Grandview’s Rosewood demolished to make room for new development

Two long-standing buildings on the former Grandview Resort lands – Rosewood and Treetops – were demolished last month to make way for a new condominium development.

An early aerial photo of the Grandview Inn (From Susan Pryke’s book Huntsville: With Spirit and Resolve)

One of the two buildings, Rosewood, which sits on the site of the original Grandview Inn, was listed as a building of heritage interest, requiring the property owners to notify the Town with their intention to demolish the building. When the Town receives such a request, it is referred to the Heritage Committee which has the option of recommending a building for heritage designation in order to prevent its demolition.

The heritage value of Rosewood was discussed at the Heritage Committee meeting in April. A staff report notes that although the building was located on the site of the former Grandview Inn, which was built in 1911, the existing structure is thought to have been constructed in the early 1970s and has been renovated several times since then. The report further noted that the building was also in a state of disrepair.

During a brief discussion at the Heritage Committee meeting, Councillor Jason FitzGerald said, “The only thing that remains of the heritage structure in its entirety is about 20 feet of original stone foundation. There’s not a door, not a window. The place was rebuilt in the late seventies. There’s nothing older than 15 years in the place. There really didn’t seem to be anything that could be salvaged to be on display.”

Grandview resident Sandy Jennings said that seeing a crew tear Rosewood down, although anticipated, was still emotional.

“It’s a Fairy Lake icon,” said Jennings. “There are lots of good memories. It was a little sentimental for people.”

She added that she believes development for Grandview is a good thing, although she has opposed some of the zoning amendments requested for the new buildings to be constructed on the site, particularly the requested height exemption which has since been withdrawn.

“Any additional improvements to the property only enhance the continued enjoyment of beautiful lifestyle here at Grandview,” she said. “It’s progress. People don’t like change. Change is hard to accept. We’re also mindful that the current building going on could adversely affect other people’s enjoyment that they have had at Grandview.”

Jennings added that she’d like to see the Town more thoroughly address development in its new Official Plan to protect the environmental health and beauty of Muskoka, “while still developing the town and continue to have it grow and prosper. It’s a fine balance.”

The area where Rosewood and Treetops sat, which overlooks Fairy Lake, will be the location of soon-to-be-developed The Waterfront at Grandview. The planner for the development withdrew the request for a height exemption prior to the April 26 Huntsville Council meeting.

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