Congratulations to our newly seated Officers.  Stepping up to take their

seats on the Board are: Sally Graves - President; Mary Ann Downs-Strath

- Vice President; Hans Schonewille - Treasurer; Maureen O'Connell - Secretary,

 Kathy Reid - Director.

**There will be a planning session soley addressing the Bay Beach issue

on Monday November 16th at 6:30pm at the Crystal Ridge Library.  All members

are invited to attend to help us plan on how we will proceed in our efforts to

Keep All Bay Beach Lands in Pulic Hands. 

The article below describes what another Ontario community

did when faced with an 8 storey building being erected on their

waterfront. How is it that their Councillors, staff and Town Planner

see things so much differently than ours? Look closely at the

rationale for their opposition and the community's opposition. 

Does it not seem almost identical to ours in opposing the proposed

Molinaro Development Plan.  An interesting concept: They actually

went along with the Neighborhood Plan created and listened to

their constituents! 

T

                 Oh you mean shade like this? 

 

         

Ok lets get up off that couch and get out to the next FOCB meeting.

Our Next General Meeting will be held on:

Wednesday January 6th at 6:30pm

at the Crystal Ridge Library.

We hope you will join us there.

Help Save the Bay Beach Properties!

 

 

This is an architectural rendering

of one of the plans for the Buffalo

Waterfront.

Wouldn't something of this nature

look great at Bay Beach?

 

  

 

 

 

      

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

  

park_from_casino_pc_l.jpg

After all it has been done here before and very successfully at that !

A wonderful sandy beach, a green space, a boardwalk with

benches, adequate parking so people can access it, why would

anyone be against that idea?  This would be something that 

the Town of Fort Erie could be proud of, would bring people to

our area, encourage tourism, provide a recreational area for all

in our community.  Let us hope that the Town will not throw away

this opportunity as it will not be easy to replicate these conditions

again if at all!

  We believe it is very important for all those that do not want to

see ANY of the Bay Beach properties fall into the ownership of a

private developer email or call the Mayor and Councillors asking that

Report No. CDS-041-08 / Bay Beach Development Seeking a

Private/Public Partnership Opportunity be brought back up for

reconsideration.  They are public representatives whose moral

obligation is to listen to their constituency and any and all others

that will be effected by a decision they will make. We ask that you

become active participants in this situation. Please don't sit back

and hope someone else will make that call or send that email. 

We need you to step up and take that action. These public servants

need to hear the message loud clear and over and over again.

The email addresses and phone numbers for the Mayor and Councillors are as follows: 

Doug Martin - mayor@town.forterie.on.ca      home phone - 905-871-9043   work - 905-894-1600

Martha Lockwood - mlockwood@town.forterie.on.ca    home phone - 905-894-8180

Rick Shular - rshular@town.forterie.on.ca    home phone - 905-871-5579

Sandy Annunziata - sannunziata@town.forterie.on.ca      home phone - 905-994-1062    work - 905-356-6709

Tim Whitfield - twhitfield@town.forterie.on.ca     home phone - 905-894-8904     work - 905-894-9327

Ann Marie Noyes - anoyes@town.forterie.on.ca     home phone - 905-382-2352   

Bob Steckley - bsteckley@town.forterie.on.ca   home phone - 905-871-7531 

The council voted in this manner on the issue: Mayor Martin, Councillors Martha Lockwood, Rick Shular,

Tim Whitfield, Sandy Annunziata voted in favor of exploring selling away the lots on the north side

and south side of Erie Rd. while Councillors Ann Marie Noyes and Robert Steckley voted against the idea.

 Instead of looking for a private developer to sell off the property to, we believe that just as the town

 sought out a partnership with the Niagara Region and the Peace Bridge Authority when paying for

the Erie Beach portion of the Friendship Trail they should do the same with the improvement and

enhancement to the Bay Beach property.  The beach is used by people in large numbers from every

area of the Niagara Region and a part of the Peace Bridge Authority mandate is to encourage

"cross border" activities which Bay Beach certainly does in great numbers on a daily basis.  Along

with this other municipalities search out applicable grants to use to help pay for projects of this

nature.  We also ask why our Economic Development and Tourism Corporation has not been asked

to invest in both improving and marketing one of the largest tourist attractions we have in Greater

Fort Erie? Ultimately this decision regarding the Bay Beach properties will not only effect us in the

present day but will live on to effect those in the generations that follow us.  Lets not allow something

similar to the Pt. Abino Rd. to the lighthouse situation happen again.  It is our hope that together

we can prevent the present Council and Mayor from repeating the same type of shortsighted mistake.   

