Wednesday, December 6, 2017

'TIS THE SEASON


ALERT!  SCAMMERS ARE AT IT AGAIN!

New residents to the Ridgeway-Crystal Beach Area are being approached by Orma Bleeks who is trying to convince people to invest in a "design school" on the site of the former Ridgeway/Crystal Beach High School. This is a continuation of the work of convicted fraudster Gary Fraser. He is currently the subject of a law suit and has served time for previous conviction for real estate fraud. He was recently the subject of a CBC report about Syndicated Mortgages that has allegedly robbed residents in Toronto of thousands of dollars. Please do not invest in this project. 



And now, back to my previous post...

I never would have thought this would happen, yet it did and I'm thrilled about it. The community has come together to heal and to improve the public beach lands in Bay Beach.

It was fifteen years ago that the fight began to save the recently purchased property from being sold/given away to developers. It was a long and ugly fight that cost some residents their reputations and money. It divided the community along the lines of "for" or "against" a high rise on the land in front of the town's public beach in Crystal Beach.

Tuesday, December 5, 2017 should be noted in local history as the night that the community declared the Bay Beach War was officially over. A simple and delicious roast beef dinner at the Crystal Ridge Community Centre was shared by members of the community to celebrate the season and the initiative to provide for the proposed playground and park on the land fronting Bay Beach where a twelve story tower was once planned.

The Ridgeway Lions and the Friends of Crystal Beach teamed up to put on the event with the proceeds ear-marked for park improvements. It was announced that, with generous donations from other local sponsors, the fund for improvements has jumped thousands of dollars towards its eventual goal. Some of the work will begin in spring of 2018 with more to come as funds become available.




As the community centre filled up with hungry diners, the Sherkston Trinity Life Singers provided a beautiful seasonal ambiance to the gathering. The hall was decorated beautifully thanks to Gayle Martineau and her crew from the Friends of Crystal Beach. The Ridgeway Lions, with the help of spouses and the Ridgeway Lioness Club cooked and served a family-style feast of roast beef and all the trimmings.

As the music and singing played on, old friends and former enemies dined and conversed, joined together once again as a community with a common goal for the community.

What a welcome and wonderful tribute to the season. 


  I started The Crystal Beach Strand in 2002 when parts of the Bay Beach Properties were in danger of being sold. The former Rebstock-owned properties, including the beach, was bought  by the town in 2001 with gaming money. Everyone was thrilled that the popular beach property would become public. That changed in early 2002 with the proposal to sell off upland parking lots. And the fun began. I wish that the following years and the Bay Beach Story could be erased from my memory as it has effected my life greatly. I said and did many things that I am embarrassed by, but I was waging a war (in my mind) against greedy people who did not care about the community. I do not regret my part in the battles; I regret that any battle was necessary in the first place.

Now I can relax. My work is done here.

5 comments:

  1. you have nothing to be ashamed of Madam Editor in fact you should be proud. You were one of a few trying to wake up a people who were gladly cheering for their own demise and stupidly believing the so called cool people who run this town almost exclusively for their own bank accounts and to hell with the town and everyone else.

    It was extreme greed gone wild. They still run this place, it's just not as obvious....take a bow, you deserve it.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. It was a bit surreal to see people who caused myself and people I care about a lot of grief participating in the event. I actually had to fight anxiety as I tried to enjoy the evening. It was like I fell asleep and awakened after years, like Rip Van Winkle. Of course, it was not lost on me that the only present town councillor who appeared and helped emcee the event was Don Lubberts. Meanwhile, a whole table of former councillors (you know, the ones who were sued unsuccessfully by a pro-development cabal and who are still involved in a lawsuit by the developer) and their spouses classed up the event. Surprised that Councillor Stephen Passero was not in attendance and he would attend the opening of an envelope in his quest to be Fort Erie's next mayor. Probably too much irony even for him. Of course, Mayor Redekop was there and spoke briefly to those in attendance. He is a member of the Ridgeway Lions and is a far better mayor than Doug-mayor-by-five-votes-Martin.

      Thanks for the kind words.

      Delete
  2. While we were disappointed we couldn’t attend the event Pam and I look forward to doing what we can to help make the playground a reality.
    Mostly though we look forward to watching our little Ella Grace running around the playground and enjoying all that Crystal Beach has to offer.
    As for you Madam Editor....Nice Work “Toots”!!!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. That's what you and others worked to keep for your grandchildren. We all got to enjoy Crystal Beach and Bay Beach as children. They were wonderful places. We made lifelong friends and some of us came back and settled in as adults. There are homes and summer cottages that have been in the same family for several generations.

      I truly believe all that would have been lost if the high rise had been built. Can't wait for Ella Grace and other kids of her age to enjoy our beautiful public beach and community-funded playground.

      Delete
  3. When ever we drive past the Bay Beach property its hard to believe that such a goofy project (not to mention the sad shmucks that supported the idea) ever got even a moment of consideration in council or otherwise. What a cold monolith that would have been no matter how they tried to doctor it up. The plans for a more people friendly approach to land use on that property was reduced due to budget cuts not so long ago, as we remember. A few thousand for a few trees and wood chips, surrounded by some cold concrete curbology? Right. Your future, our focus. When will our leaders stop speaking "bumper sticker" and come up with a real plan to improve quality of life issues for the residents of Crystal Beach.

    ReplyDelete

This blog no longer publishes Anonymous comments. Just use a nickname and comments will be considered.To use a nickname, please fill in the area of "Name/URL" with your nickname, It is not necessary to fill in the URL portion.

PAST ISSUES