The Municipality of Lambton Shores

and Restrictions Guidelines: “The Beaches, Public Beach Parks and Public Recreation Areas of the
County have been traditionally used for noncommercial recreational activities and commercial
solicitation is inconsistent with the recreational purposes for which such recreational areas are
used.”
http://search.municode.com/html/11511/level3/PTIICOOR_CH90PAREPULA_ARTIIUSPABEPU
LA.html
POINT 3:
I invite the Grand Bend Municipality and community, together, as a new start and a
community effort, to consider a long-term plan that expands its vision to include more than the
notion of “beach use” by youthful volleyball players (or the equivalent): the village needs to
reconsider the image it wishes to present to current and future tourists, and ways to attract them.
Why is it, for example, that Bayfield attracts tourists with lots of money to spend, while Grand Bend
continues to peddle tattoos, bars, hot dogs, and wet t-shirt contests?
On long weekends, we have a huge and omnipresent police force cruising the town (a consequence
of appealing to a certain segment of the youth market).For years, Grand Bend has struggled with its
history and image of a biker town. Currently, the Municipality (supported by Monteith-Brown)
wants to add the image of a volleyball camp/tournament (or the equivalent). Volleyball players are
not likely to spend a lot of money while they’re in town for a game; indeed, most of them cart
coolers to the beach. Cottagers, on the other hand, buy food, alcohol, hardware supplies, etc. If
cottagers and tourists who prefer casual, unstructured play on the beaches need to dodge 50
volleyball courts to get to the water, they may well decide to go elsewhere, along with their dollars; if
a stray volleyball should crush the skull of a toddler, families will be even less inclined to spend
family time on the beach.
Perhaps the Municipality of Grand Bend is aiming to put its fragile eggs into a rather unproductive
basket –and perhaps other plans should be in place related to upgrading the village’s image and
target market. If consultants can be hired to promote beach use, surely consultants can be hired to
survey successful beach towns (such as Bayfield) and recommend business practices and options
that will appeal to a more upscale market. I believe we can do better and that we can do it as a
community.
In summary, I disagree strongly with Monteith-Brown’s recommendations to continue, and
increase, the rental of Grand Bend’s beaches. I also believe the report is misleading in that the
results of its Community Feedback Survey are ignored and overridden. Grand Bend’s community
has voiced its disapproval of plans to commercialize and rent out the beach . Monteith-Brown and
the Municipality continue to ignore the voices of the Grand Bend community.
Stefanie Ketley, Ph.D.
Language and Liberal Studies
Fanshawe College
The Lambton Shores Community Association strongly endorse this response document from an
LSCA member.
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