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~ Ideas, Opinions and 'Green Shoots' In and Around Parry Sound

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Category Archives: Boating/Recreation

Big Sound Marina – Quick Note

23 Friday Aug 2019

Posted by Jo Bossart/ParrySounds.com in Boating/Recreation, Parry Sound, Town Council

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Tags

economic development, Infrastructure, parry sound, Town Council, Town Dock/Big Sound Marina, Waterfront

I have just had a chance to see the proposed agreement between the Department of Fisheries and Oceans Canada and the Town of Parry Sound. It looks like a win-win and requires me to revise my initial comments after reviewing last week’s council meeting minutes. (Note: It’s always a good idea to check the source documents when they are made available.)

My reading of the agreement indicates that Big Sound Marina will be transferred to the Town for a nominal sum, $1.00. In addition the Federal Government will provide the Town with a grant of about $1.3 million to pay for the necessary improvements to the marina.

The Town has certain obligations to keep the marina operating for a defined period of time that will with time hit our taxes, but will probably be paid for indirectly by the increased traffic in Town. Overall then, I think it’s a win for the Town. I’m not happy subsidizing rich boaters at the expense of our local community but it seems that this is not the case here.

I would like to congratulate Staff and Council for getting this deal done. With Big Sound Marina under direct Town control I look forward to seeing the bigger vision and plan for the waterfront.

Wasauksing Swing Bridge Update

25 Sunday Feb 2018

Posted by Jo Bossart/ParrySounds.com in Boating/Recreation, Parry Sound, Seguin Township

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Tags

Infrastructure, parry sound, Seguin, Wasauksing

The letter pasted below was passed on to me a couple of days ago. It may be of interest to some of you. It is not a confidential document as it was sent to a large number of recipients in the area who have expressed an interest in the issue. To protect their privacy I have ‘whited out’ their addresses.

It seems that if you have an interest or opinion in the matter you are invited to provide comments to the referenced Transport Canada office. (Click on the letter below to see a larger version.)

Here is a link to the report referenced in the letter.

Parry Sound Town Dock – Summer Closure Schedule

11 Tuesday Apr 2017

Posted by Jo Bossart/ParrySounds.com in Boating/Recreation, Parry Sound, Reflections

≈ 3 Comments

Tags

Opinion, parry sound, tourism, Town Dock/Big Sound Marina, Waterfront

The Town announced yesterday the days that the Parry Sound Town Dock will be closed to residents and visitors. This is to accommodate the cruise ships.

I am at a loss to understand why people are not permitted to use the Town Dock while these cruise ships are tied up in Parry Sound. I can understand that there might be an hour of so when access is restricted while the vessel ties up and people disembark. Yes, there may be an issue of customs and immigration to deal with on arrival, but once this is settled there shouldn’t be an issue with opening access to the public. The vessel itself has security measures in place, and it’s not as though anyone can just jump aboard from the Town Dock.

I guess we should just shut up and be honoured that these cruise lines have chosen to grace Parry Sound with their presence. I have no issue with their arrivals and vists, and even a brief period where the dock is off limits when there are procedures to be followed, but all day, for eleven days? Perhaps they will be rainy days and there will be no net loss to the hoi poloi.

Or the Town could look into finding a procedure by which access to the Town Dock would be permitted when these vessels are tied up. If no one asks or complains, it’s easier to keep doing what they have been doing than it is to figure out a workable option of sharing the Town Dock. And of course there is always the stock answer of, “oh, but that’s out of our control – sorry”. Nah, not really sorry.

From the Town’s website.

2017 Cruise Ship Visits

This summer the Pearl Mist and the Victory 1 will return to Parry Sound and be in port at the Town Dock on the following dates:

Pearl Mist:
Monday June 5 – 8:30am – 5:00pm
Wednesday June 14 – 8:30am – 7:00pm
Sunday June 25 – 8:30am – 6:30pm
Thursday July 6 – 8:00am – 7:00pm
Monday July 17 – 8:30am – 5:00pm
Wednesday July 26 – 8:30am – 7:00pm
Sunday August 6 – 8:30am – 6:30pm
Thursday August 17 – 8:00am – 7:00pm
Saturday August 19 – 9:00pm to Sunday August 20 – 6:30pm
Thursday August 31 – 8:00am – 7:00pm

