcome and should be sent to the Webmaster.

• 40th Toronto Troop under Scoutmaster Syd Young, started to build the totem pole which was know as "Sydney Joe". It was finished in 1951 and stood by the north wall of Kennabi Lodge. It was relocated by the gate from the parking area to the main dock area until it disintegrated in 1995.
• Staff hired for the summer were Ed Gawley, Programme Director ($25/week); Ross Mitchell, Trucks, transportation, quartermaster ($150); Jim Bruce, Stores equipment, hikes and expeditions ($150), Allan Moore (47-54), Service Scout, water transportation and handyman ($150); Don Moore, Service Scout, Handman, garbage, visitor's guide ($75 and trading post privileges); Bill Wilson (54-57?), camp handyman on development work. [Minutes-May/50] 
• New hike/canoe route from Kennabi Lake to Wilberforce by way of Yankton and Grace Lakes was opened by the 152nd Troop and the 93rd Troop and Crew. [Program Directors Report-1950] 
• Birch Point and Chippewa Point campsites were in use by this summer according to the Programme Director's report. Skippers meetings were held on Turtle Island since it was in view of all campsites then in use except Chippewa! Water regattas were held once a week when there was demand for them. [Program Directors Report-1950] 
• The first composite program with 26 boys was operated under the leadership of Robert Hartog. They won first prize in their category in the Rotary Carnival Parade. {Minutes-Nov 1/60] 

• Forty-six troops held long-term camps at HSR (723 campers for 6,117 camper days.)
• Building of the first Boat House (20' x 40') was started by Bill Wilson of Dorset, mainly for storage of boats. 
• A system of log slips was built at the main HQ dock to provide a safe and orderly accommodation for staff boats. 
• Ladies Auxiliaries donated a Peterborough boat and "fast" 10 HP Johnston motor.
• Mill Valley Manor moved down to the Camp HQ (west end) and rehabilitated into a three room staff cabin. It had been the office and residence of the mill manager.
• Bunky Cabin was built for the Administrator/Program Director. It was first located in the swamp where the Snack Shack is today. 
• Another room was added to JC Moore's Cabin. 
• Staff feeding centralized in Kennabi Lodge and a cook, Mrs. T. Wells was hired for the first time. 
• Camp telephone system installed between Camp HQ and several sites on the north shore with the assistance of Mr. Robert H. Saunders, Chairman of H.E.P.C. (and former Mayor of Toronto) and Mr. Keith McKim, Assistant Area Commissioner (Rovers) - North Toronto. 
• Three Queen boats were reconditioned, repainted and equipped with safety tanks.
• Regatta Day is the only regular, combined troop activity organized by the staff. It was held on Thursdays at 1:00 pm at Big Bear Point. 
• Program lessons offered by the camp staff included canoeing, boating, swimming and water safety. 
• For the fourth year, Camp Kennabi gained first prize in the Haliburton Rotary Club Carnival Parade where 152 Scouts took part including the 101st Toronto, 2nd Barrington, a troop from Rhode Island and the 25th Hamilton Sea Scouts. 
• A gasoline operated water pump system and triple sinks were installed in the Rotary Hub and a large veranda was built across the complete face of the building.
• A large look-out tower, about 50 ft high was built adjacent to the Rotary Hub with three observation platforms and ladders and is equipped with a large 400lb bell donated by the 101st Toronto Troop, in memory of a Scout who died as a result of an epileptic seizure while canoeing. 
• The first guest sites on the north shore of Kennabi Lake within easy distance of camp HQ, were cleared and equipped with four tent platforms. 
• Three rooms in Kennabi Lodge, Lakeview, Donallan and Ohbachee (later Driftwood) cabins were lined with insulating board. [Ohbachee was so named as the first camp ranger, Bill Wilson's favorite expression was "O By Gee!" to most comments on a given subject.] 
• Camp Kennabi Staff included George Jones and George Kerr as Deputy Camp Chiefs, Ross Mitchell, Don and Allan Moore, Ken Jorgensen (stores and equipment), Peter Trant (program), and Bruce Currie (spare truck driver and general handyman), Bob Jones (Tuck Boat) and Rene Marmoreo (handyman). 
• East Bay Point campsite was opened by the 197th Toronto Troop. Ojibway Rock was opened by the 133rd Toronto Troop under Harry Bruce. Loon Island was opened for camping by Syd and Dory Young of the 40th Toronto. Indian Point, named because of the remains of an old Indian birch bark canoe which Scouts of the 40th Toronto troop found when they first camped there. Little Lithuania, an island in Mud Bay, is the favourite new site of members of the 226th Toronto Lithuanian Crew. Several other small Patrol sites were opened up on Doe Island and other spots on the lake. 

