As a third-generation…

As a third-generation seasonal resident of Wasaga Beach, I am writing to express my strong opposition to this proposed amendment. For my entire life I have benefited tremendously, in innumerable ways, from the natural beauty of Wasaga. I have brought dozens of friends and family members to enjoy the beach as tourists, and have enjoyed countless walks, hikes, bikes, drives, and swims on land that is now under threat of privatization. I have lived on a permanent basis at Wasaga Beach for over a year, and look forward to passing down my family's cottage to my children and beyond.

I have also witnessed decades of fiscal mismanagement by the city council of Wasaga Beach, which has contributed significantly to its current situation. I have absolutely zero faith in the municipality to act in the best interests of taxpayers, community members, or even tourists, were they to gain control over the proposed sections of the beach. They have already squandered such potential in the privately-owned sections of Beach Area One, much of which continues to sit paved and unused, even with so many tourists flocking to the town every summer ready to use it. Why, with so much space at their disposal already, does the municipality want to take land away from the public? Why do they think that this time, this compromise will fix their financial issues for good, when over and over again this has proven not to be the case? And why do they think that selling off our Provincial Park, land enjoyed by the public for centuries, to private parties will do anything to benefit the people of Wasaga Beach, who have moved here for nothing if not to enjoy one of Ontario's greatest natural treasures?

I am deeply disturbed that this is even a question. Of course public land should be enjoyed by the public. It should be treated as a precious non-renewable resource. It should be cared for so that we can pass it down to our children as it was passed to us. It should not be sold off to the highest bidder for short-term benefit, at immeasurable cost to future generations (and, it should be said, at real financial cost in the mid-to-long-term, as a privately-owned beach inevitably becomes a worse destination for tourists).

Develop the private land you can already access. Do not steal land from future generations that they will never be able to recover.