Victory 1:
Sunday June 4 – 5:00am – 6:30pm
Friday August 25 – 7:00am – 11:00pm

Don’t Let the Wake Slap You on Your Stern on the Way Out

North Shore Rugged Trail User Group Needed

13 Sunday Nov 2016

Posted by Jo Bossart/ParrySounds.com in Boating/Recreation, Parry Sound, Suggestions, Town Council

≈ 5 Comments

Tags

North Shore Rugged Trail, Parks, parry sound, Rotary Trail

It seems a good time to establish a North Shore Rugged Trail Users Group. Anyone interested? If yes, please contact me at parrysounds@gmail.com. Let’s start a discussion of how best to support the North Shore Rugged Trail as it seemingly has become the centre of business interest.

Background:
The Town of Parry Sound recently passed a by-law (here’s a link to the agenda preview summary, it’s Item 10.5.1) that confirmed the Town’s willingness to negotiate the relinquishing of certain rights to portions of the North Shore Rugged Trail to help support development of the privately owned property that lies inland from the trail. Very limited information was provided in the by-law and the supporting documents regarding what was being considered. There was a suggestion that any concessions would be limited.

Here is a link to the draft bylaw and supporting documents that was approved by Council 2016-11-01.

The Trail:
The North Shore Rugged Trail is an interesting Town of Parry Sound asset. It is a rugged trail that runs from the Smelter Wharf along the coast past Zhiishiib Rock, Thunder Creek, and Monument Point all the way to the Parry Sound / McDougall boundary. If you have hiked it you know how special it is, rugged for sure.

I hike the trail no less than once a week, and as often as five times a week. It provides for the best views of the Big Sound, sunsets, and Parry Island. While hiking the trail I often come across people who are taking the opportunity, minutes from their home, to get away from it all and challenge themselves a little with  hiking over the rocks and around, or through, the water. The North Shore Rugged Trail is quite unlike the Rotary Algonquin Regiment Fitness Trail, the trail that runs from Champaigne to Salt Dock Road. While the Rotary Algonquin Regiment Fitness Trail welcomes people to take a stroll and relax, the North Shore Rugged Trail demands more physically and mentally, with the corresponding rewards. Nor is the North Shore Rugged Trail like the Voldemort Trail (see link), the informal trail that runs inland from Salt Dock Road and is a favourite of people walking their dogs. The Voldemort Trail is not mentioned in any of the Town’s official trail documents because it is an informal trail that passes over private property for which permission has never been obtained by the Town, or the users. To the credit of the property owners they have been generous in not restricting access or prosecuting those who do use the trail. It seems it is these property owners who would like to secure certain considerations regarding the North Shore Rugged Trail to better develop their property. The Town is interested in seeing the property developed so as to increase the assessment base.

The Challenge:
It is unlikely that the North Shore Rugged Trail would be deeded over to new property owners with no access for the Public. The question of course is what kind of concessions will be necessary to incentivize development, and how will that impact public access. Who will have input and who will decide?

My major concern is that I believe Town Council and Staff have no familiarity, or love for the North Shore Rugged Trail. While I have seen members of Council and Staff on the Rotary Algonquin Regiment Fitness Trail from time-to-time, I have never, in the hundreds of times I have hiked the North Shore Rugged Trail, seen anyone from Council or Staff on the trail. It’s my sense that they know no more about the trail than can be gleaned by looking at a Google Maps view, their distant childhood memories, or perhaps some of my photos at ParrySights (click the North Shore Rugged Trail tag for images). There has been no investment by the Town to promote the North Shore Rugged Trail or to even provide a map or guide for its exploration. Is this a conscious effort to deter people from using the trail because it is rugged? Perhaps Staff and Council believe that it is in the Town’s interest to restrict or limit use of the trail so as to limit liability. That would be a shame.

A formally constituted North Shore Rugged Trail Users Group, involving people who know and love the trail, would be able to secure a seat at the table in any negotiations to restrict public access to the trail. I would also like to sees a Users Group take a leadership role in keeping the trail tidy and suggest opportunities to make it more user friendly. (The trail does not suffer from the issue of litter and trash as is the case with the Voldemort Trail, but from time-to-time stuff washed onto the shores from the Big Sound needs to be removed.) Those of you who regularly use the trail are familiar with how Thunder Creek often makes the trail impassable unless you are willing to get wet feet, or venture further upstream. This gets to be a problem in the fall and early spring when the water is c-c-cold. Wouldn’t a footbridge be nice?

