The Baysville Riverfront Project was founded in 1999, as a community project to celebrate the upcoming millennium . The project involved the construction of docking, an interlocking walkway, and landscaping along the west side of the Muskoka River in town. This was at the site of the Grist Mill Park, whose flowers and landscaping complimented the project. Accessibility to the town, its businesses and attractions from the Lake of Bays would be facilitated.

Fundraising for the project initially involved applications for the Millennium Grant Partnership Incentive. The grant application was unsuccessful. With that, the group began to plan on their own to carry out various fundraising activities, including a Surf & Turf Dinner. Public donations were solicited.  Construction commenced and the project was underway.

The main docking area was built on the existing underwater cribs that remained from the Riverview Lodge. This lodge was present at the site during the early 1900's. This historical connection reinforced the theme of the millennium project in joining "the past to the present."  Extensions to the main dock, and then 6 floating finger docks completed the construction on the river's edge. From there, the shoreline was reshaped, retaining walls were built, and the interlocking walkway joined the docks to the main street in town. Gardens, lighting, and seating added to the esthetics and natural beauty of the area. A scenic gazebo was built, overlooking the docks, in the spring of 2001. A memorial donation case, situated along the walkway, contains plaques which display the names of the many supporters of the project.

Construction completed in 2003 involved extension of the interlocking walkway to the dam. A scenic lookout was built on the top of the existing pump house on the quiet side of the dam. The continuation of the walkway leads to another gazebo at the face of the dam, overlooking the water falls. It is a beautiful site.

In 2004, the walkway was continued past the dam, with gardens added. The canoe launch was built at the end of the parking lot to allow folks to put canoes into the river, without climbing over the rocks. 

Construction of the elevated,  tiered walkway at the south end of the dam is well underway. Construction was done by the Correctional Services Department, and their work is very impressive. We look forward to completing this in the spring, and proceeding with the walkway down Dickie Street.

The construction of this project has been done almost entirely by volunteers. Without these hardworking people the site's success would not have been possible, and we extend our warmest thanks to those that have helped us meet our milestones.