ROLE MODELS
A series about innovative and happy retirees.

From the Boardroom to the bush

Alex Strachan

FORMER OCCUPATION: Senior Vice-President, Commercial Division, Royal LePage age: 51

With a canoe over his head, clad as a voyageur, Alex Strachan was portaging a canoe down Bay Street. It must have been a strange sight in the heart of Toronto’s business district. But Strachan was taking part in a media event to launch Paddling Ontario, a marketing partnership between Ontario Tourism and trip outfitting companies. Strachan, a wilderness lodge owner, was happily helping out.

Suddenly, Strachan’s past was staring him in the face. He recalls:
“I thought, I recognize that voice and I know that suit and shoes. I tipped up the canoe so I could see, and sure enough, there was my former colleague. He was dressed in a business suit and carrying a briefcase –just the way I used to look on my way to work two years earlier.

“My colleague stammered out something like, ‘My gosh, Alex, is that you? And what on earth are you doing?’ It was quite a strange feeling to be looking in a mirror.”

Retirement dream:
Having worked his way up the corporate ladder, Strachan was pulling in a six-figure income and putting in long hours. On the rare occasion he took a break, he indulged his passion for canoeing and the outdoors.

“One day while canoeing with my son on the historic French River (which flows into Georgian Bay), I said, ‘My God, this is a wonderful spot. How I wish I could do this every day.’ And my son replied, ‘Then, Dad, why don’t you?’ That got me thinking.

“He was right. I was getting totally fed up with the business world, and my instincts were telling me I needed to get out.

“I took early retirement and, with the golden handshake, invested in an old fishing camp with a great setting. I’ve turned it into a splendid lodge with refurbished cabins.

At the beginning, working alongside our construction crew was physically demanding and there were some very long days. But I can honestly say there was never a day I did not smile.”

What he’s doing now:
Today, The Lodge at Pine Cove boasts a soaring cathedral ceiling, three stone fireplaces, a library, a lounge overlooking the river and luxurious cabins. Located on Wolsley Bay, the lodge is open for business and things are going well. However, Strachan says, “I could not have done it without my wife, Christine, and my family’s 100 per cent support and belief in the dream. For example, we had to
sell our farm and totally commit to the project.”
Alex Strachan doesn’t carry a cell phone or pager anymore. If you call and ask for him, you’ll often get the response, “I’m sorry, he’s out on the river with guests. You can leave a message if it is very important.”

The best part:
Strachan spends his day out in nature. His boundless enthusiasm can’t help but rub off. “I get guests out on the old voyageur route, paddling a canoe for the first time, and before they go home I often have them shooting white water. It’s exhilarating. Others just enjoy the tranquility to read or paint, and they love it. We have fascinating conversations with guests over dinner. And I’m physically fit —
weigh the same as in my 20s.”

His philosophy:
“Life is about chapters and going forward. My father loved the adventure of life and believed when considering a change that you should ask yourself: ‘Is it going to put magic in my life?’ He was my mentor.
“Now I count my life by the number of good summers.”

The Lodge at Pine Cove: (705)
898-2500 or www@frenchriver.com