3091 Arbutus Avenue & 3070 Malaspina Promenade

Nov 9, 2024

2 min read

3070 Malaspina Promenade is a ten-foot easement, originally part of 3074 Malaspina Promenade, the adjacent property to the east, owned by Louis and Irene Anderson. The easement was purchased in 1922 by Mrs. Eva E. MacDermot and Dr. John H. MacDermot to gain access to their two inland lots on which Bill Mace built their cottage. Thanks to this easement, the cottage is accessible from both Malaspina Promenade and Arbutus Avenue.

Dr. J.H. MacDermot

The MacDermots’ cottage at 3091 Arbutus Avenue has a beautiful stone fireplace that was built by George Bloomfield, a well-known stonemason who was responsible for many of the fireplaces and other stonework installations on Savary. The MacDermots named their cottage Coolavin. They had three children — Kathleen (m. Edgar), Jack and Derrick — and two grandchildren, Hugh and Dave. Dave Edgar’s memories of times at the cottage are found in Savary Reflections, a Savary Island Heritage Society publication, edited by Ruth White.

Some older cottagers remember the MacDermots catching a salmon, planking it and cooking it in the Bloomfield fireplace. They then served it to their guests on horseneck clam shells.

George Bloomfield fireplace

In 1959 John (Jack) and Nora Turner purchased the property. They named the cottage using two initials from each of their children’s names, with the two that were born later added on, so that now the cottage is named Pashsujolybi, representing Patty, Shawna, Suzy, John, Lynn and Billy. They were told that Dr. MacDermot wanted a family with a lot of children to buy the cottage. The Turners fit the bill!

Cottage in the 1980s

In 1987 Patty Felch (nee Turner) purchased the property. She shares the cottage with her sons Benjamin (wife Meghan and daughters Ellie and Sloane) and Nicholas (wife Heather and son Jack). There is always room for more, as they have a sleeping cabin in the back called The Cobweb Palace, a very apt name.

There have not been a lot of changes to the cottage that Mr. Mace built in the 1920s. Sometimes, time stands still at Savary.