Author: Collingwood Info

Paul Casey (a Sales Representative) and Christine Smith (a Broker) with Royal LePage Locations North Brokerage based out of Collingwood. We both service areas such as the Blue Mountains, Collingwood, Thornbury, Meaford and Wasaga Beach as well as every wonderful community across the Southern Georgian Bay. If you are looking to buy or sell and not working with an agent -- let us be your guide to real estate across this wonderful area. As professional REALTORS® we both like making the complete process of buying and selling real estate simple as possible.

10 Fun Activities for Snow Days in Collingwood

by Collingwood InfoJanuary 4, 2017September 28, 2021Uncategorized

January is here and you can spend your time wallowing and complaining about snow, ice and cold and wondering why you live in the north, or you can take advantage of everything it has to offer. Snow squalls are definitely in the forecast in Collingwood this week (and definitely throughout the month), which could mean impacted travel plans, school and business closures and a lot of shovelling. Spend your snow days doing something fun in Collingwood!

1) Go skating! We’ve got some great indoor and outdoor rinks in the area and there is nothing more Canadian than lacing up the skates and heading for a frozen pond.

2) Make some snow cones or candy. A really fun tradition here in Canada is to make snow cones with real snow. It is incredibly easy and just requires Popsicle sticks, maple syrup and clean snow.

3) Go skiing. Anyone who lives in the area, already knows that skiing is important pastime in Collingwood. From beginners to more advanced skiers, our mountain offers the best in downhill and cross-country skiing.

4) Have an indoor picnic. Dreaming of summer? Turn on the fireplace and host a picnic on your living room floor. You won’t miss the bugs or the heat and the snowflakes falling outside your windows will give you some great scenery to look at.

5) Go winter caving. This adventurous pursuit is great for the entire family and gives you a break from the traditional activities of sledding and skiing. You’ll snowshoe to the caves, but then climb and crawl through them during this unique activity.

6) Build snow castles. You don’t need to be at the beach to take part in this fun activity. In fact, snow may mold just a little better than sand and you can do it inside or out, if you choose (and can contain the mess!).

7) Go swimming. Again, just because it’s cold outside, doesn’t mean it isn’t warm inside! There are a number of spots in the Collingwood area where you can swim with the family. Plunge! Aquatic Centre has pools, an indoor water playground and other fun. The Collingwood YMCA also has family swims and you don’t have to be a member.

8) Do a photo shoot. Take advantage of the beautiful and snowy Collingwood backdrop and take some photos of your family doing what they do best in the snow. Be sure to adjust your aperture for the white background (or photos will look grey). Summer isn’t the only time of year to get out and take pictures!

9) Borrow books from the library. You don’t even have to go outside for this one. While going to the Collingwood Public Library is always a treat, you can borrow ebooks right from your digital device at home.

10) Have a movie day. With our lives being incredibly busy with work, errands and extracurricular activities, we probably don’t take much time for rest. Spend an entire day watching movies with your family while it snows outside. You won’t regret it!

Skating in Collingwood

by Collingwood InfoDecember 28, 2016July 20, 2021Uncategorized

Skating is a fun and very inexpensive way to spend time with the family, be active and get outdoors. You may be looking for ideas of things to do in Collingwood over this holiday break and skating is the perfect idea. There are a number of indoor and outdoor spots to lace up your skates and participate in family skate, shinny and more out on the ice.

Central Park Outdoor Rink

Located at 250 Hume Street, park behind the YMCA, off of Paterson Street. This outdoor rink is weather permitting, meaning that if the weather is too warm, you won’t be able to skate. There are a number of different programs available at the Central Park Outdoor Rink and you can check their schedule online. There are large chunks of public skating time each day. If you have really young kids and want an environment where they’ll feel comfortable without the older kids bombing around near them, check out the Parent & Tots skate on Saturday and Sunday from 11am until noon. Check out the various shinny programs from open, preschool, youth and adult. Thinking about having a skating party for your family and friends? You can rent the outdoor rink every weekend from 2pm until 4pm.

Central Park Arena

Located at 85 Paterson Street, this indoor arena also boasts a number of skating programs for the entire family to enjoy. This full-size 200-foot ice surface is large and well-maintained. There is seating for almost 400 people, plus dressing rooms for co-ed or female only skaters. This rink is available from October until May. During the winter, public skating is on weekends and the cost is $3 per person or $8 a family. Parent & Tot skating is free, with weekday, daytime times for parents and kids to enjoy the ice stress-free. Adults 50+ can enjoy adult shinny at the cost of $5 as a drop-in fee every Thursday.

