Places To See

This imposing structure can be seen for miles around Collingwood and symbolizes the twin engines of commerce in the early 1900’s, agriculture and shipping.

In 1899, the Collingwood Council identified the need to erect a Modern elevator, but due to low water levels, construction was delayed until 1929, when the Federal government agreed to pay for dredging.

The lighthouse, constructed in 1855-59, is one of the most historic structures of the Great Lakes. Visible from the shores of Collingwood, the island itself is called Nottawasaga Island. Locals call it Clark’s Island or even Lighthouse Island.

The imposing limestone lighthouse soars 86 feet and serves as one of the few reminders of our bold and diverse marine heritage. The light served Collingwood’s once busy port as a guide for mariners around treacherous shoals and through sudden Georgian Bay gales.

Murals of Collingwood’s historical highlights are springing up in the Town and none is more dramatic than the Side Launch mural, painted by John Hood and his sister Alexandra Hood, depicting the practice of launching ships in Collingwood.

Third Street is the “Fifth Avenue” of the Town, including Tornaveen (1893), now the Collingwood Ski Academy, Armadale, #375 (1890), the site of a gala reception for the Governor General of Canada in June, 1918 and Elmwood/Dundurn Hall at #241 which was once described as the finest building in the town.

Constructed of marble and recently restored, the Collingwood Federal Building was inspired by the State Finance Building in Havana, Cuba.

The building boasts a rotunda with a large stained glass dome, bearing the coats of arms of the four levels of government, including the Town of Collingwood.

An outstanding focal point and well worth the visit, the building is open to the public during business hours.

The Collingwood Millennium Overlook Park is located at the most northerly point of the historic Collingwood Harbour. The site provides an outstanding panorama of Georgian Bay and the Niagara Escarpment to the west.

Georgian Bay (technically part of Lake Huron) was named “La Mer Douce” by Champlain in 1615 on his first visit to the bay. It is 120 miles long and 50 miles wide.

The Niagara Escarpment was declared as a World Biosphere Reserve, an internationally recognized ecosystem.

The Millennium Outlook Park is strategically located to provide visitors with the opportunity to learn about and experience both of these features.

This park has a memorial walkway lined with plaques as a memorial to the many shipyard workers who spent most of their lives building the huge grain carriers, which plied the Great Lakes.

Many of the largest were built in Collingwood by these men, whose work is remembered by their families and other donors who have purchased memorial plaques with the names of the ships such as the Hochelaga, Black Bay and others built nearby at the famous Collingwood Shipyards which ceased operation in 1986 after 100 years or operation.

As the original ‘northern terminus’ of the railroad, Collingwood was an important shipping port where valuable cargos were loaded and shipped around the Great Lakes. Passenger vessels were also part of the activity at Collingwood harbour and many famous stories are told of the tragedies that befell some of them.

Harbourlands Park was created in 2000 and is one of the most beautiful areas in the community.

Residents and visitors alike enjoy the rugged beauty of a once active shipping/grain storage area. The backdrop of the Collingwood Terminals with its huge white columns rises up from the once wasteland “spit area”, now a series of beautifully landscaped walkways and gardens with a history of the area on massive granite plinths.