April, 21. 2008.
Ontarians looking for an escape from the drudgery of city life no longer need to fly off to far-flung tourist destinations. Just off the Loyalist Parkway (Highway 33), the picturesque town of Wellington has been garnering much attention in the country’s news media as a prime holiday destination.
Overlooking Sandbanks Provincial Park and North America’s largest collection of freshwater sand dunes, this colourful hamlet has given pause to those who had assumed that an extraordinary getaway requires extensive travel. Not only has the town been blessed with an obscenely generous portion of natural beauty, but it has also been the subject of a revitalization that is changing the way urbanites think about the countryside.
Wellington lies in the heart of Price Edward County (P.E.C.), an historic region which once served as a stronghold for Loyalists opposed to the American Revolution. Heritage buildings from this era stud the region even today, lending charm to an already stunning locale. In addition to a bounty of fruits and vegetables, the region’s remarkably fertile soil produces dazzling grapes which have become the toast of Canada’s wine industry. Ontario’s newest wine region, the County has received international acclaim for its outstanding produce and is attracting the attention of Ontario’s culinary elite.
The award-winning Austrian chef Willi Fida was one of the first culinary minds to set up shop in the area. His restaurant—Angeline’s—has been listed in the feted food guide Where to Eat in Canada. Jamie Kennedy, one of Toronto’s foremost celebrity chefs, has heaped praise on the region’s food and wine. Jamie’s innovative creations have been the talk of “Taste: A Celebration of Regional Cuisine.” During this summertime festival, 45 representatives from wineries, cideries, breweries and restaurants showcase their talents—and the region’s natural bounty. Additionally, the County is home to scores of first class restaurants, gastro-pubs and inns, many of which have been lauded in national papers and magazines.
So sudden has the deluge of attention been, it is difficult to understand how the region remained such a well-kept secret for so long. Once known as “Canada’s Garden,” Prince Edward County has always featured exceptional produce. In fact, it was 1870 when one of Hillier township’s wines took the gold medal at an exposition in Philadelphia. But the County kept a fairly low profile throughout most of the 20th Century, discretely enjoyed by a select few. Only in the past 30 or 40 years has the region stealthily emerged as a gourmand’s paradise. More striking still, the region was without a single operating winery until 2001, which witnessed the opening of Waupoos Estate. Now, at a time when the culinary arts have taken hold of the collective consciousness, the County is set to explode—creatively and commercially.
Aside from flourishing wineries and a burgeoning restaurant scene, this bucolic community has much to recommend itself. The townships of Picton, Bloomfield and Wellington are dotted with quaint bed-and-breakfasts, stone farm houses and stately brick homes dating back to the 19th Century.
Once a peninsula, P.E.C. is now an island. Technically separated from the mainland by the razor-thin Bay of Quinte, the County is connected by numerous roads and highways and enjoys close proximity to the town of Belleville. A mecca for watersports, the County can be accessed through both the St. Lawrence Waterway and the Trent-Severn canal system. Wellington itself features a paradisiacal sandy beach.
In the summer, the surrounding waters of Lake Ontario come alive with yachts, windsurfers and all manner of small watercraft. Picton features the lovingly restored Regent Theatre. Opened in 1922, this grand playhouse and cinema provides the venue for jazz fests, author readings and musical performances by world-class acts.
Situated between Kingston and Toronto, the County is easily within driving distance of Ottawa, Montreal, Syracuse and Rochester. In spite of the influx of gourmands, restaurateurs and wine producers, Prince Edward County retains its community feel and small-town charm. At once ancestral and welcoming, P.E.C. is more than just a tourist destination. Residents of the County enjoy a quality of life that simply cannot be matched. For that reason, enterprising people from major cities around Canada are not just visiting the County, but relocating there.
BGS Homes is among the handful of brand-name builders to have recognised the area’s potential as a great place to live. With this in mind, the venerable Toronto-based building company has settled on Wellington as the future site for one of its newest neighbourhoods (http://bgshomes.com/Wellington/index.php). Those looking to settle and invest in this up-and-coming community would be well-advised to take a look at Wellington Lakeside Estates.
Commanding a breathtaking view of the lake, Lakeside Estates consists of stately homes in keeping with the town’s elegant aesthetic and yet constructed with cutting-edge building technologies. Featuring open-concept living areas, energy-efficient heating systems and quality brick finishes, the Estates serve as a metaphor for the phenomenon taking shape in Prince Edward County. The new is commingling with the old to create something truly unique.
Contact Gary Morden at (613) 399-2100 for details on how you can become part of this effervescent community.
