CottageLINK Rental Management came into being in 2004 when Craig White, the founder of the first Ontario listing site, CottageLINK, and Heather Bayer, owner of UK-based Clearwater Holidays, decided to partner up. Craig’s knowledge of technology and Heather’s love of marketing and communication blended to create a successful and forward-thinking agency.
Christina Stronge-Murray (General Manager)
Growing up with Lake Ontario at my doorstep, I’ve always been drawn to the calm of a waterfront. Some of my earliest memories are of spending time on the rocky beach and summers on Balsam Lake and in Haliburton. I have always loved traveling and have had the opportunity to visit beaches from coast to coast, as well as through the US, Central America, the Caribbean Islands, Paris & the UK. So many milestones have taken place in Cottage Country, including becoming engaged at a family friend’s cottage and many holidays with my daughters in cottage rentals throughout Ontario and along the Eastern Seaboard.
I’m thrilled to be a part of the CLRM team and bring with me a background in Advertising, Customer Service and Event Management. Outside of work and travel, I love photography, interior design, gardening and the opportunity to use all of my event ideas each year with my daughters’ birthday parties! I can also be found volunteering with our local figure skating club.
Craig White (Co-Founder, Consultant and Photographer)
Introduced to the the world of cottage life as a child on the shores of Lake Huron near Kintail, I will always have a yearning for the peace and serenity that comes with seeing the blues of the sky and the water laid out before me. and for the reconnection with family that a getaway allows.
On any given weekend from April through early July, you are likely to find me somewhere on what I call my “great circle” route – bounded by Highways 11, 400 and 124 (yes, I KNOW it is more triangle shaped, but…) – meeting with owners and collecting information and photos for marketing their cottages. I have to say that it is a wonderful way to spend a day in the office.
Pretty well smack in the middle of that “great circle” route, off Hwy 518 between Huntsville and Parry Sound, is where you’ll find Bear Lake, and with it my own personal little bit of cottage Heaven. While it is a wonderful place to experience cottage life, it also provides a great base from which to serve our clients in the area.
The people here at CLRM have this idea that I am fully conversant with technology so I spend some time working on the website and back office technical things as well.
When not playing matchmaker for cottage owners and cottage guests, I love getting out on my bike and pedaling in the countryside. I’ve circled both Lakes Erie and Ontario this way, and have pedaled along the St. Lawrence all the way to Quebec City, and I can tell you that it is a unique and magical way to explore the waterfront.
Sandra Greenly (Office Manager & Best Bookkeeper Ever)
I grew up in Toronto, moving to the country when I was an adolescent, so fully appreciate the “draw” to cottage country our rental guests have. I work from my home office on our family dairy farm in Northumberland County where our children are the 5th generation to proudly farm our homestead.
There is nothing like the great outdoors of rural Ontario! Such a variety of beautiful landscapes from plains to hills to breath-taking rock cuts; all dotted with an abundance of lakes and rivers. Not to mention the multitude of unique small towns inhabited with delightful, friendly locals.
My favourite pastime is going for a drive with my husband where we’ll have no destination – we just drive – and are never disappointed with each new area, or town we come across!
Kaitlyn Mackintosh (Communications Manager)
One of the first places my parents brought me after I was born was to our family cottage on Buckhorn Lake. I was less than one-week old (but I guess that’s what happens when my birthday lands just a few days before Canada Day!). The family cottage was the first lake I swam in, where my first birthday was celebrated and where my mom grew up. Cottaging is an intricate part of who I am and what makes me, me!
Just because our family cottage sold, didn’t change the fact that my parents wanted to instill Cottage Country, in every season, in all its glory, in my brother and I. Every summer we would visits different pockets of Ontario – whether that be Muskoka, Eastern Ontario, Kawarthas, Haliburton or the more beachy-areas, in Southwestern Ontario.
Fast forward thirty-odd years, as a wife and mother of two young boys, creating those classic cottage country vacation memories for my family is just as important to me as it was to my parents.
