The road name is still the same, but the Sundial Inn is long gone and now there are new plans for the property.
The hotel closed in 2008 and faced many issues, which included people breaking in and eventually a fire that took down the building in 2011.
The Sundial Lakeview Retirement residence is a 100 suite senior’s home that is scheduled to open next fall on the same property that the Sundial Inn operated on for almost 50 years.
“We did incorporate much of the original footprint of the original Sundial Inn,” says project lead Jaseen Nimjee. “The Sundial is obviously an historic tradition here in Orillia.”
The city never owned the property, but says a senior’s home is a good fit for the landmark site.
The developer says it will honour some of the old Sundial Inn property by taking some of the bricks from the original building, grinding them up and putting them into the roads and walkways all around the new building.
“My understanding is that on this hallowed ground, which was the sight of an icon for decades that former prime minister Pierre Trudeau stayed here,” says Orillia Mayor Steve Clarke.
Clarke says if he ever gets the chance, he'll invite current Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to drop by and see the new Sundial.
“This isn't going to be a hotel, but maybe I can ask him to plan for his retirement.”
