The Village of Windermere

Home of Muskoka Chautauqua’s summer festival.

In 1921, Chautauqua landed on the shores of Windermere for its inaugural summer season in Muskoka. For the past few years we have been so pleased to again call Windermere Village the home of our summer festival. The Village of Windermere has embraced our festival with open arms, and we have developed and grown wonderful relationships with many community partners.

A historical plaque in the town of Windermere

Windermere Community Conversations

Muskoka Chautauqua has facilitated four community-led conversations to gather input from residents, cottagers, and local businesses on shared values, goals, and a vision for the future of our community. These discussions have highlighted key themes and led to the formation of three working groups designed to turn these ideas into action. You can sign up to join one or more of these working groups.

We developed a visual representation of our community’s draft vision for Windermere during our last community-led conversation.

SYnopsis of community conversations

1. Strengthening Communication, Connection & Values:
Participants emphasized the importance of inclusivity, collaboration, and a sense of belonging. Key goals included increasing community participation through various platforms and recognizing the value of local stories to unite our diverse community.

2. Monitoring Development/ Infrastructure/ Environment:
The conversations addressed the need to balance economic growth and environmental sustainability. Goals included prioritizing housing, supporting the aging population, and preserving the local environment by reducing pollution and raising conservation awareness. Discussions also focused on practical needs like year-round businesses and addressing issues such as speeding.

3. Celebrating culture, heritage, and traditions:
The community highlighted the desire for more cultural opportunities and ways to preserve our local heritage. A significant finding from local artist Miranda Britton’s cultural asset mapping research confirmed Windermere as a vibrant cultural hub. Her work is a valuable asset for municipal strategic planning, helping to foster stronger relationships between locals and cottagers and encouraging the use of existing community spaces.

Join a Working Group!

The three working groups reflect the three themes from our community conversations, giving you a chance to actively contribute to the future of Windermere. You will be asked to attend meetings, lead specific tasks or project, and commit a few hours each month.

If you want to help the community turn ideas into action, please sign up using the form below.

Sign Up Here

Stay Informed!

For more detailed information on community news and events, check out the Windermere Gazette below or request to sign up by emailing windermeregazette@icloud.com

Season 2, Vol. 1-19

The Windermere History Project

Getting Here

Historic Windermere Village is located on the shores of Lake Rosseau, between Port Carling and Bracebridge. It is a quaint, walkable village, with street parking available. The Village Hall is located at 2496 Windermere Road, Windermere, P0B 1P0.