  

Kudos to our community!!!   Our latest total of signatures

on the petition to save all the Bay Beach properties from

private development is 3104 signees. There are plenty more

out in the community being circulated. We have had a very nice,

steady return of the signed petitions from our area businesses. 

The community is coming together to have their voice heard. 

It is also a positive step to see the Mayor supporting a petition

drive to "Save The Hospital" which is a crucial issue facing our

community and shows the Mayor knows the strength of the petition

process.  As we all hope the NHS will take the petitions to heart in

making their final decision, we too hope the Mayor and Council will

do the same for our petition to keep ALL the Bay Beach properties in 

public hands.  It certainly is an effective way of having the community's

voice heard. This is truly democracy in action.  We must make it clear

to our elected officials what the position of the community is on this

issue as it will not only effect us but also the generations to come.  A

very interesting question was asked several times by local residents at

the beach today; why is it the newspapers have been here several times

to ask us our opinion on the matter, the local community organization

has been here each day asking us our opinion, but we have yet to see any

of the councillors or mayor who are trying to initiate the sale of the

properties here to see and hear the opinions of the people?  On behalf of

all of these people, and our organization we have invited our councillors

and mayor on more than one occasion to sit with us at either of the two

public entrances to the beach and listen to what people have to say about

 this issue and also see who comes through the gate each day.  To this day

only one councillor has taken us up on that offer and it was Bob Steckley. 

The mayor and councillor Lockwood have made statements that the majority

of the community is not opposed to selling off the Bay Beach properties. 

We have yet to see even the slightest groundswell of support from the

Greater Fort Erie community for the mayor and councillor Lockwood's position. 

Where do they get that erroneous idea from or could it only be wishful thinking

on their part?  Come out and talk to the people we will be glad to accompany you

 and introduce you to them.  This like the $3 million figure given by your

Town Planning department for what it would take to create a beach/park property

is another example of the erroneous facts that the mayor and members of council 

have tried to fool the public and the media with.

 

Help to save the Bay Beach Properties

from falling into private ownership!

 

  

 

  

 

And where will these people park when the parking areas are sold off? 

At the present time the Town of Fort Erie is entertaining

the idea of selling off the adjacent parcels of Bay Beach

which are presently used for public parking.  We believe

it is a terrible mistake to sell public property that is now and

always has been an important recreational site for the general

 public to private developers.  The Town has stated they want

a return on their initial investment.  It should be made clear

that the money used to buy the bay beach property came from

lotto funds and not soley out of taxpayers pockets.  Our question

 to them is why has that never been the case for their investment

in the Friendship Trail, the Sugar Bowl Park, the River Walk, the

 landscaped median on Garrison Rd., etc?  The Bay Beach property

attracts more people to it than any other recreational venue in the

Town of Fort Erie.  By the Town's own commissioned Parking Study

they have been told that on a warm sunny day the beach has approx.

1000 people on it.  On a warm sunny weekend day it will have 2000

people on it.  We have also been assured there will be public access to

the beach.  Our answer to that is just look at our Town's history of

upholding public access.  The public access to our lighthouse at the end

of Pt. Abino was also allowed to fall into the hands of  private ownership. 

It is quite clear that public access is never assured.  The other point the

Town likes to use as its rationale for selling off the public land, is that this

private development will revitalize and create a synergy that will be a

catalyst for bringing back Crystal Beach.  Our response to this is that a

much larger development was established in Crystal Beach approximately

a decade ago and we now have one business left on Derby Rd., restaurants

have changed hands 2 and 3 times and more vacant store fronts have

appeared.   If development is going to be the catalyst there are presently

2 new developments being advertised in our community.  There are large areas

like the one on Ridgeway Rd. that will eventually be developed.  The simple

fact of the matter is people are attracted to this area because of the wonderful

"gem" we have in Bay Beach.  We do not see the logic in lessening their opportunity

to use it.  The Bay Beach report given to council by the Town Planner uses the

figure of $3 million dollars as what it would take to develop the Bay Beach property. 

When asked how this figure was derived the Mayor responded that it was nothing set

in stone just a figure the planner came up with off the top of his head!  This nebulous

figure was used as part of the data given to Council and the Mayor to use in determining

their action on this important issue. 

You can help us to let the Town know we are against selling off any of the public lands

to a private developer by doing any or all of the following things:   

E-mail the council and mayor and tell them of your position on this issue.  The names and

addresses can be found above on this page.  Write an opinion/editorial to one of our

three local papers stating your opposition to the sale of any of the Bay Beach property.

