Wasaga Beach facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Wasaga Beach
Town (lower-tier)
Town of Wasaga Beach
Beach One in August 2024
Nickname(s):  “The Beach”, “Wasaga”
Motto(s):  "More To Explore"
Wasaga Beach Location in Simcoe County Show map of Simcoe County Wasaga Beach Location in Southern Ontario Show map of Southern Ontario
Country	Canada
Province	Ontario
County	Simcoe
Incorporated	1951 (as village) January 1, 1974 (as town)
Area
• Land	58.64 km2 (22.64 sq mi)
Population  (2021)
• Total	24,862
• Density	423.9/km2 (1,098/sq mi)
Demonym(s)	Wasaga Beacher, Wasagan
Time zone	UTC-5 (EST)
• Summer (DST)	UTC-4 (EDT)
Forward sortation area	L9Z
Area code(s)	705

3D Wasaga Beach sign at Beach One; a popular landmark for tourists to take photos

Wasaga Beach is a town in Simcoe County, Ontario, Canada. It's famous for having the longest freshwater beach in the world! This makes it a super popular spot for tourists in the summer. Wasaga Beach is located on the southern end of Georgian Bay, about 150 kilometers north of Toronto. It's also about 40 kilometers northwest of Barrie. Nearby towns like Collingwood and The Blue Mountains also attract many visitors.

The town sits along a very long sandy beach on Nottawasaga Bay. The winding Nottawasaga River also flows through the area. The beaches are part of the Wasaga Beach Provincial Park, which covers 168 hectares. Wasaga Beach has about 24,862 people living there all year round (as of 2021). But in the summer, many more people come to stay, making the population much bigger!

The town's economy has faced some challenges, especially after a big fire in 2007. This fire destroyed many stores. Wasaga Beach relies a lot on tourists, but the main shopping season is only a few months long. To help with this, the town created a big plan in 2017. This plan aims to redevelop the tourist area and create a new downtown. The goal is to boost tourism, create more types of jobs, and improve the town's image.

History of Wasaga Beach

Automobiles parked on the beach around 1925

For hundreds of years, the Huron-Wendat Nation lived in the Wasaga Beach area. In 1649, the Iroquois (also known as the Five Nation Iroquois Confederacy) took over their lands. The name Wasaga comes from the Algonquin word Nottawasaga. Nottawa means "Iroquois" and saga means "mouth of the river". Algonquin scouts used "Nottawasaga" as a warning if they saw Iroquois raiding parties.

Wasaga Beach in the War of 1812

In 1812, the United States declared war on Great Britain. Wasaga Beach became an important spot during the War of 1812. It was at the mouth of the Nottawasaga River, which was part of a supply route for British forces. The British ship, HMS Nancy, was sunk in the Nottawasaga River. This was done to stop the Americans from capturing her and her supplies.

Early Settlement and Growth

Logging was the main industry in the 1800s. Logs were floated down the river to sawmills. Wasaga Beach has sandy soil, which isn't great for farming. So, it didn't attract many early European settlers. In the 1820s, the first surveys of the area began. Land was sold for four shillings an acre in 1826.

The first permanent settler was John Van Vlack, who arrived in 1869. He started a settlement near the river's mouth and named it after himself. In 1872, a wooden bridge was built to reach the beach, which was used as a road. The name Wasaga Beach was first used in the late 1800s.

Becoming a Tourist Hotspot

In the 1900s, families started to discover the beautiful beach. It became a popular place for picnics and summer vacations. The first cottages were built. In 1915, the first beachfront hotel, The Capstan Inn, opened. In 1918, the Dardanella Dance Hall opened. Over the next few decades, more hotels and fun places appeared.

During the 1940s, soldiers from Base Borden (a nearby military base) visited Wasaga Beach's amusement park, called Playland. They helped make Wasaga Beach famous across Canada. After the war, it stayed a popular spot for cottagers and day visitors. However, most of the old attractions eventually closed. Playland stopped operating in 1985. Two waterparks opened that year but closed in the mid-2000s. The Beach One waterpark was turned into a splash pad.

