Happy Tuesday, all! I hope you’re having a great start to the week, and that my fellow Canadians had a very happy Thanksgiving weekend! Mine was lovely – I did a lot of baking (not to mention a lot of eating) and lots of celebrating with family and friends. However you spent the weekend, I hope it was a great one!
Every Thanksgiving, I take some time to reflect on the blessings in my life and the things I’m most thankful for. One of the things I’m especially thankful for is living where I live! I truly feel so blessed to live here – not only in the great country of Canada, but in the beautiful province of Ontario. I’ve been discovering, exploring and day-tripping my way around Ontario for several years now, and I still haven’t run out of things to do… if anything, my list just keeps on getting longer! From natural beauty to rich history to unique architecture, Ontario truly has it all. In fact, the spot I’m writing about today has all three of these things!
The neighbourhood I’m about to share with you looks like it’s straight out of Martha’s Vineyard, but it’s actually right here in Ontario… more specifically, in the town of Grimsby. Located on the shores of Lake Ontario, just a 5-minute drive from downtown Grimsby, the historic neighbourhood of Grimsby Beach is known for its “Painted Ladies”: a collection of brightly coloured Victorian gingerbread houses. These quaint cottages are whimsical, charming and utterly delightful!
These vibrant, fanciful cottages can be found on Auditorium Circle, Fair Avenue and Temple Lane. It’s a small neighbourhood, and a stroll through will only take about 20 minutes (longer if you’re like me and want to stop and take photos of every house!)
The history of the area dates back to the 19th century, when Grimsby Beach was a Methodist campground. From 1859 to 1875, Christian Methodists gathered here to pray and worship, congregating at the large auditorium known as “The Temple” – which accommodated as many as 7000 people – and camping in the area overnight. The Temple no longer exists, but was located on what’s now Auditorium Circle.
By the 1870s, the Methodists began replacing their canvas camping tents with ‘permanent tents’ – i.e. wood-frame cottages – many of which still stand today. Some of the cottages are over 150 years old and are protected under the Ontario Heritage Act.
Image Source: krassoc.wordpress.com
Image Source: Everyday Tourist
When the Methodist group that owned the campground went bankrupt in 1909, the property was purchased by American entrepreneur Harry Wylie. He turned it into a resort and amusement park featuring rides, a restaurant, a dance hall, a movie theatre and several other attractions. The amusement park operated until the 1930s, when the park fell into decline. The remaining cottages (some had been destroyed by fires in the 1920s) were sold to developers and buyers.
Image Source: Flickr (Toronto Public Library, Special Collections)
Today, many of the Grimsby Beach cottages have been winterized and most residents live there year-round. The residents are understandably house-proud, taking careful care to maintain their homes with frequent paint jobs and diligent maintenance. Many of the residents have gone a step further and spruced up their houses with over-the-top themed decor! This beachy surfer-themed one, for instance, has a full tiki bar in the front yard… now that’s something to aspire to!
This one was mer-maid for a fin-tastic photo op…
This one is comically delightful!
Some of the houses are a bit more understated…
While others are like something out of Oz!
Even the more minimalist houses have their own whimsical touches… this adorable tulip-covered fence, for instance.
These two houses are perhaps the most classic examples of Martha’s Vineyard-style ‘gingerbread architecture’.
This looks like a Barbie Dream House that even Barbie herself couldn’t dream up!
This cheery yellow house is one of my favourites in the neighbourhood… it always makes me smile.
Even the birdhouses are over-the-top adorable!
The residents of Grimsby Beach are generally happy to share their charming homes with passersby – after all, when you live in such a joyful little slice of paradise, that joy’s got to be contagious! Some homeowners will even strike up conversations with visiting tourists, eager to chat about the area and its history. All that said, when visiting Grimsby Beach, it’s important to remember that – as charming and Insta-worthy as it is – it’s first and foremost a residential neighbourhood, so please remember to be quiet and respectful. Visitors are welcome to view and photograph the homes from the street, as long as you stay on the street. Do not trespass on anyone’s property, and do not take photos of the residents themselves. This should go without saying, but I’ve heard stories of visitors walking right onto people’s lawns and up to their windows to take photos – which is not only incredibly disrespectful and invasive, but also illegal!! So please enjoy the area and its beauty, but don’t forget to be mindful and respectful of those who live there. Please also refrain from parking in the neighbourhood, as street parking is reserved for the area’s residents and their own guests. I recommend visiting Grimsby Beach on a weekend, as you can park for free at the Grand Avenue Public School – from there, it’s just a five-minute walk to the cottages.
And now the question I know you’re all wondering about… how can you snag one of these delightful cottages for yourself? Well, it’s pretty rare, but one does occasionally go on the market – and they tend to be (surprisingly) affordably priced! This straight-outta-Candyland house at 30 Auditorium Circle was listed for $674,900 earlier this year – check out this article for photos of the inside, which is just as whimsical as its exterior!
What do you think… would you live in one of these cottages? You’d have to dedicate a fair share of time and money to upkeep (“keeping up with the Joneses” takes on a whole new meaning in this neighbourhood!) and be comfortable with your fair share of visitors, but imagine coming home after a long day at work and driving up to one of these fairy tale dreams. Hmm… maybe I’ll keep my eye on realtor.ca!
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