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How Would You Fix The Economy?

This is from an article in the St. Petersburg Times newspaper, recently.

The Business Section asked readers for ideas on

"How Would You Fix the Economy?"

This guy nailed it:

Dear Mr. President,Patriotic retirement:

There are about 40 million people over 50 in the work force; pay them $1 million apiece severance with stipulations:

1) They leave their jobs. Forty million job openings - unemployment fixed.

2) They buy NEW American cars. Forty million cars ordered - auto industry fixed.

3) They either buy a house or pay off their mortgage- housing crisis fixed.

All this and it's still cheaper than the 'bailout'.

Submitted by Beach Resident and Super Community Volunteer: Vicki Riley. Thank You!

Diana Evans: "On The Beach"

This artist really captures the bright-coloured fun of Wasaga Beach. Here is her website and wow...she has this cool etsy shop too...you can buy her work HERE. Thank You to Andrew McKay of 'Wasaga Beach Talking' for introducing me to Diana.

Does Wasaga Beach Have a Depressed Economy?

Are the residents negative? Do the people of the beach whine and complain about the lack of jobs and industry and tourism? Are the council members young and hip enough to realize that 'we' have a goldmine here and nobody seems to realize it? Who is in control of our town's economic destiny? Who will step up to the plate to create fresh new festivals and rockin' events and lure big businesses that will make Wasaga Beach a 'destination' 12 months of the year? How about a world famous bakery or t-shirt company or dinner theatre or....well...you name it...be creative? Someone could run a first-class cooking school or start a fantastic art gallery. Hey! How about a downhill extreme hockey run? (that was Perk's idea) We need spectacular places here. Clean 'beachy' places. Well-designed and branded places. Do you ever think the beach looks rundown, tired, old and littered? (I do) The same old, same old will not carry this community into the future and surely will not allow it to compete against other towns or cities in Georgian Bay. We have a global opportunity here. What are 'we' going to do about it? Here are some of the world's weirdest festivals (and they STILL bring in the crowds and money to the villages!). Have your say about this topic: Leave a comment below! Let's talk.......

A Beach Life

Don't take the beach for granted. Many would kill (figuratively speaking) to live here and visit here. Relish each day in your shoreline life. Worship that sun-kissed sand and play in the fresh water - the longest fresh water beach in the world. www.wasagabeach.com

Beachy Tablescape

More ideas here. via Brabourne Farm.

Beach Up Your Breakfast Nook

A nautical light fixture, freestanding table, and built-in banquette make this breakfast nook feel more like a ship’s galley than a land-locked kitchen. Notice the details: The green and blue cabana-striped fabric echoes the colors of the sea. - Coastal Living

www.wasagabeach.com

Lion's Wasaga Beach Home & Garden Show

Wasaga Beach Home & Garden Show

Wasaga Beach Lions Club present the 16th Annual

HOME & GARDEN SHOW
April 25th 10am to 5 pm and April 26th

10am-4pm
Wasaga Beach RecPlex
1724 Mosley St, Wasaga Beach
SOMETHING FOR EVERYONE!
New Exibitors-Home Renovations-Decorating-Landscaping
Door Prizes-Free Draws
Snack Bar by Lioness-Childrens' Activities and More
Admission $2/Adult (Children under 12 free)
All proceeds to community projects.

BRING THE WHOE FAMILY!
For more information, please call

(705)429-3331

Lion Janice Campbell Publicity Chair

(705) 429-1646

Whispering Pines Farm and Garden CSA

Your share of the harvest June through October 2009!

Last night a lovely woman knocked on my door. She wasn't selling makeup or vacuum cleaners or aluminum siding. She was gently and enthusiastically promoting her CSA. I was so excited! A CSA in Wasaga Beach! Imagine! Learn more about CSA's here. (Community Shared Agriculture)

Farm fresh, locally grown vegetables and herbs contain more of the nutrients that fuel healthy bodies: those that come from natural ripening and being produced for taste and freshness - rather than shipping and shelf life.

Make a healthy, environmentally conscious and socially responsible choice this summer: choose Whispering Pines. Why? They're local. There's beef and chicken too. Baked Goods. Payment Plan Flexibility. Pick Up. Variety and Quantity. 5 minutes southeast of Wasaga Beach.