Wasaga Beach made history in 1934. It was the starting point for the first flight from mainland Canada across the Atlantic Ocean to England. A plane called Trail of the Caribou used the beach as a runway.

Town Incorporation and Park Creation

In 1947, Wasaga Beach was first recognized as a Local Improvement District. In 1949, it became a police village. It was officially incorporated as a village in 1951.

In 1959, the beach was named a "Crown beach." This was the first step toward creating Wasaga Beach Provincial Park. The province bought beachfront properties to create a continuous park area. This was a bit controversial, so they settled for separate park areas, which are now Beach Areas 2-6. Cars used to drive and park on the beach, but this stopped in 1973. A paved street, Beach Drive, was built along Beach 1 instead.

Wasaga Beach became a town on January 1, 1974, and its boundaries grew. The number of people living there full-time jumped from 500 in 1965 to 4,034. Today, the town has 24,862 full-time residents and about 16,000 seasonal visitors.

The 2007 Beach One Fire

Aftermath of the Beach One fire

On November 30, 2007, a huge fire destroyed most of the buildings in the Beach One area. About 17 businesses were affected, including shops, ice cream parlours, a restaurant, and an arcade. Nearly 100 firefighters worked for hours to put out the blaze. The fire caused an estimated $5 million in damages.

Even though the fire was a big setback, the beach and the remaining businesses reopened the next summer. The destroyed buildings were old, but people still missed them. An entertainment dome was built in 2008 as a temporary solution. However, it was damaged in a storm in 2011 and never reopened.

New Development Plans

Wasaga Beach residents protesting Town development plans in October 2021

Public meeting for unveiling of the approved beachfront development plans in June 2024

The town council released a new Downtown Development Master Plan in 2017. This plan is a long-term strategy, expected to take over 20 years to complete. The first part of the plan will cost about $200 million. It includes developing areas on the beach and across the river.

In July 2018, the town council agreed to work with FRAM Building Group to develop town-owned land. However, a new council in December 2018 decided to review these plans. FRAM Building Group later decided not to be part of the beachfront development in March 2019. The town then started looking for other developers.

In September 2021, some residents were concerned about the size of the new developments. This led to protests in October.

By June 2024, the long-awaited plan for beachfront redevelopment was finally approved. Mayor Brian Smith and representatives from FRAM Building Group (who rejoined the project) and Sunray Group of Hotels shared the plans at a public meeting. The first phase of development is expected to start in Spring 2025. This will include tearing down old buildings along Beach Drive and building a new 150-room hotel.

Casino in Wasaga Beach

Playtime Casino Wasaga

The Playtime Casino Wasaga opened on Mosley Street on November 23, 2022. The idea for a casino was first suggested in March 2018. Wasaga Beach was chosen as the location in October of that year.

In April and May 2023, the casino had to close temporarily. This happened because Gateway Casinos, which runs the casino, was affected by a cyberattack that closed all its casinos in Ontario.

Wasaga Beach Provincial Park

Wasaga Beach Provincial Park is a recreational park with eight beaches. It has about 14 kilometers of beach! You can get to Beach Areas 1–6 from Mosley Street in Wasaga. Allenwood and New Wasaga Beaches are north of the Nottawasaga River. You can reach them via River Road East.

The park is only for day use, meaning you can visit during the day but not stay overnight. It covers 1844 hectares. The park is home to many birds, especially shorebirds like the endangered piping plover. There are over 50 kilometers of hiking trails. In winter, these trails are used for cross-country skiing and snowshoeing. The visitor center has access to the Nancy Island Historic Site. This site includes a theater, a museum, and a lighthouse.

Geography of Wasaga Beach

Beach 1 (the main beach) looking west with Beaches 2 and 3 in the distance

A cottage-lined side street

Suburban-style residential area along Ramblewood Drive

More than two million people visit Wasaga Beach every summer. They come for the town's freshwater beach, which stretches for about 14 kilometers. Visitors love swimming in the shallow, warm, and clean water. They also enjoy the amazing views of the Niagara Escarpment across the bay.

There are many trails for hiking, cycling, cross-country skiing, and snowmobiling. The Nottawasaga River is great for fishing and canoeing.