 

This is a copy of a portion of an email I sent to Mayor Martin

regarding the sale of ANY of the Bay Beach property.

Mayor Martin,

It has been a very busy weekend as my email box has been filled and my phone ringing

 off the hook.  But I understand as this is a very important issue to this community. 

We believe the recent action by the council is "shortsighted" and will ultimately hurt this

 community for generations.  Obviously you have seen our reference to the Pt. Abino Rd.

 situation regarding access to the lighthouse.  We see this latest Bay Beach situation as the

 second coming of a decision similar to that.  You know how that decision still "haunts" this

community to this day.  The lure of a quick monetary return must be weighed against the

long term value of holding on to the property so that the beach can be maximally used by

our Greater Fort Erie community as well as the Niagara Regional community and those

that come to us as tourists.  We do not come to you as adversaries, we come as active and

 concerned members of this community who know the dynamics of this situation better than

 most.  We sat on the Neighborhood Planning Committee, know the inaccuracies of the Watson

study which we presented to the last council and mayor, we know the results of the town

generated parking study, as well as the quality of life study done right after the Neighborhood

Planning Committee ended.  There is a great deal of factual data that this council or yourself

as the new mayor have not been introduced to.  Our position is not against development

if done wisely.  We have plenty of room in this community for that to happen.  If this is

to revive Crystal Beach as some people believe, there are plenty of places for that to happen

while not removing/reducing access to a key property that brings more people to it than any

other recreational venue in the community. There are two areas already designated for

development now; one on Schooley Rd. and one on Erie Rd. past the Bay Beach Club.  The vast 

expanse of land on Ridgeway Rd. across from the CBTYC sits waiting to be developed. The strip

of land that now serves as a private parking lot for the beach is another spot waiting to be developed. 

Which by the way will then remove another 200+ parking spaces now being used by the 

beach goers.  We also live with the costly errors to our community made by "developers"

of the past.  We sit with a barren weed strewed "development" on Smalls Rd. where the

shells of 2 or 3 homes sit vacant for a third year.  We drive by 6 town houses that sit in

various states of completion behind the public parking lot on Erie Rd. near Derby Rd. with

no sign of any work being done on them.  We see mounds of dirt and weed filled expanse

on Ridge Rd. and Thunder Bay Rd. and can only shake our heads.  This may give you an

understanding of why some people become less than passionate about their public land falling

into the hands of another developer.  I welcome the opportunity to discuss this with you at

your convenience.

Sincerely,

Paul Lewis

President

Friends of Crystal Beach

Bay Beach Properties in Jeopardy Again!

On Monday June 9th the Fort Erie Council along with our Mayor voted to

revisit the issue of selling off the Bay Beach properties to a private

developer.  This was discussed and voted on by the previous council which

decided that the Town would keep the Bay Beach property on both the North

and South sides of Erie Rd.  This decision was made after listening to Town

Staff's proposal and then hearing our communities rationale for keeping the

property in public hands.  We were not given any notice of this latest move

and only found out about it from reading the local papers.  On Monday

June 16th a delegation representing our FOCB organization went before Council

and requested the opportunity for our community to provide the necessary data

and input regarding the reasons why the entire Bay Beach property should remain

in public hands to this new council and mayor.  At the July 21st council meeting

concerned residents packed the chambers with people standing along the walls

and in the hall as there was no room left in the council chambers. There were many

points made as to why a sale of ANY of the Bay Beach properties is a shortsighted

move that will continue to hurt the growth and quality of life in this community for

years to come.   Some of the key points made were:

Has a partnership with the Region, Peace Bridge Authority along with Grant possibilites

been sought out?  No answer was given to us on that by the Town? The obvious reason

for partnering is that Bay Beach is used by people in large numbers from all over the

Niagara Region along with those that come from Western New York(one of the mandates

of the Peace Bridge Authority is to encourage cross border travel).  Grants have been used

by other municipalities for projects similar to the enhancement of the Bay Beach property. 

Partnering with these two groups has been done for the creation of the Friendship Trail

which services fewer people.

Previous "private development" in Crystal Beach has not provided the "synergy" that our town

planner suggests will come with private development of the Bay Beach property.  We had

124 upscale units built over the last ten years in the CBYTC, since that time all but one business

has closed on Derby Rd., 3 restaurants have changed hands 3 times each and another longtime

favorite is presently up for sale. 

If subsequent upscale private development will provide the stimulus or be the catalyst our

town planner believes it will, then there are several locations already being advertised for

this kind of development.  Why use public land to do this with?

