Against the advice of its planning staff, Muskoka Lakes council last week rezoned the property, now known as Marygrove, from a commercial to a residential use.

The move was requested by Marygrove’s owners, the Sisters of St. Joseph of Hamilton, who are currently attempting to sell the property.

James Dyment, the Sisters’ planner, said his clients will use the new zoning to subdivide the land into four separate parcels for residential use. A demolition permit has been issued for the resort building. Crews are expected to start tearing down the structure as soon as load restrictions are lifted from local roads, he said.

The Sisters’ plans are a disappointment to many in Muskoka Lakes’ heritage community who say Marygrove is a valuable heritage resource that should be preserved. Several members of the local branch of the Architectural Conservancy of Ontario (ACO) turned out to last week’s council meeting to make one final plea to the township to save the site.

ACO president Liz Lundell said Marygrove has been a landmark on Lake Joseph for more than 70 years. It is now one of the last remaining old Muskoka resorts in the district, she said.

According to the ACO, Marygrove was constructed in the late 1930s under the direction of Lambert Love, one of Muskoka’s resort pioneers and the operator of the former Elgin House Hotel.

Love called his building Glen Home Hotel. The hotel was highly popular with tourists and operated until the mid-1970s, when it was purchased by the Catholic order.

The Sisters of St. Joseph have reportedly kept the resort in pristine condition, with much of its original décor.

Lundell said she believes the resort does not have to be torn down, but could be redeveloped in a way that not only preserves its historical features, but also serves the community. The building could be used as another private camp or for educational purposes, she said.

“To a suitable owner, it’s an asset, not a detriment,” Lundell said.

If council would not move to designate the building, Lundell asked that it at least maintain the commercial zoning on the part of the Marygrove property that contains the resort.

“Do we really want to see this treasure carted off to a landfill?” she asked.

Down zoning a property from a commercial to residential use is generally discouraged in the official plans of both Muskoka Lakes and the District of Muskoka, given the benefits commercial properties have on the local economy. In a report to council, Stephen Fahner, township director of planning, recommended against the rezoning, as the site could function as an “economically viable waterfront commercial property” in the future.

Dyment, however, said he believes commercial redevelopment of Marygrove is not possible. The building, he argued, is outdated and needs to be totally “gutted” in order to be used year-round. At least 30 people have passed on purchasing the property in the past three years, he said.

The site is being marketed for approximately $4.5 million.

“The true test is the market and it’s clear that the market has said this property is not viable for commercial development,” said Dyment.

Neighbours of the Marygrove property also attended last week’s council meeting in support of the Sisters’ request. Many noted that several resorts already exist in the vicinity of Marygrove. Adding another would only over-saturate the market, they argued. Other neighbours expressed concern over whether the Lake Joseph property, which is said to have a high water table, could even be properly serviced for commercial development.

In the end, councillors granted the request, concluding that little could be done to market the resort building. They also agreed that maintaining the commercial zoning on the property was making the site “virtually useless.”

“I don’t like to see this as down zoning, but as useful zoning,” said councillor Mary Grady. “Every possible avenue” has been explored for redeveloping the site, she added.

Councillor Stewart Martin noted that developers today are looking to construct newer and bigger resorts. The Marygrove property reportedly allows for 90,000 square feet of building density, something some developers would feel constrained by.

“Resorts today are looking at huge properties,” said Martin, referring to Red Leaves. “That is the new Muskoka. Traditional resorts have been dead for a long time. I think we need to look at the new Muskoka in the new society.”

A motion was passed rezoning the property to waterfront residential.

Mayor Pryke noted that Dyment and the Sisters will still have to conduct several environmental studies before any severance of the Lake Joseph lands is considered by council.