Sunday, August 9, 2015

SO, WHAT'S REALLY HAPPENING IN CRYSTAL BEACH?

The past few weeks have been extremely busy in Crystal Beach. Parking problems and a crowded beach are a sign that more and more people are discovering our little gem of a village by the lake.

On another note, home sales are surging and new builds are happening all over Crystal Beach. All positive news. Restaurants are busy and so are the shops and stores along Erie Road. At least those that are open.

And this is where we get to the negatives, namely Gary Fraser and his band of "investors."  If you see a building all boarded up, falling apart or unfinished, it probably belongs to one of the companies that Fraser, a convicted fraudster, is involved with. A lot of them are on Erie Road. One really bad eyesore is on Queen's Circle. Schooley Road house construction has been going on forever due to financial challenges by the builder, again associated with Gary Fraser. While the South Coast Marz Homes rush to completion, over a dozen already sold, the seven homes on Schooley, overpriced in the opinion of many, sit uncompleted and unsold  in the height of the selling season. No one is against this type of development; it basically fits in to the character of the area, but empty, boarded up buildings in the main business core do not inspire confidence in the business climate of Crystal Beach. And this is because the investors have probably spread themselves too thin and are too busy acquiring other properties. Could be part of a huge Ponzi Scheme which is what Fraser tried to pull off before he was convicted and served time before.

Meanwhile, The Beach thrives. Volleyball on the beach and an all-day band festival yesterday brought more people to the area. This evening, the free Toronto All-Star Band Concert at Waterfront Park; and the End of Summer Parade on September 5, all sponsored by The Friends of Crystal Beach are sure to bring enjoyment.

Waterfront Park was brought to you by a group of dedicated citizens who worked hard to bring the idea to fruition despite push-back on many levels. Perseverance does pay off when the cause is right.

That's why people flock to Crystal Beach: perseverance on the part of some local heroes who fought to keep the Bay Beach Properties in public hands for all to enjoy without having to sneak by a twelve story condo tower to reach the public beach.  And we still need those parking lots, not another building on Erie Road.

And we certainly don't need the likes of Gary Fraser in our midst. Either build it; renovate it; or sell it. Better yet: move out of town. Had enough of people plundering our little gem by the lake.


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