About Amethyst
Who Are We?
Amethyst Harbour Campers Association (AHCA) is an incorporated not for profit organization registered in the Province of Ontario, Canada. The Corporation is owned by the members of the Association. To be a member you must own property within the boundaries (2155 Amethyst Ave. to 2399 North Bay Ave. + Lambert Island and Vaananen’s Island). Memberships are purchased annually.
Contact Us
Email: porter dot Bailey at gmail dot com (we are not publishing this email address in standard format to avoid spam)
Our History
Amethyst Harbour is located off Highway 17 about twenty minutes east of Thunder Bay, Ontario, Canada, on Lake Superior. It is a recreational area in the Municipality of Shuniah, Ontario. Amethyst is a very special community with both seasonal and full-time residents. In 2011, the Amethyst Harbour Camper’s Association celebrated its 100th Anniversary.
"Of the many beauty spots surrounding Thunder Bay, this is perhaps the most unique and charming, possessing as it does a complete locked harbor studded with small islands, calm and secure in any winds that blow. It is, in brief, an ideal summer resort.
The fascinating features in Amethyst comprise a water scope of singular attraction, a park of birch trees lying between north and south bays, the Peak, a mass of country rock arising abruptly with a drop of eighty or ninety feet and affording, at the summit, a viewpoint from which can be seen, on a clear day, the whole panorama embracing Thunder Cape, Isle Royale, Pie Island and the whole of Thunder Bay."- from R. A. Ruttan, 1911.
Activities
Each year in the late spring the community comes together for Arbour Day, which involves cleaning up the common areas of Amethyst Harbour properties. Volunteers are encouraged to attend and lend a hand. Anyone over 14 is welcome and special skills or equipment are welcome but not required.
A 6-week program is provided for children up to 16 years old. This includes, baseball, canoeing and sailing skills, tennis, swimming and badminton and more, all co-ordinated by a senior employee paid by the Association. Tennis lessons for adults and children are also available.
At the end of the Sports Program a skit night & dance is held. Awards for participation in the program, as well as swimming badges, are presented.
With our newly renovated tennis courts there are a number of Annual Events. A men’s tennis tournament and dinner, a ladies’ tennis tournament and dinner as well as a mixed event are held each year.
Pickle Ball started in 2019 on an informal basis.
Each August long weekend, a series of activities occur, these include the Mile swim from the island to our main dock, water sports day, various swimming races for individuals and teams, married men versus single men baseball grudge match, kids triathlon and sports, which includes relay races and novelty races for all age groups.
Gazebo Socials are held about once a month in the summer at the ball park. Occasionally a game of horseshoes or volleyball may bust out.
Communication with Members
Member updates are available via email blasts, Facebook (Amethyst Harbour Campers Association) and sports bulletins. This includes membership and sports pass registration and payments, which are now facilitated through an online system. If you wish to be added to the distribution, send your contact information to the Association contact(s) below.
Amethyst Harbour is a fun place for all ages to spend their summers. More and more people are moving here permanently giving the area a real community feel.
Board of Directors
President - Porter Bailey
Vice-President – Cynthia Gordon
Past President - N/A
Secretary - Stephanie Marler
Treasurer - Jan Kuch
Property - Rob Ferguson
Sports Program - Lindsay Nelson
Social - Shelley Crawford
Directors:
Bill French
David Glover
Rob McGinn
Gary McWhirter
Murray Magill
Anne Paterson
Sue Wright
Julie Follis
Annual General Meeting
The AGM is to be held on a virtual basis this year, due to the impact of the Corona virus, and the uncertainties that it creates. It is hoped that members will send in their proxies by email to the Secretary, in response to a email forwarded to all members, Although virtual, the meeting is due to be held nominally on Sunday, June 12th, 2022 at 10:00 am.
Director’s Meetings
The Directors typically meet three or four times a year, in the spring and the fall, as well as in late June in the lead up to the summer camping season.
Minutes of Amethyst Harbour Campers Association meetings are available at this link.