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Post by peter on Sept 11, 2015 6:18:39 GMT -5
This is my vision for Gilford , not a parking lot that the town passed without community consultation.. Also id like to see kon tiki open up there parking lot during the winter , give back for a change .
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Post by peter on Sept 11, 2015 6:30:47 GMT -5
Right beside this proposed park will be new homes , $700,000 homes .the question would be , what would you rather reside beside a park or parking lot ?
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Post by peter on Sept 11, 2015 7:19:25 GMT -5
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Post by basschaser on Sept 11, 2015 7:47:44 GMT -5
I think a park is better for the residents but a parking lot is better for us "visitors". The marina parking would be great. They could charge a nominal fee and make some cash in their down season.I would pay to park closer.
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Post by ladygrouse on Sept 11, 2015 8:14:15 GMT -5
i don't think it's realistic to think that a lovely place this close to Toronto would remain untouched. I am wondering if there is enough interest by enough board members to contribute To fund to purchase property for a permanent access. Just a thought.
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Post by tiredold on Sept 11, 2015 8:19:50 GMT -5
Hello, It is not feasible to park in Kon Tiki. During the winter the parking lot is filled with sailboats that are stored for the winter season, some on trailers, but most on cradles that cannot be moved (all the boats that are in the water have to go somewhere). As well there was a bad vandalism problem before the gates went up. A few years ago, some young vandals broke into a 1 year old Catalina 25 in the parking lot in the winter. They set off a flare inside the boat resulting in a fire that completely destroyed the boat and severely damaged several around it (some are still moored that and are melted on one side). Although the police knew their identities, there was not enough evidence to prosecute them, they were only able to go to their homes and warn (scare)them. Also (in the summer before the gates) the parking lot was filled with kids on bikes doing tricks. At this time almost all the yellow power cords that keep the boats charged and fridges working went missing. Coincidence? Perhaps, but probably not. Once the gates were closed, the problem was eliminated. From an insurance liability and marina customer standpoint, what business owner would expose themselves like that? When they turned an eye from fishermen parking in the lot and using the washrooms in the summer (a way of giving back) they ended up with washrooms that had overflowed toilets and flooded floors every weekend, that is after you could first find a parking spot anywhere near your boat. People paying several hundred dollars to store their boat at the marina for the winter have a right to expect some form of security for their unattended property. As you can surmise, I keep a boat in Kon Tiki and have so for 33 years so I am not new to the game. I have a better proposal (just off the top of my head). During the winter months, why not allow parking on one side of the road, from the main entrance of the marina up away from the lake on the marina side of the road? It allows access to the marina but would not interfere with the winter operation of the marina. The capacity should be equal the Kon Tiki's parking lot (minus the boats stored in the lot) and the city already plows this area. During the summer you need this space for people to jockey and turn their car/trailers around, and make room for people to go in and out of the ramp, but this in not necessary in the winter. Most people just pull up and park. Please do not hate, this is just my opinion. As well, my boat is on a trailer and is stored inside at my shop for the winter. I say this to show that I do not directly have a horse in this race. If I pay to store a camper trailer at a facility, I would expect some form of security, otherwise I could just put it in a Walmart parking lot. And here is another opinion while I am at it. If I buy a house beside the airport, I have no excuse to complain about the noise. If I buy a house beside a lake (or mainly beside the one or two access points (ramps)), I should expect the associated traffic and activity. As someone using the ramps, (or parking in front of someone's house) I would be respectful of not blocking their driveway, and not to make excessive or unnecessary noise. As much as I am entitled to use the lake, they are entitled to enjoy their home in peace. I don't know, maybe I am just old fashioned.
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Post by peter on Sept 11, 2015 8:33:21 GMT -5
No ones going to hate you on this board for expressing your opinion . You just like me and the others have ideas , were here to discuss them and perhaps even come to a general consensus on what’s best for the locals and are visitors .