Full Season for a family of four - your share each week - cost for entire season $400

Call 705 322 6218

Shares won't last long! Call today.

wpfag@yahoo.ca

Beach blanket Ontario

Wasaga Beach is gorgeous, kitschy and packed with summer fun
By Joanne Laucius, The Ottawa Citizen

If you have a vintage motorcycle, a really, really loud car stereo or a well-tanned body you want to show off, Wasaga Beach is the place to do it.
Wasaga Beach, about 90 minutes northwest of Toronto (assuming light traffic), has been a tourist draw for more than a century and the beach itself is the reason why. Stand in the middle of it, and the arms of Nottawasaga Bay enclose you on either side. To the northwest, you'll see the Niagara escarpment, known to local residents simply as "the mountain." And, yes, from the beach the mountain does appear to be blue.
Wasaga has a reputation for being the Fort Lauderdale of the north, which thrills some and disturbs others. Take the debate over Wakestock. Three years ago, the wakeboarding extravaganza attracted a reported 45,000 people, many of them young people who could conjugate the word "party" as a verb.
Wasaga's still not over Wakestock -- the issue of attracting the tourist dollars that come with thousands of boisterous young people versus the desire for peace and quiet was one of the hot topics of last fall's municipal election. Wakestock has since moved to Toronto. Wasaga has relented a little this year and will host the Canadian National Wakeboard Championships Aug. 16 to 19.
Meanwhile, Wasaga has been slowly gentrifying, if getting a Wal-Mart counts as gentrification. Which may just apply in this case.
What makes you such an expert on Wasaga Beach?
I grew up near there. The beach and all of its manifold attractions, both natural and commercial, are the source of amusement, consternation and summer employment to just about everyone who lives in the area.
What are the best two words to describe Wasaga Beach?
Gorgeous and kitschy. Gorgeous because it's a natural wonder. Wasaga is the longest freshwater beach in the world -- 14 kilometres of clean, white sand beach.
Kitschy because Wasaga has always had some vague aspiration of being an oceanside resort circa 1956. When I was a kid, there was a life-sized concrete dinosaur painted green just across the way from the amusement park. The dinosaur was apparently an advertisement for a slide, where you paid a quarter to climb a set of rickety stairs and descend on a potato sack.
The slide and the dinosaur are gone. So is the amusement park, the trampoline enclosure and the store that sold velvet paintings. But there are still motels and cottage courts called the Luau, the Mermaid, the Albatross and the Hollywood, and it's almost impossible to leave Wasaga without buying a pukka shell necklace despite the fact that no pukka shells are found anywhere in Ontario.
Wasaga Beach appears to suffer from an identity crisis. What's up with that?
Wasaga is constantly evolving. The town has a permanent population of about 16,000 and at least as many seasonal visitors. Wasaga claims about two million visitors a year and bills itself as one of the fast-growing towns in Canada. The population has quadrupled over the past 30 years, and is, in many ways, part of Toronto's northward sprawl. It would be safe to guess that a significant part of the influx of new residents are retirees attracted to the natural beauty of the area and relatively low house prices. Part of the attraction may be the dozen or so golf courses within about a half-hour drive.
Let's start with the beach.
First, the entire 14 kilometres (that's almost twice the length of the Rideau Canal Skateway) is one long spaghetti strand of provincial park. That's good; it has preserved the beach itself from commercial development, although the streets around the beach are crowded with permanent and seasonal homes ranging from million-dollar mansions to quaint cottages. If you are ambitious, you can walk from one end to the other. Barefoot.
The entire beach is public, and it is sublimely scenic and safe. Lifeguards are stationed at regular intervals.
If you're a poor swimmer or have children, you will love the fact that it is possible to walk out for hundreds of metres before literally going over your head. That's because there's a series of sandbars in the water, which means every time you think the water is getting deep, you'll find it gets shallow again.
There seems to be a lot of walking involved. What if I don't want to walk?
Some people prefer to cycle using the side streets. The main street that runs parallel to the Beach is Mosley Street, which is -- you guessed it -- about 14 kilometres long. It starts at Highway 26 at the southwest end of the beach and ends at the other end of the beach at what is known locally as the Main Drag which loops around onto the beachfront. Here you will find the greatest concentration of beachfront fast food, bars and patios. This entire area is undergoing significant redevelopment. The waterslide that has been there for about 25 years has come down, and so has the old Miramar Hotel.
