Friday Harbour (Resort)

Last updated
Friday Harbour
Friday Harbour Logo.svg
Friday Harbour marina.jpg
Canada Southern Ontario relief location map.jpg
Red pog.svg
Friday Harbour
Location within Southern Ontario
Location Innisfil, Ontario
Nearest major city Barrie, Ontario and Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Coordinates 44°23′32″N79°31′48″W / 44.39222°N 79.53000°W / 44.39222; -79.53000
StatusOperating
Website www.fridayharbour.com

Friday Harbour is a 600-acre [1] mixed-use development in Innisfil, Ontario, Canada, 70 km north of Toronto. Built by the Geranium Corporation, [2] the development contains residential, commercial, and recreational spaces, including a marina and golf course. Situated on Lake Simcoe's Big Bay Point, the resort's focal point is a 1000 slip in-land marina, the largest of its kind in Canada. [1] Once construction is complete there will be 2600 residential units, a 400-room hotel, [3] and a theatre. [4]

Contents

Envisioned as a New Urbanist village, Friday Harbour was designed to be an alternative to the traditional residential offerings of Ontario's cottage country, which are typically single-family homes located on or near a body of water. In this design, the connection to the water and nature would be maintained, but the dependence on driving over walking for daily necessities would be eliminated, or greatly reduced. DPZ CoDesign, the designers of Seaside, Florida, a notable early example of a New Urbanist development in North America, were brought on to design Friday Harbour. [5]

The first residents took occupancy in 2017, [6] along with the opening of the first restaurants and shops on the pedestrian promenade. [7]

History

Big Bay Point, where Friday Harbour is located, first saw the arrival tourists in the 1800s. Long an area known to local indigenous population, early settlers constructed the first resort in this location, the Robinson House, in the mid-1880s. This was soon followed by the sixty-room, luxury Peninsular Park Hotel.

The front lawn of the Peninsular Park Hotel in 1910. Peninsular Park Hotel.jpeg
The front lawn of the Peninsular Park Hotel in 1910.

It become known as a popular destination for American tourists looking to experience the "wild" of the Canadian wilderness. [8] The hotel burned down in 1955. [9]

An inland marina called Big Bay Marina would eventually open in the area. Earl Rumm, a local resident and president of the real estate developer Geranium Corporation, brought his boat to be repaired at the marina. While there, he saw a sketch of an unrealized real estate development for the site hanging on a wall. [5] This inspired him to pursue his own development of the Big Bay Marina. The first formal proposal for a resort at Big Bay Point was in 2002. It faced large opposition from homeowners in the area, including lawsuits. [10]

After the development was approved by the Ontario Municipal Board in 2007, [11] construction did not begin until 2011. [12] Phase 1, which included the marina, nature preserve, [12] and residential units, [13] was completed in 2018.

Promenade

The area surrounding the marina is a pedestrianized zone known as the promenade. It is made up of restaurants, shops, a homeowners clubhouse with a gym and restaurant, and a visitor centre where boaters can refuel, shower, and purchase supplies.

View of the promenade, a pedestrian area in the resort with shops and restaurants. Friday Harbour boardwalk.jpg
View of the promenade, a pedestrian area in the resort with shops and restaurants.

CIBC Pier

Extending outwards into the marina, CIBC Pier leads to an event space and bar where concerts and different community activities are held. [14]

Activities

Friday Harbour Resort offers a variety of activities for all seasons. [15]

Winter activities

  • Snowshoeing
  • Cross country skiing
  • Marina Skating
  • Fat bike rentals
  • Promenade holiday market

Summer activities

  • The Nest golf
  • Beach soccer
  • Basketball
  • Badminton
  • Canoeing
  • Kayaking
  • Stand up paddleboarding

Year-round activities

  • Nature trails
  • Bike rentals

Golf course

The Nest Golf Club
The Nest Friday Harbour.jpg
The Nest golf course in October 2020
Club information
Canada Southern Ontario relief location map.jpg
Icona golf.svg
Coordinates 44°23′02″N79°32′46″W / 44.3838683°N 79.5461486°W / 44.3838683; -79.5461486
Location3800 Friday Dr
Innisfil, Ontario
L9S 3E1
Established2018;5 years ago (2018)
TypeSemi private
Owned byFriday Harbour Resort
Total holes18
Greens Bentgrass
FairwaysBentgrass
Website www.fridayharbour.com/golf-the-nest
Designed by Doug Carrick
Par 72
The Nest Golf Club Logo.png
The Nest logo

Friday Harbour is home to The Nest Golf Club, an 18-hole golf course. The clubhouse features a pro shop and restaurant. During winter months, the course is open as a snowshoeing trail.

