The History of Pine Grove Resort
Hilary receiving the Tourism Champion Award from NOTO at the Northern Tourism Summit, with Carol & BIll Chambers
Pine Grove Resort winning the Environmental Stewardship Award and $1,000 from NOTO & Canadian Shield Consultants
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Pine Grove Resort (Formerly Cushnies Camp) was purchased in 1971 by Carol & Bill Chambers. After searching for a private cottage, they came across a listing for Cushnies camp in a real estate ad & decided to check it out. On the first trip up to see the camp, the roads were so rough that it ruined the exhaust system on their car. Not deterred by the rustic nature of the area they decided to go ahead and make an offer for purchase, as Carol was a teacher at Mohawk College and had summers off to assist at the resort.
They began a process of upgrading the property from a hunt/fishing camp, to the resort that it is today. The property had 7 original cabins that Bill renovated, and soon after the Chambers family built more cottages. They also purchased the big island across from the resort, but sold it a few years later after their daughter Hilary was born. Bill went on to take an active roll in the tourism industry by being President of both the Loring-Restoule Business Association and NOTO Northern Ontario Tourism Outfitters. The Chambers Family are still very active in tourism to this day. Bill is a former member of the the Northern Committee for Ontario Tourism, and is Past President of the Loring-Restoule Business Association. Their daughter Hilary Chambers is, President of the Loring-Restoule Business Association, Past President of NOTO (Nature & Outdoor Tourism Ontario & is currently the Chair of Regional Tourism Organization RTO12 "Explorers Edge" also known as the Great Canadian Wilderness. She is also a founding member of the newly created Ontario Wildlands Conservancy.
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