Simcoe County is a county located in the central region of Ontario , Canada . The county is located north of the Greater Toronto Area , and forms the north western edge of the Golden Horseshoe . The largest city in the county is Barrie , while the county seat is located in Midhurst .
83-498: Wasaga Beach (or simply Wasaga ) is a town in Simcoe County, Ontario , Canada. Situated along the longest freshwater beach in the world, it is a popular summer tourist destination. It is located along the southern end of Georgian Bay , approximately 150 km (93 mi) north of Toronto and about 40 km (25 mi) northwest of Barrie . To the west, Collingwood and The Blue Mountains also attract visitors much of
166-514: A YMCA . There is also the Wasaga Stars Arena, which is being replaced by a larger facility, which is expected to be completed by the summer of 2023. The Town of Wasaga Beach covers an area of 61.13 square kilometres (23.60 sq mi) composed predominantly of sand and loamy sand that exhibit excessive to good drainage and irregular to moderately sloping topography. The poor soil quality makes it difficult to sustain lush lawns in
249-493: A wave pool or flowrider . Water parks have grown in popularity since their roots of public swimming pools in the late 1940s and early 1950s. The first water park featuring water slides and wave pools was Wet 'n Wild, which opened in Orlando, Florida, in 1977. The United States has the largest and most concentrated water park market, with over 1,000 water parks and dozens of new parks opening each year. Major organizations are
332-531: A dramatic increase from 1965, when 500 people were residents. Today, the town has 24,862 full-time residents and 16,000 seasonal and part-time residents. On November 30, 2007, a major fire destroyed 90 per cent of the buildings along the street mall in the Beach One area. About 17 seasonal businesses were said to have been affected, including bikini shops, ice cream parlours, a restaurant, a motel, and an arcade. Nearly 100 firefighters from surrounding areas battled
415-811: A land area of 57.42 km (22.17 sq mi), it had a population density of 433.0/km (1,121.4/sq mi) in 2021. The 2006 Canadian census indicated a population of 15,029 residents. When compared to its 2001 population of 12,419, Wasaga Beach was one of the fastest-growing communities in Canada, based on population growth percentage (21.0% over 5 years). There are four schools in Wasaga Beach: Birchview Dunes Elementary School, St Noel Chabanal Catholic Elementary School, Wasaga Beach Public School, and Worsley Elementary School. The town has no secondary school, and buses transport over 760 students to high schools located in
498-419: A landlord to some businesses, including three bars. The town acquired any existing leases from tenants and succeeded in leasing most of the empty space to commercial enterprises by July 2016. A few of the tenants subsequently enquired about the possibility of breaking their leases because they were struggling financially. The town council agreed to a one-time opportunity for businesses to break their leases without
581-461: A major fire in late November 2007 destroyed many of the stores. It depends on tourists in an area where the primary shopping season is three to four months per year. In March 2017, the town passed its Downtown Development Master Plan, a 20-year strategy for significant redevelopment of the tourist area and adding a downtown to the business area. The goal is to improve tourism, diversify the economy, and get beyond its "party town" image. Wasaga Beach and
664-624: A penalty; requests to do so had to be submitted no later than September 23, 2016. The beach is owned and operated by Ontario Parks as the Wasaga Beach Provincial Park, and it is the area's primary attraction. Of the six main beach areas, Beach areas One and Two and the adjacent private/public lands have historically functioned as the main destination for tourism activity. Due to the economic climate, losses due to fires, and recent failed private redevelopment plans, Beach areas One and Two have been in steady decline. This area
747-467: A population of 533,169 living in 202,824 of its 225,087 total private dwellings, a change of 11.2% from its 2016 population of 479,635 . With a land area of 4,818.93 km (1,860.60 sq mi), it had a population density of 110.6/km (286.6/sq mi) in 2021. The Corporation of the County of Simcoe comprises 16 local municipalities. As an "upper tier" municipality, the County of Simcoe
830-421: A problem in the area. The majority of sales take place during the tourist season, which is typically not much longer than three months per year. (The most recent stats indicate a decline in tourism "of roughly 100,000 a year between 2002 and 2012".) To step up development, in 2015 the town spent $ 13.5 million to purchase seven properties, including eight buildings and 28 rental units, along Beach Area One, becoming
