END OF THE ROAD On Jan. 21, Mayor Nina Bifolchi and Director of Recreation, Events and Facilities Chris Roos congratulated Phil Eichler and Rob Henderson on their retirement. The two men work in our Recreation, Events and Facilities Department. They are known for their strong work ethic and will be missed. Enjoy retirement!

On Jan. 25, Mayor Nina Bifolchi and operations manager Gerald Reu welcomed Joe Riccio to the Town of Wasaga Beach. Riccio is working as a member of our roads team in the Public Works Department.

On Jan. 25, Mayor Nina Bifolchi and director of legislative services Dina Lundy welcomed Darren Trafford to the Town of Wasaga Beach. Trafford is working as an officer in our Municipal Law Enforcement Department.

On Jan. 21, Mayor Nina Bifolchi welcomed Debra Filak and Valerie Dickson to the Town of Wasaga Beach. Filak is an administrative assistant in our Planning & Economic Initiatives Department and Dickson is our fundraising coordinator for the capital campaign to support the new twin-pad arena and library project. Welcome to the team!

Factual information matters - especially when it comes to the delivery of public services, which is the primary purpose of the Town of Wasaga Beach.

Facts aren't partisan.

Regardless of individual political views, locally, nationally, or internationally, every citizen has a duty and responsibility to defend the truth and defeat lies.

Residents can always find accurate information about the town by visiting our website at www.wasagabeach.com or by contacting a member of council or staff.

Eligible electricity customers may qualify for a one-time COVID-19 Energy Assistance Program (CEAP) credit for half of the electricity charges that are overdue on the date of their application for CEAP, up to a maximum of $115 ($230 for electrically heated homes). The funds are limited and will be allocated to customers on a first come first serve basis. Wasaga Distribution customers can visit the WDI website here to learn more and access the application form.

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Our Treasury Department is staffed by highly skilled people who look after the town's finances.

They prepare the annual budget, look after payments and billings, help with financial planning for the town, and ensure the town meets all legislative financial requirements.

Learn more about the department.

Check out our latest edition of the Recreation, Events and Facilities Guide. See the guide.

Learn more about the Senior Active Living Centre here.

Learn more about recreation programs here.

Check out Let's Talk Wasaga Beach here: Click

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When inadvertently dialing 911 on your cell phone, please remember you are activating an emergency service.

In doing so, emergency personnel are committed to determining the origin and extent of the emergency that may be happening.

This means they have to locate the individual who inadvertently dialed 911.

This response can draw needed resources away from actual emergencies. To prevent this please, when not using your phone, lock it so that unintentional calls do not happen.

If you do dial 911 by mistake, please do not hang up on the operator. Explain the call is in fact not an emergency, tell the operator where you are and stay there. This is because an officer must attend your location to determine an emergency is not taking place.

By hanging up or leaving your current location, you create a situation where emergency services must try to locate you, and in the process tie up precious resources.

Only you can stop 911 misdials.

Did you know the OPP has an online crime reporting site?

The site lets you report a crime without visiting an OPP detachment. Learn more here: http://bit.ly/2n3EoI8

HORSE POWER From the Historical Advisory Committee. From the 1930s until the mid-1950s a popular attraction for tourists was horseback riding in Wasaga Beach. You could ride horses on the beachfront, on the local roads, and on trail rides in the bush. There were at least nine riding stables/riding academies located within Wasaga Beach. Some of these stables brought their horses from Toronto to Wasaga for the summer season, as well as their instructors. A number of the stables/riding academies were located close to the main end and close to the large hotels. Maple Leaf Academy was located in what would now be part of Beach Area 2, Bell’s Riding School was behind the Dardanella, across from where Pedro’s is now located, and Cook’s Riding School was located on 2^nd Street. At the other end of the beach, there was Patterson’s Riding Academy on what is now 45^th Street; Oakview Riding Academy, located between 20^th and 21^st Street; and Forest Croft Riding Academy on what is now 29^th Street and Shore Lane. Finally, there were three stables across the river. Long Acres Dude Ranch, on Highway 92, on the left hand side of the road; The Hitching Post on River Road West, which was also the property on which the harness racing track and later the Wasaga Speedway track were located; and The Circle B Ranch, where the current library is, behind the OPP station. All of these stables/academies offered horses and instructors to the tourists and locals alike. Horse riding was eventually no longer allowed on the north side of the Nottawasaga River or the beachfront and the stables closed.

See the library main website

Learn about adult programs

January has been another busy month for members of council and staff.

I am happy to tell you we continue to make progress on the twin-pad arena and library project. Recently, we approved the updated schematic design for the project. I encourage you to check out the design on our website.

Construction of the new arena and library will begin this summer. Drive by our site at 544 River Rd. W. and you will notice our new sign is up. Keep an eye on this location when building begins. Watch as our new east-end landmark takes shape. It is interesting, and a bit heartwarming, to think about the memories people will make here in the years to come. Generations will learn to skate, discover a love for books, access their first musical show, explore new programs, and make new friendships.

Planning continues for other investments in our community.

In January, council received a report on the new park that will be part of the Sunnidale Trails Development, east of Sunnidale Road. We also approved, in principle, the design for the park. At almost five acres, it will include a market area, covered skating rink, a children’s play space with swings and structures, mini-soccer field, pickle ball court, space for a future splash pad, and trails. The surrounding lands will include 2,750 new homes when all construction is complete. See the information item in this edition of The Monthly Report to learn more.

We received some good financial news this month, too. The town is receiving just over a million dollars in infrastructure funding from the province. The money is going towards the Main Street Bridge reconstruction project, which is winding down this spring.

The province also advised us we are receiving $222,282 in funding through the Gas Tax Program. This money is to support the operation of our transit system.

We have good news for our transit users as well. At our regular monthly meeting, council instructed staff to upgrade the bus pass system so users can reload their passes online. Riders will also be able to purchase a new pass online or report a lost or stolen card. This new feature will be available soon through a portal on our website. It will be a great new feature. Watch our website for details.

Work continues on our plans to redevelop town-owned land at the beachfront. Earlier in the term, we shortlisted developers and late last year we asked them to put forward their specific ideas. Developers are required to submit their proposals by February 2021. An evaluation team will then review and score the submissions. Council will also review and grade the proposals. We anticipate the selection of preferred developers in April 2021 and the approval of developers and their specific projects in July 2021.

Developers throughout our community remain upbeat about the year ahead. Our planning staff continue to process development applications and our building staff are as busy as ever. More information will be available as these projects come before council.

The pandemic continues to challenge every aspect of our society. Public health officials started the vaccine rollout just before the Christmas break and its distribution continues.

However, it is important we remain vigilant. Wash your hands regularly. Wear your mask. Limit your travel. Now is not the time to let your guard down.

While we have closed town facilities to the public during the provincial shutdown, staff continue to work and are available by phone and e-mail. In-person appointments are available, if necessary.

On behalf of council, I thank all of our staff for their continued dedication to the delivery of valuable public services.

And once again, I thank all of the frontline workers in our community for the important role they play. Your efforts are truly commendable.

In closing, thank you for reading and please stay safe.