South Bruce Peninsular - Beach - Comments

Visioneering

garym — Fri, 22 Aug 2008 17:46:54 -0400

Given the 1/3rd majority stalemate of tourism, cottager, development residents, I can't see where any 'Mission Statement" could do aught but fall into the same pattern of partisan bullying that typifies most of our debates unless we recognized that every stakeholder has a equally valid claim and then seek only those solutions which accommodate these three each-in-themselves valid viewpoints. We can't continue to govern by Trial by Endurance and besides, by doing so, we miss the opportunity to be new, to be different, to be innovative, modern and progressive.

But that's the trouble with the Tragedy of the Commons; unless all participants recognize and accept on faith the validity of the Nash Equalibrium, there will be one among them that spoils the pot seeking only their own (paultry) personal profit, not realizing that while they may get fabulously rich, working to the common good makes the community as a whole fantastically wealthy. That takes a certain discipline among the citizenry that I fear may have been bred out of us long ago.

Am I crazy? Dare I dream of such an economic union of ideals? Consider the spectacular economic miracle of post-war Japan, literally from ashes to world super-power inside of a decade. Why? Under the Old Rules the Japanese economic model stated "Do what is best for everyone, and then, if possible, make money." The plan was astoundingly successful. So what happened? Circa 1970 we start to see the Japanese economy slide until, here now today, it is no better than our own. The cause? The aging managers of the WWII era began to retire, and the new breed of managers, well, they had be taught by 'enlightened' economics foisted on them by the Marshall Plan, and fueled by globalization (ie banks). The rule turned around to 'harmonize' with our own "Make money first, and then, if possible, do some good"

And the rest, as they say, is history.

But that's HIS-story. What's OUR story?

garym: ict evangelist - musician - whatever

Activity Logs for Bylaw Officers

Dodge — Fri, 22 Aug 2008 17:16:00 -0400

The activity of bylaw enforcement is subject to monitoring by the employer, namely the Town. Therefore the logs or occurrence sheets should be actively monitored and trends reported by the CAO. The warnings issued do not generate fines and should be treated as lost income if they are significant in number.

That said Council is not able to direct officers in how they enforce but may look at performance in a general way. For example Councillor Wunderlich proposed at the last COW that parking tickets not be issued on Sunday by some sort of decree. This shows a lack of understanding that political influence cannot be applied to law enforcement. If any such bias for issuing warnings exists in the bylaw enforcement personnel then the problem can be outlined in the CAO's reports and rectified by Council. There is little point in speculating if the data are available. If the data are not available and current then Council could have a problem. First step is ask for the data. I have my own suspicions but I would rather see time and location data. Putting a GPS tracking system in some municipal vehicles may be a timely idea. It is already being done in many municipalities.

outlaws and vision

mxyzptlk — Fri, 22 Aug 2008 14:59:15 -0400

wolfkodiak - i would have had the vehicle towed away and when the owner came looking for it i would have told him to go f*** himself and charged him with trespassing.

mmockler - i was thinking before i finished reading your post that i have suggested before that the problem here is lack of vision. i was glad to see we are on the same wavelength. are these bylaw officers only parking ticketers? what about all the other bylaws in our township? why are they not being enforced? how do we stop the madness until we have a vision? does council even realize that we are floundering in a sea of discontent?

i did post some questions for you regarding the budget figures you presented in another blog and was wondering if you were going to reply to those?

kltpzyxm

a reply to Hew Jass

mmockler — Wed, 20 Aug 2008 13:51:13 -0400

Yes, some tourists are very inconsiderate and rude. Remember, I work six days a week at the beach, so I see them all.

But as far as what Hew Jass said about the bylaw enforcement officers, I find his comments very interesting. I have had quite the opposite experience.

Where I work at Nancy’s Bakery, I have a direct view onto one of the two municipal parking lots on 2nd Ave. The parking lot on the north side does not have a “ticket spitter.” Three times this summer, people have parked in that lot, walked over to the other parking lot to get a parking pass and in the interim, been ticketed. Now, this is three times that I know of, because in these cases, merchants have directed them to me knowing that I am Mark’s wife and may be able to help. In each case, I have directed them to take their ticket and their parking pass to Town Hall (and in each case the time stamp differed by a minute). But how inconvenient for these people – trying to do the right thing and buy a parking pass and now have to drive to Wiarton to get things rectified.

And another interesting story about those parking lots – two merchants who have purchased a season pass, which they have put into their vehicles, have been ticketed as well. They have their parking pass on their dash and still receive tickets.