Beach Areas

The beach is divided into sections, numbered 1 to 6 from east to west. Each section has public park areas, usually with parking and restrooms.

• Beaches 2–4 have shade trees, a bike trail, and a playground.
• Beach 1 is the most popular for tourists. It has bars, beach shops, and fast-food restaurants. It attracts mostly young adults.
• Beach areas 3 to 6 have many seasonal cottages near the park areas. Shore Lane is used for jogging, biking, and rollerblading.
• There are two other beaches nearby: New Wasaga Beach and Allenwood Beach. These are separated from the main beaches by the river and also have seasonal residents. The town provides a map showing all these areas.

In the summer, Wasaga Beach is a popular spot for beach volleyball and sunbathing. A boardwalk runs along most of Beach 1 and 2. Beach 1 gets the biggest crowds, and the beaches get less busy further west. East of the town, the sandy beach continues into Tiny Beaches. The beaches in these areas are mostly private property.

Weather and Activities

Because the beach is on Nottawasaga Bay, the water helps keep summer temperatures mild. Days can be very comfortable, especially with a breeze from the bay. In winter, however, winds from the bay bring very heavy snow squalls. These heavy snowfalls mean there are lots of winter activities. These include snowmobiling, cross-country skiing, and other winter sports. Blue Mountain is nearby for downhill skiing. There are many miles of groomed trails for snowmobiling.

Many cottages in Wasaga Beach are not directly on the waterfront. They are often close together on side streets within the town. Older neighborhoods have a "woodsy" feel, while newer areas look more like typical suburbs.

The town has a large community center called the RecPlex. It has an auditorium, an amphitheater, and a YMCA. There is also the Wasaga Stars Arena, which is being replaced by a larger facility. The new arena is expected to be finished by summer 2023.

Land and Soil

Wasaga Beach covers about 61.13 square kilometers. Most of this area is made of sand and sandy soil. This type of soil drains water very well. The land has an irregular to moderately sloping shape. Because of the poor soil quality, it can be hard to grow lush green lawns in town. The land is rated as difficult for farming due to its shape, erosion, and low natural richness.

Population Growth

In the 2021 Census, Wasaga Beach had a population of 24,862 people. This was a big increase from its 2016 population of 20,675. This means the population grew by about 20.3% in five years! Wasaga Beach has been one of the fastest-growing communities in Canada based on population growth.

Education in Wasaga Beach

There are four elementary schools in Wasaga Beach:

• Birchview Dunes Elementary School
• St Noel Chabanal Catholic Elementary School
• Wasaga Beach Public School
• Worsley Elementary School

The town does not have its own high school yet. Over 760 students take buses to high schools in nearby towns like Stayner, Elmvale, and Collingwood. However, there are plans to build a high school in Wasaga Beach by 2024.

Library Services

The Wasaga Beach Public Library is the only library in the community. It provides books, resources, and programs for residents.

Public Transportation

Wasaga Beach has two main public transit services:

Wasaga Beach Transit

Wasaga Beach Transit provides bus service within the town. It is run by Sinton-Landmark Bus Lines, using buses owned by the town. The service started in July 2008 with one route and quickly grew to two routes in 2009. Buses run in a loop from the Wasaga Stars Arena in the east to 70th Street in the west. They operate every hour from 7 AM to 8 PM, including weekends and holidays. Since November 2023, part of Route 1 (between Wal-Mart and Archer Road) uses an on-demand service. This means you need to book your ride in advance for that section.

Simcoe County LINX

Simcoe County LINX connects Wasaga Beach to other towns. It has two routes:

• Route 2 goes to Barrie.
• Route 4 goes to Collingwood.

You can transfer between Wasaga Beach Transit and Simcoe County LINX at the Real Canadian Superstore. However, Simcoe County LINX has separate fares, so there are no free transfers between the two services.

Notable Residents

• Jason Arnott – A famous NHL hockey player. He was born in Collingwood and grew up in Wasaga Beach. In the summer of 2000, "Jason Arnott Day" was celebrated in Wasaga Beach. This was to honor his Stanley-Cup-winning goal scored in double overtime!

Images for kids

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  Main Street Mall as it appeared in August 2000. Fire destroyed most of the buildings in November 2007.