preserving our past to support our future
Restoring a cherished community Chapel and creating a meeting place for all.
Kawartha Park Meeting Place
Preserving the Kawartha Park Chapel
The old "Wild Wood" chapel along the shores of Stoney and Clear Lakes has served as a vital place for worship and gathering for 100 years! It now needs our help! Let us restore this historic landmark together and in doing so, also give our community a place to gather. Please continue to scroll down to learn more!
Who We Are
Our Mission
We are a nonprofit organization with charitable status #789043551 dedicated to preserving and restoring the historic 100-year old Kawartha Park Chapel on Hiawatha Lane.
Our vision is to preserve this important piece of our cottage area's history. Once that is accomplished, we want to make the Chapel into a meeting and gathering place for the Kawartha Park community. What about yoga classes, music recitals, or an art gallery? The old Chapel could become a place to house some of our history and photos from the past. We are open to all of your ideas!
KPMP Committee
Marten Collins (Director)
Martha Hunt (Director/Treasurer)
Phil McMichael (Director)
Susan Fisher (Member)
Kara Hunt (Member)
Pamela Soper (Member)
Jennifer Wortzman (Member)
MEMORIES OF THE KAWARTHA PARK CHAPEL
Chapel Visitors
As a youngster, I remember the war canoes coming over from Camp Kawartha on Sunday mornings full of campers. They would unload at the dock next to our cottage, which was the Dixon's cottage and now owned by Wendy and Rob Ayer. The campers would then walk to the Chapel for services. This would have been in the late 50's and into the 60's.
- Phil McMichael
Many of my happiest memories are spending my childhood summers at my grandparent's (Mary and Charles Edwards) cottage named "Wit's End" on Hiawatha Lane...four cottages down from the "little beach" which is located by the Skitch's property.
I remember well going to the Kawartha Park Chapel on Sunday mornings with my grandmother, mother and sister. Pretty dresses were worn to Church back then in the fifties and sixties.
I participated in the Church choir along with many other children from the Kawartha Park shore. Before the service started we donned white choir gowns found in a small vestibule located at the front of the Church on the right side. The gowns were all hanging neatly on a rack...all different sizes and we tried to find the one that fit us best.
Then the choir in their lovely white gowns waited on the front lawn of the Church for the Church bell to ring signaling the start of the service. As the first hymn was being sung the choir in rows of two went up the outside stairs into the Church and proceeded up the aisle to our pews that ran across the front of the Church.
One of my favourite hymns was and still is...Church In The Wildwood. How appropriate! The first verse went like this:
Oh come, come, come, come,
Come to the Church in the wildwood
Come to the Church in the dale
No spot is so dear to my childhood
As the little white Church in the vale. 
Congratulations on this special building celebrating 100 years!
- Cathy Nelson ( Goodenough )
Do You Have a Memory to Share?
Please send us your memories of the Kawartha Park Chapel! You can email your stories to kawarthaparkmeetingplace@gmail.com
RENOVATIONS BEGIN!
April 9, 2025: Mark Kollaard of Four Star Home & Cottage is set to begin work on the Kawartha Park Meeting Place in early May. The first priorities will be repairing the woodwork, building a new porch and entry area, installing a new metal roof and painting the entire building. Electrical supply will also be installed as soon as possible.
May 27, 2025 Jason, William, Andrew and Chris were on site today. They have already put in new footings around the structure, then moved inside because of the rainy week. In preparation for our new roof, they have been making improvements on the ceiling rafters and "collars". Chris has been sanding the outside of the building. What a job! Thank you to the Irwins who are supplying the electricity for the crew's power tools! Photos in the gallery below.
June 3, 2025 The roof is on! A nice, dark grey metal roof that will last and protect this building for many years. The new front steps, in keeping with a 1925 building is almost complete as well. Painting has been done along the top half.
June 10, 2025 The painting is wrapping up and we are looking forward to getting into some landscaping with Kilbourne Tree Services. Thank you for this donation Aimee! Also next - electricity! How shocking!
Part of the first stage of renovations!
The Old Organ Gets Some Help too!
.jpg/:/rs=w:370,cg:true,m)
100th ANNIVERARY PARTY August 25, 2025
100th Birthday
Original Choir Members
Original Choir Members
We celebrated the 100th birthday/anniversary of the restored Kawartha Park Chapel, almost to the day that it was first opened. About 50 members of the Kawartha Park Community attended to help us celebrate.
Original Choir Members
Original Choir Members
Original Choir Members
From left to right:
Scott McMichael, Cathy (Goodenough) Nelson, Phil McMichael and Valerie Whelpton (Glover).
Gathering
Original Choir Members
Gathering
Garry Marnoch spoke to some of the history of the KP Chapel, even presenting an original choir gown to the audience.
Music
The Hiawatha Chapel Association Committee
Gathering
Live, acoustic and classic tunes were played by Phil McMichael (Director), Steven and Ron.
Pipes
The Hiawatha Chapel Association Committee
The Hiawatha Chapel Association Committee
A new era for the old Chapel, now the new Kawartha Park Meeting Place, was piped in by Helen Batten.
The Hiawatha Chapel Association Committee
The Hiawatha Chapel Association Committee
The Hiawatha Chapel Association Committee
The Committee that made this happen left to right:
Marten Collins (Director), Phil McMichael (Director), Pamela Soper, Susan Fisher, Martha Hunt (Director), Jennifer Wortzman. Missing: Karen Hunt
Join Kawartha Park Meeting Place's Mission!
HOW TO DONATE
1. canadahelps.org Please go to this website and search for Hiawatha Chapel Association.
2. etransfer to: kawarthaparkmeetingplace@gmail.com
3. Mail a cheque to:
Hiawatha Chapel Association
c/o Martha Hunt
5 Tecumseh Dr., Marmora, ON K0K 2M0
Tax receipts will issued.
NEWS, ARTICLES AND DOCUMENTS
Heritage Designation Evaluation Smith Township 2023
We need our floor space!
Benches for Sale
Wooden slat benches that have been part of the Kawartha Park Chapel are for sale as a fundraiser for the KPMP. $100 per bench. 8' 6" in length.