Thanks, anonymous commenter! Bannikin has looked at several locations around Ontario and the US that, like The County, deal with an influx of seasonal tourist to a rural destination. They've also looked at several global destinations that are incorporating more ambitious environmental targets and certification. 

Point Petre is managed by the province, meaning the municipality does not have the authority to issue tickets there, nor does it have the bandwidth to take on management of garbage or illegal camping. We realize this is frustrating for residents, these sort of boundaries, as the goal is one of conservation and we should be working together toward that goal. Point Petre continues to be a topic of conversation with provincial partners, specifically how warden oversight might be added there.

Frustrating, for sure. I'm sorry you were disappointed. The Ontario Parks system seems to have been inundated. The best I can suggest is to put yourself on a wait list for private campgrounds, in the case of cancellation. Hopefully by Summer 2022, as the vaccine is distributed and travel beyond our borders isn't seen as so risky, there won't be as much competition for limited spaces.

Thanks, Zed. Lots of good questions here and good suggestions too. Some of these issues are related to tourism, some of them are related to planning and zoning and 'economic development,' or how we grow our communities in ways that provide good jobs, services and sustainability and won't be included in this Strategy. Thanks for your input! 

Hi Lori,

The Tourism Management Plan (which is separate from this Strategy) recommends that Wellington Rotary Beach be free for anyone holding a day pass, which will be available from Shire Hall and the PEC library branches. Our intention is to have these passes available at the beginning of May, when the current COVID-related shutdown ends.

Visitors will still be able to access the beach, and anyone without a pass will be required to pay $10 per person for entry. This is to help offset the costs related to additional staffing, fencing, gates and other infrastructure needed to manage volumes.

Cheers,
Karen

Hi Kathleen, 

You raise a really good point - once we're past the immediate issues facing us for summer 2021, we're hoping to speak with the province about what would need to happen to make Sandbanks and/or North Beach available year-round. 

Cheers,
Karen

Hi Linda,

I'm not sure which initiatives and fees you're referring to precisely, but the Tourism Management Plan (which is different than this Strategy) put forward to Council proposed a number of actions to help manage visitor volumes and fund staff time and maintenance costs related to hosting visitors. This includes managing traffic and parking, visitor numbers at Wellington Rotary Beach, and impact on municipal parks and Main Street areas. While these actions aren't meant to be unwelcoming, they are meant to encourage visitors to 'do the right thing,' ie park where it's permitted, as opposed to where it creates traffic snarls; to plan ahead for their holidays and make reservations where possible; and to help offset costs related to managing numbers at the beach.

I'm sorry you see this as unwelcoming - it's our hope that by helping to better manage visitor volumes, it'll lead to a better experience for guests AND residents.

Cheers,
Karen

Thanks for this suggestion, Rene! It's something worth passing on to our friends at the Chamber of Commerce and the local business improvement groups. Cheers, Karen