Eddie Bush Memorial Arena

Located at 97 Hurontario Street beside the town hall, there are a number of programs also available here. While the daily schedule is not available online, this arena is offering a number of free public skates over the holidays. The dates for these are:

December 27^th – December 30^th from 2pm until 3:30pm – during the Frozen in Time festival
January 2^nd – Jnauary 6^th from 2pm until 4pm – sponsored by Tim Hortons

Millpond at Blue Mountain

At the Blue Mountain Village, once the ice is frozen on the pond, you can skate on it and it is one of the largest outdoor rinks in the region. Skate rentals are also available pond-side.

Skate rentals and sharpening

If you don’t have your own skates and there aren’t skate rentals available on-site at the arenas and rinks, consider renting them from Play it Again Sports in Collingwood.

Habitat for Humanity in South Georgian Bay

by Collingwood InfoDecember 21, 2016November 9, 2019Uncategorized

There are a number of families out there who can’t afford a home in Collingwood. Unfortunately, with rising housing prices, the dreams of owning one’s own piece of property don’t work out for those who simply can’t raise a down payment or afford the mortgage payment. Fortunately for those in South Georgian Bay, Habitat for Humanity is a great organization that helps low-income families to build and buy their dream home.

Recently, a Wasaga Beach family realized their home ownership dream through Habitat for Humanity South Georgian Bay. Other families in the community can benefit from this program as well and those who don’t need the help can offer help to those who need it. But, this isn’t an Oprah Winfrey situation where people are rewarded with homes for just being there. What Habitat for Humanity does is set up no-interest mortgages on affordable and quality homes that they build themselves (with the help of the community).

Rather than come up with a down payment, families are expected to put in the sweat equity required to build the home, with other volunteers helping it along. As well, family members can volunteer at the Habitat ReStore in Collingwood, which is an amazing resource for those looking for used quality building materials and other goods. There are some amazing deals and the ReStore is huge with 11,500 square feet of space of supplies for home building, renovations and design. You can also donate your new and used household and building materials in order to help other families in the community.

So far, the South Georgian Bay branch has helped 12 families and they are planning on their 13^th build in the east end of Collingwood for next year. Habitat for Humanity has pledged to build 150 homes across Canada in celebration of Canada’s 150^th birthday in 2017.

If you are in need

If you don’t think you can manage owning a home on your own, due to financial hardship stopping you from saving a down payment, consider becoming a partner family. You can apply right on their site. If you want to volunteer, give a cash donation or a corporate sponsorship, that information is on their website as well.

Another small way you can help is to collect all of your aluminium cans and donate them to the ReStore, where they will sell them to a recycler and use the funds to continue their programs. At this time of year, doing all you can to help those is need is always appreciated and our Collingwood community is definitely up for the task.

Blue Mountain New Year’s Eve

by Collingwood InfoDecember 13, 2016Collingwood Events

New Year’s Eve will be here in just over two weeks and Blue Mountain is the perfect spot for visitors and residents to celebrate. The Blue Mountain New Year’s Eve event is for adults and families, with a number of great activities scheduled.

NYE Family Carnival Party

Starting at 5:30, you’ll enjoy a buffet dinner at the Blue Mountain Village Conference Centre. At 6pm, the family entertainment will start. At 7pm, there will be carnival entertainment and a countdown to the fireworks with a balloon drop. All music will be kid-friendly. The fireworks will happen over Mill Pond at 9:30 for the kids who need to go to bed, but want to celebrate the ringing in of the new year. The dress code for this event is resort casual. Adults and teens cost $75 a person, while youth from age 6 to 12 are $45 per person. Children five and under will be only $10. If you want babysitting for the night, this can be arranged as well, with advance notice. Get your tickets early as there are only 500 available for the family carnival party.

NYE Party Ice Hotel

For adult’s only fun, you’ll want to check out the Ice Hotel at the Blue Mountain Inn. With a cash bar and DJ, you’ll be able to eat, drink and dance the night away at this party. Happy Hour will happen from 10-11pm, with special drink pricing and prizes being given away. You can buy your tickets online and they are $60 a person. You must be over 19 and this event sees adults of all ages having fun. There are only 700 tickets available, so buying early is your best bet for ensuring you don’t miss out on the fun. Go outside at midnight to check out the fireworks that will be released, celebrating the new year. After the party, treat yourself to some pizza at the Pizza Pizza kiosk at the Blue Mountain Inn.

