The Slack-Macpherson Family Have Arrived!

For 22 years now we have been Loyal to the Lake! In 2001, before we had a house or kids, we became cottage owners on Kawagama. Our 3 sons have spent all their summers on this beautiful lake (how lucky!) and now, Slack + 4 Macs are here year-round! We have always appreciated the Kawagama and Dorset community vibe and are stoked to say we live here, we work here, and we play here… 24-7.

In March 2021, we became the proud owners of Mountain Trout House Marina. We work hard to continue the MTH, tradition of providing exceptional service as we care for you and your boat(s). As water access cottagers, we understand the importance of a reliable and honest relationship with your marina. We see MTH as an important part of your lake experience and we look forward to servicing your vessels, pumping your gas, scooping your ice cream--and getting to know you.

Peace,
Vanessa and Bruce, Rory, Alex, & Angus

Bruce

After 31 years of a career in construction management with PCL, Bruce was ready for a change of scenery—especially when that change of scenery included Kawagama Lake (his happy place). ​

One of Bruce’s most memorable builds was the North Bay hospital; it created an opportunity for our family to move north and get a taste of life outside of the GTA—rocks, pines, lakes…and snowmobiling from our driveway! While living there, Bruce built a fishing hut which we kept on the ice in Callander Bay, Vanessa snowmobiled Angus to nursery school, and for 3 years we were blessed with a drive SOUTH on Highway #11 to the cottage (what a treat!).

Bruce is a Board Member of the Kids and Classics Boat Shop and part of the organizing team of the Starry Summer Night fundraiser for Moorelands Camp here on Kawagama.

Bruce loves windsurfing and waterskiing, cottage puttering, and boats of all shapes and sizes.

Vanessa

Vanessa was a high school teacher in Mississauga when Bruce and Vanessa married back in 1995. When their family was transferred to North Bay for the hospital build, Vanessa’s focus became their three little boys.

Vanessa pursued her graduate work (in Theological Studies) and has been gaining credentials and experience in psycho-spiritual care with an interest in grief/loss. Currently, Vanessa is the part-time Spiritual Care Coordinator for Muskoka Algonquin Health Care; she attends to patients, families and staff at the Bracebridge Hospital on Tuesdays and at the Huntsville Hospital on Wednesdays.

Sister Soulace, in partnership with Mountain Trout House, provides Sunday morning “SoulFit” yoga on the MTH dock in July and August. Vanessa continues to explore ways to integrate Sister Soulace at MTH and in the local community.

Vanessa loves reading, exercising, surfing with the family, and singing—preferably on Kawagama Lake.

Rory

Rory is a Heavy Equipment Techniques student at Fleming College in Lindsay. Rory loves big equipment—especially tractors!

Rory’s professional development serves the marina well since we run a couple of tractors here as part of our marina operations.

Rory loves to wake surf and get his hands dirty.

Alex

Alex is a Queen’s University student entering his second year. He is in pursuit of a B.A. and thus far, really enjoying uni life—both the socializing and the academic learning.

Alex enjoys meeting folks at MTH while pumping gas and scooping ice cream (his favourite flavour is Raspberry Lemon-Lime Sherbet).

Alex loves to waterski and hang out with our Silver Lab, Donzi.

Angus

Angus is heading into grade 12 at St. Dom’s in Bracebridge and is contemplating an additional year of high school in order to take a few more classes for pleasure (his parents are quite happy to have him around for an extra year!).

With an August birthday and summers on the lake, Angus‘s birthday ritual has always been birthday breakfast–ice cream at the marina.

Now that the Slack-Macpherson family owns Mountain Trout House, accessing a birthday ice cream treat requires only that Angus roll out of bed, head over to the ice cream trailer, and scoop his favourite (which changes daily). Not a bad perk!

Angus loves working with his hands (he is a burgeoning blacksmith with a forge on-site at the marina); he enjoys working out, and his favourite cottage past-time is wake surfing.

Donzi

Meet the four-legged member of the Slack-Macpherson family, our Silver Lab, Donzi.

Donzi was named after one of Bruce’s favourite boats, the Donzi Sweet 16.

Donzi is loving her life as the resident marina dog – – napping in the sunshine on the store deck in the summer and chasing snowmobiles in the winter.

Lucky dog!