The children of Windermere originally attended the Dee Bank School but as Dee Bank declined and Windermere grew, the residents of Windermere desired a schoolhouse of their own. In 1912, the school trustees (William Aitken, James Bogart and David Fife Jr.) agreed that a school could be constructed in Windermere. Thomas Huggard offered one acre of his land just outside of Windermere for $100 with George Dawson and James Fife completing the carpentry and The Waltenbury Brothers of Bracebridge working on the masonry. The vernacular school opened in 1913, replacing the Dee Bank school, and closed on November 4, 1966, when the children were redirected to the consolidated school in Ullswater. The building then became home to the community centre that was originally housed in the village hall.

The archives, which are operated by the Windermere Women's Institute, were added in the late 2000s to early 2010s when the building was restored and the basement upgraded. The building is a one-storey square plain brick construction with a full basement built in the vernacular style with a hip roof; shallow gable roof front addition; a gable-roofed wood frame rear wing; a gable-roofed wood frame addition on the west facade; gable porch; central, double door entrance; and, one-over-one flat-headed windows with stone lug sills. The community centre's heritage attributes include the brick facades, hip roof, flat window openings with stone lug sills and voussoirs, closed porch and wood frame rear wing.

Historical Notes:
Previous to the construction of this school, students had to attend the school in Dee Bank (see 1519 Dee Bank Rd.). The community of Windermere decided that a separate building to accommodate their village was required. Thomas Huggard, who owned the land sold an acre to the township of Watt in 1913, for $110. They constructed a one-room brick building, with a front porch, and a wood addition at the back containing toilets, as well as the woodshed. Later chemical toilets were added as well as a basement and furnace to replace the box stove. The school never had a bell. Today the building functions as a community centre and houses the Windermere Archives.

Source: 
Tatley, Windermere.
MUSKOKA (35), WATT, Book 5. Abstract.
Land Registry Office Change LRO number Muskoka (LRO 35). ON Land. 2019. Pg. 191. Lot 30 Con. 8.
Windermere Public School.
Leaflet for Doors Open Day in Windermere 2011.
Windermere Women’s Institute.
Collection of Liz Lundell. 2011.