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Post by canliq on Sept 11, 2015 9:19:48 GMT -5
I do agree with tiredold opinion, also Peter suggestion. We need to get some solution, where can give both side in win - win solution. Where as a resident, don't feel get interrupt or bother with outsider parking during summer and winter season. Now depend on the city, how they will resolve the problem. I'm as outsider fisherman, will be follow the decision. In my opinion, make it Kon Tiki as secure place for secure all unattendent property store inside, and if the city agree can make the empth land as seasonal parking during winter season. Because can give extra income to the city, and give less problem about blocking the driveway with the resident. And during Summer time, the empty land can be used as a park for resident to enjoy the day. Forget about the water fountain, because will give extra cost for maintenance.
That is my opinion
Aan
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plu
Junior Member
Posts: 59
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Post by plu on Sept 11, 2015 9:44:41 GMT -5
Parking in gilford suckssssss lol Last year during hard water parking was a nightmare for the most part. Even by my marina (cooks bay marina) I use during the summer was littered with garbage numerous times where I parked and I end up always cleaning it up so people don't think I'm the not a very nice person that made the mess to begin with...
I'd luv to see some sort of public place like the Barrie boat launch, down in cooks bay somewhere.
All it takes is a few bad apples to ruin it for the rest of us..
But I doubt they will put a parking lot next to $700,000.00 estate homes : /
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fubb
New Member
Posts: 7
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Post by fubb on Sept 11, 2015 10:11:04 GMT -5
Parking seems to be the biggest problem for both visitors and locals. Because the town has not provided a lot conflict is the end result, no one wants cars and trucks parked infront of their house but what other choice is there for visitors? It is not like there exists other good sites this close to the water. In fact a case could be made to make the whole area nothing but parking. But the allure of high property taxes will trump any other consideration. There is a bigger issue here the lake falls under the crown land mandate thus legally is it available for anyone to use but if you can't access it someone is not holding up their end of the bargain. The town can not control expenses and needs new revenue that is all you need to know.
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Post by tiredold on Sept 11, 2015 12:00:44 GMT -5
Hello, In response to Canliq reply. I agree with you, but I want to clarify one point. The actual sailboats sit on cradles in the parking lot. Because of the physical dimensions of sailboats, the majority of the height of a sail boat is under water (4 to 6 foot steel or lead keel plus 2 to 5 feet of hull that is below the water line) less the mast. As such they are very difficult to trailer around (as opposed to most power boats that only sit chest high on a trailer). Next time a sailboat is out of the water look at how high it is (often 8 to 14 feet above the ground). The point of this explanation is: once a crane lifts and sets a boat in a cradle, and then puts dozens of boats in cradles around it, nothing is going anywhere until the spring (the crane only comes one day in the spring and one day in the fall). Case in point, at capacity Kon Tiki held approximately 300 sailboats, of which 6 were on trailers. Agreed there are fewer sailboats, and more power boats, but there still are a lot of sailboats. Now with all the boats (sailboats in the parking lot and power boats sitting on timbers in their slips on an area of several acres, how do you keep people from walking in and around them. Remember, these boats have expensive parts on them and most have full fuel tanks. The cost of fencing everything in the marina would be hundreds of thousand of dollars. Going back about 15 years ago, one entire section of covered slips, in the middle section, parallel to Shore acres drive burned to the ground with all the boats in Feb or March (I cannot remember the exact date). Accident? With the boats out of the water for over 5 months and no one on them? Ironically, the dozen of so boats that burned down to the waterline were stored (for insurance and police investigation purposes) exactly where Peter wants to put the parking lot. Its not a question of Kon Tiki giving back (I am sure they pay their share of property and business taxes and employment) but putting an unnecessary insurance, marina customer and public parking liability on the marina. Someone gets hurt parking (trip, hit by car), someone's boat gets vandalized or stolen from, who do you think will end up liable? As for revenue, the marina already charges hundreds (many many) per boat for winter storage. Far more than parking would provide.
