It was our second day of an eight day road trip & Zenning with Zay & suggested we get off the main highway & hit the back roads to see what we could find. It was long before we came across this abandoned waterfront resort. Right away we noticed the shingles on the roof were in terrible conditions & even some were blown off & laying in the parking lot. We quickly parked & started to wander around!
With roots dating back to the late 1800's, the real history I could dig up was when it was a hugely popular during the 1940's through 1960's. The resort, situated along a massive body of water featured 140 units with a full bathroom, a restaurant that could accommodate up to 300 people, a swimming pool with a high diving board & a golf course! The resort was a hugely popular destination as well as stop over for travellers & I have read stories of people having visited it for 60 plus years with many fond memories.
Over the years as popularity declined, so did the resort. People were buying cottages rather than staying resorts. This trend was specific to this resort, it was actually happening across the continent affecting regions like Muskoka, Catskills & so on. Many resorts disappeared & the handful that managed to hang on were in decline.
Things seemed to take a turn for the worst during the 2000's. Rooms were very outdated & musty smelling. Modern amenities such as Air Conditioning, in room refrigerator & WiFi were non-existent but many still came & raved about the restaurant! Reviews from 2008 indicate the grounds were not being maintained as well as one would expect, dated decor, lack of jacuzzi/pool during the winter months. As time passed, the state of the resort worsened with continued complaints around the rooms, overall condition of the buildings & lack of anything to do despite charging a premium price to guests.
During the end, the owner had plans of major redevelopment of the grounds which included luxury condos as the site is absolutely gorgeous & many of the locals stood behind the plan however at the eastern end of the property were a group of newly built houses & the owners were adamant about not wanting this project to take place. That, along with heritage rules which required the current owner to leave the exteriors of the buildings as is & his eventual bankruptcy marked the end of an era for this resort.
Unbeknownst to us, the resort was purchased in June of 2019 by a group of 10 residents with one goal in mind which was to reopen to resort! They are seeking a credible entrepreneur who is ready to invest a large sum of money that could have to potential for a huge ROI. The interesting part of this purchase is that the group who now owns the resort aren't necessarily looking to profit of its eventual sale but rather to help revitalize the small town & bring back a significant piece of history!
Unfortunately on our visit both the restaurant & hall which also feature an art gallery were locked up tight which makes sense as not only were they pristine, but the new owners have the vision of bringing the resort back to life. Although I was disappointed being unable to get in, I was pleased that some of the rooms at this Abandoned Waterfront Resort were accessible! Hopefully this gorgeous property is reverted to its former glory in the near future!
where is this exactly?