As a young, disabled…

As a young, disabled community member you’d think I’m someone who could benefit from a revitalization of the beachfront area and that it would help me get outside more and participate in my community, however this could not be further from the truth.

As it currently stands, Wasaga Beach Provincial Park is a pivotal part in the town’s community, it’s a hub for locals to connect, generates hometown pride, and drives tourism of both humans and species at risk who need the area the most. You may be aware of the Piping Plovers need the naturalized beach area to breed. With a species of only 9000 worldwide, Wasaga is one of four locations they nest in Ontario. That singular fact has made me more proud to call Wasaga Beach my home than any of the “tourism hotspots” have. Between the diverse (disability/age/travel distance/etc) group of plover volunteers, how many people visited the plover hut at ploverpalooza, and how many curious faces we see passing the protected areas every day, it’s clear these birds are interesting, valued and unique to our community.

Despite all the care that was put into protecting the birds this 2025 summer season, it still wasn’t enough. One of the most prolific breeding males passed away on our care. In a species that has less than 100 successful nests every year this was a devastating loss, condolences flooded in worldwide. The species cannot handle a loss like this again, and the changes to parks’ land as suggested would continue to devastate the population.

Outside of this species, Ontario Parks’ Wasaga Staff work in many ways to promote, protect and celebrate the unique biodiversity found in our town. From building butterfly gardens using native plants for the public to enjoy, to surveying local wildlife, Wasaga Beach Provincial Park already knows how to celebrate what makes Wasaga Beach, Wasaga Beach.

Today, I encourage you to stop pushing the “longest freshwater beach in the world” marketing (partially because that’s literally not true), and turn your eye towards ecotourism, and what benefits a community can find when it’s built caring for the earth below that is at it’s foundation.