The Harvey Lakeland Estates story

HLCOA is a not-for-profit corporation that owns the Commonland and maintains the lands in their natural and undeveloped state as common areas for the benefit of it Members. The affairs of the corporation are managed by a volunteer Board of Directors that is elected from within the membership by the Members. If you want to access the Commonland you must be a Member of HLCOA.

The HLCOA By-Law sets out the rules and restrictions that Members have agreed are necessary to support a harmonious community, where everyone can enjoy the benefits of the community while respecting the variety of needs and wishes of all Members. Many of the tasks related to maintaining the Commonland forests, trails and waterfronts are completed by Member volunteers.

It is a condition of HLCOA membership that lot owners comply with the By-Law and pay all dues and fees levied against their lot by the Corporation. Members are not permitted to operate a short-term rental accommodation within the community.

Potential home buyers should ensure they fully understand the privileges, responsibilities and obligations that come with membership in the Association.

About a century ago, a quarry was briefly established on the site producing white marble.  Access has been preserved to this now overgrown site.

In the early 1970’s, Lakeland Estates was created as a second-home community on this 350-acre parcel of land, and by the following decade all 117 lots had been purchased.

Since that time, the community has been growing primarily with homes built and used as permanent residences, in addition to some that continue to be used as seasonal residences.  Today, Lakeland Estates is a well-established year-round community.

The known history of the property includes use by indigenous peoples who frequently populated the area and took advantage of the water routes and the abundance of fish and productive arable land.

They apparently called Sandy Lake "Lake of Spirits" and considered it to be sacred. A portage between Sandy Lake and Little Bald Lake existed on the subdivision lands, or rather persisted, owing to the undeveloped status until recent times.

Unfortunately, this portage ended up on many of the lots fronting Lakeland Avenue and has become obscured. Some parts have been retained however and incorporated into the trail system.

Undoubtedly, a large number of undiscovered artifacts line the sides of the original trail, which may have wandered over time however, as forest fires or downed trees dictated.

An archeological site was located adjacent to an original portage connecting Little Bald Lake with Sandy Lake. Another interesting site exists in the vicinity of lots 99 and 100, just to the east of the old portage.

Prior to the development of the lots, a number of seemingly random stone piles existed, scattered throughout the bush. Sometimes quite small or indistinct, other times larger and rather tomb-like, these piles were investigated by an archeologist.

This sort of feature had been observed elsewhere before and the archeologist recalled that they were always close to a lake, on the top of a hill, but on the back-slope, so that the lake was not visible from the site.

The piles were in fact arranged in vaguely circular patterns. Many of the piles likely had been destroyed by the adjacent road construction, and it is not known if any of the stone piles remain today.

This site happens to overlook Nenabush Island in Little Bald Lake. Nenabush or Nanabush is/was a native poltergeist.