PRIDE Fierte Simcoe Pride runs July 25 to Aug. 7. On July 29, Mayor Bifolchi and members of council gathered with Simcoe Pride representatives at town hall to raise the Pride Flag. Read the related proclamation.  

FACADE On July 7, Mayor Nina Bifolchi and members of council visited Wasaga Adventure Park to present the local business with a cheque for $1,411.25. Accepting the funding on behalf of the business was co-owner Donna Langman. The funding was awarded through the town's Facade Improvement Program, which helps businesses cover the costs of new signage, as well as other facade improvements. Learn more about the program on our website: https://bit.ly/3yq7xhH Learn more about the adventure park here: https://bit.ly/3nOwAq1

MIRACLES Mayor Nina Bifolchi and Bruce Johnson share a fist bump after the mayor provided Bruce with a bag of Town of Wasaga Beach pins that he can share on his travels east.

Community helps launch Labrador Ride 2022

On July 28, the community gathered at the Oakview Woods gazebo to mark the launch of local resident Bruce Johnson's Motorcycle For Miracles Labrador Ride 2022. The ride is a fundraiser for Children's Miracle Network. Mayor Nina Bifolchi, speaking on behalf of council and town staff, brought greetings and provided Bruce with Town of Wasaga Beach pins that he can share on his journey east. Check out the Motorcycle For Miracles Facebook page or visit the website at www.motorcycleformiracles.com to learn more, including how you can support this great cause! Thank you Bruce and team for all you do to raise funds for Children's Miracle Network hospitals.

NEW On July 7, we celebrated the reopening of Glendale Park, located between Glen Eton Road and Riverdale Drive. Thank you to everyone who joined us. Be sure to drop by and check out the new equipment. Learn more about our parks here: https://parks.wasagabeach.com/

Work starting on Mills Park playground revitalization

The Town of Wasaga Beach is moving ahead with the revitalization of the Mills Park playground.

Located at 30 Lewis St., next to the municipal office, the playground has closed so the work can begin and will re-open on approximately Sept. 22. The tennis courts next to the playground will remain open.

In March, council awarded the $297,558 park revitalization project to New World Park Solutions.

The project includes the following work:

·        Removal of the existing playground structure

·        Removal of the existing wood fibre base

·        Excavation of the new footprint of the playground

·        Installation of the new playground equipment and features

·        Installation of a rubber base as part of Integrated Accessibility Standards for    Outdoor Play Spaces

·        Installation of wood fibre base

·        Surface restoration

See the playground concept.

Watch for project updates on our website and on our social media channels.

Georgian Family Chiropractic & Wellness Centre donates to

twin-pad arena and library project

The Town of Wasaga Beach is pleased to announce that Georgian Family Chiropractic & Wellness Centre has donated $20,000 to the twin-pad arena and library fundraising campaign.

“On behalf of council and staff, I thank Georgian Family Chiropractic & Wellness Centre for being a part of our project,” Mayor Nina Bifolchi said. “This generous contribution is greatly appreciated. Our new facility will touch the lives of so many local residents and visitors over the years to come. It is terrific that Georgian Family Chiropractic has chosen to play an integral part in making this special new gathering spot a reality.”

Georgian Family Chiropractic’s donation will go towards the group study room in the library and include naming recognition.

Speaking on behalf of the practice, Dr. Marco Aldrovandi and Dr. Stefany Neves said facilities like the twin-pad arena and library were an important part of their formative years.

“Growing up in community hubs of libraries and arenas played a crucial role in our physical and mental development,” they said. “These places were where we challenged ourselves in team environments and learned about all the resources to keep us engaged in the world around us.”

It was through a networking group they discovered the opportunity to support the arena and library project.

“We are newer to the community and we plan to be here and raise our future family,” the couple said. “With this mindset, we are always keeping an eye out for opportunities to provide more of our time and resources to enrich our neighbours’ lives today and in the future. We are very fortunate to be able to contribute to this community project.”

They believe the new facility will serve as a great space for Wasaga Beach residents to enjoy community activities and events.

