Martini anyone? Waterfront redevelopment transforms heritage Cobourg into an upscale retirement community

A visitor who hadn’t been to Cobourg’s Lake Ontario waterfront in a while would stare in wide-eyed amazement if they returned today.  

Gone are the coal piles, the rotting buildings, rusting railway tracks and giant oil tanks that crowded out the town’s expansive sandy beach. In their stead are a boardwalk that teems with pedestrians, extensive landscaping, a bustling recreational harbour that attracts boaters from around the Great Lakes and beyond, and upscale condominiums that complement the Victoria Park beach rather than dwarf it.  

Cobourg’s waterfront is no longer an industrial waste zone, but an attractive people place that’s the centre of activity for several annual festivals, including the Waterfront Festival which celebrates Canada Day. Victoria Park is a great place for a family picnic. You’ll find vendors and shops near the beach and there’s a children’s play area and splash pool.  

Beautiful boardwalk gets you up close with yachts from around the world

Much has been done but efforts continue to expand public access to the water, with funds banked to purchase private waterfront property as it becomes available. A well-maintained boardwalk extends along the lakeshore and brings visitors up close and personal to the lesser used, and more natural, west beach.

Cobourg’s Heritage Harbour is known around the Great Lakes for its extensive, well-maintained boaters’ facilities. Chances are good you’ll also happen upon a visiting yacht from Montreal, the West Indies, Britain or the American eastern seaboard, so widespread has its reputation become. It’s fun to spot the variety of sailing vessels whose owners drop by — is that a schooner or a brigantine?  

Located in Northumberland County an hour east of Toronto, Cobourg traces its roots back to the 1790s, and in the 19th century was a bustling industrial and shipping centre. Later, it attracted wealthy American industrialists who built luxurious summer homes and lakeside hotels. Many of those beautiful buildings had fallen into disrepair by the latter decades of the 20th century, but a concerted effort by town visionaries has brought Cobourg back.  

Take a historic walk into the past

Today, Cobourg contains more than 500 properties designated under the Ontario Heritage Act. More than 300 are listed in the municipal heritage registry. A strong commitment to heritage and architectural preservation, to maintaining public access to its natural areas and a belief that growth should be gradual and controlled have combined to make Cobourg a choice place to live.  

In 1997, the town had a population of 17,242 and a workforce of 12,182. According to the Official Plan, Cobourg’s projected population for 2017 is 24,572. That represents a gradual but steady increase, centred around the waterfront, several small housing developments and an innovative west-end expansion that has attracted notice in the national media. But more on that later.  

Thanks to a disciplined approach to service expansion, Cobourg boasts ample infrastructure to handle its projected population increase. Light industry is concentrated in three large industrial parks. There is regular passenger rail service that gets you to downtown Toronto in 65 minutes and the town is right on Highway 401. Cobourg also has a municipal bus service.  

Torontonians discovering Cobourg's charms

And Toronto has begun to pay attention to its little neighbour. A few years ago, the producers of a big-city television program selected a dated Cobourg coffee shop to feature for a makeover. The result was its transformation into what is today one of the town’s most distinctive gathering places. At other times, the Toronto media have featured Cobourg’s brand of easy-does-it, heritage-based development.  

But Cobourg isn’t resting on its laurels. The 1999 Official Plan is being updated to reflect new circumstances and the Ontario government’s Places to Grow strategy.  

Cobourg’s downtown features well-cared for heritage buildings just two blocks from the waterfront. It is a compact town where many community, retail and commercial services are a short walk away.  

The core area features distinctive eateries and bars, ranging from a historic old hotel to a fashionable, hip oyster house to a martini bar. You’ll find a wide range of coffee and confectionary shops, too. Nearby, several residential projects are putting existing heritage buildings to a new use, while new-build projects complement the old architecture.  

Family-friendly development praised

A short drive from downtown is a secondary shopping area in the vicinity of Northumberland Mall. Adjacent to this area is a groundbreaking residential development that has featured in national newspapers and radio reports. New Amherst has been applauded for its classically inspired designs in a self-contained community atmosphere that harkens back to the days when homes and family life were oriented toward pedestrian traffic along the street, not the automobile. Many properties in the development boast streetside verandahs and garages tucked away off back yard laneways.  

Culturally, Cobourg doesn’t take a back seat to many communities much larger in population. The town enjoys theatre companies and live performance venues, including Victoria Hall and a renovated former cinema. It has several day spas and is a short, scenic drive to the famed St. Anne’s Country Inn and Spa.  

The town was the site of a Canadian Forces ordnance depot from 1951 to 1969. So as not to see the land go to waste, the property was turned over for an industrial park. 

They're passionate about the environment here

In 2007, Cobourg became the first municipality in Canada to switch over entirely to induction street lighting, a system that replaces the traditional high-pressure sodium lighting and uses half the energy while providing a higher quality light. The project is estimated to reduce CO2 emissions by 500 tonnes a year.  

One of Cobourg’s charms is the ease with which you can slip out of the urban area into the surrounding Northumberland Hills and the rural communities there. Northumberland is a significant farming region and fresh produce is available throughout the growing season. There are many roadside fruit and vegetable stands and, on Saturdays from May until the end of December, producers participate in a farmers’ market behind Cobourg’s Victoria Hall.  

Typical of the community spirit that abounds in Cobourg is the creation on the waterfront of the Ecology Garden, designed to demonstrate principles of organic, chemical-free gardening and to provide a chance for people to gain and exchange ideas. The garden, situated just off the west beach boardwalk, offers an attractive destination any time of the year. Even in winter, vines, tall grasses and leftover berries are an attractive addition to the frozen landscape, while offering protection and food for wildlife.  

It's easy to meet friends in the 'feel good town'

Each February, Cobourg holds its annual civic awards ceremony, during which time residents are honoured in such categories as volunteerism, youth, sports, bravery, academics, arts, environment and distinguished service to the community.  

Dubbed Ontario’s “feel good town,” Cobourg exudes a friendliness and small-town atmosphere. So why not grab an ice cream cone and saunter along the waterfront walkway? You never know who you’ll run into and what kind of conversation you’ll strike up.  

From concerts at the Victoria Park bandshell on balmy summer evenings, to the coming together of friends and strangers for the Christmas lighting ceremony, Cobourg is brimming with community spirit. No wonder it boasts one of the highest rates of volunteerism in the country — it is clearly a place where residents take pride in their home town.  

On the resale waterfront real estate market, a recent listing for a two-bedroom condo opposite the marina but without a water view was priced at $199,900. At the high end, a three-bedroom renovated home with 100 feet of frontage on Lake Ontario was listed for sale at $629,000.