The next few years at Balm Beach, located on the shores of Georgian Bay in northern Simcoe County, will see the popular destination get a face-lift.
Improvements to Balm Beach were discussed at the recent committee of the whole meeting of Tiny Township, with public works director Tim Leitch explaining the project’s origin and justifications.
“It’s an exciting project for enhancement of the Balm Beach area,” said Leitch. “Through PRAC – our parks and recreation committee – and part of our master plan, what this project will be is enhancement of the Balm Beach area (including) some of our commercial areas. It’s a very popular beach, and it also has things like pay park.”
“If you’ve been down there,” Leitch continued, “the path that circles around is in very bad shape. It has deteriorated from the high water level that came up; pretty much took care of the one end over there by the washroom. Through the PRAC, we established a capital budget in 2023, and we’ve been working through the year to come up with a concept; we’re calling phase one.”
Leitch noted the November approval of a detailed review of Tiny Beaches Rd. between Conc. 11 and Conc. 8 in his explanation, acknowledging how that would incorporate traffic flow through the Balm Beach area.
“Phase one is basically from the front bumper of the car down to the waterfront,” Leitch added.
A cost estimate by JDB Associates Ltd. included in the report amounted to $127,000 in the planting and sodding of trees and shrubs, paving, furniture, and bridgework. Leitch emphasized: “those are ‘as installed’ costs, and just estimates.”
He informed council that following approval, proposals would be going out to the public “so the public will be able to take a look at this and provide what their best pricing is. And when people know what the budget is, they provide as much as they can within that budget and the competitive process that we do.”
A draft landscape plan was also submitted, which council members referred to in their line of questioning.
Upon Coun. Kelly Helowka’s question when parking would be considered in the multi-phase project, Leitch replied that “there is limited space where we can put in parking,” but that it would be a consideration. When Helowka asked if south side parking would be allowed, Leitch stated it would also be something to consider.
Mayor Dave Evans pointed out an elongated triangular wedge of stepping stones and green space on the landscape plan located near the washroom facility to the west, asking Leitch if it would act as a natural barrier to protect pedestrians from road traffic.
“That’s where we used to have a lot of trees, but unfortunately they died and we had to remove them,” replied Leitch. “For the parking area, we do have our normal curbs that we do place down there for stopping vehicles. This would just be taking that current area – right now there’s no trees left there – and enhancing that and doing some replants with these trees.
“One of the expenses is that we have to make sure we have the proper soil, because it’s sand,” he added. “That was one of the problems with the old trees, is that it really wasn’t that great of a potting situation; so these will have more integral plantings and provide shade.”
A lighthearted moment was exchanged when Evans asked what would happen to the currently installed rolling boardwalk, or Mobi-mat, which had gained popularity since its introduction.
“I love those rolling sidewalks,” said Evans. “I think they’re just simplistic, and also aesthetically they fit right into the environment.”
Leitch responded that the items were manufactured in-house, with more rolling boardwalks recommended in the report to be used on the Balm Beach rejuvenation project.
When Evans asked if council had any further questions, Helowka asked how he could get one for his house. Without missing a step, Evans quipped: “We’ve actually assigned you a make-duty… you have to start making them.”
Leitch chimed in with: “We have to concern ourselves with efficiencies,” but jokingly cautioned he would have the final say.
The committee of the whole unanimously endorsed the PRAC amendments to the project, to be ratified at an upcoming council meeting.
