Almost there

Manager Chris Loane in the Drake Devonshire dining room overlooking Lane Creek as it spills into Lake Ontario. His goal is to hire his entire staff locally. To do this, the Drake Devonshire is hosting a job fair at the Wellington Town Hall on June 6 and 7.

Drake Devonshire to hold job fair: seeking to recruit locally

It has been a long time in the making, but the Drake Devonshire now seems committed to amend its sign from opening soonish to opening in mid-July. There is still much to do, and the inn is a beehive of activity with carpenters, drywallers, painters and electricians all working at a quickened pace.

Few are more eager to see the Drake Devonshire open this summer than Chris Loane, who will manage the newest Drake property. Loane currently divides his time between Drake Devonshire in Wellington and assisting in the launch of Drake 150 in downtown Toronto—lauded by one writer as the “one of the coolest restaurants in the world.”

He has been working on the Drake Devonshire project for more than two years, and while he is keen to see it open, he is most excited about soon unveiling the unique Drake experience in Prince Edward County.

“We get excited about hosting people well; by creating memorable experiences,” said Loane. “That is what I am most looking forward to.”

He says the Drake-by- the-Lake, as it is also referred to in more casual terms, will feature an authentic Prince Edward County experience, rather than a graft of the Drake Hotel in Toronto transplanted onto County soil. On the screened in porch, a large three-season waterside pavilion, the Drake Devonshire will feature a County wine bar—a neutral place from which to taste local wines and to plot one’s journey through the vineyards and wineries of the County.

“We will have a map of Prince Edward County at each table and will place the glass on the point on the map corresponding to that wine,” explained Loane. “The County wine bar will be staffed by people who know what they are talking about.”

Loane expects the vast majority of 60 to 70 staff the Drake intends to hire this summer to be from the County. On June 6 and 7, the Drake Devonshire is hosting a job fair at the Town Hall in Wellington.

“I want to hire locally,” said Loane. “A career in the food and beverage sector can be very lucrative. We expect to train a lot of people in this area—to equip them with the skills to go out into the world and build careers in this sector.”

Loane believes a flexible workplace will also be attractive to folks pursuing artistic careers.

“For example, we will hire actors who may disappear for a month or two—but we will have a job for them when they return,” explained Loane. “If you are passionate about the arts or business—experience in the food and beverage industry can help you get there.”

It is the cultural contribution—specifically the music and arts programming at the Drake that gets Loane most excited. Like the Black Sheep Inn in Wakefield, Loane would like to see the Drake Devonshire become a showcase for the best singer-songwriters in Canada.

“I want to bring some of the top talent in the country,” said Loane. “People along the lines of Jason Collett, Natalie McMaster and Luke Doucet and Melissa McClelland. I hope they will want to come and play here. I also want to do a year-round open mic—an acoustic-style open mic.

Many of the music events will be staged in the large dining room overlooking LakeOntario. With its soaring A-frame, and open beam design, and wide expanse of windows revealing the breathtaking view—the dining room is the cultural centre of the Drake Devonshire. It will seat about 80 guests depending on the configuration.

The inn consists of 14 rooms, each uniquely designed and exquisitely appointed. Yet the focus of the Drake seems less about quiet comfort and much more about creating a special experience—from food, music, performance, arts and impeccable hospitality.

LANE CREEK
There remain, however, issues for Drake Devonshire in the neighbourhood.

Loane says he and his colleagues at the Drake remain in the dark about the municipality’s plans for the diversion of LaneCreek.

“The creek is an important feature on this property,” explained Loane. “We have no intention of covering it up.”

At least one of the plans considered to reroute the creek will see it travel south under Wharf Street and turn at the Drake property line to reconnect with the natural stream. But Loane says he is unaware of the status of the project or the County’s current plans.

“We are waiting for answers like everyone else,” said Loane.

PARKING
Parking remains another unresolved issue between the Drake Devonshire and the municipality. Loane says the Drake has enough space on its property to provide sufficient parking—but would prefer to find additional off-property parking to enable it to preserve the landscaping and natural features of the property.

“We have enough spaces on our property to comply with regulations,” stressed Loane. “But it will mean a drastic reduction in the landscaping we would like to do on the property. We are in the process of talking to property owners nearby about co-sharing parking spots. I don’t want to make anyone unhappy. But if council won’t allow us to work with our neighbours to sort through our parking issues—we will have to tear out a big part of our landscaping plans.”

JULY
Loane says the Drake Devonshire has set its sights on a July opening.

“I think it is doable. There won’t be a grand opening right away—we won’t do that until we have at least six weeks of business under our belt. The first people who will test the food and beverage offering will be County residents. We will do a series of dry runs—to test our service and iron out the kinks. Then we will do a grand opening for the County. We won’t do a grand opening to the world until October.”