913-460: A subsidiary paratransit service called LINX+. The LINX system connects population centres in the area such as Barrie, Orillia, Midland, Penetanguishene, Wasaga Beach, and Collingwood, and acts as an intermediate transit layer between local community bus services and higher-order regional transit, such as GO Transit and Ontario Northland . Planned future routes would connect Alliston with Bradford West Gwillimbury, and Midland with Orillia. Some of
SECTION 10
#1732782557564996-670: A warning if they saw Iroquois raiding parties approaching their villages. In 1812 the United States declared war on Great Britain and invaded Upper Canada on several occasions. Wasaga Beach became a strategic location at the mouth of the Nottawasaga River leading to Fort Willow and the Nine Mile Portage which was part of the supply line for British forces in the War of 1812 to Fort Michilimackinac and points to
1079-705: Is a diverse, multi-faceted industry and farmland in the region is among the best in all of Canada, including a section of the Holland Marsh in Bradford. Tourism is a vital industry in Simcoe County, providing a diversity of jobs and economic impact in a variety of sectors including accommodation, restaurants, destinations, events and retail. Simcoe County plays host to over eight million visitors annually that contributes more than 570 million dollars in spending to its economy. The road network in Simcoe County
1162-756: Is another huge water park in the Dells. The largest indoor water park in the UK is Sandcastle Water Park in Blackpool , England, which opened in 1986. There are many water parks in southern Europe where the climate suits a long season. For example, in Portugal 's Algarve , there are three main parks: Aqualand, Aquashow, and Slide and Splash. Water play areas are similar to water parks and include urban beaches , splash pads , and smaller collections of water slides in many hotels and public swimming pools . For example,
1245-470: Is available at nearby Blue Mountain . There are many miles of fresh groomed trails for snowmobiling thanks to the Ontario Federation of Snowmobile Clubs and in part to the purchasers of the trail passes. An unusual aspect of the town compared to other Ontario Cottage country communities, is that most of the cottages are non-waterfront and are closely spaced on a network of side streets within
1328-1081: Is based on a grid pattern, with most roads running north–south or east–west. The topography of the land has permitted roads to be set in predominantly straight lines. Simcoe County is traversed by many Provincial Highways; Ontario Highway 400 being the most significant. Other provincial highways in Simcoe County include: Highway 11 , Highway 12 , Highway 26 , Highway 89 and Highway 93 . Simcoe County also maintains an extensive series of County Roads, see List of numbered roads in Simcoe County . GO Transit operates daily commuter rail services to and from downtown Toronto along its Barrie line with three stops in Simcoe County: one stop in Bradford West Gwillimbury ( Bradford ) and two stops in Barrie ( Barrie South and Allandale Waterfront ). Via Rail 's Canadian Toronto- Vancouver transcontinental passenger train makes request stops at
1411-455: Is divided into sections, with the beaches numbered 1 to 6 from east to west, with off-beach public park areas, mostly with parking and all with toilet facilities. A published summary indicates that Beaches 2–4 benefit from shade trees, a bike trail and a playground. Beach 1 is the most touristy, with bars, beach-themed shops and fast food restaurants, attracting primarily young adults. Beach areas 3 to 6 have many seasonal waterfront cottages between
1494-572: Is in 2016 the largest indoor water park in the world. With five indoor water parks, Wisconsin Dells, Wisconsin has been dubbed the "Water Park Capital of the World". It showcases several of America's largest indoor and outdoor water parks, such as Noah's Ark Water Park . Wisconsin Dells is also home to the first indoor water park in the United States, which was debuted in 1994 by the Polynesian Resort Hotel. Success in extending
1577-504: Is one of the county's largest single employers. In addition to the automotive industry, other industries include plastics, glass manufacturing, pharmaceuticals, and aggregate resources. The county is also home to other institutions including Casino Rama , Georgian College , Canadian Forces Base Borden , a campus of Lakehead University and the Ontario Provincial Police Headquarters. Agri-business
