Sparrow Beach Lodge

Painting Sinks – Time to Wash Up!

October 28, 2012 By Michelle Hendry

This is my third sink painting and if I am allowed to have my way, there will be more. Each one is different and I have learned that because we sink lovers are few and far between, all but the first one I painted are on smaller canvases. And they all seem to end up leaning to the pink. This one isn’t really, but the light quality in the room offered a touch of it, so who am I to argue with a century of pink bathrooms? The original one at my family cottage was pink. My grandmother decorated them. Every bathroom my grandfather built for her was pink. Clearly, Frank Cooper’s mother had something in common with my grandmother. (below – Cooper’s Bathroom Sink © 2010 Michelle Basic Hendry)

The sink above is from the Sparrow Beach Lodge, but I did take liberties with the background colour, so I have not played up the relationship. I suppose the owners might recognize their soap dish? Unlike the other sinks, this one is still actively in use by the Rodak family. This sink is on the main floor of the castle of Sparrow Lake.

Sparrow Beach Lodge – Muskoka

December 2, 2010 By Michelle Hendry

Every so often, I have the privilege of visiting a place that seems frozen in time, where the voices of guests still echo through the halls and the warmth of summer memories never seem to fade.

Originally named the Vanomi Hotel, Sparrow Beach Lodge is a privately owned 100 year old resort that has only recently closed its doors. From vacationing fishermen, to an escape from the smogs industrial America for businessmen and their families; to a comfortable retreat for young musicians, Sparrow Beach Lodge has long been the grand lady of the northern part of Sparrow Lake in the most southerly part of Muskoka. It now serves as a private retreat for the family and their guests.

It was almost exactly a year ago that I posted my fantasy of visiting this ‘castle’ on the point (See “Sparrow Lake Castle“). It was a cool and sunny autumn day when I finally had my chance. I asked my friend, Bev McMullen to accompany me and the two of us met Walentina and Taras. Walentina was wonderful and enthusiastic host and was caught up in our excitement about seeing the lodge. Waletina ran the hotel after purchasing it from Stanley Socha and his wife in the 1970’s. (See “Chance Meeting“) Our visit began with a quick tour of the hotel that acquainted us with the different sections, floors and rooms. Some of the rooms were used for storage – rooms of sinks, laundry and one room was filled with beautiful, old and slightly tarnished bed frames.

Given permission to wander the hotel, I spent most of my time on the top two floors. The second floor was set up for guests. There were several rooms on each side of the hall and on two wings. Each room had a bed, a dresser a chair and a porcelain sink. Toilets and baths were at the end of the hall and opposite each other. The golden light of the sun came through the gauzy curtains on the lakeside of the building, illuminating the teal colour of the walls which cooled it ever so slightly. On a warm summer day the walls would have the effect of the ocean and a soft breeze was not difficult to imagine, in spite of the early October chill that came with the reality of the day. Where teals and pinks were found in the rooms facing the southern lakeside, yellow paint covered the doors on the landward side, as if to balance out the sun itself.

The solid wood staircases in this building were impressive. The wood barely showing the wear of 100 years of hands and children sneaking slides down the banisters. The windows flooded them with natural light that was warmed by the bare wood paneled walls. The entire building was wood, from the walls to the floors to the ceiling, some painted or stained, some not, giving the air on the second floor the smell of my grandmother’s hope chest.

The stairs ended on the third floor landing. French doors with delicately frosted glass and old brass hardware opened up to a massive hallway that was not fully closed in. Stanley had once told me that he did not like it up there and rarely ever went. Due to the prohibitive cost of insurance, the third floor was never used. It was colder than the lower floors and the walls were mostly unfinished. Three partially finished empty rooms waited at one end of the hall that perhaps, one time in the long ago past, may have been used to for staff. Old furniture and miscellaneous objects filled the remaining spaces making it a colossal attic.

After leaving the building, Bev and I were told about an old boat hull that sits on the other side of the point. The story goes that it was once owned by Walt Disney. All that remains is the metal hull, rusting with holes where rivets once split away from the weary weight of Muskoka snow. We wandered around it, stepped inside it and talked about our passion for the treasures and secrets that this place keeps.

