Questions about Deerhurst? - Page 3

RJ · #51 04-30-2005, 1:40pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by Troll

Thanks for the illustrations.

Hi Tex,

You're welcome.

You're the friendliest Troll I ever met.

So in your signature, Lisa called Homer a baboon, hey? And Homer is ticked because a baboon is the stupidest, ugliest, smelliest ape of them all!

Hmn, if that has any correlation to your personality or profile, I know a bald gorilla in Timmins you might like to meet. He's a pretty nice guy. Great wife and kids too, just like Homer.

RJ · #52 04-30-2005, 1:55pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by Roger

I just want to mention that when we first stayed at Deerhurst in 1996, the pavilion was not there. None of those buildings up the hill were there. Only those buildings at the bottom right of the picture were there. Deerhurst has grown almost beyond recognition. In 1996 we stayed in the red building on the left down by the water. In 2000 we stayed in one of the new buildings away from the water. On the whole I liked it better in 1996 - smaller, more intimate.

So you've been spending time in the Huntsville/Muskoka area for 23 years? You must be a walking history book. Mind if I mine a little of that wealth?

Only since 1996 the place has changed that much? I think there were some major expansions in around 1990. Robin talked in his book about the new show facilities up in what is now the Pavillion. The Vegas review show migrated there from the Lodge stage for about six months. I think Eilleen was in it then too. But then the show migrated back to the Lodge. I've not talked with Laura about the Pavillion yet. For now, I better stay focused on the brief overview and continue with the inside of the Lodge, or I'll never get finished.

RJ · #53 04-30-2005, 2:00pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by aFinn

*puts socks back on*

Now who's the teaser?

Well, feel free to sic Osku after me if I'm out of line here. But I'm a bit curious now. Did Shania describe you accurately in the song "Party For Two?" You know..., the part about the socks.

While you're pondering a suitable reply, let me add that I'm out in left field on the issue of my teasing. Did I say something in my post which you quoted, that had a double meaning? I wasn't aware of it. You know, my growing up with the dairy cows more than with people at a young age, left me handicapped in the area of levity and wit.

aFinn · #54 04-30-2005, 3:53pm

...Party For Two came to my mind also, especially Dax's great gif pic animation of Marvin The Martian sliding across the screen in his socks

RJ · #55 04-30-2005, 4:17pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by aFinn

...Party For Two came to my mind also, especially Dax's great gif pic animation of Marvin The Martian sliding across the screen in his socks

I don't remember seeing that. But he is good tho.

Yep, I guess I WAS teasing on the part about "not me," after trying to rev others up into being ready to take the roof off. Speaking of which, I should get back to work on those posts. But I have to go running in the park by the river first, to stay healthy. Then I gotta prep some nutrition and eat.

Then I gotta see why the Boards is asleep on their end of this thread. Usually, they're the ones who go into depth in discussions and explorations. Do you think it's because I omitted the secret Shania signal for them? (2 repetitions of crescendoing "Are you ready __________!!??")

Actually, I did have it in there originally. But it was about 3 in the morning and nobody responded there at that time. Meanwhile the Europeans here were already up and at 'em. You snooze you lose!

Roger · #56 04-30-2005, 5:06pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by RJ

So you've been spending time in the Huntsville/Muskoka area for 23 years? You must be a walking history book. Mind if I mine a little of that wealth?

Only since 1996 the place has changed that much? I think there were some major expansions in around 1990. Robin talked in his book about the new show facilities up in what is now the Pavillion. The Vegas review show migrated there from the Lodge stage for about six months. I think Eilleen was in it then too. But then the show migrated back to the Lodge. I've not talked with Laura about the Pavillion yet. For now, I better stay focused on the brief overview and continue with the inside of the Lodge, or I'll never get finished.

Mine what you can from me, Bob. But when we go to Lake of Bays, we are there to eat, snooze, read, play games, sail, hike, drink (a time or two), etc. I'm afraid I don't pay the kind of detailed attention you pay to your surroundings.

Case in point, I don't remember the pavilion being there in 1996. Maybe it was there but not open. Today that is where you go to register so that is your first stop at the resort but not in 1996.

aFinn · #57 04-30-2005, 5:24pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by Roger

eat, snooze, read, play games, sail, hike, drink (a time or two), etc.

