Site History

While Wolfe Springs is a new development, it already has a strong history.

Like many other Fractional Resorts, Wolfe Springs is steeped in history. Our luxury vacation villas now stand on the former site of the Green Shingle Lodge—one of the many grand old family lodges once scattered across Ontario’s cottage country.

The infamous lodge was purchased in 1946 by Westport locals – George & Alice McCulloch. In 1968, Bill & Anna McCulloch assumed management of the lodge and, with the help of their six children, successfully ran the family fishing retreat for the next 38 years. By 2006, with the end of the lodge’s 60th summer season upon them, Bill & Anna were ready to close the doors for good. The Green Shingle Lodge was definitely showing its age and the McCullochs were ready to “pass on the torch”.

While they had never actually stopped long enough to think about what sort of future they foresaw for the lodge, they did know that they didn’t want just any developer to come in and sweep their life’s work away. Needless to say, they were extremely pleased when approached by their daughter-in-law’s family - The Derbyshires (also Westport locals), who wanted topurchase the property and maintain a presence of family tradition on the lake.

After Bill and Anna McCulloch had removed all of their personal and treasured belongings, an on-site auction was held on August 25th, 2007. Many loyal patrons of the lodge attended to bid farewell and also to purchase some of the unique memorabilia. The most memorable artifacts have been placed in storage and will ultimately find a new home on the walls of the Wolfe Springs Welcome Centre. Other items, like the lodge’s infamous granite staircases and wood from the ceiling of the main lodge, have also been preserved so that they can continue to be appreciated for many years to come.

The McCullochs were on-hand for both the Auction and the Ground-Breaking Ceremony and indicated their happiness with how the transformation of the site is being handled. And…while the Green Shingle Lodge may physically be no more, Bill and Anna find great peace in the fact that the Wolfe Springs Resort promises to carry forward a strong family tradition and in doing so, establish itself as a new landmark in the Rideau Lakes Region.

View our photo gallery to see the beautiful villas now on site »