Page 11 - SLPOA Spring 2014 Newsletter
P. 11
SPRING 2014 NEWSLETTER SHARBOT LAKE PROPERTY OWNERS’ ASSOCIATION
MEMORIES… cont’d MEMORIES:
Kevin’s Mom, Marjorie, was deathly afraid of birds Tri Days on the Sharbot Lakes
flapping around inside a building and would not go Shores. (first year 1984)
back inside until the bird was safely contained. Rudy Hollywood
Fortunately, one of their neighbours had a beach
basket that would temporarily fill the bill, and soon When Joan and I suggested to Glenn Fossey of the
the bird was happily singing inside its improvised Summerfest committee that Sharbot Lake would be
cage. Now, all they had to do was find its rightful an ideal location to host a triathlon ... Glenn (wasn’t
owners. aware of the term) but only responded “by all means,
I’ll supply the volunteers.” The event grew from 40
A trip to the village revealed that someone had indeed to 650 participants over the next few years… the 1 k
been asking around about a lost Budgie a few days swim went from the government dock around the
earlier. It was a couple from Ottawa who, point and into the beach for the swim-to-bike
unfortunately, had left no forwarding information. transition. The cycle section returned from Parham to
So, it looked like the Luscott family now had a pet the Doctor’s house hotel parking lot. Then in later
bird, who’s name apparently was ‘Pretty Pete’, as years the beach became the start and finish area. The
they discovered when he started talking a few days run section (8 k) went from Hwy #38 to Clement Rd.
later. and returned via the Wagner Rd.
Marjorie’s cousin, Edith, who owned the local ice When the event became too large the transitions
cream parlour at the time (in the building that now remained on the beach. With the introduction of the
houses the pharmacy) happened to have an unused teams, the challenge for the pros was to stay ahead of
bird cage and some leftover birdseed, which she the teams. Later with so much road congestion the run
happily donated to the cause. So it was that Pretty course was moved to the track bed to the Brewer Rd.
Pete began his new life with the Luscott family who and returned via the Canadian Trail along the cooler
lived in Mississauga and enjoyed vacationing at shores of Sharbot Lake. The event helped produce
Sharbot Lake in August of each year. Canada’s Olympic star Simon Whitfield … a plaque
can be seen on the beach commemorating his
childhood training ground…
“the shores of Sharbot Lake.”
11