I would like to point out that in this year’s Town budget, there is a line which calculates that the Town will receive $40,000 in FINES alone! Do you not think these bylaw enforcement officers know that they have to meet a quota?

I do agree with Hew Jass about one thing though – the bylaw enforcement officers ARE a very sociable bunch. I don’t wear a watch, but if I did, I could set my time on it. Every day, almost precisely at 4:30 p.m., the officers gather in the municipal parking lot directly across from Nancy’s. They smoke their smokes, drink their lattes etc and compare the amount of tickets they have issued.

So folks, the parking fee does not end at 5 p.m. Feel free to park anywhere you like after 4:30 p.m.

Last year, I complained to council about this. I was not given a response. I guess council figured that since I was married to Mark, he could do the ‘splaining’ (presumably not in the woodshed!)

This whole issue about paid parking, the mess the beach is in, the Piping Plovers, the inconsiderate tourists, the bylaw enforcement officers, dogs on the beach, fireworks etc etc etc – it all speaks to one thing. We, as a community, need to decide our future. There are many opposing sides here – the business community, the seniors, the cottagers, the full-time residents, our youth, and dare I say, our politicians. But we MUST get together and solve this. If we don’t, I fear this debate will continue long into the future.

It is too trite to say this community needs a mission statement – but it does. More so, it needs a vision. Fighting among the various factions of the community isn’t going to solve this. Working together may though.

bilaw outlaws

wolfkodiak — Wed, 20 Aug 2008 13:07:50 -0400

Just who is it that makes all of the money when our area is flooded with sunlovers and fun seekers? Do our tax coffers swell every great long weekend? Do our local businesses become so flush that they want to give all of us yokels a price break? Does our blue flag poop dollars on all of us? I don't rent my place out but I surely would not want these pigs that show up at Sauble living in anything that I owned. They are ignorant on the road, turn the beach into a garbage heap and constantly trespass on private property and treat it as their own. One car parked in my lane and I had my neighbours dog piss on his tires. I later parked him in and he had to come and ask me to move my own car from my own lane. I made him wait for about an hour. He was barking that he was going to have my car towed. I informed him that his pockets were not even close to deep enough and to take a big breath as it might be his last. I guess I owe the Chamber an apology because he said he was never coming back to this f@#%*ing beach again. Sorry, eh!!!!!!!! Yeah, right!!!!!!!!

Bad Company

garym — Wed, 20 Aug 2008 10:03:00 -0400

Real high class clientele in this joint. Mebbe we should all wears dinner jackets and smoke them imported cigars just to, you know, fit in ...

"as far as Lakeshore Blvd .. it is really difficult to monitor because people will gather their garbage and tuck it under their vehicle or place it in front of their vehicle and then drive away."

and as they drive away, I pause to wonder, "what sort of job do you have back there where you came from? and what sort of havoc do you mindlessly wreck on this planet whilest you do it?"

Remind me again why we spend so much every year to invite them all back? Oh, wait, yeah, never mind, I remember: it's the money.

garym: ict evangelist - musician - whatever

what the by-law officer said

mxyzptlk — Wed, 20 Aug 2008 07:45:10 -0400

A friend of mine wrote to the town regarding garbage on the beach. Here are his questions and replies he got from the by-law officer:

q) "Sorry to bother you again, but I was wondering if the town has a littering bylaw?
If so, would you please send a copy of the bylaw to me?
If there is a bylaw, why is it not being enforced to reduce the litter at the beach every morning?"

a) "One of the biggest problems at the beach is there are no garbage cans on the North end because of the Piping Plovers and until the MNR releases the Beach are hands are tided. I hope this answers your questions."

q) "Thank you for your reply.
There is an awful lot of garbage left at the main entrance area of the beach daily.
Some of it makes it into the bins but a lot is left lying around...including burnt charcoals.
I assume we have a no littering bylaw. If so, what is the point of having a bylaw if it is not enforced or enforcable?
I am actually looking for the text of the bylaw itself.
Please send a copy of the littering bylaw to me ( I don't know the bylaw number)
Also, please send me the text of bylaw 77-95 referenced in bylaw 75-2002"

a) "I have attached a copy of both by-laws that you have requested. The garbage at the main end of the beach falls under the county and is chargeable under the highway traffic act which would not be the by-law department as far as Lakeshore Blvd it is really difficult to monitor because people will gather their garbage and tuck it under there vehicle or place it in front of their vehicle and then drive away. We do try our best to enforce all by-laws."

