Welcome to this special edition of The Registry Insider featuring eastern Canada. Like most Floridians I dream of escaping the heat and visiting Canada. After my brothers and I left the house my parents and their friends would pack up in May, make the drive across the border and vacation in eastern Canada until October. I thought they were crazy! But as I began to visit them during the summer at some small lakeside cottage or in Toronto I quickly realized they were the smart ones. Fast forward to 2011 and I am writing to you on the plane from Toronto back to Florida after spending a week in Ontario. I would like to have stayed another three months.
Flying into and out of Toronto could not be easier. I spent time visiting our Fairmont Heritage Place partners in their beautiful offices downtown and had the opportunity to enjoy the city for a couple of days. With the amount of culture, dining and architectural highlights, it would have taken me more than a week to see it all. I picked up my rental car at the airport and made the easy drive north to Muskoka where I truly began to understand why people from all over the world flock to this region. The beauty is breathtaking.
My first stop was at The Muskokan Resort Club where I caught up with Mike Tripp, the resort’s resident Innkeeper. He and his two sons, Rizen and Phoenix, took me on a tour of the incredible homes, lakefront, recreation area and marina. The resort now features a members’ building complete with table games and a small movie theater. I had an opportunity to visit with a couple who are members of The Registry Collection® program. They were enjoying their stay in their vacation home and looking forward to visiting Virginia on an exchange in the future. Mike showed me the new homes which are about to open; providing even more inventory and opportunity for members of The Registry Collection program to visit.
I then made the 45 minute drive east to Baysville to visit The Landscapes-Lake of Bays where I was met by Jackie Upshaw and Keith and Tasha Singleton in the presentation center. We toured resort homes, strolled the boardwalk along the quarter mile lakefront from the lake cabana to the marina and met up with a couple who are members of The Registry Collection program, along with their four friends who were enjoying an afternoon break from boating. I was impressed with the expansion plans to add another phase of homes which will provide more inventory for our members, but was especially excited to see the progress of the outdoor pool, oversized hot tub and the unique kids’ splash zone. All should be ready when guests return for the 2012 season.
Coming back to this part of Canada next year – and every year - sounds pretty good to me. Thanks Mom and Dad, you were crazy like a fox!
Gregg Anderson
Global Vice President
The Registry Collection Program