If you need accommodation or transportation, both are available for both parties. There will be shuttle service around the resort and to Collingwood. If you need more information, read all of the New Years Eve FAQs. There are a number of packages also available that combine accommodation and the parties.

Celebrating New Year’s Eve in Collingwood is a not-to-miss event.

Tagged : collingwood events

Be the Change Film Series

by Collingwood InfoDecember 8, 2016December 2, 2016Collingwood Events

If you are new to Collingwood, you may not have heard of the Be the Change Film series, now in its eighth year. This documentary film series presents films with thought-provoking topics about our world in an effort to inspire and educate the Collingwood community into action. Working with the Blue Mountain Watershed Trust Foundation and the Collingwood educational store Elephant Thoughts, along with many community partners, this film series is there to provide the audience with information about what our earth is facing.

All films are being played at the Simcoe Street Theatre and the cost is $8 in advance or at the door or $5 for students. If you want to see all six films, the cost is $40. The proceeds of the films support both Elephant Thoughts and the Blue Mountain Watershed Trust Foundation.

You can make your film screening a complete night out, with a very inexpensive, local dinner for only $15. The meal is prepared by Farm to Table – Market & Kitchen and the CC Food Co-op. There will also be snacks and beverages provided by the Creemore Coffee Studio and Earthlinks, an environmental student group from Collingwood Collegiate Institute.

The Films

Koneline is an art film set in First Nations territory in Northern British Columbia and explores a beautiful and majestic area as it goes through change by modern development. This film is playing on January 18^th. Musical guest Mike Reid will play between shows.

Misconception plays on February 15^th and musical guest Craig Smith will play between the two shows. This film explores population growth and the misconceptions surrounding it.

Seed: The Untold Story lets us know how valuable seeds are to our survival and that the majority of seed varieties are now extinct. It will talk about our food legacy and how we can keep this treasured resource safe. It plays on March 15^th and musician Jason Redman will play between shows.

After the Last River is the last film in the series, examining the Attawapiskat reserve and how the De Beers diamond mine destroyed their community.

Residents and visitors to the Collingwood area will not want to miss this film series. Not only entertaining, it will be enlightening and supports some great causes. Don’t wait to get your tickets, as past shows have sold out before the film’s viewing.

Tagged : collingwood / collingwood charities / collingwood events

Collingwood Frozen in Time Festival

by Collingwood InfoNovember 30, 2016November 9, 2019Uncategorized

Write this event on the calendar now, because you truly don’t want to miss it. The Collingwood Frozen in Time Festival is a magnificent five-day event that is happening all over Collingwood. Not just fabulous ice sculptures, there will also be family fun, entertainment, food and all of the joys and amenities of the downtown Collingwood area. This event will happen from December 27^th until January 1^st, so you can visit once or many times while you celebrate the season with your family. When the kids are off school, parents are always looking for fun ways to entertain them, and this event is sure to please kids and adults of all ages.

Winter Wonderland Village

From the 28^th until the 31^st, the Winter Wonderland Village will have a variety of scheduled activities from 11am until 4pm. Activities include:

Various bands playing music at the Celebration Stage and Fireside Lounge
Performance by the Collingwood Circus Club and the Collingwood School of Dance
Mural creation station, kids cooking classes and a scavenger hunt at the Sugar Plum Pavilion
Shinny hockey skills and drills
Plasma cars and toy testing at Snowflake Central
Healthy Kids game challenges in the Game Zone
Free public skating at Eddie Bush Arena
Wagon Rides at Town Hall

Ice carvings

The biggest draw to the Frozen in Time festival will of course be the ice sculptures. Located throughout the downtown area, you’ll see master carvers at work, making art with their chainsaws. The coveted Battle of the Chainsaws will happen every day from December 28^th until the 31^st at 1pm, where carvers will battle it out on the Celebration Stage in the Winter Wonderland Village.

Cocoa Concourse

It is here at the Cocoa Cabin that you can get a hot drink for only one dollar and get more info on all of the fun events. Next door at the Snowflake Chalet, you will be presented with a complimentary runny nose and chilly toes package, which includes fun and practical items like tissues, chapsticks, throat lozenges and hand warmers.

