Big bay point diving regulated in 2011

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DT:
25 years of diving at BBP I've never used the dock anyways I always walk out from the beach to avoid getting a fish hook in the head. I guess over all this is nothing more than crowd control. :dontknow:

That is pretty much what it boils down to. I mean most shops who use the area tend not to use the dock from what i have seen in the 15+ years of using that dock. I have used the dock maybe twice and both times i found it much easier to use the beach, first you tend to hit the ground if your not inflated enough which many are not the first time going in, and two those ladders can be tough when your tired and climbing out.

Ultimately it comes down to the parking issue.. the last 5+ years it has gotten worse and this issue has come up every summer.. I am at the dock just about every weekend and there bright and early to ensure i snag a good parking spot to get my morning dive in and we will come out and find cars parked everywhere.. In spots where its clearly marked no parking, we have seen cars parked on the DOCK, on the beach and physically blocking the laneways of homes in the area.
 
That is pretty much what it boils down to. I mean most shops who use the area tend not to use the dock from what i have seen in the 15+ years of using that dock. I have used the dock maybe twice and both times i found it much easier to use the beach, first you tend to hit the ground if your not inflated enough which many are not the first time going in, and two those ladders can be tough when your tired and climbing out.

Ultimately it comes down to the parking issue.. the last 5+ years it has gotten worse and this issue has come up every summer.. I am at the dock just about every weekend and there bright and early to ensure i snag a good parking spot to get my morning dive in and we will come out and find cars parked everywhere.. In spots where its clearly marked no parking, we have seen cars parked on the DOCK, on the beach and physically blocking the laneways of homes in the area.


I would think it would be more profitable to simply hire a couple tow trucks to immediately to anybody that parks somewhere stupid like that. I am a firm believer that if you are so stupid as to park somewhere like on the dock or blocking the beach or a local's driveway, then you deserve to have your vehicle taken away. I am not exactly tolerant of stupidity though :dontknow:. It is a shame that it has come to this.

One has to wonder though if it would have come to this anyways. I wonder if perhaps the locals would want the dock and beach for themselves even if the parking issues and litter issues had never arose.
 
I've spoken to many of the locals there and most don't really care about diving or the parking issue. The American who has that nice house just beside the left of the dock doesn't care he's there only every 3rd weekend up from Michigan and gone for the winter. Its just a couple is miserable locals on the right and up the road like Mr Stevens who have nothing better to do but stir the pot on many issues in this area diving being just one. I remember when the gulf course had a sign up on the washroom door CANS ARE FOR GOLFERS NOT DIVERS PLEASE .when I started diving BBP it was an old L shaped wooden dock that stretched out to the drop off and my regulator of choice than was the the Mistral double hose it was awesome. In time once they build that super mega marina just up the street from BBP the dock boat traffic and to many people on it will become another issue for them locals to snarl about.
 
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DT:
In time once they build that super mega marina just up the street from BBP the dock boat traffic and to many people on it will become another issue for them locals to snarl about.

Are they ever going to get the approval to even start that Resort/marina plan. I know boat traffic and usage of the dock dropped a lot when they closed down the BBP Marina.
 
I've heard the same thing that environmental and building permits have slowed down the construction for the new mega marina resort but that's not what disappoints me its the news of 400 new town homes slated to be built just up the road as well.:angrymob:
 
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Well! I went to Big Bay Point this morning for a dive and to my surprise the new parking by permit only signs have already been put up "see photo below" but while dressing down the by law office came through to write tickets so I had a talk with him over this entire situation. He said that even thou he has to issue tickets now there is no system in place yet for any one to purchase a season parking permit and that permits will only be issued to residence of INNISFIL no one else can purchase a season ticket for parking on any INNISFIL water front access road. I think this is BS and should be challenged. The by law officer did say that diving from the beach is not a problem just don't park here. I think some one should start a diver shuttle service to big bay point 50 divers and no cars that would that would put a buzz in there bun. I can only imagine what this will do to what ever little tourism they have. If I can't get a pass I guess I'll just have to add $46 to my dive expense of the day. O yes! in the end the bylaw officer did say that scuba clubs from Oshawa, New Market and Barrie were the root cause of all this mess and started when police were called in a few time because of over crowding and safety issues on the dock by several residence.

NO OUTSIDERS WELCOMED
 

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I am curious how far away from the beach you have to park in order to park legally. 50', 150', 500' 1000'? I have only dive BBP once so the layout and distances are not accurate in my head.
 
You can't park anywere near the beach, not in the parking area or out on the side roads with out a permit from the township the same permit you will never get unless you are a resident. :ss:
 
Correct permits are only issued to town residents, We get one in the mail with our taxes every year and then we can pick up 1 additional from the town hall however have to provide our drivers license proving our address to get it.

This has been contested for years and no one has ever won, many have done it over the use of the Alcona beach which is free for town residents with permit stickers in their windows to enter and park but $25 for non permit holders.

To my understanding from talking with Councilor Davidson their will never be permits issued for parking due to the lack of parking to begin with, however they will be setting up permits for use of the dock for diving. Meaning clubs / shops will be able setup and dive from the dock. However the fact that their is no parking in the area will hinder that.

There was talk that they may allow parking on one side of 30th side road, however that is still up in the air as well.
 
So essentially diving is just not an option any longer at BBP unless you are a resident. There really is no option if you can not park anywhere nearby unless you have someone drop you off and leave/come back. Hopefully the allow parking on 30th because I would like to try the site again.
 

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