LETTER: ‘DYING’ GRAVENHURST COULD BE ‘BETTER LIVING CENTRE OF THE NORTH’ AS RETIREES’ PARADISE
Letter to the Editor:
Gravenhurst could be a retirees’ paradise.
When my wife, Roberta, and I moved into town in April of 1998 it sure had that potential.
The very good Seniors Centre on First Street was the first place we joined.
The Legion was also one busy place at that time and we joined it, too.
The adult community at Pineridge was just nicely getting started with huge potential. It took some years to complete but has become a proven success story.
There was a large vacant property at the north end of the main street, where a couple of hospitals once stood and which is now begging for development like those good old days.
Yes sir, Gravenhurst could be the, ‘Better Living Centre of the North.’
Seniors could plan ahead to get on the list to fully retire here.
But the proper vision of many local politicians has been lacking over the years.
I know they will be thinking differently when they reach their own retirement age and then probably move away from Muskoka all together.
They will then fully appreciate that Gravenhurst and Muskoka should have become a retiree’s paradise.
Normally retirees bring their life savings with them. This, of course, stimulates economic growth — a very essential item in any thriving community.
There is a certain positive vision required to turn a dying community into a thriving one.
Positive change always requires some hard work, so start holding some serious meetings in the Senior Centre to create the, Better Living Centre of the north for all seniors, present and future.
Respectfully, my personal opinion.
Harold A. Gibson,
Gravenhurst
March 26, 2026 @ 9:28 pm
A big yes and THANKYOU to Bob Barns and Al Gibson. They are both right on.
Regards from a Pineridge Gate retiree.
March 26, 2026 @ 9:31 pm
A huge thank you to Al Gibson and Bob Barnes.
I totally agree with them.
From: a Pineridge gate retiree.
March 27, 2026 @ 5:47 am
These are great comments, Al. We need more Gravenhurst citizen comments like these from all of us.
We, the town’s folk, have lots of good ideas. They need to be heard.
So let’s post our ideas here in MuskokaTODAY.com’s forum at the bottom of each story.
From what I am hearing, there were lots of good ideas from the Business Improvement Association (BIA) that didn’t get heard before it was disbanded.
Let’s hear them now on this foruum.
Let’s not just grumble to ourselves.
Let’s hear about other good initiatives that other Ontario small towns have found to be successful.
Some of us know about these ideas.
We don’t need to re-invent the wheel here; if someone else has a good wheel idea that may work here share it.