Interested? Drop me a line. Perhaps the group can form in alliance with other local nature groups who may not have the same love and appreciation of the North Shore Rugged Trail but are committed to supporting trails and ongoing public access. We all need to work together.

“They paved paradise
And put up a parking lot”

The Town’s lack of interest in the North Shore Rugged Trail is perhaps best illustrated with the photo below of the sign leading up to the trail. There was money for a new artist’s station, a sign announcing the new station that covered up part of the map, but not a new map?

Let’s make sure that the North Shore Rugged Trail gets the protection that it and it’s users deserve. I can be reached at parrysounds@gmail.com. Or if there is already an initiative underway let me know how I can help.

“Don’t it always seem to go
That you don’t know what you’ve got til its gone”

redwood1890-20161112-dsc_0321

Walking the Dog

20 Tuesday Sep 2016

Posted by Jo Bossart/ParrySounds.com in Boating/Recreation, Parry Sound, Safety, Suggestions

≈ 2 Comments

Tags

North Shore Rugged Trail, Opinion, Parks, parry sound, safety

Well, this is a new one for me. I have seen people take their dogs out on a leash and walk with them. I have seen people take their dogs out on a run with them. I have seen people do both, with their dogs off leash. I have seen people ride their bikes with their dog or dogs both on and off leash. I have seen people take their dogs for a run while they drove beside them on a deserted country road. And just a few days ago I saw someone driving their ATV with the dog running alongside them. But, last night I saw something new and unexpected.

Taking their dogs, three of them, for a walk or hike or swim, whatever you want to call it, while boating.

We were out on the North Shore Rugged Trail yesterday evening when I saw a tin boat heading out along the trail. I could hear a dog on the boat start to whine as the boat went past Thunder Creek. Continuing along the trail, heading north past Thunder Creek and reaching Survey Monument along the trail, I saw what was up. Three large dogs, two German Shepherd type dogs and one Husky, had been let loose to run back along the trail, while their owner followed offshore in the tin boat.

Two of the dogs came running up at us barking and the dog owner started shouting at them. The third dog came along quietly a few seconds later. Fortunately, it all passed without incident.

What kind of inconsiderate idiot lets three dogs loose on a public trail? Oh, I guess the inconsiderate idiot type. Dogs in packs are unpredictable. And the owner is not there to offer some sort of supervision.

I have heard it all. “Oh, don’t worry they are friendly.” “They bark but don’t bite.” “Oh, it seems they don’t like you.”

I’m not dog-phobic. I grew up with German Shepherds, Bouviers, Rottweilers, and Giant Schnauzers before they became trendy. I have come to understand that unsupervised dogs are unpredictable, especially in groups.

The North Shore Rugged Trail is a public area that needs to be treated with respect and consideration. I have on several occasions been confronted by dogs, alone or in a ‘pack’, that have been let loose to run with their owners following far behind. It turns a pleasant walk into a confrontation with dogs and owners. The owners typically won’t back down and try to blame me for the behaviour of their dogs. At least I don’t have a dog on a lead. I would be more worried about my dog.

On the positive, a few minutes later we came across a couple hiking the trail with their dog on a lead.

Old man, get some exercise while pumping a little less carbon into the atmosphere; walk, don’t ‘boat’ your dogs, preferably on leads.

Shooting Me a Dirty Look from the Safety of His Boat

apc_0017

Penny-Wise, Pound-Foolish? ‘Parking’ Fees Return!

05 Thursday Jun 2014

Posted by Jo Bossart/ParrySounds.com in Boating/Recreation, Parry Sound, Reflections, Suggestions

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Tags

Boating, Opinion, parry sound, Town Dock/Big Sound Marina

With the change in operation of Big Sound Marina there has been a change in the marina’s policies. The one that sticks out for me is the establishment of a charge for day dockage at Big Sound Marina. According to their website it will now cost $15 to dock for any period of time between 8:00 am and 6:00 pm. After 6:00 pm it may be that temporary dockage is only available at the overnight dockage rate, $1.75 per foot, or about $30 for a 17-foot boat; typical of what a cottager might own.

I am struck by the irony of the situation. The prospect of any charge for parking on Bay Street in the Town Dock area, even if it was only a buck or two, was met with hostility by the business community and caused Council to beat a hasty retreat. The charge for parking meters would have only applied to between about 8:00 and 6:00 on weekdays. Evenings and weekends would have been free. But here we have a new ‘parking charge’ for boating visitors to Parry Sound, that’s 24×7. Day dockage at the Big Sound Marina has been free until this year.

