Parking changes coming to Innisfil Beach Park

[JBen]

Not sure why people are so upset about this. As others have noted maintenance, and more is paid for by municipal taxes. The cost of everything is going up.

Towns are feeling it. Just as much as we are. So councils have a choice. Hammer residents to make up cost for just the increases in Hydro or OPP raises, or find ways to bring in more revenue?

$35 is about what many lots in downtown TO charge for the day. So yes its steep. I wonder what percentage of those using the launch, and lot are people from the GTA heading up there on weekends. When the launch wears down and needs maintenance. Who pays for it?

Do we not complain, that the MNR doesn't get enough funding? I for one do, and I for one want to see everyone who uses resources, start paying and having to buy Outdoors cards. Be they bikers on trails, be they cottagers zipping around Lakes on Skidoos, pleasure craft, be they users of all stripes and not just "us".

Why we think the residents or council there, should look at it any differently.

/ps
When one boater ( of tens of thousands over the spring/summer/fall) heads up there on a Saturday from Toronto. Goes overboard and Rescue services are called in. Who picks up the tab?
Ah yes, the residents.

And we be-grudge them trying to control their cost.???

[MikePal]

/ps
When one boater ( of tens of thousands over the spring/summer/fall) heads up there on a Saturday from Toronto. Goes overboard and Rescue services are called in. Who picks up the tab?
Ah yes, the residents.

JBen..remember that thread we has a few year back on the Lake Scugog incident where some idiot put himself into danger while ice fishing and had to be rescued, so the municipality billed him $5.4K....there were a lot of folks that never got-it, couldn't or wouldn't grasp the concept.

http://www.oodmag.com/community/show...e-ice-fishing/

[seabast]

JBen..remember that thread we has a few year back on the Lake Scugog incident where some idiot put himself into danger while ice fishing and had to be rescued, so the municipality billed him $5.4K....there were a lot of folks that never got-it, couldn't or wouldn't grasp the concept.

http://www.oodmag.com/community/show...e-ice-fishing/

I think what must of us didn't understand is why only change the rescue of ice fishermem. Lots of idiot out there that needs to be rescued, including people with self induce health issue....
But on the other hand is wasn't local so I get your vibe too....

[fratri]

So how is it fair that the local council can restrict my access to a public lake. Being a resident of this great country, shouldn't I be able to have some kind of public access to public water. How can I get on the lake if I have to pay to have access to the water. Government should not have the power to make me pay to play.

Where will it end.... You are out of town and want to use the walking trails in my local city...maybe the nonlocals can buy a walking trail pass...
Come to my community to let your dog run in one of our off leash parks, maybe charge a fee to outsiders...
Driving in from outside the city, using our local roads, maybe charge a fee to enter our city and for using our resources...

it can go on and on and on and on....... here is another one....

Maybe I should lobby our local government (Council) to ask non-locals to purchase a non-local fishing license. That way all those out of towners that show up on the weekend, end up paying for taking fish out/away from us locals..... plus all those outsiders constantly are filling our trash cans with garbage, that need to be emptied using my local tax dollars.

It doesn't matter what is said, you can't convince me that paying a big fee for a public ramp use is a good thing or the right thing to do.

[MikePal]

It doesn't matter what is said, you can't convince me that paying a big fee for a public ramp use is a good thing or the right thing to do.

Here’s a real scenario; my buddy has a cottage on a ‘private’ lane that is shared with 6 other cottages. Each cottager pays an equal share into the maintenance of the road for grading and snow removal by a local landscape company …except one guy, we’ll call him Dick…as they all do.


Dick doesn’t feel the need to contribute to the road maintenance fund, they have asked repeatedly but he refuses and there is nothing the other folks can really do to make him. So life goes on, and Dick well, he’s still Dick.

Sometimes you need to see the bigger picture.

[JBen]

Fatri, first we would want to consider the scales.

If 10,000 people descend on a town (yours) of 100,000 each weekend/month.
If 10,000 people descent on a town (theirs) of 10,000 each weekend/month.

Which town is better able to absorb the cost and maintenance.

Consider just how many weekend warriors leave the GTA each weekend and flood these places (within 2 hours drive). Yeah they bring some tourism dollars in. But a great many don't. How many people flock to a public boat launch, go spend hours on the water, whether they are fishing, or just out booting around, then go straight home?

