About the Area

This waterfront home is located in Harcourt Park, Ontario.

HARCOURT PARK

Harcourt Park Inc. was created in 1959 by Sumcot Development Corporation as a private club for the exclusive use of its members and guests. It consists of 6,900 acres of land including eighteen lakes. Only eight of the lakes have cottages on them and only four of those allow the use of motors. The other lakes are designated as no motor boat lakes and personal jet-propelled watercraft are banned on all lakes within Harcourt Park. There are only 600 surveyed cottage lots within the park. All of these lots are lakefront and are at least a half acre in size. The remaining lakefront properties and backlands are forever protected from development by Harcourt Park Inc. by-laws. Each member of the Park has full access to the other lakes and backlands.

Sumcot, the original developer, decided the only way to develop this area and protect the natural environment from the public was to create a private club. Thus cottage lots within Harcourt Park are leased, not deeded, allowing complete privacy since all of the roads are privately maintained. Harcourt Park Inc. is a non-profit non-share capital corporation set up to maintain the property and the interests of its members. When you purchase a leasehold interest within Harcourt Park, you become a member of the corporation. Each member of the corporation receives one vote and is eligible to serve on the 12 member volunteer Board of Directors. The Board of Directors manages the affairs of the corporation.

LEASES

All leases issued by the corporation expire on the same date (March 31, 2049). While the lakefront lots are leased, the cottage building is always owned by the member. As all of the 600 lots are owned by members, the only way to buy into Harcourt Park is through a resale. Properties within Harcourt Park are acquired through an Assignment of Lease document that is registered at the Haliburton County Registry office like a deed. Banks can provide standard financing on properties within Harcourt Park.

ANNUAL FEES

Each member is responsible for paying his/her own property taxes to the Municipality of Dysart et al.
Annual membership fees of $450 are payable to Harcourt Park Inc. for the operation of the Park. This provides an annual revenue of $247,000 which is used to operate the Park. Of that, funds are spent on road maintenance, snow plowing, fish stocking, Community Centre Operations, property taxes for the backlands, security program and other administrative expenses.

PARK ENVIRONMENT

Harcourt Park is situated on top of the watershed divide that runs through the Haliburton Highlands. All of our lakes are spring and rain fed and since the Park is located at the top of the watershed, all water flows out of Harcourt Park. This situation provides excellent water quality that is carefully monitored by our Environmental Quality Committee. One lake flows into the Trent River system and the others flow into the Ottawa River Valley. All of the Park's lakes are Zebra Mussel free. By-laws have been set up to prevent the infestation of Zebra Mussels and other contaminants. Only members—not guests or renters—are allowed to introduce watercraft to the Park's lakes. Watercraft used outside the park must be dry for 7 days before launching on any lake.

The Park's backlands consist of dense forest of mostly hardwoods such as maple. The area has been frequently logged for hardwoods over the last 100 years. However no logging has occurred in over 20 years since Harcourt Park Inc. now owns all of the timber rights. The corporation has a forest management plan in place that does not call for any logging for several years. Other management activities, such as maintaining a small clearing for certain wildlife, are currently taking place, and the possible creation of a deer yard is being considered.

FISHING and HUNTING

Fishing is excellent in Harcourt Park. There are lakes with natural Brook Trout and Lake Trout fisheries. Small Mouth and Large Mouth Bass are reproducing in some lakes. Our Fish Management Committee has a comprehensive program to stock and monitor the fisheries. The fish stocking budget allows annual stocking of Rainbow Trout, Splake and Brook Trout. Fishing on our lakes is only available to park members and their guests.

Deer, Moose, Bear, and Partridge are abundant in the area. Harcourt Park members enjoy their private hunting grounds—almost 7,000 acres of forest.

ROADS and TRAILS

All roads (about 50 km) within Harcourt Park are privately maintained by the corporation and are gravel based. There is a main road (Sumcot Road) that connects the east and west sides of the park. Many small roads feed off of Sumcot Drive to provide access to the cottage lots.

Most of the the back lakes are accessible only by trails which were once logging roads. There is an extensive network of trails within the Park that can be used for walking, cycling, motorcycling, cross-country sking and snowmobiling. The Ontario Federation of Snowmobile Clubs (OFSC) main "E" trail goes through the east border of Harcourt Park. This provides easy access to hundreds of miles of groomed snowmobile trails.

GENERAL STORE and LOCAL SHOPPING

There is a General Store located on Little Straggle Lake that serves the members of Harcourt Park year round. They provide some groceries, gas, propane, movie rentals, some grill facilities, small engine repair, roof shovelling and many other services.

There is a Foodland, General Store and Liquor Store in Wilberforce (30 minutes). The towns of Bancroft and Haliburton are each 45 minutes away and provide most amenities.

COMMUNITY CENTRE

The Harcourt Park Community Centre is operated during July and August by the Recreation Committee and has a comprehensive recreation program including a day camp program for children, baseball and other activities. Annual events include a Wine & Cheese Party, Garage Sale, Volleyball Tournaments, Aquatic Day, Waterski Competition, Dances, a Horseshoe Tournament, Beef BBQ, Monte Carlo Night, and a Corn Roast. There is a waterski course located on Big Straggle Lake.

There is a tennis court and a shuffleboard court located at the Community Centre. There is a community well (fully winterized) at the Community Centre which provides excellent quality drinking water.

PARK SECURITY

Throughout the year, Harcourt Park provides a security contract to two Park members. These Security Officers patrol the Park night and day to ensure that only members and guests are present in the Park. Cottages are checked regularly to ensure that all doors and windows are locked.

OTHER CONSIDERATIONS

Each lot is serviced with hydro and telephone available. Most cottages draw water from the lakes by water pump, and some have drilled wells. Each cottage lot will have its own septic system consisting of a holding tank and/or tile bed system.

INTERNET ACCESS

Dialup Internet access (Bell Sympatico) is available via a local phone call to Haliburton. Bell High Speed Internet access is scheduled to be available in December 2009.

Viewing by appointment only. Please email us or call 705-448-3031 or 613-332-0080.