The Georgian Bay resort community of Wasaga Beach is struggling to regain its tourism business, after a devastating late November fire along the town's famous main strip.
Flames wiped out 22 stores in the town's main pedestrian mall, which is connected to a 14-kilometre stretch of beach in a provincial park.
Only a 90-minute drive from Toronto, Wasaga Beach has always counted on the summer weekend crowds to support local businesses.
In order to draw back the crowds, the town has launched three new attractions this year:
- A 540-square-metre geodome with a stage and bleachers for 1,000 people
- Three weekly performances by Toronto-based Zero Gravity Circus
- An interactive water play area
But on Saturday, there were no crowds for the first long weekend of the summer.
"It is a bit of a disappointment," Mayor Cal Patterson admitted. "I think there were more police around last night than tourists."
Rather than concerns about the fire, the likely culprit was the weather -- cool and overcast.
Batool Mosadq, who lost three stores in the fire, has opened another one this summer. But he says there was no business Friday or Saturday.
Tattoo artist Tom Kat says this is the slowest season he has ever seen in the community.
But Virenda Gupta, who has been selling beach gear for 35 years, is not worrying about one bad weekend. He says one thing needs to change:
"Hot weather and sunshine, then people will come."
The cause of the fire has still not been determined, but Wasaga Beach residents are ready to rebuild.
Last week the province announced it will contribute $100,000 to fund a new tourism website and help develop more new attractions. The city will kick in $60,000 for the project.
