ON THE SHORES OF SOUTHERN GEORGIAN BAY
Town of Midland, Town of Penetanguishene, Township of Tay and Township of Tiny
The communities of Southern Georgian Bay have a rich and colourful history. First inhabited by the Ouendat (Huron) peoples, the area was home to early French explorers and settlers in the 1600s. Perhaps the most famous of those were the Jesuit missionaries who were martyred here. Many others followed who built this area from the rocks and trees and gave it significant historical context. The natural harbour of Penetanguishene was a hub of naval and military activity that included the protection of British interests during the War of 1812. Midland and Penetanguishene were vital ports and rail hubs for timber and tourism. The elegant homes of the early lumber barons are testaments to the towns’ prosperity. The sand and shores of Georgian Bay and the 30,000 Islands became summer playgrounds, attracting buyers and pleasure seekers from far and wide. Today much of the early recreational development has been replaced with more substantial dwellings but the natural beauty of the bays remains as perfectly pristine as ever it was.
The area continues to draw new development and with it, new citizens. There is exciting new residential construction throughout North Simcoe with waterfront development in Port McNicoll, Midland and Victoria Harbour. One of the latest developments is Tiffin Pier, a luxury lifestyle condominium tower at Tiffin by the Bay, boasting some of the most glorious views and amenities in the area.
Cultural Influences
While there is indeed a French influence in the communities of Penetanguishene and Lafontaine, all services are available in English. For Francophones, there is French-language radio, religious services, newspapers and the many services in French.
Healthcare Services
Georgian Bay General Hospital is a highly rated full-service facility with emergency care. Our proximity to Barrie’s Royal Victoria Hospital with the regional cancer care centre soon to be opened ensures that area residents have top notch health care services close to home. The Physician Recruitment Team actively recruits and attracts new practitioners to the area, ensuring that all residents will soon be under the care of a family doctor.
Area Real Estate
The range of styles of homes, cottages and condos in this area is wide. There is truly something for every budget and each community has its own unique characteristics. The best way to learn about the towns and townships is to visit!
 COMMUNITIES
The towns of Midland and Penetanguishene are perhaps the best known. With 16,000 and 10,000 inhabitants respectively, they make up only a fraction of the area population which swells during the summer to include cottagers and campers and day trippers. Both of these towns have a shopping area and are linked by the retail corridor along Highway 93.
Penetanguishene
Penetanguishene Bay is long and narrow which provided an attractive location for the British Naval Establishment, recreated as the tourist attraction known as Discovery Harbour. It is also an ideal location from which to explore the 30,000 Islands and greater Georgian Bay by boat. The town dock provides a tourist information kiosk, the World Famous Dock Lunch and the Georgian Queen tour boat. Five marinas dotted around the bay provide ample moorings for both power and sail craft.
The waterfront Rotary Park is a peaceful oasis for strolling along the shore and hosts a number of community events throughout the year. And during the summer months, the Kings Wharf Theatre is home to the Drayton Festival, renowned for high calibre entertainment.
There is a mixture of older and newer neighbourhoods, including a newer subdivision currently under construction near the main shopping area, schools and churches. Of course nothing is ever very far away in the town. Unlike Midland, Penetanguishene doesn't have a public transportation system, but there are cab companies at the ready.
Several condominium options are available both in low rise buildings and town homes. Waterfront condos are also available. A land lease alternative is being built now with town homes and bungalows. The raised bungalow is a very popular style of construction here, offering the convenience of single floor living with very few stairs and the option of a finished basement with good windows and high ceilings.
The average price of a family home in Penetanguishene has been creeping up despite the economic downturn. Buyers in this area should expect to see prices above $200,000 for a 2-3 bedroom house in an average neighbourhood. Southgate Hills, which caters to mature buyers, features quality bungalows above $250,000. The new subdivision of Bellisle Heights is a mix of bungalow and two storey homes available from the builders plus a few resale homes. Depending on finishes, these homes range in prices from the low- to -mid two hundreds which some models selling for over $300,000.
Older homes can still be found for under $200,000 with some updated features, however, buyers should expect to do some updating to suit their own needs.
Penetanguishene has a mix of English and French schools at both the elementary and secondary levels.There is also a variety of faith communities. While there is still a strong French influence in the town, English is the dominant language.
Port McNicoll… on the road to nowhere, something's happening
Most towns in Ontario are strung like pearls along the highways and byways of our fair province. Port McNicoll doesn't happen to be one of those pearls, but it is a hidden gem with a renaissance on the horizon. Take a short detour from Highway 12, just east of Sainte-Marie and the Martyrs' Shrine onto Talbot St. and you'll find the hidden "Port", as the locals call it.
Lacking a natural harbour, Port McNicoll was an unlikely site for a passenger ship base. But by dredging a deep slip a century ago, Canadian Pacific created a port with direct access to the 30,000 Islands and the greater lake beyond. Grain elevators once made up the skyline of the town but they have been razed to make way for the redevelopment of the port lands.
This ambitious project, spanning 10 years at a cost of $1.6 billion plans to build a range of housing types designed to appeal to the broadest range of potential buyers. Together with Tay Township, the developers mean to revitalize the the port and reconnect the town with its most important asset – the deep water harbour that once was the beating heart of Port McNicoll. The plan includes extending Fourth Avenue to the water and into an area to be known as Harbour Town.
Homes in Port McNicoll are generally less expensive than in neighbouring Midland, which means that good value can be had at a time when the town is in transition. There is a mix of traditional, contemporary and recreational homes, typical of the southern Georgian Bay area. Where fixer-uppers can be had for under $100,000, buyers in the $150,000 to $200,000 range will find good options.
Cottagers will find reasonably priced properties at Paradise Point which beach access nearby. A cozy cottage within a short walk of Patterson Park can be had for just north of $100,000.
And if luxury with a place to float your boat is more your style, building lots and custom homes are now available. Prices vary with waterside building lots starting at $500,000 and finished homes where the sky's the limit.
TO BE CONTINUED...
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