That sounds like a Finnish summer cottage life. Can't wait till I get to enjoy it again this summer!

Roger · #58 04-30-2005, 5:25pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by aFinn

That sounds like a Finnish summer cottage life. Can't wait till I get to enjoy it again this summer!

You will find that the Muskoka area looks like Finland. BTW I forgot swimming and canoeing.

aFinn · #59 04-30-2005, 5:28pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by RJ

I don't remember seeing that. But he is good tho.

here

Here's a lot of Dax toons from Chris's site

aFinn · #60 04-30-2005, 5:29pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by Roger

You will find that the Muskoka area looks like Finland. BTW I forgot swimming and canoeing.

BUT!!!! Do you have sauna?????? That's THE most important thing

aFinn · #61 04-30-2005, 5:39pm

Troll · #62 04-30-2005, 5:46pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by RJ

Hi Tex,

You're welcome.

You're the friendliest Troll I ever met.

So in your signature, Lisa called Homer a baboon, hey? And Homer is ticked because a baboon is the stupidest, ugliest, smelliest ape of them all!

Hmn, if that has any correlation to your personality or profile, I know a bald gorilla in Timmins you might like to meet. He's a pretty nice guy. Great wife and kids too, just like Homer.

Thanks

No I just like the simpsons.

tower · #63 04-30-2005, 6:04pm

Dax's cartoons are just amazing, I doubt the Centre will ever be able to take that display down now. I love Grace and Roger's fan photo's too, there is just so much of us on display as well as Shania at the Centre, it really is a great mix.

I am glad Eilleen liked it as much as she did, and to send Tracy a bunch of Red Roses after was just the nicest touch.

Roger · #64 04-30-2005, 8:34pm

At the last fan convention, I was amazed to see some of my photos on display in the Centre. I had sent small versions for inclusion at the STC website but they also took some, enlarged them and posted them at the Centre. I wish they had told me. I could have sent them the high res originals and they would have had a better quality result.

RJ · #65 05-01-2005, 2:48pm

Okay, I'm back.

Let's see, where were we?

Raising the roof on the Lodge. I wonder if it's a heavy roof. Might need some help with it.

Tom is helping.

Quote:

Originally Posted by tower

Yes, my goodness me Bob, I am proud of you. What an excellent effort to wake up to today...,

Great Stuff, give me more...

Troll is helping

Quote:

Originally Posted by Troll

Thanks for the illustrations.

Roger is helping.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Roger

I just want to mention that when we first stayed at Deerhurst in 1996,
...,
Only those buildings at the bottom right of the picture were there. Deerhurst has grown almost beyond recognition. In 1996 we stayed in the red building on the left down by the water. In 2000 we stayed in one of the new buildings away from the water. On the whole I liked it better in 1996 - smaller, more intimate.

aFinn is helping.

Quote:

Originally Posted by aFinn

...,
Now who's the teaser?

Roger gives more here:

Quote:

Originally Posted by Roger

You will find that the Muskoka area looks like Finland. ...,

RJ · #66 05-01-2005, 2:50pm

AAh! Working together, we took the roof off.

Here is the floor plan of the inside of the Lodge when Eilleen was there. The main entrance is by the arrow at top right. The Ballroom and Ballroom Foyer are on the main level, in shades of brown, with gold text. The gray areas on the main floor were open to the public. Those are the areas that ST fans have asked me questions about. Here, perhaps for the first time, you'll find out the location for the stories about the Green Room, the Four Winds, and the Cypress Lounge. Of far less importance, but useful for reference, are the private areas of Deerhurst offices and work spaces. Those are not shown, to avoid confusion with the areas open to the public. They would be in the black area, above and to the left of the gray areas in this illustration (to the left of the dashed line near entrance).

tower · #67 05-01-2005, 2:50pm

Now that has me confused Bob, I thought the ballroom was on the 1st floor as we climbed stairs to get there, but I seem to remember that the building is on a steep slope so I guess the enterence was on first floor level... or something like that.

