[SunriseChampion]

I think the 404 might even become the predominant route as it runs straight into downtown Toronto, avoids Barrie, and is more accessible from Aurora and Newmarket as well as the areas near Yonge/Bayview in Toronto where more of the wealthy cottage crowd lives.

I also personally think the existing 404 is a cooler-looking highway than the 400 south of Barrie, both design and topographically-wise.

Oh man, this settles it then! Get er done boys! It'll be sooooo cool that the bougie cottagers will they think that only they paid for it!

 

[SunriseChampion]

No idea how a highway could look cool. It is just about as utilitarian as it gets.

I'm gonna play along here and suggest that the 407 extension east of Brock Road in Pickering is somewhat cool with the bits of art strewn about.
That and every time I travel it, it's like a brand new highway all to myself! Keep these "needed" highways coming, folks! What's cooler than being cool? Ice cooooold.

 

[SunriseChampion]

Idk about you but this does actually look quite cool. Its definitely a subjective matter.

This is a fact.

Also subjective: taste in beer. *checks out the Beer Store's "Top Sellers" board* Yup....subjective taste but objectively in poor taste.

 

[nfitz]

I found this. I'm pretty sure it wasn't there in 2019, haven't been that way since before the plague and when I go to Haliburton I use a different route so don't know where it stands.

Cool! That's the place - looked very familiar in streetview. I remember sitting there commenting that it seemed like the perfect place for a roundabout.

Looks like they did design in 2019, but no sign of MTO starting it. And no sign of activity in fall 2019 air photos in Google maps.

My wife talks about a cottage sometimes. As if there aren't enough things to fix around the house. I like the city! And I'd never want to retire somewhere where I'm trapped in my house all winter, if I ever get to the point I can't drive.

 

[afransen]

Renting a cottage for a week's vacation is not a bad solution if you don't want the hassle of ownership. You lose on the speculative upside of ownership, however. It is a pretty cheap vacation if you share with a few people vs paying for accommodation abroad. I don't mind low key vacations in the summer where I can read books, fish, swim, etc.

 

[nfitz]

Renting a cottage for a week's vacation is not a bad solution if you don't want the hassle of ownership. You lose on the speculative upside of ownership, however. It is a pretty cheap vacation if you share with a few people vs paying for accommodation abroad. I don't mind low key vacations in the summer where I can read books, fish, swim, etc.

Seems reasonable. With parents to visit in two other provinces, and other close relatives in NYC and Seattle, and the occasional desire to go other places too ... my vacation is pretty much spoken for - the cottage would be just weekends.

I'm in my 50s now, and I don't see my parents going anywhere quickly ... I'll be pushing 70 before there's less reason to travel. Not sure I'll be planning on getting a cottage then!

 

[Undead]

Yes, it's true a cottage is barely usable if one is working and living in the city. My family has had a cottage for 10 years and it's only about 90 minutes north of the city. And yet I can count on one hand the number of times I've been there. It's only with the pandemic that my folks have been WFH up there since last summer. But it's more than doubled in value in the time we've had it and continues to grow at 10% annually, at least for the next little while so GG lmao

 

[lenaitch]

Renting a cottage for a week's vacation is not a bad solution if you don't want the hassle of ownership. You lose on the speculative upside of ownership, however. It is a pretty cheap vacation if you share with a few people vs paying for accommodation abroad. I don't mind low key vacations in the summer where I can read books, fish, swim, etc.

Yup. There are several options,, including rental and fractional ownership (or amenable friends!). Still not cheap but without all the capital and maintenance stuff.

I suppose it's a matter of perspective. I didn't grow up with a cottage but my wife did and has the childhood memories of that, which amplifies the bitterness when the 'family compact' disintegrated. Another problem with owning a cottage is the tendency to absorb all available vacation time; if your available blood and treasure is sunk into a cottage, it's often hard to justify taking a trip, etc. unless your are well heeled.

The matter of the weekly trek is something I never desired to do. Even today, if I desire to go for a day-ride on my bike, I avoid weekends. In days or yore, it was not uncommon for the 'wife and kids' to spend all summer at the cottage and the bread-winner to trek up on the weekend. I'm not sure how prevalent that is now.

If your sitting on your parents' or grandparents'' cottage in traditional cottage country that cost them a couple of grand, you are sitting on a goldmine but, as many families have learned, there are estate tax pitfalls that can bite if you're not prepared. As for getting in now, take a stroll through the real estate website for Muskoka.

