When Larry Law first visited Collingwood, he fell in love with the landscape. In 1991, the town was far from the destination that it has become today, but he still decided to invest in the tiny Cranberry Inn.
Fast-forward nearly 35 years, and Larry has overseen the construction of thousands of homes in both the Markham and Collingwood areas. He has grown the Cranberry Inn into Living Water Resorts, a two-hotel resort with 442 rooms, a 19-hole golf course, swimming pools, two restaurants, and more. But Larry still asked himself and his team the one question that is a mantra to him.
“Living Water Resorts has a very different business DNA from most businesses. Larry is always looking for ‘what more can we do,’ how can we give back to the community and our team members,” says Grant Carter, director of communications & special projects at Living Water Resorts.
Larry envisioned a retirement residence where multiple generations could gather together comfortably and make memories, keeping isolation and loneliness at bay. In spring 2025, Living Water Retirement Residence will be opening its doors to its first-ever residents.
The retirement residence will have 129 oversized studio and one-bedroom units available, similar to the size of the Living Water Resorts hotel rooms and suites. It will boast an exclusive dining room, an on-site swimming pool, a chapel, games rooms, and three meals and two snacks served per day. The meals are prepared by the same team that cooks at Lakeside Seafood & Grill, the on-site award-winning restaurant at Living Water Resorts.
The retirement residence is geared towards active seniors who don’t require extensive care, but there will also be a director of of care to assist with medication management, as well as an activities director to put together events and holiday parties. In the summertime, residents can enjoy cooking on the barbecues and enjoying meals with their families at scenic picnic tables. The whole place is designed to encourage community and comfort.
“It’s not just putting a retirement home on Highway 26. It’s creating a seniors community within our Living Water community,” says Grant.
Larry and his team have added touches to the Living Water Retirement Residence experience that will make it feel like home. For one, residents are allowed to bring their pets. “For many seniors, their pets are their kids,” says Grant. “They believe that pets add extra warmth and joy to the community, making it a win-win for everyone.”
In 2001, after Larry’s wife passed away at the age of 48, he moved towards a people-first approach to business and to life. He is a recipient of the 2024 King Charles Medal, the Queen’s Jubilee Medal, and the Order of Collingwood, recognizing his many contributions to the town and local region.
Larry’s hope for the Living Water Retirement Residence is that it will be a place where seniors can thrive in a vibrant community, have their needs looked after, and share time with loved ones within a resort community.
For more information or to join the Living Water Retirement Residence waitlist, visit here.
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