In 2019, The Nest received gold signature sanctuary certification from Audubon International for the club's work protecting the course's natural setting. [16]

The Nest Golf Club [17]
Tee Rating/Slope 123456789Out101112131415161718InTotal
Black73.6 / 131340145473381422558537206462352436257224332657048239718643935777101
Gold71.4 / 127320131442359392526510184424328833854821530554044636717241533466634
Blue69.2 / 121292115430339359490476166396306331451118528551541234315739431166179
SI Men's915317115113714412182610168
Par434445534364534544343672
Green66.4 / 114281105402318280460466153326279128846514526446135533114132127715562
White70.4 / 12522594354272270383395141315244922844913420644234125412630924894938
SI Ladies'131737155911116412182610148

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Barrie</span> City in Ontario, Canada

Barrie is a city in Ontario, Canada, about 90 kilometres (56 mi) north of Toronto. The city is within Simcoe County and located along the shores of Kempenfelt Bay, the western arm of Lake Simcoe. Although physically in Simcoe County, Barrie is politically independent. The city is part of the extended urban area in southern Ontario known as the Greater Golden Horseshoe. As of the 2021 census, the city's population was 147,829, while the census metropolitan area had a population of 212,667 residents.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Toronto Islands</span> Chain of islands in Lake Ontario

The Toronto Islands are a chain of 15 small islands in Lake Ontario, south of mainland Toronto, Ontario, Canada.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lake Simcoe</span> Lake in Ontario, Canada

Lake Simcoe is a lake in southern Ontario, Canada, the fourth-largest lake wholly in the province, after Lake Nipigon, Lac Seul, and Lake Nipissing. At the time of the first European contact in the 17th century the lake was called Ouentironk by the native Wendat/Ouendat (Huron) people. It was also known as Lake Taronto until it was renamed by John Graves Simcoe, the first Lieutenant-Governor of Upper Canada, in memory of his father, Captain John Simcoe of the Royal Navy. In Anishinaabemowin, the ancestral language of the First Nations living around this lake, namely Anishinaabek of Rama and Georgina Island First Nations, Lake Simcoe is called Zhooniyaang-zaaga'igan, meaning "Silver Lake".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Yonge Street</span> Historic road in Ontario, Canada

Yonge Street is a major arterial route in the Canadian province of Ontario connecting the shores of Lake Ontario in Toronto to Lake Simcoe, a gateway to the Upper Great Lakes.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Midland, Ontario</span> Town in Ontario, Canada

Midland is a town located on Georgian Bay in Simcoe County, Ontario, Canada. It is part of the Huronia/Wendat region of Central Ontario.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Innisfil</span> Town in Ontario, Canada

Innisfil is a town in Ontario, Canada, located on the western shore of Lake Simcoe in Simcoe County, immediately south of Barrie and 80 kilometres (50 mi) north of Toronto. It has historically been a rural area, but since it is geographically sandwiched between the high-growth areas of Barrie and the York Region, there has been growing residential development in Innisfil.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Georgian Bay, Ontario</span> Township in Ontario, Canada

The Township of Georgian Bay is an area municipality of the District Municipality of Muskoka, in south-central Ontario, Canada. It is located on the Severn River, where it empties into the eponymous Georgian Bay. The municipal offices are at Port Severn.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Simcoe County</span> County in Ontario, Canada

Simcoe County is located in the central portion of Southern Ontario, Canada. The county is just north of the Greater Toronto Area, stretching from the shores of Lake Simcoe in the east to Georgian Bay in the west. Simcoe County forms part of the Greater Golden Horseshoe area, a densely populated and industrialized region, centred on the Greater Toronto Area.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Harbourfront, Toronto</span> Neighbourhood in Toronto, Ontario, Canada

Harbourfront is a neighbourhood on the northern shore of Lake Ontario within the downtown core of the city of Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Part of the Toronto waterfront, Harbourfront extends from Bathurst Street in the west, along Queens Quay, with its ill-defined eastern boundary being either Yonge Street or York Street. Its northern boundary is the Gardiner Expressway. Much of the district was former water lots filled in during the early 1900s to create a larger harbour district. After shipping patterns changed and the use of the Toronto harbour declined, the area was converted from industrial uses to a mixed-use district that is mostly residential and leisure.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Toronto waterfront</span> Shore of Lake Ontario in Toronto, Canada

The Toronto waterfront is the lakeshore of Lake Ontario in the city of Toronto, Ontario, Canada. It spans 46 kilometres between the mouth of Etobicoke Creek in the west and the Rouge River in the east.

Sparrow Lake is a lake in the Great Lakes Basin in Central Ontario, Canada. It is situated north-west of the town of Orillia and south of the town of Gravenhurst, Ontario and approximately 150 kilometres and a 1.5 hour drive north of the Greater Toronto Area. Sparrow Lake is the most southerly lake in the popular Muskoka tourist region.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hope Island, Queensland</span> Suburb of Gold Coast, Queensland, Australia

Hope Island is a suburb in the City of Gold Coast, Queensland, Australia. In the 2016 census, Hope Island had a population of 11,186 people.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">George T. Bagby State Park</span>

George T. Bagby State Park is a 700-acre (280 ha) state park located in southwestern Georgia on the shore of Walter F. George Lake. The park offers a 60-room lodge, conference center, restaurant, cottages, and features the 18 hole Meadow Links Golf Course, as well as a marina and boat ramp. There is a 3-mile (4.8 km) nature trail, and fishing and boating on Lake Walter F. George.

