Your favourite secret beach is gone, what gives?
Bonjour from the North — three cities, one corridor, and the stories that don't make it south of Barrie.
Okay, so I saw this one and my blood pressure, she went up a little bit. You know Sawpit Bay, that little piece of heaven just north of the Sault, off Highway 17? The one we all pretend isn't *that* good so too many people don't go there? Well, the Ministry of Transportation, they've put up "no trespassing" signs. Finished. Caput. It's off-limits now, and all because some people, how do I say this nicely... they trashed it. Garbage everywhere, rocks spray-painted, trees cut down. *Tabarnak.*
This is not just about a beach, you know? It's about what we lose when people don't respect the land, especially up here. We're surrounded by this incredible boreal forest, these beautiful lakes, and it's not a garbage dump. This "hidden gem" was a spot where you could take your family, have a quiet picnic, maybe even see an eagle. Now, it's gone. And the article, she points the finger a little bit at social media – people posting about it, making it too popular, then the wrong crowd shows up. It’s a classic Northern Ontario dilemma, trying to share our beauty without ruining it.
* **Lost Access:** A beloved, quiet spot for locals is now off-limits, meaning fewer places to enjoy the natural beauty we have right outside our doors. * **Environmental Impact:** The mess left behind harms the local ecosystem and takes away from the experience for everyone. * **A Call for Respect:** This incident highlights the need for everyone, visitors and locals alike, to treat our natural spaces with the respect they deserve.
For those of us who grew up here, or those who chose to make Sault Ste. Marie home because of places like Sawpit Bay, this stings. It's not just some random piece of land; it’s part of our identity. We're proud of our wilderness, we use it, we live in it. And when something like this happens, it feels like a punch in the gut for the whole community. Let's remember what we have, and let's work harder to keep it.
Marc-André Desjardins, Sault Ste. Marie.
My friends on the morning show, they're talking about this one. Catch them live at mornings.live.