Letter: What Do We Want To Be When We Grow Up?

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The 3 letters from 2 downtown businesses in the 9th issue of the press prompted me to write this, hoping to find some answers. 

Parking has always been an issue in recent history of the village. The paid parking is helping the municipality to come up with some needed funds for lack of infrastructure but the challenge remains! I have seen the staff report of where the money from paid parking has been spent while in the Chamber of Commerce. 

I believe the challenge is not necessarily the parking, or lack of it, the challenge is that we as a community don’t know what our identity is and what we want to be! 

Maybe in late 1800 or early 1900 Tobermory had a better identity than now. Sawmills and Timber industry or Fishing village was the identity and everything around the harbour was related to that and those industries were creating a lot of job opportunities for local families. Now in 2024 not a lot of those industries have been left here and the rise of tourism over the last few decades may have created an unwanted identity for some. We as a community are still trying to keep some of the charm and quaint elements of downtown. Either like tourism or not, either directly benefiting from tourism or not, we have to make sure to have a safe environment for ourselves and visitors. 

So what is our vision for a vibrant downtown? Rows of cars? Or some green space, safe walking areas and such?

Background: In 2010 Bruce County hired a destination guru to come up with a marketing plan for different communities of Grey Bruce. Spruce the Bruce was created to find the identification of each community. With the help of a volunteer committee and surveys the result came out as a toolkit in 2011 to talk about why main street matters and suggestions and challenges.Congestion, lack of pedestrian safety and signage were some of the challenges. They laid out a 5 year plan and a road map to get there but unfortunately most of those plans never happened.

In 2013 a study was done by the municipality “Downtown Tobermory and Harbourfront Area Streetscape and Design Alternatives project”. The result was published in 2014 with 3 different plans, some more pedestrian friendly and green space and some less. The price tag was about 2 million dollars then. It looks like the study was shelved and never to be seen again.

With no planning, today we are still talking about the same problems that Tobermory faced 14 years ago. As a tourist destination if we don’t have a vision of what we like to achieve then we will be at the mercy of day trippers or bloggers that suggest staying in Owen Sound as Tobermory is getting too expensive. Sustainability should be a key point in our vision board.

As a resident and a business owner in Tourism, I believe council is doing their best to make sure we keep this place safe and pristine for generations to come. Like us, they live here and they deeply care! As we know, any government body moves slow and sometimes this hand doesn’t talk to the other. But if you put yourself in their shoes you’d probably figure out that there is no easy answer!

We have been enjoying sitting on the new municipal benches which used to be Peacock parking, having our ice cream, running into friends, talking to visitors and having a good time. There is more radius for cars to pass by so there is no danger in sitting there. I also have to say as a tourist and a shopper, when we travel I love the shopping districts that are mainly accessible by walking – It gives me a chance to safely stroll and visit most of the shops.

What happens if we move the parking out of harbour? Maybe if the municipality can cooperate with the two big boat companies they can share some ideas, success and challenges. For years those companies have been shuttling people from different spots successfully. Or maybe Parks Canada can study how the shuttle service works like a charm in The Grand Canyon and use it here. Shuttle is one of the considerations in the 2013 study.

In the end, if you’d like to join me to bring the study off the shelf and ask council for a revisit please email me at tobermoryneda@gmail.com

Neda Sarbakhsh

Orange Bicycle Guesthouse and Gardens