Downtown Collingwood, Ontario, Canada, Town of Collingwood

The Lane
A New Shopping
Concept Is Now
Leasing In
Collingwood Downtown

Calvin and Marlene Pynn (pictured above) are excited about their new business venture that is about to become a unique destination in Downtown Collingwood. The Lane will feature five units down each side (totalling ten) and an atrium featuring a food vendor.

"We're trying to make the inside look like the outside" said Calvin. "When we talked to the Heritage Committee, we learned that there was a lane that ran east-west at this location at one time. We're re-creating that atmosphere here" Calvin added.

The Pynn's have gone to school on Collingwood's downtown history, learning that Clarence Lockhart bought the lot that the building sits on in 1952. Within one year he had constructed the new building and sold it to Larry Smith. Long-time Collingwood residents will remember that Larry Smith operated a bowling alley at this location. In fact, many of the original advertisements were discovered when the renovation began. "We'll have to cover these up to renovate the building, but we'll be careful not to harm them" Calvin said. He was also amazed at the sturdy construction of the building. "I worked in a shipyard at one point of my life and you can tell someone with an affiliation to the shipbuilding industry helped construct this building. You don't see construction like this any more" he added. "Looking at the quality of the weld along the beams ... this place was built like a ship" Calvin added.
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When renovations began at 168 Hurontario Street, the Pynn's discovered old advertisements that were painted on the walls of what was a bowling alley.

Originally from Newfoundland, Calvin moved to Quebec and later attended school in Toronto. worked in Dubai for 17 years. Both Calvin and Marlene liked to take ski vacations, and were attracted to Collingwood's four-season lifestyle. "We had to decide where to settle down when we made the move back to Canada" Calvin said. "We like skiing and golfing so it made sense to settle in Collingwood" Marlene added.

Construction continues to the interior with the hope of having shops open for Christmas. "We'll offer an eclectic mix of housewares, home decor, seasonal items, a gift shop and services. I want people to be able to come in and be able to run a number of errands at this location" Marlene said, adding that "The Lane" needs to be based on serving the needs of the people who live in Collingwood. "The prices have to be attractive to the local residents" she added. The rear of the building will be reconsructed to add large windows to flood the atrium and food area with natural light.

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