Our History
Royal Brock Retirement Living has a rich and vibrant history. It was originally constructed as the Skyline Hotel in 1963 by noted local builder Jack Dodge. Jack was well known as a quality builder and his many projects grace the city to this day. Please see below for some of the photos of the Skyline taken in its heyday and to find out how Royal Brock Retirement Living came into existence. Or better yet, come and pay us a visit so you can see the transformation!
When we totally rebuilt the hotel into a vibrant retirement living home, we made sure to build wisely - adding numerous features that created a home environment - so you can feel at home and not at a hotel. New rooms, totally changed layouts and fantastic amenities have done more than refresh - they have totally changed the feeling yet retained those features that elevate the new building into a warm and inviting community.
Images are from the Archives of the Brockville Museum. We thank them for preserving these great images for us to share.
Business meetings, birthdays, anniversaries, and weddings were all celebrated in the hotel’s ballroom and pub; the party often made its way to the dance floor at Caroline’s. The Royal Brock touched all those who entered, and remains part of our cherished memories. The Skyline was the pulse of Brockville and to this day remains an icon in Eastern Ontario.
The Skyline became the Royal Brock and operated as a hotel until its sale in October 2015 for conversion to a retirement residence providing independent and assisted living to area seniors. Eastern Ontario developer Tom Gallivan and Alan Clausi, an Ottawa lawyer, have restored the grandeur of the Royal Brock and created a premier retirement living facility that is second to none.
The development boasts a 78,000 square foot complete retrofitting of our beloved Royal Brock: all amenity space has been renovated with modern design and materials; the former hotel rooms have been transformed into one, two, and three room luxury living spaces; the former pool, spa and court space has been completely renovated into 14 amazing living spaces. The past has not been forgotten, as all renovations were completed while honouring the opulence of the past by maintaining the signature features of the Royal Brock, including its attractive large hallways, elegant fixtures, large picture windows and even the entire pub!
As we open up the new and exceptional Royal Brock Retirement Living, we want to tell your story of how the Royal Brock impacted your lives. Send us your memories. Our residents will be telling theirs on this site in the future updated regularly to keep your interest.
The Royal Brock was a meeting place, a hotel, a destination for many; now it is a place to keep those great memories, and to Retire in Style.