Wasaga Beach, Ontario
| Wasaga Beach | |
|---|---|
| Town (lower-tier) | |
| Town of Wasaga Beach | |
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 Wasaga Beach
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| Coordinates: 44°31′14″N 80°01′00″W / 44.52056°N 80.01667°WCoordinates: 44°31′14″N 80°01′00″W / 44.52056°N 80.01667°W | |
| Country |
 Canada
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| Province |
 Ontario
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| County | Simcoe |
| Incorporated | January 1, 1974 |
| Government | |
| • Mayor | Brian Smith |
| • Deputy Mayor | Nina Bifolchi |
| • Councillors |
List
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| • MPs | Kellie Leitch (C) |
| • MPPs | Jim Wilson (PC) |
| Area | |
| • Land | 58.64 km2 (22.64 sq mi) |
| Population (2016) | |
| • Total | 20,675 |
| • Density | 352.6/km2 (913/sq mi) |
| Time zone | EST (UTC-5) |
| • Summer (DST) | EDT (UTC-4) |
| Postal Code FSA | L9Z |
| Area code(s) | 705 |
| Website | www |
| Wasaga Beach Provincial Park | |
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IUCN category II (national park)
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| Location | Ontario, Canada |
| Nearest city | Wasaga Beach, Ontario |
| Area | 1,844 ha (7.12 sq mi) |
| Established | 1959 |
| Governing body | Ontario Parks |
Wasaga Beach (variant: Wasaga) is a town in Simcoe County, Ontario, Canada. Situated along the longest (14 km) freshwater beach in the world, it is a popular summer tourist destination, located along the southern end of Georgian Bay, approximately two hours north of Toronto, and neighbours, to the west, Collingwood and The Blue Mountains which attract visitors much of the year. The town is situated along a very long sandy beach on Nottawasaga Bay in Georgian Bay and the winding Nottawasaga River. The beaches are part of the Ontario Parks's Wasaga Beach Provincial Park; the park area totals 168 hectares (415 acres).
The economy has struggled for some years, particularly since a major fire in late November 2007 destroyed many of the stores, due to a reduction in the number of tourists in an area where the primary shopping season is three to four months per year. In late 2016, the town released its Downtown Development Master Plan, a 20 year strategy for significant redevelopment of the tourist area and adding a downtown to the business area. In the meantime, the town plans to spruce up its building with new paint and murals in spring 2017; it will also add some interactive activities for tourists.
Wasaga Beach and the surrounding area was inhabited by the Huron (Wyandot) people for centuries before they were dispersed in 1650 by the French-allied Algonquin people. The word Nottawasaga is of Algonquin origin. Nottawa means "Iroquois" and saga means "mouth of the river"; the word "Nottawasaga" was used by Algonquin scouts as a warning if they saw Iroquois raiding parties approaching their villages.
In the early 1800s, Upper Canada was drawn into a struggle between Great Britain and the United States. Wasaga Beach evolved into a strategic location in the War of 1812 when the schooner HMS Nancy was sunk at her moorings in an effort by the Americans to cut the supply line to Fort Michilimackinac and points to the north and west. Lumbering was the main industry for the remainder of the 19th century. Logs crowded the river and the bay, floating down to feed local saw mills.
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