Edgewater Estates on Lake Ontario integrates a marina and extensive nature preserve

Three brothers from the Kingston area with a love for water sports are parlaying their passions into a community based on waterfront amenities.

The Hintons – John, Jim and David – are long-time water and sailing enthusiasts who have purchased a parcel of land in the Lake Ontario village of Bath, nestled between the marina and a five-acre waterfront park, where they’re developing Edgewater Estates.

The location, 20 minutes from Kingston and at the gateway to the 1000 Islands and the Rideau and Trent canals, accessing the 387-km Trent-Severn waterway, is sure to attract nature lovers, says Jim Hinton.

“It’s a beautiful setting, with the marina and park, perfect for people contemplating retirement or at retirement,” he says.

The enclave of 70 custom-built homes, 10 of them on the water, will have a rural ambiance but easy access to the historic village of Bath, which traces its roots back to the 18th century and United Empire Loyalist settlers. In fact, Hinton says, a network of trails through the park will feature information plaques highlighting some of the key features of the history-rich region.

The trails will provide direct access to the shoreline where the limestone shelf rock formations are perfect for launching canoes and kayaks.

The community is also only two km from the Loyalist Golf and Country Club with its championship course.

Loyalist Cove Marina, owned by David Hinton, has long been a popular destination for Eastern Ontario boaters. And in line with the new neighbouring community, it has big plans for revitalization. Those include additional boat slips, updating and expanding its Crow’s Nest Club House, a new off-site repair and storage facility and a new row of waterfront condos along the southern shoreline. Existing waterfront apartments have already been given a facelift and will become available for private condominium ownership in the future.

Although the marketing of Edgewater Estates has barely begun and the community’s street grid is just now being constructed, interest from potential buyers has been encouraging, Hinton says. The waterfront properties have been the most popular and are nearly sold out.

A model has just opened its doors. Constructed by local builder, Creative Homes By MacAdam, the house is the 2010 Dream Home for the Kingston Kinsman Club’s fundraising lottery.

Home prices start at about $253,900. For additional information visit edgewater-estates.com online or call Jim Hinton at 613-561-5001 or John Hinton at 613-561-3000.

New land-lease homes near Orillia

Some developers plough ahead with their plans without regard for the wishes of homebuyers. But not so at Lakepoint Village, a new adult-lifestyle land-lease development outside Orillia from Alliance Homes.

“The developer plans to start with the basics and then incorporate what residents want as time goes on,” says sales representative Bernice Arnold. “Many of our buyers go away for the winters and they aren’t interested in paying for bells and whistles that they might not use.”

For example, she explains, there will be a clubhouse constructed but it won’t initially have many of the amenities that are common in other such community centres. These, however, may be added in the future.

When completed the development will comprise 300 detached modular homes on 60-foot lots. All open-concept with two bedrooms, two baths, some with dens and optional sunrooms, they come in six basic models but purchasers will be given the opportunity to tweak the designs to suit their needs.

Located eight kilometres east of Orillia, Lakepoint Village is within walking distance of Lake Simcoe and its boating, public docks, beaches and fishing. It’s also close to golf courses and ski resorts as well as Casino Rama.

Arnold notes that the developer hopes to implement a shuttle service to downtown Orillia and to Casino Rama and perhaps offer monthly excursions to Barrie and other surrounding areas.

Home prices at Lakepoint Village range from $139,900 to $165,900. The community will be self-contained, with its own water and sewage facilities plus maintenance and garbage collection, something Arnold says will help keep living costs and taxes down.

For information, call Arnold at 905-323-9768. The sales office and model home, on Concession 10 east of Plum Point Road and south of Hwy 12, is open Wednesdays-Sundays, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

 CLARIFICATION: A Google advertisement has been causing some confusion for Forever Young readers who saw this article and wanted to visit the development but found themselves, instead, at an office of Remax Realty in Kingston, the address listed in the ad. Edgewater Estates is located in the village of Bath, 20 minutes west of Kingston, adjacent to Loyalist Cove Mariana. It's accessed from Loyalist Parkway or Bayshore Drive.