1660-549: Is responsible for delivering public health programs and services, enforcing public health regulations, and advising local officials and local governments on health issues. Simcoe County has five hospitals: Southern parts of the County are also served by the Southlake Regional Health Centre in Newmarket, Ontario ( York Region ). The County operates ambulance and paramedic services (EMS) for
1743-725: Is responsible for municipal services which include social housing, land ambulance and emergency planning, environmental services (solid waste management), a County road system, Ontario Works, children's services, homes for the aged, a library co-operative, museum, archives, County forest management, tourism, a Geographic Information System (computer mapping) and land use policy planning. The local, or "lower tier" municipalities are responsible for water and sewer services, local roads, public libraries, recreation services, fire and police services, land use development control and licensing and permitting services. The cities of Barrie and Orillia , although separate politically and administratively from
SECTION 20
#17327825575641826-522: Is so important to the town that it undertook an in-depth community visioning exercise, called Opportunity Wasaga, to develop a long-term vision for the future of the public and private lands in this area. There has been a great deal of controversy (among the public and council members) about the previous strategies used by the Town of Wasaga Beach, including the 2015 purchase of the seven properties for $ 13.8 million, using borrowed money. "That's no small sum for
1909-570: The Atlantic to England. A plane, named Trail of the Caribou , used the beach as a makeshift runway. The town was originally referred to as "the northern border of Flos Sunnidale and Nottawasaga Townships". The first municipal reference occurred with a designation of a Local Improvement District in 1947. In 1949, Wasaga Beach was classified as a police village in the Township of Sunnidale, and
1992-593: The Chelsea Hotel in Toronto features a four-story water slide called the Corkscrew. According to estimates from the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission , more than 4,200 people annually are sent to emergency rooms from suffering injuries on public waterslides. In July 2015, one drowning and at least three near-drownings were reported at water parks in the United States. On August 7, 2016, Caleb Schwab,
2075-578: The Greater Toronto Area (GTA) and therefore generally have a closer socio-economic association with the GTA. South Simcoe is also within the Toronto commuter belt as it is home to a relatively high proportion of people commuting to the GTA. South Simcoe is home to five municipalities, including: the Town of Innisfil , the Township of Adjala-Tosorontio , the Town of Bradford West Gwillimbury ,
2158-472: The IAAPA (International Association of Amusement Parks and Attractions) and WWA ( World Waterpark Association ), which is the industry trade association. Water parks which emerge from spas tend to more closely resemble mountain resorts, as they become year-round destinations. For example, Splash Universe Water Park Resort is themed to match the community in which it is located. The theme is intended to enhance
2241-658: The Nancy Island Historic Site with a theatre, a museum and a lighthouse. Over two million people visit Wasaga Beach every summer, attracted by the town's freshwater beach (stretching 14 kilometres or 8.7 miles), swim in shallow (warm), clean water and enjoy the panoramic views of the Niagara Escarpment across the bay. There are many recreational trails that are used for hiking, cycling, cross-country skiing and snowmobiling. The Nottawasaga River offers game fishing and canoe routes. The beach
2324-565: The Washago railway station in Severn . There are three main rail freight operators in Simcoe County; Canadian National Railway (CN), Canadian Pacific Railway (CPR) and Barrie Collingwood Railway . Lake Simcoe Regional Airport is a registered airport located almost midway between Barrie and Orillia, in the township of Oro-Medonte. The airport is owned jointly by the City of Barrie (10%), and
2407-468: The 1820s the first sign of settlement in the area began as John Goessman surveyed Flos Township . In 1826, land was being sold for four shillings an acre. Though unsuitable for farming, the Wasaga Beach area had an abundance of trees. In the late 1830s and throughout the rest of the century, the logging industry was key to the economy and integral to development of the area. The first permanent settler
2490-467: The 2000s, an effort was made to reduce long waiting lines by introducing conveyor belts to lift passengers or use water jets. An unusual feature at a water park is ice skating . Deep River Water Park in northwestern Indiana features ice skating, made possible by cooling pipes installed under their massive plaza. Some of the first indoor water parks are Tikibad at Duinrell (The Netherlands, 1984), Nautiland located at Haguenau (France, 1984),