“We are most looking forward to meeting new people through the many sports and library programs that will develop,” they said.  

Project background information

In January 2019, town council identified the twin-pad arena and library project as a priority for this term. The Wasaga Stars Arena, built nearly 50 years ago, is at the end of its lifespan. The library, which opened in 1994, is too small to meet the needs of our growing community. A review, including a community consultation process, determined 544 River Rd. W. as the best site for a new 117,669-square-foot joint-use facility. When the new complex opens in the summer of 2023, it will include two NHL-size ice surfaces, an indoor walking track, a modern library with proper program space and meeting rooms. The town is funding the $59-million investment through reserves, long-term financing, and community donations.

WASAGA BEACH Check out our new tourism marketing video. Feel free to share it with your friends and family.

ANNIVERSARY On July 7, on behalf of council and staff, Mayor Nina Bifolchi extended best wishes to Franca and Rocco Torelli on their 60th wedding anniversary. Congratulations on reaching this very special occasion.

WAYFINDING The first phase of directional signs from the wayfinding strategy have been installed. Learn more about the project here: http://ow.ly/ysf750JWby2

Integrity commissioners

rule councillor

violated Code of Conduct

On July 28, the Town of Wasaga Beach’s integrity commissioners found Councillor Joe Belanger in violation of the council Code of Conduct for a fourth time this term.

In a report to council, the commissioners said Belanger violated the code when he took to social media in May and made comments that undermined council’s negotiations with Bayloc Developments Inc., a company selected through a Request for Proposal process to redevelop town-owned land at the beachfront.

In one post, on May 27, 2022, Belanger provided information regarding purchase prices of beach area properties and suggested that the purchase price being negotiated with Bayloc should be closely scrutinized, suggesting that no less than $42-million would be acceptable.

Through a second post, on May 29, Belanger implied the development process allowed for insufficient public input.

Principals Integrity, the town’s independent integrity commissioners, received a complaint from Mayor Nina Bifolchi and several inquiries from others after reading the posts online.

The commissioners conducted an investigation into the complaint and issued a ruling dated July 21, 2022.

“We find that the councillor’s posts of May 27^th and May 29^th sought to undermine efforts to move forward with negotiations for the sale of the lands with the developer. These negotiations were proceeding under direction from council,” they said.

Later in their ruling, the commissioners noted the following:

“We find the councillor’s conduct, in posting about a lack of public input into the uses to be accommodated in the development, undermined council’s decisions regarding the permitted uses through the zoning bylaws enacted for the lands,” they said. “We find that the councillor’s conduct, in posting his detailed financial extrapolation from which he speculated an appropriate land valuation calculation, undermined the council direction to the negotiating team to undertake good faith negotiations with the developer on behalf of the town; this is particularly so, given his personal knowledge of the specific purchase price negotiated.”

Council accepted the integrity commissioners’ ruling, including the recommended penalty – a 30-day suspension of pay for the councillor.

“This is not the first complaint against Councillor Belanger that has been found to be substantiated,” the commissioners wrote in their ruling.

Speaking on behalf of council, Mayor Bifolchi said the violations are frustrating.

“On four separate occasions this term, Councillor Belanger has been subjected to integrity commissioner complaints and in each instance he has violated our code of conduct. These investigations are time-consuming and costly to the taxpayer. Members of council are held to a standard of behaviour, not only in Wasaga Beach, but across the province. There is no excuse for such flagrant disregard for our code, which we as a council collectively approved and implemented,” she said.

In their report, the integrity commissioners noted the following about the town’s beachfront redevelopment process:

·        It is evident from the documentation, most of it publicly available on the town’s website, that the process followed to redevelop the town-owned beachfront lands has been a rigorous one.

·        Council decisions to enact zoning bylaws permitting tourist commercial land uses accommodating multiple-unit development, hotel, recreation and entertainment uses passed in 2014, 2018 and 2021 paved the way for redevelopment following public input.

In addition, they point out that council has made other key decisions throughout the process, and key milestones are publicly presented, well-documented in detail on the town’s website.