In the report to council: CDS-041-08 the Town Planning Staff states;

"Developing Bay Beach as a quality public facility comes with a price tag of approximately

$3 million in addition to the $2.6 million already invested in the property. This is beyond

the Town's ablility to finance, and therefore private funding support is required."  When

asked specifics as to what would be included in this $3 million figure and where it came

from, the Mayor stated it was just something our town planner just kind of "grabbed out

of the air"?  To then use that figure in a report to Council that should contain factual

information/data only, we feel is either an intentional deception or a huge error in judgement

that had a very negative and slanted effect on the document itself.  As to the $2.05 million

used to purchase the property and the continuing belief we need to get a portion of the tax

payers money back, that too is an inaccurate statement as the money that was used to buy the

Bay Beach property came out of the Gaming money given to the town.  And finally, as to being

beyond the town's ability to finance and therefore having to get private funding to help enhance

the beach, that is exactly the point of trying to partner with the Region, Peace Bridge Authority

and "granting" organizations to help in the beautification and enhancement of Bay Beach.

Why is it that our Economic Development and TOURISM Corporation has not invested in the beach

as it is the largest TOURIST attraction we have in Greater Fort Erie?  Wouldn't helping to "polish

the jewel" and then marketing it bring in even more TOURISTS to our community?  How hard is it

to see the marketability of a beautiful sandy family friendly beach which is used to swim, fish, sail,

jet ski, scuba, boat, water ski, etc.

It was suggested that if the parking lots get sold, we could seek other property to purchase in its

place.  One would have to ask where are you going to find property large enough to meet the present

parking demand at the beach?  Satellite lots were suggested by our Town Planner.  The closest of

these is nearly a half mile from the entrance to the beach.   It holds approx. 30 cars.  Another

suggestion we heard that evening at council was a shuttle bus?  That would entail either leasing

busses or buying them for the town.  That would also mean paying driver salaries, gas at today's

prices and actually finding beach goers that would drive to a shuttle parking area, wait for the bus,

pile all their beach equipment in the bus along with children, and then do it all over when they are

leaving the beach.  If you wanted to reduce use of the beach that seems like a pretty good way to us.

 

Do you think these people would be good candidates for the

half mile walk to the Beach or a shuttle bus trip?  And they are

typical of who frequents our beach.

 

Why is it that those who came before us more than 100 years ago could

have created something like this for the community while we look at what

is pictured in the photos above? This is an example of a time when our local  

Town Government valued and understood the positive affect a beautifully

developed "green space" and beach front could have on their community. 

 

landscapingbaybeachfenceline

The photo above is of the plantings we had put in along

the Bay Beach fence line in 2007. 

 

 We had Bill Spear put in serviceberry, amur shrub maples,

sedum and feather reed grass.  We believe It will aesthetically

improve the look of Erie Rd. and the beach entrance while

also providing a wind break to reduce the sand that blows into

the street in the fall and spring.  The photos above show the

growth over one year.  

                                                      

bannerhanging.jpg 

Street Banner Beautification Program

We continue to take orders for our street banners.   You can see from the photo above they

are very attractive and brighten up our community.  The cost is $290.00, which includes a

two sided banner and all the hardware it will take to hang them effectively.  The GST and PST

actually adds another $40.00 to the cost but the Friends of Crystal Beach has been able to

pick that up so far for each banner purchased.  Each will have the name of your group on the

lower portion of the banner.  The banners will be put up each spring and taken down in the fall

and are projected to last a minimum of 3 to 5 years.  Our organization agreed to get things

rolling by purchasing 4 of the new banners.  If you are a member of one of the numerous

associations in the community, or a business owner, family or street group we ask that you join

in the effort to make our community shine.  You may pledge sponsorship by contacting 

Sally Graves  or sending a cheque made out for $290.00 to Friends of Crystal Beach,

P.O. Box 978, Crystal Beach, Ontario L0S 1B0.  Please specify how you want the sponsorship

to read on the banner. 

Bravo to those on the list below for helping to beautify their community. 

 Norman and Barbara Cantor, The Whalen Family, The Kane Family,

Crystal Wines, Burd Family, the Oakwood Ave. Neighbours,

The Buffalo Canoe Club, the McCarthy & Panebianco Families,

The Bay Beach Association, The Crystal Beach Hill Cottagers Organization,

Crystal Beach Candy Co., Crystal Beach Public School, 

Crystal Artisan Village, Prudential Town Centre Realty Inc.,

Bob & Mary Ann Strath, The Crystal Beach Tennis and Yacht Club,

the Jackson Family and The Friends of Crystal Beach (4).  

 

Welcome-to-CB3.jpg 

 

Why would you market Bay Beach as a tourist site?

