After the bitter disappointment of being skunked at the two previous hotels (see prior POST), I was left with a deep set yearning to see any hotel - preferably closer to home so it would not hurt too much at the gas pumps.
To this end, I headed off to the retrolicous / googie-riffic seat of popluxe luxury, the Sundial Inn. This recently abandoned location was briefly scouted / probed back in February, but not explored . . . Here is PART ONE of this most recent exploration.
Here is a short video of the first leg of the exploration covering the kitchens, bars, restaurant and offices.
First off, I want to thank the gods of UrbEx that be that this location has not attracted the attention of local miscreants / vandals / a$$-hat tag-monkeys. I should think that the fencing erected around the property does provide a level of security to thwart some of these parasites of society.
The former hotel appears relatively intact and still fully equipped. With the exception of the collapsed entry canopy (picture below showing the inside view), one could imagine that the place simply closed down for the week and guests would be welcome back at any time.
I especially enjoyed the 'timeless-ness' of this headline from the National Post sport page, "Leafs Eaten Alive" - this could be a headline from any season within the last several decades.
The thing that I love most about this place is the funky decor last updated in the early 80's. There are other decorative elements which had survived since the construction intact . . . finding these, in my opinion are one of the reasons I have a passion for exploration.
When I carefully picked my way though this abandonment, it took very little imaginative effort to transport myself decades back into time to this hotel's golden age . . . a time when few cared little about about the negative effects of alcohol or deep-fried food.
With the exception of any food stocks within the freezer lockers downstairs, the kitchen also appeared ready to be put into action with no great effort.
Although the Sunshine cafe closed it's door to guests back in 2005 (a paper found here hints at the date), the hotel still offered conference / meeting rooms - this had left me wondering if the kitchens were still in operation or whether organisers had to cater in the food.
The headline from this April 2005 Orillia paper speaks onto the decision to close the Huronia Regional Centre (HRC), which should be discharging its last patient sometime this year. This is a MASSIVE facility and certainly an UrbEx gem in this region.
Stay tuned for PART 2 of the Sundial Inn exploration within a week or two.
Happy & Safe Exploring, Remember - I and all who explore with me 'Take ONLY photos, and Leave only footprints' as we respect the properties we visit.
The once-famous Sundial Inn built in the early 1960's was a landmark on the northern edge of Orillia which greeted travelers heading too and returning from vacation in the Muskokas.
This swanky hotel and adjacent restaurant incorporated a 'Googie' or 'Popluxe' design into its architecture (a style which I absolutely love). Googie was a style popular in the late 1950's and 1960's and originated in southern California. This type of futurist architecture, influenced by car culture, and the Space / Atomic Age featured bold angles, upswept roofs (often cantilevered), geometric designs, colourful signs, and daring use of glass, steel, and neon.
Unfortunately (or perhaps fortunately for this post's purpose), very little effort was made to renovate and update the Sundial Inn. With business starting to decline, the Inn was sold to Travelodge in the mid 1990's. This was a time when area business was beginning to pick up with Casino Rama (located a short drive away) becoming a popular destination.
Again, unfortunately, the new owners did very little to improve the facilities at the Inn. A small tower was added to increase the number of rooms to just under a hundred for the increased demand for accommodations from the nearby Casino.
By 2004, the round 'Googie-riffic' restaurant had closed it's doors and Travel Advisor members were already cautioning would-be guests not to venture into the pool. Coupled with the opening of the luxury 300-room hotel at Casino Rama, the end was in site.
Last year, the courtesy shuttle, operated by the Casino was canceled which may very well have been the last nail in the coffin. The Sundial Inn closed its doors on Friday 1st, 2008.
There was an interest to have the Sundial redeveloped to serve as a senior's residence but that too had fallen through. Lamentable as it is, there is very little nostalgia in Central Ontario for a wonderful hotel such as this. I can only hope that the wrecker's ball will spare the sundial on the restaurant's roof. UPDATE -
Approximately 4 hours after JFK and I left the saucer-shaped canopy at the Sundial Inn caved, tearing a hole in the roof. Fire & Emergency as well as the mayor attended the scene to survey the damage. A combination of snow load and metal fatigue are thought to be contributing factors. Royal Host, the owner has fenced the area off and are collecting repair estimates . . . I personally think they would rather see the buildings demolished and the property sold.
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Odd to think that I may have been one of the last people to walk though the restaurant entryway before the structural collapse. I also have a feeling that a few people are riding on my coat-tails on this one . . .
The old place is starting to get a lot of attention from the Orillia Packet & Times as well as the Orillia Municipal Heritage Committee. I hate to tell Joanna Fonseca (past chair of the Committee shown below snapping a pic) that the only way to save this building is to amputate the hotel and find a developer willing to drop a lot of money into restoration of a unique 'retro-trendy' restaurant.
To this end, I headed off to the retrolicous / googie-riffic seat of popluxe luxury, the Sundial Inn. This recently abandoned location was briefly scouted / probed back in February, but not explored . . . Here is PART ONE of this most recent exploration.
