The community is mourning the loss of a much-loved Orillia man, Benjamin (Benny) Readman, who drowned following an accident on a small Muskoka lake Thursday.
While details are scarce, Haliburton Highlands OPP say two male occupants of a barge “ended up in the water” after a “marine incident” on Kawagama Lake, east of Dorset.
One person on the barge, Dalton Hill, was able to make his way safely to shore. However, Readman did not survive; his body was recovered by the OPP’s underwater search and recovery unit on Friday afternoon.
“It is an extremely difficult time,” said Patrick Bongers, owner of CedarCoast Timber Homes, where Readman served as the company’s construction manager for more than two decades.
“Ben was well known in the community. He was one of those guys that everyone loved and he would do anything for them,” said Bongers.
Readman, who was 52, lived outside Orillia on Uhthoff Line with his partner, Nicole.
Bongers said Readman was an avid hockey player who enjoyed the company of many friends and hockey buddies.
He said Readman was "more than an invaluable employee" of CedarCoast, which is located on Highway 11 between Orillia and Gravenhurst.
“He was our valued friend and a talented and resourceful member of our staff,” noted Bongers. “Every customer loved Ben. Some would stay in touch with him. Our staff all thought the world of him and he was always well respected.”
Bongers, who was on or near the scene of the accident until Readman’s body was recovered, said details of the accident “are still coming out” and it’s not clear why the barge sunk.
He noted Hill was “very shaken” by the tragedy and is recovering with his family.
OPP officials from the Haliburton Highlands Detachment were not available for comment in time for this story.
A media release stated the “incident involved a single vessel where two male occupants ended up in the water. One male made it to shore.”
It went on to say OPP resources from the Haliburton Highlands detachment, aviation services, the snowmobile ATV and vessel enforcement (SAVE) unit and the underwater search and recovery unit (USRU) conducted the search over two days.
No funeral arrangements have yet been made.
“Our prayers go with Ben and all those who knew this wonderful man,” said Bongers.
