Strait Shores currently does not have an active council. Early in the year, due to resignations, the council no longer could achieve quorum and was dissolved and a supervisor was appointed by the province to oversee the business of the municipality.
Before that happened, at a council meeting on February 10th, then councillor Andy MacGregor introduced a motion to create a tourism subcommittee as part of his portfolio, responsible for tourism, to try and create and advance tourism within Strait Shores. That motion was passed unanimously. After the council was dissolved, no longer acting as a councillor, MacGregor put a notice on Facebook, inviting anyone interested in being involved in a tourism committee to attend a meeting at the Cape Tormentine Legion to discuss tourism in Strait Shores.
The response to MacGregor’s Facebook post was positive and out of that first meeting came the committee of twelve that is now working together to pursue everything from branding and signage to identifying and developing public right-of-ways for beaches.
Here the story below:
Macgregor cites the 120 kilometres of shoreline, with beautiful beaches that boast the warmest waters in the Northumberland Strait, as well as an extensive trail system, as the main assets that the committee wants to see highlighted and developed. He contends that the first order of business is to bring public awareness to Strait Shores and what is available in the municipality, to experience and enjoy.
The Tourism Committee has been working in conjunction with the Southeast Regional Service Commission, as well as with the municipal office in Port Elgin, Strait Shores. They have also had communications with Grow Strait Shores, which is a local business development group, and with the Regional Development Corporation.
MacGregor is optimistic about the process.
“It is just small steps; everything starts with an idea,” he said. “We’ve got 12 people who are trying to make a difference in the community and going from an idea, talking about it, getting a proposal, talking to the decision makers, trying to get funding. It’s a process, and you have to be willing to take it from an idea to completion. And it takes time and energy and a desire. And we all have the desire, and it’s just a matter of time to make it a reality.”
