I'm writing to oppose the…

I'm writing to oppose the idea of transferring New Wasaga Beach, Allenwood Beach and Beach 1 and Nancy Island to the municipality.

These lands are held in trust by the provincial parks for the people of Ontario. They are protected to the highest degree, and public access is guaranteed. The Endangered Species act is respected and followed, and we enjoy the presence of the Piping Plovers, and act ethically to protect them.

None of these will points will necessarily apply to the municipal government. Add to this the commercial interests of the town council, and sooner or later these beaches will be for sale to private developers. This will lead to loss of public access to the beaches, (see Balm Beach conflicts) and their possible fragmentation and destruction.

This proposal is in keeping with the PC pattern of selling public lands at low prices to benefit private developers (shuttering of the Science Center, changing Ontario Place to Therma Spa) that is problematic.

Provincial parks are not land reserves to be freed up and sold.

There was no discussion of this during the provincial election. In fact, PC candidates did not engage in any debates at a local level. There is clearly no mandate for the transfer of lands out of any provincial park, let alone this one.

The whole proposal feels like a greedy embodiment of "what's yours is mine, and what's mine is mine" which will change the feeling and nature of this area and these beautiful beaches.

I agree that there is room for improvement at beach area 1 and Nancy Island, but the provincial park should manage these improvements. If laws need to change to allow them more freedom in how they manage these areas, or more funding, then change the laws.