2573-440: The 2022 municipal election are: Mayor : Brian Smith Deputy Mayor: Tanya Snell Councillors : Despite the major fire, the beach and the remaining businesses reopened the following summer. Although the destroyed buildings had been considered dated, they were missed by residents and visitors. In 2008, an entertainment dome was built, intended as a temporary structure until development started. It lasted until February 2011 when
Wasaga Beach - Misplaced Pages Continue
2656-647: The Aqua Mundo at Center Parc De Eemhof located at Zeewolde (The Netherlands, 1980) and Alpamare (Pfäffikon) (Switzerland, 1977). In 1986 World Waterpark was open in Edmonton , Alberta, Canada at the West Edmonton Mall . It is in 2016 the largest indoor water park in North America. Tropical Islands Resort ( Germany ), with an area of 66,000 m (710,418 sq ft),
2739-713: The County (90%). The airport is equipped to accommodate propeller and jet aircraft, and is classified as an airport of entry by Nav Canada and is staffed by the Canada Border Services Agency . The County is also served by the Orillia Ramara Regional Airport in Ramara , 12 km northeast of Orillia. The closest major airport, however, is Toronto Pearson International Airport . The County has operated an intercommunity regional bus service, LINX , since 2018. It also operates
2822-722: The County's larger urban centres have local public transit operations, which consist of bus services. These include Barrie Transit , BWG Transit (Bradford West Gwillimbury), Colltrans (Collingwood), Orillia Transit , Midland Penetanguishene Transit , and Wasaga Beach Transit . Waterparks A water park (also waterpark , water world , or aquapark ) is an amusement park that features water play areas such as swimming pools , water slides , splash pads , water playgrounds, and lazy rivers , as well as areas for floating, bathing, swimming, and other barefoot environments. Modern water parks may also be equipped with some type of artificial surfing or bodyboarding environment, such as
2905-413: The County, are geographically and economically part of the County and send elected representatives to serve on County committees which provide services to the residents of the cities, including paramedic services, long term care facilities, social services, social housing, archives and Museum. They are counted within the census division. County Council is composed of the mayors and deputy mayors of each of
2988-463: The Nottawasaga River and are accessed via River Road East. The park is available for day use only. Its area totals 1,844 hectares (4,560 acres) of which 6.8 hectares (17 acres) are protected. The park is a habitat for birds, primarily for shorebirds including the endangered piping plover . Hiking trails of over 50 kilometres (31 mi) are available. In winter, they are used for cross-country skiing and snowshoeing. The visitor centre provides access to
3071-522: The Real Canadian Superstore. It has separate fares from Wasaga Beach Transit and there are no free transfers. Separated municipalities but remain a census subdivision of the county Simcoe County, Ontario Simcoe County stretches from the shores of Lake Simcoe in the east to Georgian Bay in the west. The land area of the county is 4,818.93 square kilometres (1,860.60 sq mi). The Niagara Escarpment runs through sections of
3154-625: The Town of Midland , was disbanded in February 2018. The OPP assumed policing responsibilities in Midland afterwards. Canadian Forces Military Police provides policing and security for CFB Borden (25 km southwest of Barrie). The local public agency for the county, the cities of Barrie and Orillia , and the neighbouring District Municipality of Muskoka is the Simcoe Muskoka District Health Unit. It
3237-540: The Township of Clearview , the Township of Oro-Medonte , the Township of Ramara , the Township of Severn , the Township of Springwater , the Township of Tay and the Township of Tiny , the Town of Collingwood , the Town of Midland , the Town of Penetanguishene and the Town of Wasaga Beach . The cities of Barrie and Orillia are geographically within North Simcoe, but both are politically independent single-tier municipalities. Simcoe County, in particular
3320-545: The Township of Essa and the Town of New Tecumseth (which includes: Alliston , Beeton and Tottenham ). North Simcoe is less connected to the GTA due to its more removed geographic location, is generally less industrial than South Simcoe, and generally has a closer socio-economic association with the Muskoka area, located immediately north. However, North Simcoe hosts two GO Transit train stations that provide daily commuter rail service to Toronto . North Simcoe includes