The public boat launch in Port Perry on Lake Scugog is an utter zoo each weekend.
The public boat launch in Cesarea just 10-15 min further up, is worse, because theres no lot. Drive there on a typical Saturday and theres trucks/trailors parked on the street way up the road.

Instead of us, trying to answer why we think towns and municipalities are justified, why should you (us) feel entitled to use a resource, A boat launch and parking lot, other people paid for and maintain for free?
*********

Seabast, I would suggest the reason the people who are rescued ice fishing are beginning to pay the cost versus say 2 boaters who go overboard (maybe without PFDs) is due to the warnings that are issued about ice conditions.

If those two boaters go out and get swamped.....stuff happens
If those two boaters go out and go through ice....Should have known better

[fratri]

Fatri, first we would want to consider the scales.

If 10,000 people descend on a town (yours) of 100,000 each weekend/month.
If 10,000 people descent on a town (theirs) of 10,000 each weekend/month.

Which town is better able to absorb the cost and maintenance.

Consider just how many weekend warriors leave the GTA each weekend and flood these places (within 2 hours drive). Yeah they bring some tourism dollars in. But a great many don't. How many people flock to a public boat launch, go spend hours on the water, whether they are fishing, or just out booting around, then go straight home?

The public boat launch in Port Perry on Lake Scugog is an utter zoo each weekend.
The public boat launch in Cesarea just 10-15 min further up, is worse, because theres no lot. Drive there on a typical Saturday and theres trucks/trailors parked on the street way up the road.

Instead of us, trying to answer why we think towns and municipalities are justified, why should you (us) feel entitled to use a resource, A boat launch and parking lot, other people paid for and maintain for free?
*********

Seabast, I would suggest the reason the people who are rescued ice fishing are beginning to pay the cost versus say 2 boaters who go overboard (maybe without PFDs) is due to the warnings that are issued about ice conditions.

If those two boaters go out and get swamped.....stuff happens
If those two boaters go out and go through ice....Should have known better

Lots of ways to spin this.....if you think its right, oh well.... I still thinks its wrong.

[JBen]

I don't know if theres a spin at all, Fatri.

Everything cost money these days, and more of it. I don't sit on a small towns council, so have no clue what their budgets are, nor what kind financial shape each town/municipality is in. Consider just this.

Many, many such area's are being crushed by rising OPP cost. Many such are area's are jacking land taxes for residents as a result.
I know Port Perry fairly well. I avoid it like the plague on weekends. Can you guess why? I wonder how many car accidents each summer that require Fire/Police are as a result of "weekend" visitors.....

That town and others are providing a nice, convenient service for you. Its something that cost them money. First to build, then to maintain. The more it gets used, the more maintenance it's going to require.

[Gilroy]

Here’s a real scenario; my buddy has a cottage on a ‘private’ lane that is shared with 6 other cottages. Each cottager pays an equal share into the maintenance of the road for grading and snow removal by a local landscape company …except one guy, we’ll call him Dick…as they all do.


Dick doesn’t feel the need to contribute to the road maintenance fund, they have asked repeatedly but he refuses and there is nothing the other folks can really do to make him. So life goes on, and Dick well, he’s still Dick.

Sometimes you need to see the bigger picture.

Yeh you do get people like that,had a guy hunt at my place for a few years and he did exactly the same as Dick.Worse part is that he was at the end of the laneway and really needed the other 10 people to do the road.He did not see it that way,insisted on seeing bills for repairs and so forth.Fortunately they ended up selling and leaving the same year he left my camp.Not missed by anyone.

P.S. As a footnote,in Australia they now charge to park at almost all their beaches and parks,they also charge to park AT SHOPPING MALLS.This will be the wave of the future.

[fratri]

Yeh you do get people like that,had a guy hunt at my place for a few years and he did exactly the same as Dick.Worse part is that he was at the end of the laneway and really needed the other 10 people to do the road.He did not see it that way,insisted on seeing bills for repairs and so forth.Fortunately they ended up selling and leaving the same year he left my camp.Not missed by anyone.

P.S. As a footnote,in Australia they now charge to park at almost all their beaches and parks,they also charge to park AT SHOPPING MALLS.This will be the wave of the future.

Especially if we are so willing to accept it as the norm....