Member Association Page - Madawaska Club

Madawaska Club at Go Home Bay:

Cottaging in the Go Home Bay area began in 1898 when The Madawaska Club was formed by a group associated with the University of Toronto who were interested in combining scientific research with recreation. The name was chosen because they originally hoped to acquire land along the Madawaska River south of Algonquin Park. Early activities focused around a clubhouse and research station, but over the next few decades members spread out and established private cottages, many of which still exist in their original format. For almost 100 years cottaging in the Go Home Bay area was restricted to people associated with the University of Toronto under the terms of the original Charter, but that restriction is gone and now all cottagers from The Hangdog to Indian Harbour are welcome to join The Madawaska Club at Go Home Bay. Many of the area cottagers are also shareholders in The Madawaska Club Limited which owns over 1600 acres of undeveloped land in the Go Home Bay area.

Local Issues and Projects

Cottagers in the Go Home Bay area share most of the GBA’s environmental concerns such as water levels, water quality and boating issues.

The Madawaska Club Limited manages its lands according to a Management Plan approved under The Managed Forest Tax Incentive Program. Goals for the land, and policies on its use are articulated in the plan.
The Madawaska Club Limited has recently worked on behalf of all property owners in the Go Home Bay area to develop a Community Plan that can be incorporated into municipal planning documents so that the character of the area is not detrimentally impacted by future development. Specific controls have been approved by the Township of Georgian Bay and the District of Muskoka and are included in the Zoning By-Law and Official Plan.

The Madawaska Club at Go Home Bay

Key Executive 2007 Officers

Peter Foulds – President
Michael Proctor – Treasurer

Sheila MacFeeters – Secretary
352 Deloraine Ave
Toronto, ON M5M 2B6

Location

The Madawaska Club at Go Home Bay stretches from The Hangdog Channel out of Cognashene in the south to Indian Harbour in the north, and inland along the Go Home River to the portage that separates Go Home Lake from Georgian Bay. Access is by water only, from marinas in Honey Harbour or from King Bay Marina off the Twelve Mile Bay Road.