3403-412: The attractions would subsequently close down, with Playland ceasing operations in 1985. Two waterparks , both named Waterworld, opened that year, but were closed in the mid-2000's due to multiple cost issues, with the location at Beach One converted into a splash pad . Wasaga Beach entered history's headlines in 1934. It was the site of departure for the first overseas flight from mainland Canada across
Wasaga Beach - Misplaced Pages Continue
3486-401: The beach and one across the river. In July 2018, under the council led by then-mayor Brian Smith, council agreed to enter into a Letter of Intent with FRAM Building Group for the development of town-owned land in the downtown and at the beachfront. In December 2018, under a new council, with Nina Bifolchi as mayor, council decided to undertake a review of the development of town-owned lands in
3569-570: The beachfront. In September 2021, the Wasaga Beach Ratepayers Association opposed the scope of what they perceived to be excessively high densities in the development plans, and the association's president was accused by the Town of spreading false information and exaggerating said densities, as well as claiming residents were being shut out of Town Hall. This led to residents protesting in October. By June 2024,
3652-476: The beauty of the area. The beach gradually became a place for family picnics and holidays during the summer months, and the first cottages were built. In 1909, a new steel bridge was constructed to replace the Vanvlack Bridge. Wasaga Beach had its beginning as a major resort area when the first beachfront hotel, The Capstan Inn, was opened in 1915 by entrepreneur John McLean in what would later develop into
3735-409: The blaze for hours. The Toronto Star later reported that "Twenty-one businesses in eight buildings overlooking Georgian Bay were destroyed, causing an estimated $ 5 million in damages." Controversy also arose over whether or not the fire was deliberately set in order to allow unobstructed progression with the planned development or whether it was simply an accident. Two young men (one from Barrie and
3818-511: The community's destination appeal. Therefore, the amusement and leisure-time industry is becoming more concentrated, as winter sports are becoming common themes in summertime water recreation. A process of concentration can be observed in the hybrid versions of theme- , amusement- , and water parks. Some water parks are more spa-oriented. For example, SchwabenQuellen has no water slides; it has instead many saunas , steam rooms , "adventure showers", and relaxation-oriented water play areas. In
3901-493: The county and the independent cities of Barrie and Orillia . The Beausoleil First Nation (Christian Island) and the Chippewas of Rama First Nation (Rama) operate their own EMS services for their territories. The economy of Simcoe County is diverse and includes a full range of businesses from agricultural, industrial and high-tech sectors. Honda of Canada Manufacturing has been established in Simcoe County since 1986 and
3984-649: The division of liabilities. It was implemented by an Act of the Parliament of the Province of Canada later that year. On January 1, 1852, after transferring its five western townships to Grey County , the County was defined as including the following townships: Together with the unorganized territory bounded to the north by the French River , to the south by the Severn River and Rama Township, to
4067-511: The downtown and at the beachfront. The council agreed to let the Letter of Intent the town had with FRAM Building Group Ltd. lapse at the end of December 2018 as a first step in the review process. The Downtown Master Plan, however, remained in place. In March 2019, FRAM advised the town it was not interested in being a part of future development of the beachfront. The town began looking for other developers interested in developing town-owned land at
4150-571: The exterior cover was destroyed during a storm; repairs were not done and the dome never reopened. The structure was removed in May 2012. The long-term plans after the fire, by Armand and Dov Levy's Blue Beach Avenue corporation, included a rebuild of the area in a modern style with shopping and the aforementioned indoor/outdoor theme park, two major hotels and monorail. The proposed development came to an abrupt end when Blue Beach Avenue declared bankruptcy in 2010. "The past couple of years haven't been kind to
4233-696: The federal electoral districts of Barrie—Springwater—Oro-Medonte , Barrie—Innisfil , York—Simcoe , Simcoe—Grey and Simcoe North . The current Members of Parliament representing Simcoe County are: Simcoe County encompasses all or part of the provincial electoral districts of Barrie—Springwater—Oro-Medonte , Barrie—Innisfil , York—Simcoe , Simcoe—Grey and Simcoe North . The current Members of Provincial Parliament representing Simcoe County are: Five police services provide law enforcement and local policing in Simcoe County: The Midland Police Service, which served
