Donald Teuma-Castelletti
NORWAY BAY Aug. 19, 2017
The Norway Bay Bristol Historical Society brought back a favourite event to the waterfront area, in order to correspond with the Canada 150 celebrations.
Showcasing six local cottages, the Norway Bay Cottage Tour 2017 welcomed guests for in-depth looks into private residences, where homeowners gave a bit of history on the structures.
THE EQUITY started off at 59 rue Strathcona, where Heather and Vaughn O’Regan kindly greeted the tourists. Purchasing the tiny, two-bedroom cottage about nine years ago, the couple has put a lot of work into expanding and redecorating the spot.

Adding an extension that looks to have doubled the living quarters, they also painted the unfinished wood interior a calming, cottage white. This small change required a fair bit of work, but compared to pictures of the old interior, has clearly revived and renewed life on the water there.
When deciding where to purchase a new cottage ten years ago, the O’Regans knew it had to be in Norway Bay.
“I’ve always been in the Bay and I had to stay,” said Heather. “I just wanted a new space.”
As for how they got involved in the tour, well she wasn’t about to turn down a favour for long-time friends.
“I’ve been here since I was two and been on plenty of [cottage tours],” said Heather. “So when they ask you, of course I said yes.”
Next up was just a couple of doors down, at 53 rue Strathcona. Here, an old-school cottage sits, cute as a button on an incline, overlooking the water. Inside, tonnes of trinkets and vintage cottage collectables adorn the walls, from antlers to the owner’s own photography.
Bonnie Brayne welcomed guests here, showing off her cottage, and it’s history, with pride.
“It was brought here by my grandfather,” said Brayne. “It used to be on the 148.”
In 1929, her grandfather David McCredie purchased the building for $100. Then, he and his brothers took apart the place, numbered the logs and rebuilt it on the current location.
“I’m third generation with it, inheriting it from my father,” said Brayne.
Inside she’s kept the cottage maintained perfectly, doing a lot of repairs to the stairways and painting on her own. Outdoors, she even has a beautiful deck and dock to enjoy the water from, in between doing all of her own landscaping and decorating.
From here, there was a quick jaunt over to 20 rue Graham, another cottage that started small but has grown to twice its size. As well, it’s also played host to many a generation of the current owners.
“My grandchildren are the sixth generation in here,” said Bruce Brady, the cottage owner.
The cottage has been in his family since 1883, when it was first built by his great-grandparents. Since then it has seen some serious upgrades and changes, though Brady only slightly remembers some of the advancements from his childhood.
“I just barely remember a guy delivering ice for the ice box,” he said. “In my lifetime there’s always been an indoor toilet.”
Bigger modifications came in the 70’s, when the living room were extended 16 feet.
Inside, a small, humble kitchen sheds light on how it used to look. Rooms were cramped, and the extension became obviously necessary as the generations grew.
“Since 1949 I spent all my summers here,” said Brady.
The next cottage was further down River Road, to the Dunn-Roamin cottage.
“This cottage is as it was built,” said Barbara Lynn Arseneault, one of the current owners.
With the land first purchased by her grandmother, her grandfather was pushed to build the cottage in 1949. Soon after, a veranda followed in 1955 and the cottage has been bursting with people ever since.
“As a family we were three kids, and there were two bedrooms,” she said. “Guess how that worked out.”
“It was always a place to come eat, sleep and get booted out the door,” laughed Arseneault. “We were told to not come back till there was food prepared.”
She also shared a story of how her mother always loved to entertain, hosting friends and neighbours for meals at a table that could be seen from the street. Well, one night, with the table packed and everyone enjoying their meal, a man was strolling up and down River Road, glancing over. Finally, he approached the home and asked if it were a restaurant where he could join to eat.
“We have our houses, but this is home,” concluded Arseneault.
Way far down River Road, up a longer driveway, sat a modern cottage, not even five years old yet. Built in the fall of 2012, 79 River Road was designed to house many stages of life, from children through retirement, according to the owners Peter MacKechnie and his wife Anik Bedard.
Outfitted with a concrete floor and radiant, in-floor heating, the place looks and feels prepared for just about any kind of weather to storm through. Built above the 100-year flood line and boasting a view of the river from almost every single room, it also features 107 feet of waterfront.
They decided to purchase the lot and stay in Norway Bay because MacKechnie has deep roots here, going back as far as his Scottish ancestors settling there. When considering where to own a cottage, it was clear it had to be here.
Finally, the last stop of the tour brough everyone to the home of Michael Couillard on Sawdust Trail. Though he wasn’t home, he entrusted event organizer Dorothy Cowley to host a reception and garden party for all the guests. As well, friends and neighbours gave a tour of his home.
“It started as a bungalow when it was bought about 20 years ago,” said Ruthmary Harris, a neighbour who provided a peak inside.
In the years since, Couillard has built a second story and done tremendous work to the property. Described by Harris as a man’s man, the cottage boasts Robert Bateman paintings, a high ceiling – for which he did all handiwork, even when put out by a few broken bones – but the real treat and pride of the homeowner lay in his gardens.
Surrounding his property are lush and bountiful gardens, brimming with life and colours. It even features thriving, miniature palm trees, which he stores in his garage through the winter and has been known to sell to locals from time-to-time.
The garden party saw snacks and refreshments offered, where tourists gathered to chat and share their favourite stories from their peeks inside.
The last time Norway Bay saw its cottage tour was three years ago, according to Cowley. Taking a fair bit of preparation, as she started last fall, Cowley was quite pleased with the turnout.
“It is a fundraiser for the Norway Bay Bristol Historical Society,” said Cowley. “But proceeds go back into the community, through signage and local events.”