• A new "Camp Kennabi Trail Routes" was prepared. [Minutes-May 6/52]
• 58 long term camps (1,853 campers for 10,420 camper days) Of these 9 were out of town groups. 
• Pow Wow Lodge (used for emergency accommodation or wet weather activity) was improved with the completion of a massive stone fireplace and the installation of a stove and additional windows. 
• Guest and Hurst cabins were built.
• Pioneer Cabin built.
• Nature Museum cabin (later Northern Lights) built.
• Roads were opened up and improved to give access to camps along the north shore of Kennabi Lake; to Lost Lake and Big Bear Point; to the Drag River; and to Hollen Lake. This last road was extended to within a short distance of Hurst Lake and gave access to our own gravel pit. 
• A trail was blazed from the north east corner of Hollen Lake to the top of Beaver Lake and through to North Lake. 
• Fifteen troop campsites have been developed on Kennabi Lake. 
• At least two skiffs (more when available) were allocated to each troop. Additional boats were allocated as required. Canoes were loaned one day per week for program instruction. 
• Bathing and swimming periods are conducted on a unit basis in buoyed swim areas at each campsite. 
• The 152nd Troop under Dr. Jim Anderson, opened up a new canoe route via Yankton and Grace Lakes to Farquhar Lake. 
• A Silver Arrow Course was held at Big Bear Point. As part of their activity they started clearing a training site on Lost Lake. 
• Junior Board of Trade (J.C's) donated second staff boat "Jaycee II".
• Staff included J.C. Moore, George Jones, George Kerr, Larry Whitehorn, Landon Spencer, Ross Mitchell, Don and Al Moore, Jim McMurray, Bob Jones and Mrs. Hardman.

• 40 long term camping troops (The decrease was attributed to the 2nd Canadian Jamboree.)
• George Kerr, Field Commissioner, served as Camp Director of Camp Kennabi due to J.C. Moore being ill. 

• The dining hall area of the Hub was built with financial support from the Atkinson Foundation under the supervision of Cec Elliott, Rover Scout Leader of the 86th Toronto. 
• (?) Chef's Chalet built just north east of the Hub Kitchen as accommodation for cook.
• Composite program re-started with 30 campers on Doe Island also with funding from the Atkinson Foundation. 
• H-Hut built east of Chef's Chalet. 
• Hilltop Cabin built for Waterfront Staff and located above the Hub (where the Long Drop and showers are now) 
• Lookout Lodge built as the composite Camp Director's accommodation (It later became the cabin used by the doctors and their families.) 
• A ground fire was discovered on the top of Pikes Peak on August 15th and was not officially declared out until September 1st. Lands and Forest workers were sent in to assist and estimated that 4 4/5ths acres were burned.

• Camp Kennaway (composite program) averaged just under 100 per week and ran Wednesday to Wednesday periods. 
• Bob Hunt was Camp Kennaway Director. 
• A one-ton jeep had been purchased the previous winter. 
• Camp committee discussed providing facilities for Cub Camping at Haliburton. 
• Radioactive showings were found at camp and Hllet Explorations indicated an interest in further explorations and diamond drilling. 
• The Ministry of Lands and Forests were doing a timber cruise which indicated millions of feet of commercial timber which should be cut or be lost. An estimated 1,000,000 board feet of pine was noted in an accessible area near Hurst Lake. 
• The east shore of Kennabi Lake was still leased from Wilberforce lumber for $1.00 per year. 

• Trading Post was started. Prior to this a "tuck" boat went around to each site until too many Scouters complained about the easy access to junk food.
• Staff Cabin (now the Ranger/Director's Cabin) was built by staff members using dead heads from Kennabi Lake, under the direction of Mr. Gordon Keeber who was then the District Commissioner of Willowvale District, Toronto Northwest Area. 

• Hurst Lake dedicated in the memory of Frederick C. Hurst, Chairman of the Camping Committee during the purchase and development of HSR. 
• Camp Kennabi had 67 troops with 1194 campers for 10911 camper days; Camp Kennaway (composite) had 568 campers for 8,351 camper days. 
• Camp Kennabi again won 1st prize for the best boys and girls camp, and Silver cup for the best float, at the Rotary Carnival parade. 

1957

• In October, Scouting makes the first expansion to the HSR property by purchasing about 475 acres of the east end of Kennabi Lake described as (see parcel #2 on the map below):
  • Concession 5, N 1/2, lot 26
  • Concession 5 n 1/4, lot 27
  • Concession 6, lots 26 to 28
  • Concession 7, S 1/2, lots 26 and 27

  

• This was a record year with ninety registered long term camps and many short term and weekend camps, totalling 2,779 campers for 16,630 camper days (excluding the composite program.) 26 troops attended during the first week in August. 80% of troops were from the newly formed Greater Toronto Region and 20% from outside GTR. 
• Bob Dodds was Deputy Camp Chief to J.C. Moore. 
• The main camp road and the roads to Lost and Hurst Lakes were considerably improved and in near the end of the summer, a near trail was bulldozed from Hollen to Scraggle (later Moore) Lake to open new camping areas for use.
• The 3rd Etobicoke Troop held a successful pioneering camp on Lost Lake opening up patrol sites and constructing rustic shelters. 
• A successful Silver Arrowhead (leadership) Course was held at Hurst Lake. 
• Two Rover Moots were held at camp: A GTR Moot held at the mill site on the Civic holiday weekend with over 100 Rovers in attendance; and a Provincial Moot on the composite troop site on Labour day weekend with 386 Rovers present.
• Due to the end of funding from the Atkinson Foundation Grant, the Camp Kennaway (composite) fees increased from $14 to $22 per week. Despite this 328 campers attended (two weeks each) for 4,592 camper days. Don McLean was Camp Kennaway Director.

• The first steel barge was bought in Owen Sound for $2,500. 

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