SECTION 50
#17327825575644316-464: The former Wendake area near Nottawasaga Bay , was the site of the earliest French exploration and settlement of Ontario ; they were the first Europeans in the area. Several historic sites, including Carhagouha and Sainte-Marie among the Hurons , mark the earliest known contacts between the area's traditional Huron population and French missionaries . The Huron capital, Ossossané , was at one time
4399-603: The land lying between the Midland District and a line produced due north from a certain fixed boundary (at the distance of about fifty miles north-west from the outlet of Burlington Bay ) till it intersects the northern limits of the Province... At its beginning, the County existed only for purposes of military enlistment. In 1823, it became a separate constituency for elections to the Legislative Assembly of Upper Canada , but, as eligibility to vote
4482-588: The largest aboriginal settlement in all of North America outside Mexico . The County, named by Lieutenant Governor of Upper Canada John Graves Simcoe in honour of his father Captain John Simcoe, was established as part of the Home District in 1798 by the Legislative Assembly of Upper Canada . Its initial territory was described as follows: ... Matchedash , Gloucester, or Penetanguishene , together with Prince William Henry's Island , and all
4565-577: The location in October of that year. Between April 16 and May 1, 2023, the casino was closed due to Gateway Casinos being the victim of a cyberattack , which resulted in the closure of all its casinos in Ontario. Wasaga Beach Provincial Park is a small recreational provincial park consisting of the eight beaches with 14 kilometres (8.7 mi) of beach. Beach Areas 1–6 can be accessed off Mosley Street in Wasaga. Allenwood and New Wasaga Beaches are north of
4648-516: The nearby communities of Stayner, Elmvale, and Collingwood. However, as of 2024, a high school is planned to be built in Wasaga Beach. The Wasaga Beach Public Library is the community's only library. Wasaga Beach Transit provides transit service in the town. It is operated by Sinton-Landmark Bus Lines, using town-owned buses. The service was started with one route in July 2008, then operated by Georgian Coach Lines, and quickly expanded to two routes in
4731-435: The newly formed Dufferin County . Mara and Rama Townships were transferred to Simcoe County following the dissolution of Ontario County in 1974. In 1994, the County was restructured into 16 local municipalities: The cities of Barrie and Orillia are separated from the County, as are three Indian reserves : As a census division in the 2021 Census of Population conducted by Statistics Canada , Simcoe County had
4814-492: The north and west. The Royal Navy schooner HMS Nancy was scuttled in the Nottawasaga River to prevent the Americans from capturing her and her stores. Lumbering was the main industry for the remainder of the 19th century. Logs were floated downriver and into the bay, gathered at ports to feed local saw mills. Because Wasaga Beach had sandy soil unsuitable for cultivation, it did not attract early European settlement. In
4897-590: The old buildings along Beach Drive and the construction of a 150-room hotel. The Playtime Casino Wasaga is located on Mosley Street just east of Highway 26, and opened on November 23, 2022. The casino was first proposed in March 2018 by the Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corporation who selected Gateway Casinos to operate a casino in the South Georgian Bay area, and Wasaga Beach was selected as
4980-443: The original counties for municipal purposes, and they were still responsible for the administration of justice, which proved to be problematic. The portions of the districts that were not part of Simcoe County were transferred to it in 1877. This lasted until 1888, when the territory contained within the districts was separated from Simcoe County. Mono and Mulmur Townships were withdrawn from Simcoe County in 1881 and transferred to
5063-502: The other from Springwater) were charged with arson, although there was no evidence that the fire was deliberately set to remove the old buildings in advance of planned development. The Town of Wasaga Beach worked out a plan to help the remaining businesses open for the season but plans for hotels, a theme park and a monorail were cancelled and never revived. The town's council includes a mayor, deputy mayor, and five councilors that are elected at-large. The members of council elected as of
SECTION 60