q)"Thank you for sending me the requested documents.
What can the public do to assist in the enforcement of by-laws?
For example, if I take pictures of vehicles doing what you describe, can charges be laid?
Who is responsible for enforcing anti-littering on the main sections of the beach (not the road), the OPP?, a county by-law officer?
Can you also provide me with a link to, or info that I can use to find, the relevant section of the Highway Traffic Act as it relates to the main area of the beach (not lakeshore blvd itself)?"

a) None -- two weeks have passed and he has still not received a resonse.

kltpzyxm

band info

mmockler — Tue, 12 Aug 2008 09:39:40 -0400

It's the Tom Gillem (sp?) band. They played at the July 1st celebration too. As for more dances, I don't know. I guess that's up to the Chamber of Commerce.

dancing in the street

garym — Tue, 12 Aug 2008 03:28:39 -0400

Who's playing? And are there more street dances planned for the remaining summer?

also on the entertainment calendar, just for tonight for those still awake, the Persied Meteor Shower is right now lighting up the night skies; there may be a few stragglers tomorrow night as well.

garym: ict evangelist - musician - whatever

street dance

mmockler — Sun, 10 Aug 2008 23:21:29 -0400

It is such a shame that Mother Nature did not cooperate at all with Sandfest. It has always been such a great weekend. But - just to let everyone know - the street dance which had been scheduled to take place on Saturday - has been re-scheduled for this Friday, August the 15th.

Casi-no go danno

garym — Mon, 21 Jul 2008 11:31:00 -0400

Casinos are illegal Dan, and like parking meters, a big bulk of the boom goes into greasing the machine. But a humble Ladies Auxilliary can have 50-50 draws, simple, friendly and there's no ugly residue.

In other news, a friend tells me the Sun-Times editorial page was sporting a cartoon just a few days ago expounding this very same idea I'd posted here last spring; seems I'm not the only one who knows a good idea when they sees one.

garym: ict evangelist - musician - whatever

petition

mxyzptlk — Wed, 16 Jul 2008 08:10:31 -0400

Just saw this article in the July 16, 2008 Sun Times:
Petition calls for cut in Sauble Beach parking rate
Personally I hope they keep the rate at $10.00. For crying out loud, it costs more for a hot dog and fries, or going to see a movie at the cineplex. Where can you park all day at the beach in Toronto (or anywhere in Toronto for that matter for $10/day) These tourists should get a grip or stay home. Why do we encourage them to come here and put additional strain on our aquifer for the benefit of a few business owners anyway?
kltpzyxm

parking fees

mxyzptlk — Tue, 08 Jul 2008 05:54:47 -0400

I don't understand people who complain about $10 for a whole day of parking but don't mind paying $10 or more for a hot dog and fries which lasts maybe 10 or 15 minutes. Did you know the municipality has a pass, good for the entire season, for $50.00? Where can you park all day in Toronto for $10.00? I know where I would tell the complainers to go...
kltpzyxm

50-50

Dan O. — Thu, 20 Mar 2008 18:06:56 -0400

Great idea Gary. Even better if you built a casino on the beach.

Dan O.

Two Bands? Who'd know?

garym — Tue, 21 Aug 2007 10:41:00 -0400

Really? Good news, but I did check the Chamber website, the chamber's new google calendar and we were down on the beach right at the sign solid from 9:30 until nearly 2 and saw no tell-tale flatbed truck preparing, or any value-mart posters, or marquees or anything to suggest any kind of dance scene was brewing. Come to think of it, I didn't check the big beachfront marquee ...

And I did know Dead By Dawn (the tightest band in the Beach) had some sort of unauthorized summertime gig lined up to play on the slab of concrete in front of the new tattoo parlour, but I don't know if that was for the Fest, and I can't really see how a street dance would work right at the lights. Once upon a time there might have been something engaging in front of the lumber yard, too, and that bit of flatspace where the Flea Market is shaping up would have been a great place for some old-style Jump-up BBQ!

And yeah, Sam, Son, Mike, Will, Jack or Ted, whatever kind of linebacker it is, I saw nar'y a feather of him the whole morning. In fact, we feared the worst so I do hope the bin-pickings were just better farther up the coast and he just got distracted. Hopefully he made it for the presentations, where ever they'd be. Nonetheless, I loved the Chamber's new "Events Truck", nice bit of vintage de-troit farm iron there, but it seemed kinda all alone marginalled and deserted.

garym: ict evangelist - musician - whatever