One of my favourite things about going to cottages are that we can bring our dog, Mylah along. The only downfall of a family vacation is leaving a crucial member of the family behind with a sitter, but when we go to cottages, we’re sure to only book pet friendly accommodations so that Miss Mylah can tag along too! She LOVES swimming in the lake as soon as the ice is off in the spring, right up until it starts to freeze over again in late fall.
I’ve worked with CLRM now for almost 11 years and can easily say, without hesitation, that the absolute best thing about working here is getting to visit and experience more and more pieces of cottage country each and every week! Every time a new family (cottage rental listing) joins our team, I’m introduced to something new and unique – since as we all know, no two cottages are the same and every cottage vacation brings its own unique opportunity!
Happy travels!
Cathy Henwood (Guest & Owner Services Manager)
Having lived (and also vacationed) in the Haliburton Highlands for over 20 years, I am practically an expert on all things Haliburton. My husband and I recently made the big move to Waterloo, so that he could accept a new position nearby, and we are enjoying getting acquainted with Southwestern Ontario. We’re originally from Hamilton, and it is nice to be closer to family and friends, and two of our adult “kids”.
While living in Haliburton, I worked for another cottage rental agency for a number of years, so I’m very experienced with cottage vacations. I really enjoyed helping guests find cottages that they would love, and also answering any questions to help make their cottage experience great! When the opportunity came up to work for CLRM I was happy to accept, and I look forward to getting to know a whole new set of destinations and cottages.
Although we are now city dwellers, our hearts belong in cottage country, so we’ll definitely be planning many cottage vacations in the future.
Steph Delos Angeles (Senior Reservationist & Operations)
Hi there, I’m Steph! I am super happy to be part of the CLRM Family! I’ve been in the customer service field for more than ten years, becoming really good at fixing problems and ensuring achievable solutions in all aspects. Joining CLRM truly is a dream come true!
Growing up, my parents instilled in the three of us, their children, the wonders of discovering new places. As a result, I’ve come to love traveling, trying out new cuisines, and learning about different cultures.
Outside of work, I’m a mom to a teen-aged girl and a little Shih Tzu dog. I proudly navigate the joys and challenges of single parenthood with grace and determination, finding strength in the smiles they give me every single day!
Great to meet you all!
Heather Bayer
(Co-Founder – Former CEO & “I have a new idea” Strategist)
One of the two now retired, Brits on the team, I get continually teased for using weird language like saying ‘lorry’ instead of ‘truck’, and going to get ‘petrol’ instead of ‘gas’…and don’t get me started on the difference between trousers and pants! I’ve owned and managed six rental cottages so know what its like to be on the owner side of the business, and also stay in as many vacation rentals as I can to experience being a guest. A proud grandma, pet lover, paddleboarder and wannabee triathlete, I love living in Muskoka in the beautiful town of Huntsville.
While I love Muskoka, my favourite part of Cottage Country is Eastern Ontario because parts of it remind me of England with rolling hills and farmland, but it still has areas of Canadian Shield, forests and remote lakes.
Contact CottageLINK Rental Management
Office Hours: Monday – Friday 9am – 5pm; On weekends we monitor and respond to phone and e-mail communications most of the day.
Our Call Centre will take messages 24hrs a day. In the event of a cottage emergency and you cannot get hold of the owner, the call centre representative will page the duty manager who will call you back on the number you give them. Please ensure you have your phone switched on and voice mail activated on your phone.
Operations Address (please note: this is not the address of the cottage you have booked)
PO Box 39036
Columbia PO
Waterloo
N2T 0A7
Toll Free: 1 866 323 6698
Fax: +1 519 800 8853
Email: info@clrm.ca
Today, CLRM is one of Ontario’s leading rental agencies, helping thousands of guests find their dream lakefront cottage, every year.
It’s always helpful to know who you are doing business with – what the person at the end of the phone or the email looks like. At least we think so!