#17327825575645146-405: The park areas; Shore Lane is used for jogging, biking and roller blading. There are two additional beaches nearby, New Wasaga Beach and Allenwood Beach that are cut off from the 1–6 beach areas by the river; these also have seasonal residents. The town publishes a map of all of these areas. In the summer months it is a popular place for beach volleyball and sunbathing . A boardwalk runs most of
5229-529: The present Beach One area. In 1918, he opened the Dardanella Dance Hall, and over the next several decades more hotels, venues, and amusements would open. During the 1940s, servicemen stationed at Base Borden , a nearby military base, visited Wasaga Beach's amusement park (named Playland ), and they made Wasaga Beach known across the country. After the war, Wasaga Beach continued to be a popular place for cottagers and day trippers. However, most of
5312-459: The province scaled down plans and settled for separated parks, which are today's Beach Areas 2-6. Driving and parking on the beach was previously permitted and popular, but in 1973 the province took cars off the beach. However, a paved beachfront street, Beach Drive, was constructed along Beach 1 shortly thereafter. Wasaga Beach was incorporated as a town on January 1, 1974, and its boundaries were expanded. The permanent population stood at 4,034,
5395-588: The sixteen towns and townships which comprise the County of Simcoe. The head of County Council is called the Warden and is elected for a one-year term by the council members at the Inaugural Meeting, held each December. Though once a consideration according to the Wasaga Sun , Simcoe County has elected not to restructure itself as a regional municipality . Simcoe County encompasses all or part of
5478-544: The summer of 2009. Services for Wasaga Beach Transit occur in a loop from the Wasaga Stars Arena in the east to 70th Street in the west every hour from 7 am to 8 pm; including weekends and holidays. On November 6, 2023, the portion of Route 1 between Wal-Mart and Archer Road was changed to an on-demand service format , with booking required in advance. Simcoe County LINX connects Wasaga Beach with two routes running to Barrie (Route 2) and Collingwood (Route 4); with transfers with both Wasaga Beach Transit routes made at
5561-705: The surrounding area was inhabited by the Huron-Wendat Nation for centuries before they were conquered and driven from their ancestral lands in 1649 by the Iroquois Haudenosaunee (Known as the Five Nation Iroquois Confederacy). Wasaga is a contraction of the Algonquin word Nottawasaga . Nottawa means "Iroquois" and saga means "mouth of the river"; the word "Nottawasaga" was used by Algonquin scouts as
5644-417: The tourist industry ... So I gather there were some major cash shortfalls that put them in this situation," the town's mayor said at that time. Armand Levy was subsequently charged with fraud in 2012 after an investigation of misappropriation of the insurance money paid out after the 2007 fire but was ultimately acquitted. Reduced tourism, partly because of the loss of many retail buildings, has continued to be
5727-515: The tourist season and turning water park resorts into vacation destinations has resulted in tremendous industry growth. Usually, resort hotels featuring massive indoor water parks have been reserved for overnight guests. Companies like Great Wolf Resorts /Great Wolf Lodge and Kalahari Resorts have branched out from their origin in Wisconsin Dells to open new locations around the country. Mt. Olympus Theme and Water Park (formerly Family Land)
5810-489: The town itself (mostly between Mosley Street and the bay), rather than being located on larger lots in more rustic settings often well outside the said towns as is the typical case elsewhere. Older residential areas typically have a semi-rural, "woodsy" character, although more recent (post-1990) developments are suburban in nature. The town has a large community centre; the RecPlex, which has an auditorium, an amphitheatre and
5893-540: The town of 18,000 that will collect $ 20.3 million in property taxes this year and spend $ 48 million in operating and capital costs," according to a report by the Toronto Star . An entirely new Downtown Development Master Plan was released by town council in late January 2017, with an estimate for capital investment of $ 625 million and a 20 plus year time frame for completion. The first phase (five to 10 years) will cost about $ 200 million for two development areas, one on
5976-430: The town. The Canada Land Inventory for Agriculture rates the lands as predominately Class Six and Seven with primary restrictions of adverse topography, erosion damage and low natural fertility. In the 2021 Census of Population conducted by Statistics Canada , Wasaga Beach had a population of 24,862 living in 10,811 of its 13,768 total private dwellings, a change of 20.3% from its 2016 population of 20,675 . With
