While I’ve been “hammering away” at the members of the current administration, who support the proposed “Molinaro Plan”, it dawned on me that my focus has been a bit too narrow.
I think we all can agree that the current state of The Bay Beach Property is unacceptable and it’s status has been allowed to remain in “Limbo” for far to long. We could argue “til the cows come home” as to why this is the case (and we probably will), but for now, I would like to point out some of the things that, I believe, allowed this “non-action” to perpetuate.
First and foremost.
When people like myself, whom are so passionate about seeing an open, green space, public park on the non-beach portion of the property, sit on their “best intentions” and wait for someone else to deliver what WE want to see happen on the site…..well we’re just asking for trouble!
After the 2005 Neighbourhood Study was adopted as “The Guide” for improvement/development at Bay Beach, many of us, myself included, gave slightly more than lip service to achieving anything of substance. The only exceptions that I can think of are when The Friends of Crystal Beach worked with the Town to obtain a grant that enabled some landscaping at the beach’s main entrance and of course when the “pay and display” parking was introduced.
I, like many, fell into a complacency based on something like “as long as there in no discussion in Council about Bay Beach then everything is just peachy”.
Wrong, Wrong, Wrong!
I could kick myself in the “best intentions” and I have NOBODY to blame but myself for being so stupid!
Having started this blog with the
It finally sunk in.
In my humble opinion, while folks like me walked around in “Lalaland”, others whom had a different vision for specific portions of the Bay Beach property, made plans to see it become a reality. Working diligently and with a great deal of patience, seeing no real effort from others, these folks sought out to find the “best available” to achieve what THEY saw as the best option for Fort Erie. While it included elements of the “ option most favoured by participants” in the Neighbourhood Plan, their plan also added a privately owned, 12 story condo (or two) to be “integrated” into the property.
As you read this a well developed plan exists and is currently being executed to achieve the above.
Speaking for myself, I have a new found respect for “The Pros”. While I was running around wearing a funny hat, helping out with silly community parades and such, THEY were doing what needed to be done to make SURE… “Their Focus was Our Future”.
Yeah, you have to give credit where credit is do.
Thanks for your comments,
John
Don't be so hard on yourself, John. You were the man who resurrected the End of Summer Parade, something that I talked about for years, yet never did anything about. We all became complacent because we thought that the town would work in what we thought were our best interests. And we did sit back and let nothing happen. Then again, the town made no moves either. I was just talking to one of the people responsible for the Waterfront Park and she told me that the town did not want the park built there and tried to sell the land to Tiburzzi. There was talk of a marina there, (hence the Crystal Beach Tennis and Yacht Club) but that fell through when the Ministry of Environment put a stop to it. Fish spawning grounds and no gas tanks allowed. So, the town backed off and the Waterfront Park became a reality because the committee fought for it and worked very hard to achive its goal. If we are able, by some miracle, to save the Bay Beach Properties, I doubt we'll ever take it for granted again. Some have challenged us to come up with an option. It costs money to hire an architect and it takes hours and expertise to put together a plan for such a place. That's why developers like the Molinaros are at an advantage: they can show an attractive alternative to the run-down buildings that we see there now. So, we must continue the fight to save the Bay Beach Properties and if we are successful, we must immediately get a committee together and talk to other communities about how they revitalized their beachfront properties and get busy making the Bay Beach Properties a public, green space that will be used by generations to come.
ReplyDeleteWe need people with true vision at OUR Town Hall, and not people trying to push there own interest or interest of there friends....
ReplyDeleteI was really hoping, that the town would have given a chance for the people to improve and build up the Bay Beach properties,there is no shortage of great ideas,and yes money would be hard to raise, But it really could be done (in stages)even the local service clubs could commit to donate to improve the beach area to attract even more people, Have winter activites Ice carving competitions,beach sleigh rides,Ice skating, even hockey on the lake, the possibilites are endless. The majority of people are not against developement,They are against tall buildings so close to the PUBLIC beach, We already have unfinished developement, all over it seems, Just let the people care and maintain the Bay Beach properties even in the end the town would be amazed at what the people who care can accomplish.The people deserve this chance. Build condos eleswhere,Just not at Bay Beach.
ReplyDeleteThe condos could easily be placed in the Brownfield development area which once was Horton Steel.
ReplyDeleteBay Beach/Crystal Beach needs to have year round activities/venues to make it a multi-seasonal attraction. There have been many attempts to resurrect the area, but the problem is still the lack of support from the rest of the townspeople. You need to look at other similar areas and possibly try a similar model.
In order to keep Bay Beach, you have to talk numbers. Not just the amount of people that visit, but the economic impact they have on the town.
Forterian
Placing the condos on the old Horton site is the sillist idea since a condo-opponent told council that it should be erected at the Old Fort.
ReplyDeleteKim, please tell me what service club has money to throw at the beach? bingo funds are down, would have been a great idea a decade ago when the bingo funds were 100,000 of dollars. The PAP can't enough get enough money together to fix the lighthouse........big ideas no money.
ReplyDeleteAnd to be quite honest I don't want to pay for the up keep of the beach on my taxes.