ERO # 025-0694 The Ganaraska…

ERO # 025-0694
The Ganaraska Wasaga Beach Hiking Club is a frequent user of the Wasaga Beach Provincial Park including both the beachfront areas and the back dunes part of the park. We have hiked, enjoyed the peace and tranquility of the waterfront and forest over the 30 years our club has been in existence. The natural features of the park have been vital to the health and well-being of our club members.
Consequently, we are seriously concerned with the proposed transfer of the waterfront lands in Beach Areas 1 (BA1) and 2 (BA2), New Wasaga and Allenwood Beaches to the Town of Wasaga Beach. The focus of our concern is the proper protection and management of the natural resources these beach front areas offer. Town resources, mandate and understanding are limited compared to the province when it comes to environmental protection. The town’s responsibilities are limited in area; the province must be concerned about impacts beyond the town boundaries. The management of Wasaga Beach’s beach land resources certainly have an impact well beyond the town itself as it is a major provincial resource.
The Province of Ontario has provided considerable effort and monetary resources in rehabilitating and managing the foredune area at BA1 specifically in the area set aside for Piping Plover habitat protection and at the mouth of the Nottawasaga River. These areas have thrived since the province naturalized the spit and removed cottages from the sensitive shoreline. They are becoming Healthy Beaches. Marram grass has been planted and the foredunes have recovered as excellent habitat for the rare Piping Plovers, other shore birds, predators such as eagles and scavengers such as vultures. As year-round visitors to BA1, we know what a difference a natural shore habitat can make to the success of these birds. We are aware the program has been very successful to date with many chicks having hatched. We heartily support ongoing efforts to separate the piping plover habitat from beach users to ensure their survival. Some of our members are actively involved in the Piping Plover management program and have been for some time. Will the town commit to carrying this responsibility forward with the same vigour and budget as the province?
We know what a difference these natural areas make to us, frequent beach users and taxpayers. New Wasaga is along our designated Ganaraska trail, and we can’t help but admire the benefits the naturalized beach offers there, great habitat, plenty of wildlife, fresh air and water.
We are in a way, eco-tourists ourselves, as our club offers bird/wildlife watching activities to our members. Throughout the year we also encounter many other residents of the town enjoying the benefits of the natural beach front at BA1 and New Wasaga. We can only imagine the benefits these environments and activities would offer to other visiting ‘eco-tourists’. We shudder at the possibility that these precious natural areas could be built on or heavily altered.
In this world which is rapidly changing from the pressures of urbanization and climate change, natural spaces have become increasingly valuable. We know that natural shorelines such as what Wasaga Beach offers is becoming increasingly rare. More attention is being directed to the protection of Great Lake shorelines. Programs such as the Lake Huron Coastal Conservation Strategy and the Canada – Ontario agreement on Great Lakes Health demonstrate an increasing concern for taking action to protect the shores of the Great Lakes. Consequently, the natural beach areas of Wasaga Beach should be protected and in fact enhanced. The resources and mandate of the province are necessary to ensure that this continues to happen into the foreseeable future.