Condos on Callander Bay may be in your future, Callander.
The Breeze beachfront condo building is in the preliminary stages, and developers want to hear from Callander residents who may be interested in owning one. The feedback – which can be provided via a survey – will help developers better understand what people are looking for in a condo unit and gauge the amount of interest in the project before moving forward.
Indeed, this project is in the early stages. There are no set plans, and therefore no estimate on the cost of a unit – all of this will come further down the line, after this survey’s feedback. However, Ryan and Erin Farquhar, who own the land the condo will stand upon, and have been leading the way to make the building materialize, are very optimistic that the project will become a reality.
The property is located at 888 Main Street South in Callander, just past the Sunbeam Bungalows as you’re driving away from town. Back in the day there used to be a motel there, Ryan Farquhar recalled, “called the Bay Breeze,” going back to the ‘40s or 50’s, and this became the inspiration for naming the condo The Breeze.
Farquar mentioned that he and Erin have been working for some time to bring this idea to life, and now is the time to spread the word. He explained that the couple has secured a developer “that has done this type of work before, and we’re the local boots on the ground, making sure that everything stays true and local to Callander and northern Ontario.”
Ryan and Erin recently built the lighthouse on Farquhar Island, which immediately became a much-loved local landmark, and the two want to ensure that the community has a voice in what this condo development will look like once complete.
See: Caisse Alliance helps power up Farquhar Island Lighthouse
Hence there is a need to get interested parties to The Breeze’s new website to participate in the survey. “And this will give guidance to the developers so that we can build custom to what people want as opposed to building something first and then trying to sell.”
Survey questions include the number of bedrooms an owner would be interested in, if there is interest in a rooftop patio, a boat slip, and other questions regarding amenities, style, and layout of the suites.
“All of the legwork and due diligence is done,” Farquhar said, referring to the project’s ability to go once the feedback is gathered and interest for the project is proven. The developers have “met with the municipality multiple times and they met with the Fire Chief” as well.
“Right now, they’re interviewing builders and architects and engineers and narrowing down that team,” Farquhar said. “But you can only go so far,” he added, before you “get out there and make sure that there’s enough interest in the locality to sell this.”
At this time, Farquhar did not want to name the developer he and Erin are working with, but he mentioned the developer “has local ties.”
“We have a wonderful group that we’re dealing with,” Farquhar said.
Overall, Erin and Ryan are excited to get the word out about the project. “There’s an exciting development in Callander,” Ryan emphasized, “it’s local and needs local feedback from people that would be interested in living in a beachfront condo.”
For those dreaming of a lakeside view of Callander Bay, you can participate in the survey at thebreezecallander.com.
David Briggs is a Local Journalism Initiative reporter who works out of BayToday, a publication of Village Media. The Local Journalism Initiative is funded by the Government of Canada.