They add that during the redevelopment process, the town has used a professional real estate advisor, an expert legal team, and a fairness monitor to ensure the integrity of the process.

Councillor Belanger expressed his opposition to the integrity commissioner findings.

At the May 26 council meeting, the town’s legal counsel, Mary Ellen Bench, a lawyer with Dentons, provided a detailed overview of the beachfront redevelopment process, including the steps to engage the public. Watch the presentation on our YouTube channel. It starts around the 10:22 mark.

Geosands Inc.

annual general meeting

On July 28, council hosted the annual general meeting for Geosands Inc.

Geosands is the parent company of Wasaga Distribution Inc.

Council heard Geosands is growing, in good shape financially and approved the organization’s 2021 audited financial statements.

Watch the presentation.

Joint use community centre facility with

school board moving ahead

Council, on July 28, received an update on the Simcoe County District School Board’s plans for a new elementary school in the Sunnidale Trails development.

They also approved the town committing its estimated proportional share of the site capital costs for the new community centre at $1.7-million.

The school will operate under a joint use facilities agreement with the town that allows the town to use space in the school as a Community Centre during off-school periods, based on terms in the agreement including a financial commitment. Council approved entering into the agreement in 2021.

The joint use components include the lobby, washrooms, a multi-purpose room, kitchenette, and double gym with a wood floor, plus a portable stage system.

Chris Roos, director of recreation, events and facilities, wrote in the update to council that the project is now ready for tender.

He noted the school board is aiming to have the new facility open for the fall of 2023.

Read the full staff report.

Twin-pad arena and library construction update

Ron Spina of Colliers Project Leaders provided an update on the twin-pad arena and library project during a presentation to Coordinated Committee July 21.

Councillor Mark Kinney, chair of the Community Services Section of committee, relayed highlights of the presentation to council on July 28.

He said the project continues to move ahead and is on budget.

Committee also received a report from the Construction Steering Group. The report noted construction should be finished July 2023 and occupancy will happen shortly thereafter.

Review the update.

Review the steering group report.

As well, committee received a report from the chief building official, Danny Rodgers, on the sustainability measures and energy-efficiency design considerations that went into the new facility.

Read the related report.

Town and Bayloc negotiations continue

Negotiations regarding the redevelopment of town-owned land at the beachfront will continue for another month, the town announced July 22. 

On July 21, members of council approved discussions continuing between the town and Bayloc Developments Inc. 

The town will provide further information when available.

See our website for more details about the town’s efforts to redevelop town-owned land at the beachfront.

PRESENTATION Gateway Casinos and Entertainment held a job fair at the RecPlex July 19 for its new facility in Wasaga Beach. Mayor Nina Bifolchi met with company representatives to again welcome them to our community. Learn more about Gateway.

Hybrid meeting protocol moves to Phase 2

The Town of Wasaga Beach moved into Phase 2 of its hybrid meeting protocol in July.

Council approved the protocol in April and implemented the first phase in May. The purpose of the protocol is to ensure the safe return of in-person meetings, suspended at the start of the pandemic.

Under Phase 2, registered public participants of committee and council meetings are welcome to attend in-person. This means people who are speaking to an item on the agenda. Virtual meeting participation remains an option. Staff with an item on the agenda are also now welcome to attend in-person.

As well, members of the media are now welcome in-person at meetings.

The town asks that all attendees perform passive COVID-19 health screening prior to entry into the council chamber.

Masks are encouraged but not mandatory.

The town implemented Phase 1 of its meeting protocol in May, with council members and required staff attending in-person, if possible.

Phase 3 will start at a date not yet set. This phase will consist of previous phases and introduce limited public attendance.

The last phase – again a date is not set – will see the implementation of unrestricted public access.

For more information, contact the Clerk’s Department.

The Municipal Law Enforcement Department is announcing its summer hours. Regular office hours are 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. The public can reach a department representative by calling 705-429-2511 at any time of day. Officers are patrolling Sunday to Thursday 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 a.m. and Friday and Saturday 8:30 a.m. to 2:30 a.m. On long weekends Friday and Saturday 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 a.m.