By Thomas Smith

A fresh start, a new beginning, a page turned on the next chapter for Pinestone Resort and Conference Centre.

That’s the hope, anyway. Six months ago, Andy MacMillan, Collin Burke and the ownership joined forces with one goal in mind; to resurrect the Pinestone.

And that spanned beyond physical changes. They wanted to bring it back to life for the community. “We are building, we are growing,” said Burke. “And we want to focus on a 100 per cent locally based management and team.”

The building and property is owned by the Aurora Group, which has been the case for nearly a decade now. The Vaughn-based group owns a number of properties, primarily in and amongst the GTA. “They are currently trying to refocus,” said MacMillan. “They have a lot on the go, and but Pinestone restructure is their top priority and focus right now”

MacMillan was referencing the elephant in the room; the great power outage in

October of this past year.  “I believe the outage gave us a better understanding of how integral the existence of Pinestone is for our community.”

Right around the same time, MacMillan and Burke stepped into their roles at the Pinestone; as director of golf and resort operations, and creative director, respectively.

“When I started, I saw areas I wanted to explore that hadn’t been touched,” said Burke, who is deeply entwined in Haliburton’s local scene as the sixth generation of his family to call the region home. He recalled working at the Pinestone as a teenager, and now in his new role, after decades of experience in the hospitality industry, intends to put it back on the map for all the right reasons.

“My focus will be on events,” he said. “Meetings, weddings, celebrations of life. I want to expand from there.”

Burke hopes to develop a wedding package that will “essentially sell itself” he chuckled, referencing his vision for reformatting the wedding offerings; including a unique new venue on-site to incorporate into the package.

In order to get these events up and running again, it was noted that there are infrastructure requirements, such as new flooring, new walls, new lighting, and new heating and cooling units. With 102 rooms, the team is currently tackling the first level, and working their way up. Many of the rooms were built in the 1970s, and have received minimal TLC since then. “But we are diligently working to have all our rooms available,” confirmed MacMillan.

Like many accommodations, the Pinestone took a hit during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020. With limited travel, offering services for hotels dwindled. But Burke and MacMillan confirmed that between a local management team and an owner who is realigned with their goals, the Pinestone is back on track.

And what seems to be projecting them forward is a piqued interest in golf. “Golf was steadily declining,” said MacMillan. “It was getting to the point where it wasn’t our main revenue stream. People weren’t choosing Pinestone.”

But thanks to the staff and caretakers of the property, namely their property manager, Kevin Fowler, the site became a destination once again. “There were 20,000 rounds last year, with 120 members,” said MacMillan, proudly.

Steady and small growth. It’ll take time, but the Haliburton locals are ready to put the work in.

A rebrand, a refresh, a restart. And all of it with locals at the helm. With 26 staff currently, Burke and MacMillan plan to grow the team dramatically over the next few months leading up to summer.

As locals themselves, the team is also committed to trying to give back where they can. In the process of renovations, they purchased new blankets and duvets, and donated their old ones to Snowflake Meadows Rescue Centre, for rehoming and rehabilitating animals in need. “We are in different circles in the community,” laughed Burke, referencing the partnership and ease he and MacMillan share as managers. “We’re able to hear where people need help, and see what we can do.”

With the Great Ice Storm of 2025 now in the rearview mirror, Pinestone made sure their space was available to provide a safe and cozy place to stay for the many Hydro workers who swarm to the Haliburton Highlands from across the country. Last week, Burke kicked off a special ‘thank you’ to the crews with a roast beef dinner, and invited councillors from all levels of municipal government to join in the celebration.

“Pinestone offers so much to the community,” said Burke. “And there’s a whole generation here who hasn’t seen it.” Burke noted that’s his number one priority: to bring locals back through the doors of the Pinestone, and to appreciate everything it has to offer.

“It’s a challenge to me,” he said. “There are so many untapped possibilities here.”

Burke and MacMillan encouraged anyone who is interested in checking out the space to stop by. “Give us a call, we will give you a tour,” said MacMillan. While renovations are ongoing, the Pinestone is still booking accommodations, and offering food and events at their restaurant, Stone 21.