Further to the story we brought you last week, the first focus meeting held with related stakeholders regarding the redevelopment of the Muskoka Grandview Resort property went well, according to Claude Doughty, but there’s still much work to be done.
Doughty has partnered with Gareth Cockwell to manage and develop the Muskoka Grandview lands. Cockwell is a familiar name, especially in Lake of Bays. His father, Jack Cockwell, is a principal of the Limberlost Forest and Wildlife Reserve and Canadian Business Magazine named him one of the wealthiest people in Canada in 2016 with a net worth of $893 million. In 2016, Gareth Cockwell, who moved to Lake of Bays on a permanent basis in early 2014, ran for the vacant council position of Sinclair Ward representative in Lake of Bays, when Councillor Ginny Burgess stepped down. The position was eventually filled by Michael Peppard, a biologist and consultant who had been living in the area for five years and worked closely with the Lake of Bays Heritage Foundation.
“Gareth Cockwell manages the Huntsville Downs and the Limberlost Forest in addition to having worked with me on other local development projects. Gareth has experience in both resort and golf course management with a background and training in sustainable forest management and a particular interest in environmental sustainability and eco-tourism in Muskoka,” noted Doughty.
He said the initial meeting held December 15, included representatives of the condominium owners at Grandview as well as the Fairy Lake Association and members of Town and District of Muskoka staff. Another meeting is scheduled to take place next month.
An initial planning application by ClubLink, the owner of the resort lands which is currently negotiating the sale of the lands to Doughty and his backers, called for a hotel as well as the development of the golf course. That proposal was pulled before it made its way to the public domain, but news of the proposal prompted the condominium owners to hire a planner to oppose it as most were vehemently against losing the golf course to more condominiums.
Doughty said the District is still very keen on keeping a tourist commercial resort component as part of the redevelopment of the lands “and we’re mindful of that”. He said others would like to see more of a year-round residential development. “I’m not sure where the fine line will be at the end of the day.”
He did say that a hotel is not what his party has in mind. “That’s not our choice at this point in time. To contemplate a hotel is a very arduous process and given the inventory of hotels we have in Huntsville, it’s very, very significant. I’m not sure that a market study would come up with a warrant for another hotel in that market place,” he said. “That’s where the District policy is sort of a one size fits all across Muskoka but Huntsville has got so much accommodation already,” he said, adding that that shoe might not fit as well in Huntsville as it would in other Muskoka municipalities.
“We think that a very large portion of the existing golf course should stay as it is as sort of a green space whether it is always golf or eventually it’s just a park, depending on the demand for golf… we don’t want to do what ClubLink was proposing which is basically put development and condos across the whole golf course.” Doughty did say there is an area near Canal Road where development might be appropriate maybe ten years from now, but he said his party is planning to run the golf course for at least the next five years in its current shape and form “and then we’ll see what things look like then.”
Doughty did say his party is exploring the possibility of a condominium development along the property’s waterfront, which was approved in the 1980’s but never realized. “So we would focus our energies on that for the next five years probably,” he added.
Asked about the creation of additional amenities, he said that is definitely on the table. He said discussions continue.
See Doppler’s initial story here.
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This area is prime for a massive transformation. A very interesting densification aligned with a intensive productive greening would be an excellent infusion into Huntsville. From #boutique inn to producing honey & stout beer. All with a grand view.