Now for some thinking really really outside the box. Solve two problems at once. Innisfil Beach has an incredible boat launching and park facility. Just beautiful. Why not something like that. Perhaps the right monetary offer (supported by both local and mostly private (developer) sources). Perhaps like Big Bay point? Would the current waterfront owners be interested in supporting and then living in such a development? If I could trade my current house/cottage for something like that, with little or no rent/mortgage and a handful of cash, perhaps. I am not making a suggestion, just floating a thought balloon. If I could trade my house for residency in a beach resort in Punta Cana, the only question is: Who wants my snowblower?
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Post by peter on Sept 11, 2015 12:21:04 GMT -5
My home is on Gilford Rd, the cars and trucks are parked right up the road , I personally love it and like seeing fisherman here in Gilford enjoying Cooks Bay , when first ice is called , its like a pilgrimage . You wouldn’t believe it, its so amazing to see . As I walk Gilford Rd , I don’t see the garbage that’s mentioned , I see happy people not bothering anyone , thy just want to park and go fishing . I some times have a hard time getting out of the driveway as well but being a recreational area and one of the best locations to hammer jumbo perch in the world , its fantastic you guys come here . I think to help out and do my part this winter , im going to open my property to parking , I can handle 10-15 cars.
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Post by basschaser on Sept 11, 2015 13:34:53 GMT -5
I was not aware of security issues at the marina in the past. If my boat was there I wouldn't want potential problems from strangers coming through. But most of those issues were not from the fishermen. Hopefully a solution can be found to keep all parties happy.
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nino
Junior Member
Posts: 81
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Post by nino on Sept 11, 2015 15:50:43 GMT -5
I think you are losing a uphill battle . If they are going to build 700,000 dollar homes there will no longer be access to lake from Gilford rd anymore . That is going to be out come if all of this . Sad to say it but it will happen .
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Post by tiredold on Sept 11, 2015 16:09:53 GMT -5
Sad to say, but I think nino may be right. Once the expensive homes are up, and if successful, the development will continue to the lake. It is happening in my area in Toronto. All the homes that are being bought are torn down and replaced with monster houses. All that is really needed is a place to start. Not so easy with tightly packed homes on the water front, but no problem starting with vacant land very close by. Once it starts, it is almost impossible to stop. We all like things to stay the same, but they seldom do.
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Post by peter on Sept 11, 2015 16:34:50 GMT -5
What am I the only one that hopes that never happens ? That gate at the end of Gilford Rd was installed by the old administration , I never voted for the lady , im glad she got voted out . Who did she think she was blocking access to the lake . again no community input , now the parking , let me take care of that but with your support if an when it happens .
The only way no parking signs would go up is if the community wants them to go up based on called meeting at the town hall , or the other way is the town addresses the issues at a general town council meeting that’s not advertised in advance . Keeping everyone that’s not at the meeting on that day unaware until it to late .
just saying
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nino
Junior Member
Posts: 81
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Post by nino on Sept 11, 2015 16:52:36 GMT -5
Hey im all for it i live in maple and will come up and support the cause just tell the board when and we will be there !!
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Post by seahawk on Sept 11, 2015 18:51:52 GMT -5
I would deffinatly be involved if I lived closer. I just can't commit to anything living almost 3hrs away
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Post by tiredold on Sept 11, 2015 20:48:39 GMT -5
Maybe we can convince Gilfred the turtle into laying her eggs all along both roads. That may stop them.
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peal2
Junior Member
Posts: 72
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Post by peal2 on Sept 11, 2015 20:52:22 GMT -5
I think you are losing a uphill battle . If they are going to build 700,000 dollar homes there will no longer be access to lake from Gilford rd anymore . That is going to be out come if all of this . Sad to say it but it will happen . those people that shell out 700k will want their access to the lake ...
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