My sense is that it will mainly impact the cottagers and day boaters who want to come into Parry Sound for lunch, to shop for groceries, or attend an event at the Stockey Centre. Does it make sense to come to Parry Sound for lunch or dinner if the ‘cover charge’ is $15 (plus HST?). I don’t know, but if business people felt a $1.00 parking charge was likely to keep people away, I suspect a $16.95 (with HST) charge won’t act as a ‘welcome’ sign.

So what are the options for boaters wanting to visit Parry Sound for the day? Well they can pay the day dockage fee at Big Sound marina and just get over it. I understand there are a couple of free unmarked Town day dockage spots located up past where the Chippewa III is docked. But I can’t easily locate them. There are also private docks in that area, so confusion will reign unless they are properly marked. And will By-Law enforce any type of time limit? With two spaces the ‘early boater’ will ‘get the spot’.

What about the boater who wants to come in for dinner or a show at the Stockey Centre, especially an evening Festival of the Sound concert where there is light in the sky until late ? There is no provision for evening dockage at Big Sound Marina. Or does that imply overnight rates apply for evening dockage?

It’s probably possible to get paid day dockage at one of the two marinas in the harbor. It might even be free with a fuel purchase or pump out, but neither are a short walk to the waterfront and restaurants.

Making money with the marina will be tough, and all avenues need to be explored. The Parry Sound Chamber of Commerce was able to do little more than break even for the years they operated the marina based on the terms offered by the Town.

The issue is with the Town trying to squeeze out as much money, actually avoid any net cost, with Big Sound Marina. The Town of Parry Sound subsidizes the Stockey Centre and the Bobby Orr Community Centre to the tune of hundreds of thousands of dollars each year, but feels they need, at the very worst, to break even with Big Sound Marina. The Town previously announced that Big Sound Marina would accept seasonal dockage in competition with local marinas to increase revenue. And this is for a facility that is government built and not subject to the same overhead demands (mortgage, property taxes, etc.) as private marinas.

Penny-wise and pound-foolish? I suspect that the day dockage charge will leave a bad taste in the mouth of many and reduce the amount of boat traffic to Parry Sound. It’s one thing to build a new facility and charge for use, and something quite different to start charging for something that previously was free, especially if it’s a government facility. The impact most likely will be felt by restaurants, shops and Stockey Centre events. But what the heck, the Town’s budget will be spared. The Town just needs to reach a little deeper into the pockets of the Town’s businesses to balance the Town’s budget and limit tax rate increases on residential properties.

In the face of opposition to parking meters on Bay Street the town backed down, even though parking meters represented a very attractive return on investment. Perhaps the Town should look at compensating the operators of Big Sound Marina for permitting free day dockage. It would cost a little bit, but not nearly as much as the Town lost by foregoing parking meters on Bay Street.

I have no issue with the new management at Big Sound Marina; they are just trying to keep their heads above water. The Town needs to decide if treating Big Sound Marina as a profit centre really makes sense.

Full House (Parry Sound in Black & White)

ParrySights-0968

 

VHF Course – PS Power & Sail Squadron

29 Thursday Mar 2012

Posted by Jo Bossart/ParrySounds.com in Boating/Recreation, Events/Activities

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Tags

Courses, PS Power and Sail Squadron, safety

The Parry Sound Power and Sail Squadron will be sponsoring a VHF instruction course April 23rd and 30th. This two evening course starting at 7:00 PM at the Parry Sound High School will lead to a Restricted Operators Certificate (Marine), ROC(M) upon successful completion of the exam on the second evening. This will permit you to legally use a VHF radio when on the water.

There are lots of good reasons for having a VHF radio, it’s much more likely to get you a quick response with help from fellow boaters. A cell phone can only reach the Coast Guard and your local onshore emergency response teams. They can take quite a bit of time to come to your assistance.

I will be taking the course for all of these reasons. Stuff happens, and it’s good to know that there are people who will come to your aid if they know you need help. The water gets big on the Sound and in the Bay.

The course costs $75 with a reduced rate for active Canadian Power and Sail Squadron members. More information can be found at ParrySoundBoating.ca. Call John Mason at 705/342-1315 to register or for more information.

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