When Mike Hage and Nawar El Khouri Hage purchased Myers Cave Resort in 2020, they weren’t just stepping into a business, they were becoming caretakers of nearly two centuries of history.

Located in North Frontenac, Myers Cave Resort has welcomed guests in one form or another since the early 1800s. The surveyed land itself dates back to 1826, and the main lodge was built in 1892 and was designed from the start as a place for visitors. Long before tourism existed as we know it today, the property served loggers working in the area, evolving over time into a destination for families, retreats, and celebrations.

With a structure this historic, making changes to the furnishings, layout, and interior design isn’t as easy as it sounds.

“We did the changes that we could do considering it’s a very old resort,” explained Nawar. “The changes we made were more at the furnishing level, adding a few things here and there to make it different and special, but we couldn’t do any structural changes.”

When Togetherness Isn’t Really Together

Myers Cave Resort’s heart has always been intergenerational gatherings. Families return year after year to celebrate milestones, spend time together, and reconnect. But the reality of the original lodge posed challenges. 

All bedrooms were located on the second floor, and cottages required climbing stairs. Guests with limited mobility were accommodated in a suite attached to the lodge, but only accessed from the outside.

“It was a good solution where people could be together, but at the same time not really together,” Nawar said.

By utilizing the ground-floor suite, families could be near each other, but not truly together. Someone would always be separated and physically removed from the shared spaces where meals were cooked, stories were told, and memories were made.

The issue became even more personal as Mike and Nawar settled into the area. Surrounded by a close-knit community of friends, many of whom were seniors, they watched friends transition from full mobility to needing walkers or avoiding stairs altogether.

“People we met five years ago who were shoveling their own snow and ice fishing are now saying we can’t go to this dinner because there’s a staircase,” Nawar explained. “We are seeing it in front of us, and these are people who are our friends.”

The Grange

Across the road from the main lodge sat an old barn the Hages call the Grange, a space used primarily for storage. As Mike and Nawar began imagining its future, they wondered if this building could be the solution they were looking for.

Their vision was to create a facility with a large, open ground floor capable of hosting weddings, retreats, and winter events, while also ensuring guests with mobility challenges could use the same space, not a separate one. The second floor could offer accommodation space for those without mobility challenges, but everyone would be able to be in the same building, with the ground floor fully accessible to all.

“This was Mike’s big thing, he wanted everyone to be able to use the same space,” Nawar said.

Work on the Grange began two years ago, starting with planning, permits, and approvals before moving into construction. Because it was an existing structure and much of the work happened indoors, progress continued even through winter and rainy seasons.

Renovations included the installation of a fully accessible bedroom on the ground floor, accessible entry, wide doorways, a sliding bathroom door, grab bars, and generous space to allow guests using wheelchairs or walkers to move around comfortably.

“The entire ground floor is where everything happens,” Nawar explained. “The kitchen, the games room, the gathering spaces, and now, everyone can access them.”

Upstairs, the Grange offers five additional bedrooms with king-size beds, and a top-floor open space that will soon be furnished as a flexible seating and lounging area. But the true success of the project isn’t in the numbers; it’s in the way the building brings people together.

Today, the space is already alive with activity. Weddings and retreats have been hosted, and the lodge is on track to be fully operational by summer.

Accessibility as Business Choice

From a business perspective, accessibility makes sense. When a destination is accessible, families no longer need to choose between bringing everyone or excluding someone they love. Corporate retreats can accommodate speakers or participants with mobility needs, and long-time guests can keep returning, even as their needs change.

“We’re all heading in that direction eventually,” Mike reflects. “It doesn’t make sense to build spaces that leave people behind.”

As Myers Cave Resort approaches its 200th anniversary, the Grange stands as an example of how heritage properties can evolve, honouring the past while making room for everyone to belong.