Chance Meeting & Article

October 5, 2009 By Michelle Hendry

I delayed this post for a couple of reasons. I wanted to wait for a particular event and I needed some more time to finish a painting! The reason the painting was not done was because I decided to abandon the studio in favour of a ‘spur of the moment’ road trip on Thursday. Another Church in Muskoka is threatened with demolition. The tiny log church in Southwood is targeted by the Gravenhurst Council and since I had not yet been to visit, I thought I had better in case I might miss the chance.

Southwood Road is a very long rural road running from Severn Bridge to Torrance near Bala passing Sparrow and Morrison Lakes in southernmost Muskoka. I was discussing old buildings, the Southwood Church and resorts with Teresa at the Auburn Gallery (the owner of the actual door in the painting!) in Gravenhurst, when I picked up a copy of the Muskokan to find Bev McMullen‘s article on Sparrow Lake resorts. I glanced quickly at an intriguing picture of an old three story wood building that was once the Sparrow Beach Lodge. The article mentioned that it was privately owned and no longer open to the public. I lingered on the photo for no more than 10 seconds. I made the decision to make the drive to Southwood and get a little more familiar with the long rural road to it.

There are several rocky farms along Southwood Road, picturesque barns and the road follows the rails. Apparently, the reason the church does not face the road and faces away in the photograph is because it was attended by train. The railway, which is still in use, runs just about 40 feet on the other side of the trees. People would catch the train to attend because in the 1910 to 1930’s era, there was no Southwood road. I drove from the southern end at highway #11 for quite some time and was beginning to think I had missed the church.

One more corner… then one more… Still no sign of the church! Finally, I decided that I must have missed it and pulled into a driveway to turn around. As I was reversing to pull out, I saw a very old gentleman sitting in a chair at the other end of the driveway. I hesitated and then decided to ask him where the church might be. I shut off the engine and began to make my way up to the garage and there I met Stanley Socha.

Stanley told me that I had not gone far enough and that it was a few miles further yet. Somehow, we began talking and I learned that Stanley was 92 years old and was a Spitfire pilot in World War II. He was Polish by birth and had escaped Poland just ahead of Hitler and ended up flying in the Polish Squadrons of the RAF.

Mr. Socha also began to tell me about his house and the lady and her 50 cats who lived there before him. He used to commute to work to Cleveland, Ohio while his wife ran – you guessed it – the Sparrow Beach Lodge – for a few years in the 1970’s. He talked about the old building with its ancient furniture and three stories.

I didn’t like the top floor… If there was a fire there would be no way out! So I never stayed up there.

We spoke for a little longer and Stanley walked me back to my car. Before I left he gave me a little domed photograph – a souvenir from the Lodge. Inside the glass (yes glass!) dome was a photo of the Sparrow Beach Lodge in its heyday. The porch, the the docks and the two story house in behind the hotel were recorded in black and white with a flag flying.

Stanley told me that he took the second story off the house and made it into a guest cottage. He spoke of how beautiful the lights down to the water were. He and his wife, who passed away a few years ago, had stayed there many times before purchasing the hotel. I am not certain, but I was under the impression that they purchased the Lodge from the original family. The souvenir dated from before his time at the hotel, he said.

They came with the place!

I hope to speak with Mr. Socha again soon. I think that spur of the moment trip was one of those coincidences that prove that some things are much more than coincidence!

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The October 2009 issue of Muskoka Magazine has hit the stands and ‘yours truly’ is featured. Thanks to Dale Peacock for writing such a wonderful article and Kelly Holinshead for her fabulous photographs – she can even make me look good! You can see her phenomenal work here. Finally, thanks to Melissa Kosowan (editor), your wonderful support means the world to this artist.

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And… I have delayed the Livingstone story once again! I am hoping to snag a new tidbit of info before I release it. I will be sharing the story and some other news in my newsletter coming out in a week. If you want to receive my newsletter (about 6 times a year) please sign up here.

Painting Sinks – Time to Wash Up!

Sparrow Beach Lodge – Muskoka

Chance Meeting & Article

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