Play Activity Zone

Play shinny hockey, build with ice blocks, play shuffle board and take on an obstacle course of snow and ice. All activities run here from 11am until 4pm daily.

Fireside Family Lounge

Get warmed up by the fire, relax and have your hot beverage, while enjoying your family and the downtown Collingwood area.

Tagged : collingwood events

Holiday Events in Collingwood

by Collingwood InfoNovember 25, 2016November 9, 2019Uncategorized

Collingwood is an amazing place to be over the holiday season. The snow-covered trees, the glistening blue water and the lit-up ski hill all make for brilliant scenery. There is also so much to do in December to celebrate the holiday season. Let’s take a look at some of the great holiday events in Collingwood this year.

A Christmas Carol Comedy at the Simcoe Street Theatre

This hilarious take on Charles Dickens’ story, you won’t want to miss this performance, happening November 25^th and 26^th at the Simcoe Street Theatre. Tickets are $25 for adults and $15 for children.

Visit with Santa Claus and his reindeer

From this Saturday and every Saturday until December 17^th, you can visit with Santa Claus and his reindeer in downtown Collingwood. The kiddies will be delighted to give Santa their Christmas wish list and check out the reindeer in training, along with their trainers who are there to answer all of the kid’s fun questions about reindeer. Go down by the town hall from 12:30 pm to 3:30 pm to meet with them.

Blue Mountain Christmas Gift Show

Happening November 26^th and 27^th, the gift show will have over 100 vendors, entertainment and even Santa Claus. Held at the Blue Mountain Resort, doors open at 4 pm.

Winter Decor Workshops at Not So Hollow Farm

Attend a three-hour workshop where you’ll learn how to and actually create winter decor like wreaths and urn inserts. Prices and dates vary and you’ll take home your new decor for your home.

Jingles & Joy at Blue Mountain Village

Experience the thousands of twinkling lights, the decorations and the entertainment, while you walk the pedestrian village at Blue Mountain. Stores will have extended shopping hours, plus there will horse and wagon rides, Santa at the bandstand and fireworks every weekend!

Pet Pics with Santa

On December 10^th, head to the Village where your pup or kitty can get their photos with Santa from 1 to 4 pm. All donations will go to the Georgian Triangle Humane Society.

First Christmas Story at the First Presbyterian Church

Watch the beautiful story of “Peace on Earth” as presented by the Church with a number of free performances. Tickets are available at the church for one of a number of dates from December 7^th until the 14^th.

Take your pick of the best holiday events in Collingwood, or just enjoy one of the many restaurants and shops in the downtown core. The streets are decorated and beautiful too!

Tagged : collingwood / collingwood events

Collingwood’s Waterfront Plan

by Collingwood InfoNovember 17, 2016Uncategorized

With so much growth in Collingwood, it was only a matter of time before a master waterfront plan was put into place. Expected to cost about $50 million, it will be built over the next seventeen years in three phases.

Phase one

The first phase is going to cost about $20 million and will focus on the projects that will have the greatest impact in the community. Harbourview Park will be getting an 8,000 square foot pavilion and a non-motorized boating hub. There will be a café, skater’s lounge and boat storage. As well, the community will be thrilled with the new skating trail and splash pad that will be located there.

The second part of phase one will also see maintenance and servicing on Heritage Drive and the boardwalks that span the east and west side of Collingwood’s waterfront. Sunset Point will be getting a new EnviroPark.

Phase two

Phase two will take five years to complete, starting in 2023 and cost $22 million. Catering to the needs of boaters, this phase will include the building of a Marina Services building that will house and support local and transient boaters. A restaurant and more local shops will be added at what will be called Watt’s Wharf.

Visitors and residents alike will be pleased that there will be more room for more Collingwood events with the improvements to Millennium Park that will happen during phase two. Easier access to swimming in Millennium Park will also be available with a proposed swimming dock in the plan.

Beer drinkers will be happy to know a brewpub will be opened next to the grain terminals, as well as LED lights to light up the harbourfront. The town also plans to add about 340 parking spaces during this phase.

Phase three

Phase three, the final phase, should include improvements to Sidelaunch Way, an expanded amphitheatre and more docks for boaters. This phase won’t begin for another 13 years, with completion by 2034.

