www.oakvillebeaver.com The Oakville Beaver, Wednesday June 21, 2006 - 23 BUSINESS IN OAKVILLE The future looks bright for the Delta Glen Abbey Resort By Howard Mozel OAKVILLE BEAVER STAFF While a new hotel at Oakville's Glen Abbey Golf Course is still years away, it's certainly not for lack of trying. According to Delta Hotels President John Pye, the Delta Glen Abbey Resort has actually been close to being built a couple of times but unexpected blows to the hotel industry including 9/11 and SARS postponed the eagerly anticipated project. Today, however, with the "land, the vision and the plan" in place, the future's looking bright. Pye made his comments Thursday during the Mayor's Business Breakfast at The Harbour Banquet and Conference Centre, where he outlined his close connection to Oakville and his excitement over the hotel. "It's a beautiful location," he said. Pye whose family moved from Vancouver to Oakville in time to experience Hurricane Hazel explained that his company acquired the land at Glen Abbey several years ago for an approximately 250-room resort hotel. Everything from drawings to permits were done and the project was "ready to go" in early September 2001, said Pye. Then came the terrorist attacks on America and the hotel was "put at the back of a very high shelf." "We just didn't know what was going to happen," he said. Delta Hotels kept an eye on the situation and by 2003 things were looking up then SARS happened. "It impacted rather heavily our industry," said Pye. Currently, he continued, Delta is looking "very seriously" at resurrecting the project which would go near the Canadian Golf Hall of Fame and Museum - although he couldn't offer a timeline any firmer than the next few years. When finally up and running, though, the Delta Glen Abbey Resort will be "handy to all areas of Oakville" and be marketed to everyone from business travellers to city dwellers looking for a break. "We think there is a tremendous opportunity for a leisure element as well," said Pye. "There will be nothing like it between Niagara and Toronto. The time is right." In her closing address, Mayor Ann Mulvale agreed, characterizing the project as a "top-of-the-line" hotel. "The time is right, the location is there, but there is still work to be done," she said. Earlier, Pye said that golf packages will likely be offered as part of the hotel's attractions but said its mandate will be a lot broader. "I see tremendous opportunities to develop golf at Glen Abbey, but it can't be just that," he said. Less instructive about the hotel, but arguably more entertaining, were Pye's reminiscences about life in Oakville as a child, including one of his first "business experiences," delivering The Oakville Beaver. He recalled first arriving in Oakville and staying at the Cedar Croft Cabins, the old inn on Lakeshore Road with its topiary gardens, swimming in the Sixteen Mile Creek and recklessly playing on a nearby train bridge. "It was a Huckleberry Finn existence in Oakville in the 50s and 60s," Pye said, adding he enjoyed exploring the farmland and forest where Glen Abbey is now. "I feel I have a real affinity with the Glen Abbey Golf Course." Pye who has 35 years experience in the hotel industry John Pye, president Delta hotels speaking about the new Delta Glen Abbey Resort at Mayor's Business Breakfast. Liesa Kortmann/Metroland Halton Media Group started as a bellhop for Delta in Vancouver and moved from location to location as the chain expanded. He then rose through the ranks to president of Delta, a wholly owned subsidiary of Fairmont Hotels and Resorts. Howard Mozel can be reached at hmozel@haltonsearch.com SPOTLIGHT Happy Birthday to Zac's Childcare ac's Childcare and Montessori School, located at 609 Ford Drive, between Cornwall Road and Royal Windsor Drive, has marked its first anniversary in business, and their recent celebration was a huge success. "We are very proud of how far we have come in the past year, and wanted to celebrate with the parents and children, staff and friends who have made it all possible," says Joey Zacca, owner of the centre. "It was one way of thanking all our parents and their little ones for making our dreams come true." With programs for infants, toddlers, juniors, preschoolers and Montessori, as Oakville's Z Celebrating a successful year in Oakville! well as subsidized spaces, Zac's Childcare has something for every family, and they all turned out for the celebration that included food and refreshments, a clown making animal balloons, face painting, gift baskets, birthday cake and more. "It was a multiple celebration actually," says Susan Connell, Director of Zac's Childcare, "our one year anniversary, the opening of the infant care facility and the grand opening of our brand new playgrounds. When the ribbon was cut the children raced in to play. It was wonderful to see." The two new CSA approved playgrounds are equipped with rubberized safety surfaces and state of the art equipment designed for age-appropriate physical development. There is no question that business is growing for Zac's Childcare and Montessori School, which Joey attributes to many factors including his professional and caring staff, but primarily to word of mouth of very satisfied parents. For enrollment information please contact Zac's Childcare and Montessori School. INFO AT A GLANCE... LOCATION: 609 FORD DR., OAKVILLE TELEPHONE: 905-849-7474 WEBSITE: UNDER CONSTRUCTION 609 Ford Drive, Oakville Between Cornwall Rd. & Royal Windsor Drive & Montessori School Inspiring Imaginations 905-849-7474