Lake of Bays Parks, Open Space and Recreation Strategy

The Township of Lake of Bays retained thinc design to develop a Parks, Open Space and Recreation Strategy to guide the provision of parks and recreation facilities, planning, resources, and investment over a 20-year period.

Lake of Bays is a rural community located two hours north of Toronto, east of Huntsville in the District Municipality of Muskoka. With a geographic area of approximately 667.5 km², Lake of Bays contains over 100 lakes and a mix of land uses including rural areas, waterfront areas, commuity areas (three hamlets), crown land, provincial parkland, and an Urban Centre (Baysville). As of 2021, its permanent population is approximately 4,000 residents, expanding annually with the addition of 12,000 seasonal residents.

Some of the key issues addressed in this Strategy included balancing the recreation needs of seasonal and permanent residents, analyzing existing agreements with the local School Board and adjacent municipality, investigating opportunities to adapt seniors’ centres, improving parks for accessibility and use, and leveraging strong community support and involvement.