We never went into the room to the left of the main ballroom, just looked at the photo's on the corridor wall. I am right in assuming that is the nice looking study room you posted earlier?

Roger · #68 05-01-2005, 2:50pm

"Ballroom" is a rather grand term. The rest of the building is well appointed but when we were in the "ballroom" it seemed more like a high school gym - not very big, the stage is quite small, the tables are jammed into long rows at 90 degrees to the stage.

Don't get me wrong. I loved the show but I found the arrangement a bit chintzy as were the constant questions if we wanted more drinks.

tower · #69 05-01-2005, 2:50pm

Yes it must be 1st floor as we entered from the rear and climbed up one story.... nice.

RJ · #70 05-01-2005, 3:16pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by tower

Now that has me confused Bob, I thought the ballroom was on the 1st floor as we climbed stairs to get there, but I seem to remember that the building is on a steep slope so I guess the enterence was on first floor level... or something like that.

We never went into the room to the left of the main ballroom, just looked at the photo's on the corridor wall. I am right in assuming that is the nice looking study room you posted earlier?

Steady on, Tom. We'll get it sorted out. Appreciate your almost instantaneous response and interest.

You're quite right. I could have edited Deerhurst's diagram even further than I did. But I want to retain as much of their terminology as possible. Because that's what they'll use when they take us through the tour in person in August.

There are four levels to the Lodge.

The lowest one is like a walkout basement to the patio and swimming pool. But Deerhurst called it "The Meeting Level," for reasons that will become clear in Laura's descriptions which I'll post here.

The second level up is their "Main Floor." Again, you're quite right Tom. You and I initially entered the lowest level last May, then went up the inside stairs, to the foyer and then the ballroom for the show. We'll get to the location for Shania's pictures in a moment. I'd like to take you and subsequent fans, through this building in a sequential route, rather than trying to describe it all at once. I think that will make it clearer. Bear with me on that. But by all means, I do encourage your questions as we go along. That will make this much more dynamic for subsequent readers. I tend to focus mostly on information. You guys are the ones who're good at generating the enthusiasm.

The top two levels of the Lodge were the guestrooms in the original Lodge. The history of Eilleen in the Lodge that's been reported by Robin Eggar and elsewhere in interviews etc., relates almost completely to the Main Floor.

So I'll enlarge that and begin our tour sequentially through the Main Floor. I'll describe what was there, using historian Laura Kennedy's information, as we go along the way.

RJ · #71 05-01-2005, 4:05pm

Roger, I think fans will appreciate your color commentary there.

Tom, does that sound familiar? I'm afraid Roger's memory is as sharp as his logic. Yes Roger, you've captured the flavor pretty well, of the ballroom when it's set up for the show in recent years. However we're not scheduled to see the show yet this year. I think the appearance of the ballroom varies, depending on how they set it up, and when. When they had food service in the Lodge, the tables all had nice coverings and the photos look pretty nice.

I'm inclined to agree with you Roger, that the term ballroom is a rather grand one. However I think there's more to the story than your observation about the gap between the ballroom name, and it's current circumstance. In it's day, all the portions of that Lodge were quite grand. The fact that budgets do not allow refurbishment of all rooms on a frequent basis, is not reason enough to continuously change their names, nor bury their history. Deerhurst has a wonderful history, which is only enhanced by the part attributable to Shania. But I do agree, that the ballroom foyer seemed more impressively appointed, or maintained, than the ballroom/showroom itself. Perhaps that's because the foyer functions as a waiting lounge in natural or full light, while the ballroom functions as a theatre where the lights are low except for the object of attention - the stage and performance.

That's also a colorful anecdote about the serving of beverages, including alcohol. Honestly I had some of the the same reaction as you did. But Tom had the opposite reaction, he was very glad to be waited on. I think the staff tries to fit the service to the customers' preferences. I wondered too, the extent of the profit motive in that service. But to be fair, I think probably a lot of customers expect that kind of service up there, and the small staff can't always keep track of all the preferences of a large group of people, especially in the dim light during most of the show.

RJ · #72 05-01-2005, 4:54pm

Before we go inside for the walk-through, let's back up a step for just a brief moment, and show what it actually looks like from the outside, as you get ready to enter.

