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Harry and Norma Wiens first saw their lot in 1968, bought it, and started to build their cottage on Lot 20 (Old Lot Map in section 12, Maps and Diagrams) in 1970.  At the time McKenzie Lake was very popular for fishing and many people came in for the day.  Norma said that she remembers there being just tons of crayfish then, but gradually they became fewer and fewer. 

 At the time Denny Wilton was next door, where Tim and Gina Green are now (Lot 19 of Old Lot Map).  He helped them connect with the people who could do most of the work involved. 

The materials came on a skidder from Henry Coghlan’s farm.  It took the ‘two Linkie brothers’ who had a cabin on Hay Lake about 50 trips to deliver all the building materials purchased from Bancroft Lumber.  The Wiens didn’t stay here any length of time until the cottage, septic and fireplace were complete around 1971.  Norma said Sam Reagan, who grew up on the lake built the stairs which lead to their dock. Henry Coghlan, who also grew up on the lake, reclaimed railroad ties from the old bridge which Judy LaMarsh had arranged to be replaced and improved, and used them to build the stone crib for their dock. 

Neighbours were important to life on the lake. They met Doug and Joan Skinkle (Lot 18) when they first came to look at the land. Kerrs (Lot 17) were next to them before they sold to Maurice and Carol Elliott. Mr. Kerr was a lawyer from Chatham and he made all the arrangements to build the road in from the North McKenzie Lake Road, getting quotes and sending letters to people. Muriel and David McGarry were on lot D in what was originally a hunting cabin built by Dave’s parents. Pattersons and George and Doreen Elliot were next to them.  There were many visits, lunches out for the ladies and jokes played on one another over the years. 

Joe Green built the road and everyone hired him to put in their driveways too.  Part of that original road is now known as Henry Coghlan Road, but at the time it came in from Ups and Downs Lane and ended at was used to be Charlie Shannon’s place (Lot B). It was another 10 years before the road was carried on around past what is now called Skinkle Lane to lead to  Vonks, Bosches, DeGroots and Bakers to Windmill Point. 

Norma stayed on for about 10 years after Harry died and sold her place in the winter of 2019. 

(information is from an interview with J. Foster in 2019)

Henry’s younger brother, Jimmy, fought in WW1 and was part of the regiment that liberated the homes of two future McKenzie Lake cottagers: Mike Vonk and George Bosch. The picture below shows Jimmy in the middle of the Vonk family wearing his Canadian uniform. Notice they are all wearing clogs and there are two sets of twins? We do not know the names of the whole family, but the fellow on the far left was Mike Vonk.  

Jimmy was billeted with the Vonks, who lived in a farming village near the city of Nijmegan in the Netherlands and became good friends with Mike. When Mike accepted Jimmy’s invitation to come and visit on McKenzie Lake, he fell in love with the lake and built his log cottage on lot 21 (Old Lot Map in section 12).  George Bosch grew up in the same village and soon followed, building his cottage next door.

Norm Easto was a long-time resident of the McKenzie Lake area and is fondly remembered by many. Most recently he organized the very popular yearly March fishing derbies and hosted mostly repeat American bear hunters during the season.  He moved here from the Ottawa area to live with his grandparents, Tom and Mary Coghlan when he was only a month old.  He helped with chores on the Coghlan farm and attended public school in the area.

Norm recalled that people worked at anything and everything to make a living while he was growing up.  There was logging, farming, and hunting to name a few, as well as Gunter’s Mill and others. The railroad ran through the area that was a source of employment. There used to be a farm every mile or so all along the Old Hasting Road (which is now where the Tin Camp trail to Lake St. Peter is) He said it took a week to go to Belleville and back by horse and buggy and once when his Grandpa was on the way home, he saw a still near Millbridge and stopped and picked it up and carried it back.  Apparently, he was very popular that winter. 

When it came time for high school, he had to move away.  First, he attended in Picton, but it didn’t work out and he then went to a Catholic high school near Killaloe.  He said the nuns were very strict and he did better there.  He was also met his future wife, Florence Malone, while attending that school because she was in the same class. 

There were still several primary schools in the area when Norm graduated from high school.  He got a permission letter and taught in the Proven Line school and others in Sabine township and Whitney.  He took students on camping and canoe trips, and taught them how to trap. As mentioned in his obituary he also coached both hockey and baseball youth teams. Norm was an outstanding natural athlete, especially hockey and baseball and played well into his senior years. He also worked as a log scaler.

Florence and Norm moved closer to Ottawa while raising their family, and upon retiring, they made their home at the top of the hill from Henry’s beach where he ran his black bear outfitting business and hosted the annual fishing derby. He was always up for a board game or cards. He was a tireless worker who had a quick wit and a willingness to help others.

Surrounded by his family, Norm passed away peacefully on August 10, 2022 in his 80th year.  Norm leaves behind his loving wife of 58 years, Florence (Malone) and their children, Tamara (Joe), Tracey Kelly (Jeff), Paula (James), Kirk (Adrienne) and Sarah (TK). Norm was a proud and active Grampa to his grandchildren, Erika (Kyle), Cody, Scott, Marcus, Aaron (Katie), Erika (Allyson), Abigayle, Elizabeth, Heather, Jade and Agnes as well as great grand babies, Keegan and Elody. Norm is also survived by his sister, Donna and her husband, Murray August, and numerous in-laws, cousins, nieces and nephews.

(information gleaned from the Eganville Leader obituary and an interview from summer 2019)

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