The next 18 years holds a lot of promise for Collingwood’s waterfront, with some great advances and improvements that will not only make this city one of the best waterfront cities in the province to live in, but also to visit.

Tagged : collingwood / collingwood waterfront

The Collingwood Santa Claus Parade

by Collingwood InfoNovember 10, 2016Uncategorized

It’s that time of year again in Collingwood! The leaves are falling, the temperatures are dropping and Santa is on his way. The Collingwood Santa Claus Parade takes place on November 19^th at 5pm. This night-time tradition will happen in our beautiful downtown core and will capture and illuminate the magic of a lit-up evening parade.

This year’s theme is Christmas Carols, which means that music will be a central theme of the parade, as we celebrate our favourite carols. There will be carolers all along the parade route, but also so much more. To start, your entire family will enjoy an old fashioned Christmas Market, merchant open houses along downtown’s streets and of course, the parade where Santa will make an appearance. The end of the night will culminate in the lighting of the town’s Christmas tree and a magnificent fireworks display.

If you are a business or organization and would like to participate in the 2016 annual Collingwood Santa Claus Parade, you can submit your parade entry form and tell them what sort of organization you are. Non-profits and youth groups can enter for free, but for all others there is a small charge for your float, walking group and more. There are a number of regulations, so be sure to read them before entering.

If you wish to partner, sponsor or support the parade, you can do that as well too, to ensure this amazing family event keeps going year after year.

What you need to know before you go

If you can, it is always best to walk to the parade, as parking will be limited and chaotic. Be sure to check out the best spots for parking and go early to get the best spot.

Dress warm and bring blankets. While the weather is above 10 degrees right now, it could even dip below freezing by parade day, especially in the evening. Wear layers under your clothing and bring all hats, mitts and scarves with you in case it does get cold over the course of the night.

Bring chairs. If you go early enough, you may be waiting for a while for the parade to start. Add this to the time it takes during the parade and your legs may get tired from standing. Bring your chairs and set them up where you’d like to sit along the parade route. Remember to leave room for the kids at the front.

Load up on hot chocolate from one of the businesses close by. Before you take your seat (or have someone sit while you do a hot chocolate run), grab a hot chocolate from one of the many businesses downtown who offer hot drinks. You’ll regret it if you don’t.

Have fun!

Tagged : collingwood / collingwood events

Minor Hockey in Collingwood

by Collingwood InfoNovember 4, 2016July 19, 2021Uncategorized

The temperatures are hovering just above freezing, the leaves have turned and fluttering to the ground and people are starting to don scarves and mitts. This can mean only one thing: hockey season is here! Being a Canadian, hockey is ingrained into our culture and most kids growing up play some form of hockey.

If you’ve recently moved to the Collingwood area or are looking for minor hockey teams for your kids to play on, this article should give you some help.

The Collingwood Minor Hockey League accepts children from age 3 up to age 17 and places them in the appropriate division. Rates start at $220 for the little guys (under age 8) and go up to $600 for the bigger kids. While many people argue that hockey is expensive, there is financial aid for families who need it through programs like Jumpstart, Kids Sports Canada and the Collingwood Minor Hockey Association.

This league’s mission is to provide hockey at varying levels to all kids, with the following values being important to the child’s growth in hockey:

· Character

· Knowledge

· Commitment

· Leadership

· Enjoyment

· Sportsmanship

· Integrity

· Vision

If your child is new to hockey, the CHIPS program is the Canadian Hockey Initiation Program, which helps kids get a start. If your child is not new and has some good hockey skills, they can try out for a representative team, rather than play on the house or local league teams.

Before you know if your child is going to love hockey, you should not run out and buy brand new equipment. Stores like Play it Again Sports are great for buying and selling used hockey equipment.

If you live on the outskirts of Collingwood or wish to play for a different league, there are a number of great leagues in really close proximity to Collingwood. The Essa Minor Hockey League offers all of the same advantages as the Collingwood League. The Wasaga Minor Hockey Leagues goes from Chips all the way up to Midget Rep. Stayner Minor Hockey offers a full-range of hockey divisions and teams as well.

For a full list of hockey associations in the area, the Georgian Bay Minor Hockey League has a comprehensive list. Many leagues have already ended their registration, but there is no harm in asking if there is a spot on any of the teams.

Go Blackhawks!