Langmaid's Island, a 147-acre pristine island on Lake of Bays in Ontario's Muskoka region, has been sold to Toronto developer Density Group Ltd., operating as Langmaid's Island Corp., for $9 million. The developer plans to carve the island into 32 cottage lots, with prices ranging from $9 million to $17 million per lot, marketed as the Ritz-Carlton Residences Muskoka. This has ignited a conflict between longtime cottagers, local government, and the new development, highlighting the tension between preserving heritage and catering to the ultra-wealthy.
The Sale and Its Aftermath
The island was owned by the Adamson family, heirs to a Chicago dairy fortune, for nearly a century. Henry Adamson, the last owner, died in 2014 without a will specifying his wish to preserve the island. His sister, Kate Adamson, said selling was necessary to pay off his debts. "It was an incredibly painful decision to sell the island, but there were some issues around my brother's estate where we couldn't just give it away," she said. The developer gained approval to subdivide after the township missed a deadline to respond to a plan amendment request, allowing the developer to appeal to the Ontario Land Tribunal (OLT), which approved the development.
Local Opposition and Development Details
Nancy Tapley, a long-time Lake of Bays council member, opposed the development. The township preferred 12 lots with a conservation focus. "I have yet to see the OLT in my experience say, 'Hold on a second, what do we have here?' Their philosophy is always to build, build, build," Tapley said. She noted that the lake has "changed beyond all recognition" due to such developments. Todd Adair, founder of Cayman Marshall International Realty, is marketing the properties, emphasizing amenities like a boat chauffeur, Nordic spa, pickleball court, archery range, yoga classes, and chef services. "These are not the type of people who are going to want to rake their own leaves," Adair said.
Impact on the Community
The development has sold five lots so far. Local cottagers tried to raise $1 million to buy the island but could not compete with the $9 million offer. Simon Miles, a founder of the Lake of Bays Heritage Foundation, sold his neighboring island in 2020. He recalled Henry Adamson as an environmentalist who would be "horrified" by the changes. "It would be fair to describe Henry as an environmentalist," Miles said. Kate Adamson echoed this sentiment: "It is the change of a way of life, and my brother would be horrified at how gentrified life has become on Lake of Bays."