This is the main entrance to the Lodge, where Shania developed her skills on stage, as a member of the cast. She was there for about 27 months, reportedly from June 1988 until September 1990.

The main entrance is in the center of the picture. That is on the Main Floor. There are two stories above it and one below it. As Tom mentioned, the building is on the side of a hill, going down to Peninsula Lake. So the lowest level actually is undergound on this side, but walks out onto the yard and pool on the opposite side. To the far right behind the tree is another entrance. That is to the private working areas for the staff, not the public. These flowers and grounds were in pretty good shape when this photo was taken.

RJ · #73 05-01-2005, 5:34pm

This is my own picture of the Lodge main entrance taken in May 2004. The snow had melted in that northern country, just a week or two before Tom and I got there. As you can see, the flowers and vegetation are just beginning to come out of their winter hibernation. The angle of the sun is much lower. But you can see more clearly, the Deerhurst Logo (Stag head image) below the gable end roof at right. If you look carefully, you can also see something in gold lettering on the awning above the main entrance. That says "The Lodge & C. W.'s Lounge" give or take a letter or two. Tom, you can correct me if you have a clearer image. You used your camera here too.

While I'm preparing the next image and descriptions, if you want to read an interesting archive about Deerhurst, which includes a bit about Charles Wilmot Waterhouse, here's a link. Chris Backa (cbspock) had asked what the "C. W." stood for in the name of C. W.'s Lounge. I found the answer accidentally while researching the World Wide Web a while ago. I noticed one typo though. They had the date as 1986 instead of 1896 for the Lodge start.

RJ · #74 05-01-2005, 7:52pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by tower

...,
We never went into the room to the left of the main ballroom, just looked at the photo's on the corridor wall. I am right in assuming that is the nice looking study room you posted earlier?

You know Tom, I think you and Roger are more observant and have a keener eye than you've been 'letting on,' sometimes.

You're absolutely right, we did not go into that room (gray area) to the left of the main ballroom. And I was very intrigued to learn the reasons why. But that's another story. We'll get to it.

"The nice looking study room" I posted earlier, is on the main floor. But it is not the gray room left of the main ballroom as you look at this diagram. That photo you referred to is the "Ballroom Foyer" in this chart. I think I've seen or heard 2, maybe 3 names for it now, one being the ballroom lobby.

But you've got the "photos on the corridor wall" pegged right. But there's more to that story too. All in good time, as we do our virtual walk-thru here.

tower · #75 05-01-2005, 11:23pm

You devil, you are just making me wait, I could just hire a car you know and go see for my self before your next post!

I have this strange feeling that our visit to Deerhurst is going to be so - so special in many ways, this may well be the last year we can get one to one with resorts like that before the numbers attending make it no longer possible.

It is such a shame, especially for those travelling from Europe that we can not take in the show, I am sure they do special overnight rates for bus tours that want to do that sort of thing, however perhaps next year?

I was speaking today to the new Web designer for the City of Timmins, a young 20 something year old, he was talking about Shania in the Sports Gallery and I overheard, so we had a great chat.

If he did not before grasp the immensity of the job before him, and it's importance for the City of Timmins and it's future - HE DOES NOW!

He is keen, has great ideas and my little dream for the site is going to happen, and sooner than I ever imagined. So I am a happy person tonight as I settle down to email every radio station in the World that may promote this 3rd Fan Convention without costing the STC a penny or a cent.

I am a Radio Man, and I know how the promotions work, I also know just how difficult it is to run a contest where the prize will actually attract more listeners and help retain market share...

My only worry is that someone in the STC will have to pick up the calls and the emails and deal with them in the near future, and that this could take more than an hour a day once I get into full stride.

However it is early season as yet, and by the end of May I will be done... What good it does for numbers attending the Aug 18-22nd Fan Convention this year will be difficult to gauge. I have to try however, and even if not one single radio station takes the challenge, I will feel good having tried.

Oh and will do the whole thing again next year, 'cause I am a Shania Fan and we are not to be messed with.... Oh no.

Deerhurst is ready for the challenge, is Timmins City council? or the Timmins Media?