If you are looking for a supermarket, a restaurant or a shop that sells pukka shell necklaces, you will find it on the strip. If you're young, this is where you want to be. Here's the problem: On weekends, especially long weekends, quiet Mosley Street turns into a 14-kilometre-long parking lot, so it's best to avoid it entirely if you prefer peace and scenery of the natural variety.
Any advice?
Avoid weekends and the Main Drag if you can, and under no circumstances get caught at the corner of Mosley Street and Highway 26 on a Sunday night, when cottagers are on their way home to Toronto. On weekends, do what local residents do and avoid travelling far on Mosley Street by taking Sunnidale Road or Townline Road and sticking to the west end of the strip away from the Main Drag. Or visit the beach in the evening and you're also likely to catch a beautiful sunset.
Let's get it over with. Give me the quirky piece of Wasaga historical trivia.
In August 1814, during the War of 1812,
the British supply schooner Nancy was attacked and destroyed by American forces on the Nottawasaga River, not far from where the Nottawasaga empties into Georgian Bay. The sunken hull caused an accumulation of silt in the river, which over the decades resulted in the creation of an island -- Nancy Island. You can see the Nancy's charred hull inside an enclosure beside the museum on the island at Mosley Street and Third Street. The museum also has a collection of Nancy-era water travel artifacts. (The Friends of the Nancy website is at wasagabeachpark.com)
Any nightlife?
You bet, but you have to head to the Main Drag. The venerable beachfront Dardanella Tavern, aka The Dard, has recently been partially renovated, although it's now a bit smaller than it was in its hey-day. The Bananas Beach Club has also been expanded.
Can't-miss eateries?
It isn't for the Cordon Bleu crowd and it's slightly scruffy, but Paisley's Lorna Doon (sic) is a Wasaga institution. Find it on Mosley Street near the corner of Highway 26. On Sunday evenings, the parking lot is jammed with visitors going for a last cone before returning to Toronto. You can get a hamburger and fries, but the real draw is the soft ice cream sundaes.
What does soft ice cream have to do with R.D. Blackmore's 19th-century novel, Lorna Doone?
I have no idea. It's like the Luau and the Hollywood. That's Wasaga Beach.
Any other beaches nearby?
Lots. There's a series of beaches that stretches north along the shores of Georgian Bay almost as far as Midland. But one of my favourites, for the relative peace, is in the opposite direction. Northwinds Beach is just off Highway 26 near the base of Mountain Road in Craigleith, just north of Collingwood. Like the name suggests, it gets a lot of wind and it's a favourite haunt of the windsurfing crowd.
Collingwood?
If you're exhausted by the frenetic holidaying on Wasaga, try Collingwood, 15 minutes and worlds away. In the winter, it's a ski resort town. In the summer, it's positively sleepy relative to Wasaga, though far more upscale. (Visit town.collingwood.on.ca)
If you're in the mood to recharge your batteries, try one of four Collingwood-area "anniversary hikes" on the Bruce Trail designed to celebrate the trail's 40th anniversary. You can download the maps at brucetrail.org. And if you happen to be in Collingwood this weekend, check out the Elvis festival, which this year spills over into Wasaga. (collingwoodelvisfestival.com)
And now for something completely different?
The village of Creemore, about half an hour away, has done a great job of capitalizing on the architectural charm of its main street and its scenic location.
It's off the beaten path and about 20 minutes from Wasaga. You'll find the Creemore Springs Brewery, North America's smallest jail and an inordinate number of browse-able shops and good restaurants for such a small town. Creemore Springs celebrates its 20th anniversary Aug. 25 during the annual Copper Kettle Festival. There will be a farmers' market, rides for kids, brewery tours and a beer garden. The brewery maintains a website with local information at creemoresprings.com
Where do I stay?
There are no franchise hotels on Wasaga Beach, where accommodations are a hodge-podge of independently-owned hotels, resorts and cottage courts. For between about $650 and $850, you can get a weekly rental on a cottage suitable for a small family and within walking distance of the beach. The problem is getting a reservation in July or August. You would fare better in early June or mid-September onward. The beach is particularly quiet -- you might even say forlorn -- before Victoria Day and after Thanksgiving.
For listings, visit town.collingwood.on.ca or wasaga.net/stay.html
Any other good websites?
Check out www.wasaga.com and www.wasaga.net. There's lots of Wasaga lore and debate.
How should I get to Wasaga Beach from Ottawa?
Avoid the way that Torontonians go. Highway 7 will take you past Peterborough, then north on Highway 12 through Orillia to Horseshoe Valley Road. Take Horseshoe Valley Road to Highway 26 which will take you to Wasaga Beach.
Or take an even more scenic and less-travelled way to Orillia via Bancroft: Highway 17 to Renfrew, Highway 132 and 41 south; west on Highways 28 and 118. Then take Highways 503 and 45, which gets you to Orillia. Except when you're skirting the Kawarthas on a weekend, you are almost guaranteed light traffic.

