Bayview

destination.That summer,the newlyweds spent $40 fixing up a roomand never thought they’d see the moneyback.Theymade $80 that year.This was pretty exciting! “Themain impetus for tourismbeing here is because CaptainTom,in his wisdomat the time,gave land to the railroad to bring in a rail line.It actuallycuts our property in half.We had our own SparrowLake Station right up until the 1960s.Peoplewould get off at the station,get on boats–our familywas in the boat busi- ness,too–and travel up and down theTrent-Severn Waterway.But they’d also stayhere in this little village of Port Stanton to have a vacation resort experience. “In 1930,myancestors builtWildwood Inn on the old sawmill building.Mydad started BayviewLodgewhen hewas 18 years old.Therewas another one called Wild Echo Lodge,whereThe Cottages at Port Stan- ton (a cottage development we started in 2001) are located.It’s awhole combination of different properties pulled together bymy father to become BayviewWild- wood Resort,withThe Cottages at Port Stanton as part of it.Back in 1910,you could stayat anyof these loca- tions for seven dollars aweek.My father passed away three years ago; mymomstill lives here on a beautiful little piece of property.I presentlyoperate all the resort properties,and I’mstill a big shareholder,but in 2008, I brought other investors into the company,so there is moneycoming in for renovations and upgrades.” BVM: Howbig is the property? Hounsome: “Themain property isn’t on a ton of acreage,but it’s all shoreline that goes around the BAYVIEWWILDWOOD RESORT bayon the southwest shore of SparrowLake.I have some back lands,too,so 250 acres in total.We’re on theTrent-SevernWaterwaybetween Lake Couchiching and Georgian Bay; a prettyvillagewedged between beautiful forests with Canadian Shield rock in backand SparrowLake in front. “As for accommodations,we have 73 units on the main site,fromfive-bedroomhouses down to a single resort room.In the summer,guests number upward of 210.LakeshoreHouse is where our indoor pool is now -it’s like our games room.The original piece of that building is calledAlbert Manor–a beautiful five-bed- roomhouse that we rent out.We also have a little store and government dockandmarina that operates seasonallyand is named after what it was in 1906– Stanton Brothers General Supplies. “In 2001,our familybuilt the Cottages at Port StantonwhereWild Echo Lodgewas.As a fractional development,there are 18 cottages (one,two,and three bedrooms) with 10 owners per cottage and each owner has that cottage for fiveweeks of the year.They can use it,trade it,rent it,whatever theywant.Wewere only the secondone inOntariotogo intothat.Itwasa scarythingforus,wewentoutona limband it’sbeenvery successful.Wealsobuilt asecondproject–TheCottages II atPortStanton.It’scurrentlyonlyfour,three-bedroom cottages located justpastourmainsite.” BVM: What amenities and recreational activities do you offer? Hounsome: “BayviewWildwood Resort is open year- round.With the forest lands,we have trails for nature