6059-542: The townships that the County would encompass and authorized the levying of taxes for the purpose of constructing a jail and court house. On January 11, 1843, the jail and court house having been duly erected, the Governor General proclaimed the County of Simcoe to be a separate and distinct District. The province of Canada also appointed James R. Gowan as the first judge of the District of Simcoe. The District
6142-400: The waters of Nottawasaga Bay means that summer temperatures are moderated somewhat by the water, so summer days can be quite comfortable especially when there is a breeze off the bay. In winter, however, winds off the bay trigger very heavy and intense snow squalls . Due to these heavy snowfalls, activities include snowmobiling , cross-country skiing and other winter sports. Downhill skiing
6225-495: The way along Beach 1 and 2. Beach 1 draws the largest crowds, with the popularity of the beaches decreasing further west. East of the town limits, the sandy beach continues east and north into Tiny Beaches , nearly as far as the tip of the Penetang Peninsula . The beach in these areas is also fronted by many cottages and homes, but unlike in Wasaga Beach, the beaches are mostly private property. The beach's position on
6308-592: The west by Lake Huron and to the east by the former boundary between the Home District and the Newcastle District as extended to the French River. The unorganized territory, some of which had been surveyed into townships, together with parts of Victoria County and Nipissing District , was withdrawn in 1868-1869 to form the new District of Muskoka and District of Parry Sound . However, any municipalities established in them still formed part of
6391-471: The western part of the county, and the Minesing Wetlands , a Ramsar Convention "Wetland of International Importance" , is located in the centre of the county. Simcoe County is informally split into two subregions, “South Simcoe” and “North Simcoe”. The dividing line between these two areas is Simcoe County Road 90 (Mill St.). South Simcoe municipalities are situated at the northern boundary of
6474-595: The year. The town is situated along a very long sandy beach on Nottawasaga Bay in Georgian Bay and the winding Nottawasaga River . The beaches are part of the Wasaga Beach Provincial Park ; the park area totals 168 hectares (415 acres). Wasaga Beach has a year-round population of 24,862 as of 2021, but during the summer months the population increases with many seasonal residents. The economy has struggled for some years, particularly since
6557-505: The years-long plan for the beachfront redevelopment was finally approved, and was unveiled at a public meeting attended by hundreds at the RecPlex on June 20 by Mayor Brian Smith and the project leader from FRAM Building Group – who had initially pulled out of the project in 2019 before rejoining – and Sunray Group of Hotels. Development of the first phase is expected to begin in Spring 2025 with demolition of many of
6640-487: Was John Van Vlack, who arrived in 1869 and founded a settlement on the south side of the Nottawasaga River near its mouth and named it after himself. In 1872, a wooden bridge, the Vanvlack Bridge, was constructed east of the present Main Street bridge to provide access to the beach, then used mainly as a road. The name Wasaga Beach was first used in the area in the late 19th Century. During the 1900s, families began to discover
6723-612: Was dependent upon having title to property, and Simcoe's first registrar of deeds was not appointed until 1826, it did not send a separate member to the Assembly until the election of John Cawthra in 1828. It was withdrawn from the Home District in 1837, with its territory divided as follows: Between 1837 and 1841 several acts were passed by the Legislature of Upper Canada which set apart Simcoe District. These acts named
6806-403: Was incorporated as a village in 1951. In 1959, the beach was designated as a "Crown beach", which was the precursor to the establishment of Wasaga Beach Provincial Park . The province began expropriating beachfront properties to create a continuous belt of parkland along the full length of the beach, save for keeping part of the main beach area for commercial uses. This proved controversial; so
6889-491: Was restructured in 1845, changing its composition to the following 24 townships: Effective January 1, 1850, Simcoe District was abolished, and Simcoe County was organized for municipal purposes. Between 1845 and 1851, there had been a campaign to have the part of West Gwillimbury south of the Holland River annexed to York County . The County Council finally agreed to this action in 1851, subject to arbitration as to
#563436