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The Jack McLennan house was built around 1918 by Percy and Winifred Goepel. Like most of the sites at the Bay, the original abode was a tent.. However, during the early part of the century, the tent was put on a platform, half walls were added and eventually a  permanent cabin was constructed.

 

The Goepels were a Vancouver family, Percy was an engineer with the School Board while Winifred developed her artistic skills especial­ly as a painter.  The Goepels had four children, Alice, Dorset, Moffet and Rustin.  All the children spent their formative years at the Bay.

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Most of the cabins were constructed with the barest essentials, the building code was not part of the formula. As Calvert Simson owned the land and gave out only yearly land leases, most of the cottager's did not invest heavily in construction materials. The Goepel cabin was no exception. Over the years however, the Goepels filled in porches, added a  fireplace and added a hand pump in their kitchen.  What Luxury!

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In around 1938, Alice Goepel, the eldest child, married Robert Fraser. They inherited the cabin from her parents at that time. The Frasers had two daughters, Alison and Leslie. They spent their summers at the Bay with their mother and Grandmother Winifred, who had moved to the current Marshall-Henderson cabin on the Bluff. Bob Fraser spent very little time at the Bay as he was a mining engineer and his work took him out of town most of the summer.

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The artistic flair of Winifred was shared with her daughter Alice and her friends. Rumor has it the famous local painter Jack Shadbolt spent a summer, or part thereof, at the house.  He was the one responsible for all the driftwood characters that adorned the walls-= Pluto, Polly the Parrot, Sally the Sea Horse, etc. , all of whom had their own Latin names.

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The Frasers owned the cabin until 1961. During their ownership, 1938-1961, there was only one change made - namely the addition of a third bedroom at the rear of the house by resident handy man Wilf Wiltshire.

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During the latter years of ownership, the Frasers lost interest in the Bay. Alison and Leslie were working in town and Bob was still away most of the summer. During that time they started renting the cabin for the summer months. This apparent lack of inter­est did not go unnoticed by Joe Simson and in 1961 he suggested the Frasers sell the cabin. At this time the land was still owned by Joe.  The Frasers agreed to sell the cabin, but it was Joe who was to decide who the new owners would be. Why did he choose the McLennan family? Apparently, back in the early 50's Andrew McLennan (Jack's Dad) asked Joe to keep him in mind if the Fraser place ever came up for sale. Andrew wanted a bigger house for his family. As it turned out Joe remembered the conversation and phoned Andrew in February 1961 to say he could buy the Fraser house for 2,000 bucks.    Joe never referred to money as dollars - it was always bucks.     By this time, Jack was married and Peter was at University, so Gertrude and Andrew no longer needed a larger house.  Andrew did suggest to Joe that maybe Jack would like to buy the place (thanks Dad).  Accordingly, the next day I received a phone call from  Joe.  The rest is history.   (Thanks Joe).  This took place in 1961.  The annual   rent for the land occupied by the cabin was $135.00. This annual fee was charged until 1964 at which time Joe sold the 100 plus acres to the newly formed Holding Company.

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When the Jack McLennan family took over the cabin in the spring of 1961, it was in a sad state of repair.  There was almost as much ivy growing inside the house as there was on  the outside and that is a lot of ivy.  It  was also the only cabin at the beach that had a roof  line much like an Asian temple - swayed.   This was not by design but rather

as a result of a lack of lumber (2 x 4 rafters on 2 centers) and thus the sway.

 

Needless to say, many changes were necessary with the arrival of the three McLennan children - John, Leanne and Cameron. Some of the main changes that took place in the cabin were: the kitchen was moved from the back of the house to the front, the entire cabin was lined with $75.00 worth of cedar channel siding from Will McLaughlin's mill.

Goodbye Ivy. (Thanks Will), a gravity water system was installed in the kitchen thanks to the generosity of the Davidson Water Works Company. (Thanks Gord and Mur) An indoor biffy was added to the cabin complete with hot water. Sheds were built, water towers erected, jeeps were added and roofline straightened. Solar was added and so on.

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Over the past 80 years, the cabin has been home to three families. It served them all very well. The Bay is a special place for what it is and what it stands for. This is enhanced by the people who are fortunate enough to be able to enjoy it. This is clearly evident by just a few of the thank you's included herein.  It has certainly made our cabin a home. The spirit of Buccaneer Bay is very simple, People Helping People.

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Since Andrew and Gertrude McLennan first arrived at Buccaneer Bay in 1940, relative newcomers to some, they have had the pleasure of watching their children, grandchil­dren, and great grandchildren enjoy everything the Bay has to offer. How thankful and fortunate we are.