FRIDAY HARBOUR MAKES A SPLASH
Lakeside resort community brings vacation homes to southern Ontario
There’s a new vacation trend in Ontario. The long, high-traffic commutes to the cottage and the cost to maintain those second homes has GTA residents looking for an easier weekend retreat. Friday Harbour, set to open next summer, is answering the call — an all-season resort community closer to home.
Earl Rumm is a partner and director of sales and marketing at Friday Harbour. He says the success of the new development signals a change in how Ontario residents approach their free time.
How would you describe Friday Harbour?
“When Friday Harbour opens next year, it will have been 15 years in the making. The 600-acre site includes everything people are looking for in recreation living. Amenities include a 40-acre marina with 1,000-boat slips on Lake Simcoe’s Innisfil side; a 50,000-square-foot marina boardwalk village with 25 stores, restaurants, bars and cafes; an 18-hole championship golf course; about seven kilometres of trails within a huge nature preserve; a beach club with cabanas and swimming pools, one for families and one for adults; a recreation centre that will offer many activities for residents; and of course, hundreds of condo and townhome units that are now for sale.”
What makes it so appealing?
“The big thing is location. We’re less than an hour from Toronto, accessible from Yonge Street and highways 400, 404 and 407, and only 10 minutes from Barrie. For those who don’t want to drive, Friday Harbour is a short trip on the GO train — only 90 minutes or nine stops from Union station, and less from many other GO stops. From the GO station in Innisfil, we have a complimentary shuttle to take residents and guests to Friday Harbour, so you don’t need a car. Location is certainly a top priority for those buying at Friday Harbour, but they also love the lifestyle. We do all the outdoor maintenance and provide the entertainment, including things like festivals, markets and other events, so you can have fun all weekend and not have to do any work. We make it easy for you to have a good time and entertain your guests.”
When will it open?
“It’s a huge undertaking, massive in scope, so things will certainly be ready in stages. Much of the infrastructure is already in place and most of the building has already been started. Specifically, the marina is fully built and flooded. Our nature trails are mostly finished. Gas, sewer and water infrastructure is well underway. The beach club, pools, restaurants, patios, a sports bar, adult and kids pools, the beach club and cabanas and the golf course construction is well underway and are scheduled to be ready next spring and summer. Our goal is to complete many of the amenities and units for next summer, so you’ll see much of the resort open within the next 12 to 18 months.”
Who is involved in the project?
“We have the best in the business working on this development. I represent the Geranium Group, who is the primary developer, responsible for the building of the 180 townhomes on the site. Another premium developer, the Pemberton Group, is charged with building the condos and shops. Optus Capital is the primary financier, and four major banks are also involved. Our fourth partner, doing the infrastructure, is the ConDrain Group. The head architect for the project is Peter Clewes of artchitects-Alliance, and our amazing style is thanks to interior designer Taylor Hannah Architect. Our golf course has been designed by award-winning golf-course architect and designer Doug Carrick. And marina designer Applied Technology & Management is charged with making Friday Harbour’s freshwater marina the finest in North America.”
How are sales?
“Although we’re not set to open for another year, in two short years, we’ve sold more than 600 of the 750 available pre-sale units; that’s almost $400 million in net presales. And we have another phase of condos and townhomes being released for sale in the fall. Not a week goes by where we don’t sell at least a few units. We’re proud to say that Friday Harbour won six BILD [Building Industry and Land Development] awards in 2016, including people’s choice for best development and best sales and marketing.”
How are the units priced?
“Prices start at the mid $300s and go up to $1 million plus, but the average price for a two-bedroom, two-bathroom unit would be in the $300,000 to $500,000 range. This is competitive with cottage country, but without the big drives or the upkeep that cottage owners contend with. Currently, the average selling price is about $550 per square foot for condos and about $500 per square foot for townhomes. In the fall, next-phase homes will be priced starting at under $600 per square foot on the nature preserve and overlooking the harbour.”
What are the residential units like?
“We have boardwalk condos that sit right above the shops and restaurants in the village, which have premium waterfront views. Close to the village are harbour flat condos, surrounded by trees and a courtyard. These range in size from studios to three-bedroom penthouses and include rooftop decks, barbecues and outdoor kitchen facilities. We also have two-story, three-bedroom marina townhouses on the water. Island townhouses, connected by a bridge to the mainland, are from three to six bedrooms in size with premium lake views and a shared private pool. All the townhomes come with private boat slips and docks. All units are open-concept with high ceilings, floor-to-ceiling windows and high-end finishings.”
Who is the typical Friday Harbour resident?
“When we started selling units back in May 2014, we felt very strongly that our market was urban dwellers from the GTA who never thought they’d be interested in a second home like a chalet, cottage or cabin, because they didn’t want all the work that went along with that. They love their lifestyle in the city — the shops, restaurants and entertainment, but also enjoy the beauty of Ontario’s outdoor spaces: things like water, nature and golf. Up to now, this market has been largely untapped because generally you don’t get both in the same place, but Friday Harbour offers the urbanite the best of both worlds. What we’re now finding as we get closer to opening, though, is that we’re also appealing to the second homebuyer who owns a cottage or chalet but is tired of the work and the commute. They value their leisure time and they’re ready to sell and go with the easier, more relaxing lifestyle that Friday Harbour offers.”
“Location is certainly a top priority for those buying at Friday Harbour, but they also love the lifestyle ... We make it easy for you to have a good time and entertain your guests.” – Earl Rumm