Horseshoe Resort, formerly Horseshoe Valley Ski Club, is an Ontario ski resort and four season vacation destination. Located north of Barrie, the resort is about 1 hour 15 minutes driving time from Toronto. The resort enjoys a long ski season due to snow making abilities. Acquired by Freed Hotels and Resorts in 2021, Horseshoe Resort is spread out over 680 acres (280 ha) of land. The resort offers 28 ski runs, over 30 kilometres of Nordic trails, 12-hole Valley golf course, Amba Spa, 101 rooms at the on-site inn, 40 condo-style suites, two year-round restaurants, 16,000 square feet (1,500 m2) of meeting and banquet facilities, indoor and outdoor swimming pools, a full gym, and over 25 miles (40 km) of trails connected to the Copeland Forest suitable for hiking, biking and snowshoeing.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Flower of the East</span> Residential, Commercial

The Flower of the East complex was a €1.7 billion tourism attraction project, begun in 2004 in Kish Island and was expected to be finished by 2010. The project was cancelled in 2007. The complex was to accommodate a luxury hotel. This project was cancelled in 2017.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sanctuary Cove, Queensland</span> Town in Queensland, Australia

Sanctuary Cove is a gated community and town in the suburb of Hope Island in the City of Gold Coast, Queensland, Australia. It is completely self-contained residential environment with its own shopping centre and entertainment facilities, with the addition of many of the facilities of a holiday resort, such as boating marinas and golf courses.

Audubon International is a not for profit 501(c)(3) environmental education organization based in Troy, New York. Established in 1987, the organization works with communities, developments, resorts, and golf courses in 36 countries to plan and implement sustainable natural resource management practices, as well as receive public recognition for employing sound environmental stewardship.

South Simcoe Police Service is a municipal police force in Ontario, Canada, providing service to the municipalities of Innisfil and Bradford West Gwillimbury. It came into existence on January 1, 1997, through the amalgamation of the Innisfil Police Service and Bradford West Gwillimbury Police Service. The neighbouring Barrie Police Service was part of the initial proposal but did not participate in the amalgamation.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">South Core, Toronto</span> Neighbourhood in Toronto, Ontario, Canada

South Core is a neighbourhood located in downtown Toronto, Ontario, Canada. The South Core occupies the eastern portions of the Railway Lands. The remodeling and restoration of Union Station and the construction of a new wave of business and condominium towers is central to this area's forecast growth.

"Forecasters expect the downtown population to grow 80 per cent to 130,000 by 2031. With the financial district just to the north and the new high-rise South Core on the other side, Union is right at the centre."

References

  1. 1 2 Rob Cooper, "Massive marina at Friday Harbour nearly complete", CTV News, 4 August 2015
  2. Sydnia Yu, "Builder promises more calm, less commute", The Globe and Mail, 22 March 2013
  3. Lucy Lynch, "The Hamptons of Toronto: Cottage-Condo Suburbanization and Implications for Public Space", Canadian Journal of Urban Research, Summer 2019
  4. Miriam King, "Friday Harbour Resort seeking to lift occupancy restrictions", Barrie Today, 10 June 2020
  5. 1 2 Tracy Hanes, "Dream team designing Friday Harbour resort village on Lake Simcoe", The Toronto Star, 27 August 2012
  6. Janis Ramsay, "Five accomplishments from Innisfil council this term", Hamilton News, 18 September 2018
  7. Rob Cooper, "‘Friday Harbour’ Resort holds mass hiring in preparation for spring opening", CTV News, 13 January 2017
  8. Mary Harris, "It's cold, so how about we talk Barrie summers of long ago?", Barrie Today, 1 January 2019
  9. Barrie Historical Archive, "Surveying the ruins the day after the Peninsular Hotel in Big Bay Point burned down on April 9, 1955BarrieArchive.ca
  10. James Rusk, "Wave of protest swelling over Lake Simcoe resort", The Globe and Mail, 7 August 2007
  11. Steve Ladurantaye, "On Lake Simcoe, cottage dreams have become a developer’s nightmare", The Globe and Mail, 29 June 2012
  12. 1 2 Laurie Watt, "Innisfil's Friday Harbour unveils fish-friendly marina basin, Simcoe.com, 5 August 2015
  13. Geranium Homes, "Lakeside creationToronto Star, 24 August 2013
  14. Friday Harbour, "CIBC Pier'
  15. Friday Harbour, "Play'
  16. Audubon International, "Audubon International Certified Signature and Classic Sanctuaries, Audubon International,
  17. "The Nest Scorecard" (PDF). The Nest Golf Club. Retrieved June 10, 2023.