INNISFIL, ON, June 20, 2012 /CNW/ - Geranium Corporation chair Earl Rumm revealed the name and logo of Friday Harbour, the company's long-anticipated $1.5 billion resort on Lake Simcoe at a Town of Innsifil Council meeting tonight.
The name Friday Harbour suggests the pleasure and anticipation of the end of the work week, coupled with the idea of a sheltered and welcoming space explained Rumm.
"We've come a long way in the ten years since we held our first public design charette, and that was just the first of many consultations we've had with the community and elected councils of Innisfil," added Rumm.
"Now, we're very excited to announce the name, Friday Harbour, to continue our work on the site and soon, open our sales offices."
The world-class Geranium team that Rumm leads also includes noted resort development and marketing expert, Bill Green, of Replay Resorts Inc., a Vancouver-based company focusing on the design and operation of destination resorts around the world.
"Replay's leadership team is one of the most capable and experienced in the industry, and it's great to have them as on board as we enter this new, dynamic phase of the development of Friday Harbour," said Rumm.
"We've been listening carefully for ten years to what the Innisfil community wants to see in an imaginative, all-season resort on the shores of one of Ontario's greatest lakes, Lake Simcoe. And we'll continue to listen as Friday Harbour moves forward to completion," he added.
"I am here to renew our commitment to the community of Innisfil. We are very pleased and excited to be moving forward with Friday Harbour," he concluded.
FRIDAY HARBOUR Backgrounder/Fact Sheet
Friday Harbour Employment, Investment, Economic Benefits
- approximately 1,000 permanent jobs at resort, and 1,486 jobs off-site upon completion
- almost 8,000 person years in employment during the construction phase which is now underway
- $1.5 billion will have been invested in resort at completion
- resort will generate $4.4 million annually in taxes for Innisfil, $2.4 million annually in taxes for Simcoe County
- $1.9 million in one-time building permit fees for Innisfil
- $56.5 million estimated in one-time development charges flow to Innisfil, County of Simcoe and local school boards
- $190 million in annual spending by visitors, owners of resort in local and regional community
- $30 million in annual revenue to all levels of government
- resort-oriented retail and service commercial village on-site will feature 40 shopfronts that will complement existing local and regional offerings
- $10 million spent by Geranium to expand local sewer and water infrastructure
Friday Harbour Logistics
- target date for first of 2,000 multi-market residential units to be ready for occupants is fall 2014
- will start from the mid $200's
- resort will be completed over a ten year build-out
- range of living styles will include townhouse, low rise, harbourfront condominiums
- buyers will enjoy full ownership
Friday Harbour 1,000 slip Marina
- full service marina, including fueling, power, slips to accommodate visitors
- any boat that can navigate the Trent Severn waterway can be accommodated in the marina
- maximum boat draft is 2m (6.5')
Friday Harbour Golf Course
- the 18-hole championship course by world famous Canadian golf course architect Doug Carrick, will be built to Audubon International environmental standards, (Audubon Cooperative Sanctuary Program for Golf Courses)
- Carrick is the designer of award-winning golf courses around the world, including The Carrick on Loch Lomond, in Loch Lomond, Scotland; Muskoka Bay Golf Club in Gravenhurst, Ontario, (awarded "Best New Course in Canada"by Golf Digest Magazine), Predator Ridge Golf Resort, in Vernon, B.C., and Humber Valley Golf Course, Deer Lake, Newfoundland, (awarded "Best New International Course" by Golf magazine).
FRIDAY HARBOUR Green Initiatives Summary
- There will be 87 ha (214 acres) of forest and wetland areas designated as Environmental Protection (EP) lands containing over 7km of walking trails
- all existing ecological functions will be maintained along with the creation of two new amphibian breeding pools, enhancement of a dug pond for turtles, and snake habitat
- wildlife passages will assist the movement of amphibians and reptiles as they move to and from spring, summer and winter habitats.
- rainfall from rooftops, roads, landscaped areas, and courtyards will flow into underground storage tanks and a storm pond for irrigation of golf course.
- The marina basin will be managed to meet or exceed high standards of water quality and habitat protection so that it is swimmable and fishable.
- it will include specific constructed fish habitat areas to promote spawning and rearing activites.
- An increase in fish habitat in the marina basin from 4ha [9.9 acres] to 13.9ha [34.3 acres]
- Friday Harbour will reduce phosphorus loading to Lake Simcoe as the sewage from the development will be fully treated at the Alcona treatment plan in Innisfil.
- Friday Harbour will reduce phosphorous entering Lake Simcoe by extending sewage service to allow more than 1700 local homes to get off septic systems. Septic systems located within 100m of Lake Simcoe currently add approximately 6% of the total phosphorus loadings to the lake
- A butternut replanting program was established and approved by the Ministry of Natural Resources to assist in the management of this endangered species. Also, above and beyond the provincial requirements, a butternut seed collection program is included whereby seeds from the healthiest Butternut trees will be sent to the Forest Gene Conservation Authority for archiving.
- Friday Harbour is the first developer and builder in the Lake Simcoe watershed to partner with the Lake Simcoe Conservation Foundation's new "Inspiring Greener Communities Program", a first of its kind.
Image with caption: "Friday Harbour (CNW Group/Geranium Corporation)". Image available at: http://photos.newswire.ca/images/download/20120620_C2892_PHOTO_EN_15386.jpg
Jim Maclean 416 919-4319
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