The sun shone on 2,000 feet of Benoir Lake’s shoreline and 750 acres of forest in Harcourt where local dignitaries gathered to support the vision of John and Jack Lally’s (Lally Homes) all new MartinWood Country Club Estates on Oct. 12.
“There’s huge potential here,” Dysart Reeve Murray Fearrey said. “It’s on a good chain of lakes. It has all the recreational amenities. They’ve done a super job of renovating the hotel and golf course, and the design of 78 new country homes looks good. Harcourt was hit hard a number of years ago when Martin Lumber closed down and it’s good to see it come back. It also means more jobs in construction and operating the facility.”
For 30 years, the Lally family has been building homes and golf courses. Now, the totally renovated MartinWood Hotel boasts 19 suites with four-season views, a games room, indoor pool, lounge, spa, pub, boardroom, and banquet room. MartinWood’s best nine holes have new tees, new landing areas, and newly shaped bunkers. Construction of the 78 energy-efficient, one and two bedroom country homes and 15 docks will begin in spring
2013. Openly enthusiastic about the development, Haliburton County Chamber of Commerce manager, Rosemarie Jung, said: “As one of the gateways to Haliburton Highlands, the year round spin-off business from the hotel, golf course, and new country homes for Harcourt and the whole county will be huge.”
Steve Pogue, Dysart et al councillor added “the main snowmobile E-trail comes right by their door, which also makes MartinWood a great place to stop for a meal or stay overnight.”
With great energy and excitement, John Lally, project manager, owner and visionary, guided the tour through the hotel and property showing the walking, biking and snowmobile trails, golf course, sandy beach, and where the docks will go. He also showed delight when mentioning that home owners will be entitled to use all hotel amenities, plus receive a two-year membership at MartinWood’s nine hole and River’sEdge 18 holes golf course in Bancroft, and have the option of placing their home in a managed rental pool.
“Building has always been in our family,” Lally said. “My dad has built over 30 golf courses. It’s a business that we all love. It’s great to share our passion and vision of a four-season lifestyle where people are excited about where they vacation and live. We want owners to look back and say, they were the best years of our lives.”
For more information go to www.martinwoodresort.com.