Why would you worry about losing parking spaces for the beach?

 

  

More Signs have arrived
Let your voice be heard on this issue.  You may make arrangements to
pick one up by calling any of these three phone numbers: 
905-894-0147 or 905-894-0302 or 905-894-2826. 
We ask if possible for a minimal donation of whatever you can afford
to help us defray the cost of the signs.   If this can happen in
Crystal Beach where the Neighborhood Plan and existing by-laws
can be overturned on the whim of five of our elected officials this then
could happen anywhere in Greater Fort Erie.  Help us show the
overwhelming disapproval of the Town's plan for privatization
of the Bay Beach Properties!
I have put up a portion of a column written by Donn Esmonde of the Buffalo News
as it seemed so relavent to what is happening at the present time in Crystal Beach.
 
Does the article above sound familiar?    
Don't we have a "community shaped master plan" as well?

 
 
   
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
_________________________________________________
 The Silent Majority begins to show themselves on the beach issue!
This article appeared in the Buffalo News on Sunday June 21, 2009.  It seems to address the same
issue of Development v. Recreational Park Space we are now being confronted with in Crystal Beach. 
As did the article from Daytona Beach News Journal mention; when creating a substantial new
residential mass, infrastructure must be improved, enlarged and or enhanced to accomodate the new
population growth.  As a result the Municipality involved is confronted with appropriating more funds to
pay for the improvements.  The idea of getting back money by selling off the Bay Beach properties seems
to be a fallacy when considering the infrastructure costs that would be needed.  This is just another
reason the 12 story twin towers is not the best of ideas for our community.
  

The article above is from a March issue of the Daytona Beach News Journal.  
This is a city that has dealt with both tourism and development since its inception. 
This city found itself caught in the furor of high rise development over the last decade
or two.  The result was a scarcity of beachside public lands left for the community
and visiting tourists to use for recreational enjoyment.  In the last few years development
has come to a standstill because of the economic times.  As you will read empty lots
with tall wooden stockade fences sit open where development was once planned.
 
Large high rise buildings sit with a multitude of unoccupied condominiums.  As you can
see from the article above the city council and mayor is taking the opportunity to correct
the error of their ways by creating parks with suitable parking for all to use.
Isn't it interesting how some Councils look to purchase "jewels" for
their communities while our Council and Mayor try to sell off ours?
Some see that the civic good is of the greatest importance while
others place a much lesser value on that concept.  Some see the
great value of a pastoral green space on a beautiful beach that would
serve an entire community while others think that same space better
served by owners of 120 high end condos?
The Town Planner, Mayor and Councils of other municipalities have
found ways of gathering sponsors to help defray the costs of building
their community parks.  You can see an example of this from the 
plaque above dedicated to those groups that have added their financial s
upport to the idea of building a community park.   It is something
commonly done by other municipalities.
Memorial Walkways are another commonly used way to help
raise funds for local projects.  The one shown above was built
along an oceanside boardwalk.  We provided the town with
figures as to how much they could raise with a dedicated entryway
from Erie Rd. to the beach.  The dedicated brick idea is very
popular and provides the opportunity for those that support the
idea of a park to help financially while also remembering some
person(s), family or friends who had a special place for their
rememberances of the location itself; in our case, Crystal Beach.
  

 

So we will replace what could be a wonderful

beach/park recreational setting for our residents

recreational use and will draw tourists to our area

with something of this nature and it will be a positive

addition to our community?

A very interesting article was posted on the CTV.com page

regarding Ontario's precious lakefront properties and the

effect they  have on tourism.  The article discusses our beaches

being "marquee tourist destinations in Ontario".  Please take

the time to read the article if you are concerned with the creation

of 2 twelve story structures being built on the Bay Beach front

properties.

The article is entitled: "Mayors want Great Lake beaches promoted". 

If you are opposed to privatization of the Bay Beach properties it is time

 to come forward and let others know what could happen to a very important

part of our community.  Do not rely on others to speak for you, each of us

has to do our part to let those considering entering into this deal to privatize

the land that is so crucial in allowing others to enjoy "the beach" that council

keeps reminding us they will retain.  It would be hard to go to a movie if there

was no parking, it would be hard to go to an athletic event if there was no parking,

it would be hard to go shopping if there was no parking AND it will be equally

hard to go to our "retained beach" when there is  not sufficient parking.  Please

take the time to email or write our three newspapers with your opinion on this

situation!  It will help bring the issue to the foreground and make others aware

of the mistake about to be made by their elected officials.

concrete_walk.jpg

What was that about, "If you build it they will come"?