A Piece Of Colliingwood Maritime History Is About To Sink

  It is unfortunate that we as Canadians have taken such a laissez-faire position to saving and preserving items that offer a glimpse of our past and represent a historic value that cannot be replaced once lost.

  The master plan for the redevelopment of Collingwood's harbour front is no doubt years away from being fully implemented and completed but hopefully amongst its many features it will serve to recognize and celebrate the Town's shipbuilding and maritime past. 

  The S.S. Norisle pictured here was built in Collingwood in 1946 and served as a passenger and car ferry between Tobermory at the tip of the Bruce Peninsula and Manitoulin Island up to 1974 when its replacement the Chi Cheemaun (also built in Collingwood) went into service.  Up to its retirement, the Norisle was the last steam powered passenger ship on the Great Lakes. The ship was subsequently sold by the province to the Township of Assiginack on Manitoulin Island for $1 (one dollar) and towed to the town of Manitowaning where it has remained ever since.  The ship went through a number of uses including that of a restaurant and later a museum but has sat idle for many years deteriorating.  I took these drone shorts of the ship earlier this summer. 

  My mother was born on Manitoulin, I have spent every summer there since I was an infant and my brother and I have a cottage property a short distance from the ferry dock that we have owned for 45 years.  In my late teens for a summer job I worked on the ferry dock at South Baymouth parking cars, then tying up the Norisle and it's sister ship the Norgoma when they arrived.  I also drove cars on and off the ferries which in itself was a challenge especially on the Norisle as it involved taking cars down an elevator into a dark lower hold.  There was no turning around to back up, you watched and followed the directions of the 1ST or 2ND Mate as he pointed and moved his finger as to how and where to steer.  It was a great experience.

  In recent years the Norisle has been at the centre of a lawsuit between the Township of Assiginack and the S.S. Norisle Steamship Society.  The Society was hoping to purchase the ship and restore it so as to offer cruises such as the Seqwun does on the Muskoka lakes.  While doable that in itself is a large and expensive undertaking given the ship is 72 years old and today's safety requirements are much more stringent.

  News was released yesterday that the Township and Norisle Steamship Society have reached an agreement resolving their dispute.  The ship is being sold to a group in Tobermory (Tobermory Maritime Association) that will acquire the ship and subsequently sink it as a scuba diving site.   It's too bad that something more appropriate could not have been decided for the fate of this piece of Collingwood history.  While 5,000 or 6,000 scuba diving enthusiasts visit Tobermory annually, that number is minuscule (Collingwood gets more than that on one weekend to see Elvis impersonators) compared to the number of visitors the ship could attract as a permanent, moored fixture here in Collingwood or elsewhere. 

  This is another piece of Canadian history and Collingwood heritage that will be lost which is too bad.  That is why many of us are working diligently via the Nottawasaga Lighthpouse Preservation Society of which I am the current Chair to acquire and restore the Nottawasaga lighthouse off Collingwood.  More of that in future posts.

Is Storage A Problem In Your Garage?

  Space in and outside our homes is often a problem for many of us but there are solutions. One, you can get rid of stuff (which I have done) and or two, you can create some additional space especially in the garage.  Besides having my own needs to address as real Estate Broker I am always helping clients solve various issues with the properties or ones they are looking to purchase. 

  Like my father (deceased) I am a car nut, actually anything with a motor in it gets my attention. Back in the fifties, sixties and seventies all the new car models came out at the same time usually in early October. It started when I was about four or five years old and my Dad would drag me around on a Friday night and Saturday to the various dealerships looking at all the new cars. I still remember staring at the first Mustangs, Camaros and Firebirds that came out.  I have owned and restored many cars over the years as well as motorcycles and boats.  

  Between my wife and I we have three vehicles, plus a boat and I have a motorcycle.  She has always loved Corvettes particularly the mid-sixties models but they have become very expensive. Looking for something more affordable that she could use and enjoy we found her a great, low mileage 1980 model, fully optioned with a factory four speed transmission which is somewhat rare. With all this "stuff" at home space was becoming s problem so we decided that a car lift in the garage was an potential option to look at. As with most major purchases we shopped around looking at the various vehicle lifts on the market, comparing features and of course price. We settled on a unit made here in Ontario (Oakville) that was well engineered and unlike some others used North American parts versus components imported from abroad. 

  The lift was delivered and installed this week and we are very pleased with the results. Taking advantage of the available ceiling height the lift allows us to store three vehicles plus my motorcycle in our double car garage. For hobbyists like myself a car lift is a low cost option that will pay for itself while de-cluttering your driveway. The lift allows you to raise a vehicle to different heights for cleaning and or doing other maintenance tasks including underneath the car. If you are interested visit The Lift Superstore in Oakville or I would be happy to answer any questions you may have so feel free to Contact Me.

What's In A Seller's Best Interest

  Late in 2016 and early 2017, real estate For Sale signs began appearing in our market with the added message "Coming Soon To Realtor.ca."  Consumers were and still are often confused not knowing what this statement implies so let's clear the air.

  Many of us visiting a movie theatre to take in a film often sit through a parade of ads highlighting upcoming films that are coming to the theatre soon.  "Coming Soon To Realtor.ca" signs have been used in markets such as Toronto and elsewhere for years and are a way in which a listing REALTOR® may choose to pre-market a property for sale before it hits the Multiple Listing Service (MLS).  Often this is done while the property's owner(s) complete some last minute preparations to list their home or condo for sale on the local MLS and this may include such tasks as interior or exterior painting, decorating, the staging of furniture, yard clean up, completing property photos and so on.  While the overall intent of using a Coming Soon To Realtor.ca sign on a property may seem legitimate the big question is, does doing so best represent a seller in exposing the property to as many potential buyers as possible thus helping to ensure they get the best sale price and terms possible?

  As REALTORS® we are governed by provincial law namely the Real estate and Business Brokers Act (REBBA 2002).  This act includes a variety of requirements pertaining to advertising none of which can be viewed as being false, misleading or deceptive.  Let me ask this question. If as a buyer you noticed a property with a For Sale sign that further said "Coming Soon To Realtor.ca," you had a potential interest in the property only to find out that it was sold and never got listed on MLS, how would you feel?  Falsely excited? Mislead? Deceived? I certainly would.

 As a licensed real estate Broker, this is not a practice that I have or would use.  First, installing a For Sale sign of any type on a property must include written consent from the seller(s).  This consent must have an effective date as well as written direction from the seller(s) as to how and when showings of the property are to be managed as well as the date on which offers will be accepted.  Too often these details are overlooked.  Too often the listing REALTOR® may just be trying to find a buyer on their own.  Again, is this in the best interest of the seller(s)?  The answer is probably no!

 The Canadian Real Estate Association (CREA) owns and manages www.realtor.ca.  The only "Coming Soon" sign allowed and or endorsed by CREA is "Coming Soon To Realtor.ca."  "Coming to MLS" is not allowed neither is just "Coming Soon" as is begs the question coming soon to what?  Some real estate boards and associations across Canada do not allow the use of such signs as part of the MLS rules and regulations, personally I think it's time to perhaps consider the same here in our market.  Seller's deserve and are entitled to the best possible service we as REALTORS® can deliver and the same applies to buyers. 

  Ultimately a property is either for sale or it's not.  Let's stop playing games and service our seller and buyer clients in the best way possible with knowledgeable, timely and forthright service that demonstrates the value that we as REALTORS® bring to the real estate transaction.  I would love to hear your opinion on this or feel free to Contact Me with any questions you may have.