Living Water Resorts developer Larry Law envisions resort amenities combined with a community spirit creating a happy place for seniors.
by Roger Klein
The new structure started rising above the landscape on the west side of Collingwood in the spring of 2023 and it’s now near completion, preparing to open. The Living Water Retirement Residence is Larry Laws’s vision of a people-centred retirement community surrounded by recreational opportunities, including a golf course and marina.
“It’s a community of people with like-minded interests. We support, we learn and we grow together—that’s our rewarding journey,” says Law, founder and CEO of Living Water Resorts in Collingwood.
Working as an architect and land developer, Law has overseen the construction of thousands of homes in Markham and here in Collingwood, but the new retirement residence holds special meaning for Law as he taps into his own personal experiences with his family and his philosophies regarding longevity, fulfillment and happiness.
“Isolation and loneliness are something, it’s not really the material things,” says Law as he focuses on the essential nature of multi-generational interaction. “We will be the example to all others. We can be caring and we can be loving. This is something we are proud of and so good at,” he says proudly, pointing to his loyal staff and long track record in the community.
Law first visited the area in 1991. “It was the landscape, the whole setting, the view of the mountain with the Bay on the side, but the most important thing was the feeling,” he reminisces.
At the time, Collingwood was in an economic downturn and still recovering from the loss of the shipyards. Even so, Law took a leap of faith and invested in the 20-room Cranberry Motel, which had fallen into receivership. The surrounding lands were prime for development, and Law started to adapt to his new community and a new business model.
“I didn’t know too much about hospitality at the time, but over the past 30 years, I’ve discovered that I really enjoy building relationships with people, and that’s enriched my life,” says Law, describing his personal evolution over the years. He adds that learning about the hospitality industry came at great expense, but now the hotel and restaurants are fully developed and a cornerstone of the Living Water Resorts, along with the new suites in the retirement residence.
“We have an exclusive dining facility, a spa, chapel and of course the multi-family exercise centre. We also provide organized daily activities,” Law says. He goes on to explain how those amenities create synergies between the resort and the residences.
But what he’s most proud of is the creation of a diverse community within the community where families can gather. “This is resort living. Your grown children can come here and take a mini vacation, come here for the weekend or for the week. They will be happy to come here and spend time with a senior, not just an hour or two—we’re talking about days,” explains Law.
