Friday Harbour (Resort)

Friday Harbour is a 600-acre mixed-use development in Innisfil, Ontario, Canada, 70 km north of Toronto. Built by the Geranium Corporation, 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. Once construction is complete there will be 2600 residential units, a 400-room hotel, and a theatre.

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.

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

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

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. 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.

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

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

Activities
Friday Harbour Resort offers a variety of activities for all seasons.

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
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.