Joanne Laucius is a Citizen reporter. She's been visiting Wasaga Beach since 1965 and still goes with her two daughters.
© Copyright (c) Canwest News Service

November 2008

http://www.wasagabeach.com

Image: Ross Gough, Beach Design

Muck at Wasaga Beach

Detritus, more commonly known as "muck", occurs naturally along the waterfront of Wasaga Beach. This material has accumulated in this area since glaciation and consists of decaying vegetation from the bottom of Nottawasaga Bay and the Nottawasaga River. This material occasionally washes up onto the beach and is not harmful. Detritus is not a pollutant and does not pose a health risk; in fact, it is high in nutrients like nitrogen which can occasionally produce an unpleasant odour. Removal of this material involves raking the wet material onto higher ground where it is left to dry and can be removed by park staff. This material is taken to locations along the beach to aid in dune stabilization. Now you know.

Ecology of Wasaga Beach

Mayflies, killdeer, ring-billed gulls, wormwood, sea rocket, and marram grass share Wasaga's beach area with millions of visitors each summer. The 14-km beachfront not only provides recreation space for sunbathers and swimmers; it also provides valuable habitat for wildlife. The Wasaga Beach shoreline is mostly devoid of life, making it the park's harshest environment. Wasaga's beach sand consists of tiny grains of granite and other types of rock and very little nutrients which is a requirement for plant life to grow and the shoreline is constantly changing in response to wind, wave action, and currents on the Bay. Additionally, the heat of the sun on the beach can increase shoreline ground temperatures to over 50 degrees Celsius. All of this activity makes it very difficult for plants to take hold and exist on the beach.

Although there is not a great deal of vegetation on the beach, the park is established on a dynamic system of dunes that is constantly evolving. Great Lakes coastal dune ecosystems are among the rarest and most heavily impacted ecosystems in Canada. Most of Ontario's dune plant community types are globally imperiled; however, the dunes in Wasaga Beach are among the largest and best protected in the country.

Marram grass is one plant species that has specially adapted to survive and actually thrive in this harsh beach environment. As a colonizing species, this plant is able to stretch itself towards the lake from the dunes and supply new shoots of the plant with nutrients from the original plant. Marram grass has the ability to hold sand in place and create dunes on the beach and for this reason park staff will plant this species annually in an attempt to maintain natural dune stabilization. The process of building dunes occurs gradually as a result of two features of the plant: long blades of grass which slow the movement of blowing sand, and a vast network of roots that stabilize sand. As marram grass is established on the beach, past roots and blades of the plant provide nutrients for other plant species to exist in the dunes on the beach.

At the most eastern and western fringes of Wasaga Beach sand dunes are not present; however, in these locations wetland meadows exist. This is a unique environment that forms as a result of lower water levels on Georgian Bay. Presently, near shore areas where the water table is close to the surface, water seeps up and through the sand and plants such as three squared rush and soft rush are present. These are plants specialized to grow in wet environments.

Lake levels, season, prevailing winds, temperature, and other extreme weather conditions are all important elements that bring about change in a shoreline environment. Wasaga's beach is no exception. Each season at Wasaga Beach brings new and exciting opportunities for wildlife viewing; be sure to bring your binoculars and camera to view the gulls and killdeer in the summer and migrating waterfowl in the spring and fall seasons!

Blue Flag Canada

Environmental Defence is working to protect and improve coastal ecosystems throughout Canada. As the coordinator of Blue Flag Canada, Environmental Defence works with beach and marina managers, their partners, and community stakeholders to achieve the international Blue Flag award. To be certified Blue Flag, beaches must meet 27 criteria. Marinas have 22 criteria to meet. Both sets of criteria are categorized under water quality, environmental education, environmental management, and safety and services. These criteria are further divided into imperative and guideline criteria. In order to achieve Blue Flag status, a beach or marina must meet all the imperative criteria in a summer season. Check out the detailed program criteria for beaches and marinas. Wasaga Beach proudly flies the Blue Flag!


Wasaga Beach Provincial Park: This 14-kilometre, sandy beach is located on Georgian Bay. Every summer thousands of people flock to this provincial park to enjoy its natural wonder. The park features hiking trails, a historic site that tells Wasaga's colourful naval history, jazz concerts and environmental educational activities. Life guards patrol the entire beach area and first aid equipment is readily available. All necessary amenities are within walking distance. To get to this beach, take highway 26 north. View Historical Water Quality Data For Wasaga.

Earth Day Wasaga Beach

Dear Earth,

Wasaga Beach promises to plant more trees, pick up garbage, create more parks and bicycle paths - and keep our beach, the longest fresh water beach in the world sparkling clean.

Sincerely,

WB

Sunset

Grabbing the Sun

Woman on Beach

Sunset Beach

Throwing Rocks

Vote for High School in Wasaga Beach

Hi Everyone,

There is a poll being conducted on the Barrie Examiner homepage. It is in the middle of the page, is small and hard to see, but it is there. It takes only a few seconds to vote and it would be appreciated if you would take the time to do so. The School Board may be keeping their eye on this poll so it is important to be part of it. As of this morning Wasaga Beach was in the lead. Let’s keep it that way. Please send this link to your contacts and ask them to participate.

Thanks

Nina Bifolchi

www.wasagabeach.com