Marina, championship golf course, shops all part of Big Bay Point Resort
by Michelle Minnoch

Cheryl Shindruk of Geranium Corp. presented council with the results of the design workshop regarding the Big Bay Point Resort development project.

"Essentially, we have maintained mix uses in this plan," Shindruk said, adding, "the numbers have been revised. The workshop generated new development and concept ideas."

The five day workshop ran from February 12th to the 16th in Markham. The discussions included environmental requirements, site servicing, transportation, demographics, the marina, commercial area, and the golf course.

The 600 acre site is supported by the County of Simcoe, which voted in the end of February to support the modified plan.

Shindruk explained the golf course will be a championship course, and that 200 acres of the 600 acre plan will be environmentally protected areas.

There will be a collector road running through the site, and Shindruk said the location will be up for discussion. She said in spring they will have a better idea and more detailed field work can be done.

The focal point of the resort will be the village, the marina and the boardwalk. Shindruk said there is an opportunity to have a huge beach area.

"There will be a beach area near the hotels," she said.

Regarding the hotels, Shindruk said they will each have approximately 200 rooms, be about 10,000 - 15,000 square feet and include conference centres. The resort will also include a 300 seat theatre and mixed use housing of apartments and townhouses.

There are 1,000 boat slips proposed for the marina, which will be located close to the boardwalk. There will be mixed use retails stores throughout the boardwalk area, and will include apartments above the retail stores. There will also be a community garden.

Bill Green of Live Work Learn Play, came on board for his resort expertise. Working on Mt. Tremblant and Blue Mountain, Green said he has the experience in building resort areas.

"Big Bay Point is large scale, and a mix use of new urbanization," he said. "I am very excited about Big Bay Point."

He said the project is similar to the size of Blue Mountain, which he worked on right from the beginning of the project, but this one is larger geographically and higher in density.

"It's not what you are building, it's who are you building it for," he said.

Green stated it is important to understand the effect a development has on the local community. "We have to be very cognizant what the impact of the development will be."

He said the resort cannot become a black hole for the town.

"It is essential to build a resort that has the support of the local community."

Mayor Jackson said although the scope of the project has changed, it is important to council and members of the public.

The resort will include 2000 resort units, which will include about 400 hotel units and 1,600 of other units.

On February 21st, the County voted 84 to 7 in a recorded vote, in support of the plan after defeating the original proposal in 2004.