 

[afransen]

Yup. There are several options,, including rental and fractional ownership (or amenable friends!). Still not cheap but without all the capital and maintenance stuff.

I suppose it's a matter of perspective. I didn't grow up with a cottage but my wife did and has the childhood memories of that, which amplifies the bitterness when the 'family compact' disintegrated. Another problem with owning a cottage is the tendency to absorb all available vacation time; if your available blood and treasure is sunk into a cottage, it's often hard to justify taking a trip, etc. unless your are well heeled.

The matter of the weekly trek is something I never desired to do. Even today, if I desire to go for a day-ride on my bike, I avoid weekends. In days or yore, it was not uncommon for the 'wife and kids' to spend all summer at the cottage and the bread-winner to trek up on the weekend. I'm not sure how prevalent that is now.

If your sitting on your parents' or grandparents'' cottage in traditional cottage country that cost them a couple of grand, you are sitting on a goldmine but, as many families have learned, there are estate tax pitfalls that can bite if you're not prepared. As for getting in now, take a stroll through the real estate website for Muskoka.

Ownership is indeed a bit of a burden. It feels like you need to maximize use of it and can't take other vacations. It makes little sense if you have to work in the city so you're slogging back and forth just for the weekends. For teachers it would be ideal, or those that can WFH at least part time. Perhaps the pandemic will change how acceptable this is. And Starlink satellite internet will be transformational for internet access and ability to WFH in remote areas.

 

[lenaitch]

Ownership is indeed a bit of a burden. It feels like you need to maximize use of it and can't take other vacations. It makes little sense if you have to work in the city so you're slogging back and forth just for the weekends. For teachers it would be ideal, or those that can WFH at least part time. Perhaps the pandemic will change how acceptable this is. And Starlink satellite internet will be transformational for internet access and ability to WFH in remote areas.

A large number of owners are doing weekly rentals, which can be a serious money generator, but the problem is the 'high weeks' is when they normally want to use it themselves. An article I read recently said the rental market is pretty much already booked for 2021.

Connectivity is a big factor, but not the only one. Is the road plowed? Does the school bus come down the road? How reliable is the electricity? And on and on. A new neighbour decided to retire to their cottage in Haliburton - they lasted one winter. Looking out at a dark, bleak lake in February is different than July, and they had to schlepp half and hour to the nearest general store, which had minimal hours and stock in the off season; otherwise it was an hour to the nearest town. Some folks may relish it but others may find it a bit too much.

 

[PinkLucy]

Let’s get back to highways …

 

[anb]

I've driven the 404 many times and "cool" has never come to mind.

I really just get distracted by the view of Toronto to ever even pay attention to the 404. Even the DVP has better aesthetics and design despite the actual expressway being.. you know.

 

[Transportfan]

Connectivity is a big factor, but not the only one. Is the road plowed? Does the school bus come down the road? How reliable is the electricity? And on and on. A new neighbour decided to retire to their cottage in Haliburton - they lasted one winter. Looking out at a dark, bleak lake in February is different than July, and they had to schlepp half and hour to the nearest general store, which had minimal hours and stock in the off season; otherwise it was an hour to the nearest town. Some folks may relish it but others may find it a bit too much.

If you have a cottage in Wasaga Beach, retiring there is easy as the cottages are actually in town. You can walk to the grocery store and restaurants from some of them and there's even transit.

 

[lenaitch]

If you have a cottage in Wasaga Beach, retiring there is easy as the cottages are actually in town. You can walk to the grocery store and restaurants from some of them and there's even transit.

Yes, Wasaga is one of the rare few, along with perhaps Grand Bend and perhaps some along Erie although I'm not familiar with them. Walkability to grocery, etc. largely depends on where you live since the 'retail centres' are grouped around River Rd. W/Main St. in the east and River Rd. W and 45th St. (CR 7) in the west.

 

[ShonTron]

Yes, Wasaga is one of the rare few, along with perhaps Grand Bend and perhaps some along Erie although I'm not familiar with them. Walkability to grocery, etc. largely depends on where you live since the 'retail centres' are grouped around River Rd. W/Main St. in the east and River Rd. W and 45th St. (CR 7) in the west.

Port Elgin, Southampton, Sauble Beach, Port Stanley, all have older cottage-style neighbourhoods, in walking distance to basic shopping as well as lakeside parks and beaches. Neither have transit (unlike Wasaga Beach), though. I wouldn't count Port Dover, as its downtown has become very touristy, with the only grocery store (No Frills) way out on the edge of town.