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Home My WebLink AboutTimes-Advocate, 1999-04-28, Page 3p r ri Ebtetvev h'bnes-'Advocsc& In the News 'Bend beach house and boardwalk plans unveiled By Craig Bradford i IkIFS-:Af)\ O(..\'I'1: ST -11:1 GItA.ND 131..N) — '"The 11 ave' is coming to the 'Bend in 2000. 'The Wave' is the nick- name of the proposed beach house facility that will be built at Grand Bend's beach as part of the preparation for th`eada 2001 Summer Games. -Preliminary plans for the beach house and beach improvements were pre- sented at public meeting at (;rand Rend Public School Saturday morning. .About 50 people attend- ed the meeting. Those pre- sent were invited to pick up forms so they could include their input on the beach house and beach improvements. Construction on the beach house and the beach improvements will begin in September and finish by the time beach season comes along in 2000. Architect Lloyd Grinham and landscape architect • Wendy Shearer said the beach house should be in operation a full season before the Summer Games. The beach improvements -include a 500 m board- walk or promenade that will loop around the main beach. The eight foot wide promenade on the beach will be made of recycled plastic planks that will look like wood while the 'river walk'. that will start. from the pier and wind its way down the river will be made of stamped concrete. Shearer said the board- walk will make it possible for pedestrians, bicyclists and in-line skaters to tour around the entire beach facility. The `Promenade' will go just. r r•th of the condos. .soutt, .the pier up along the river c ,d then north to Main St. The beach house will have 24-hour washrooms, change rooms, showers, lockers and lifeguard facili- ties as well as a food con - .cession booth. Grinham said it is designed to be the arrival point or "front door" of the beach. The beach house will feature upper and lower observation decks, a 25 foot tall tower and an elevator. 'The Wave' structure will be a "signature" piece for the village like its light- house logo, Grinham said. Ile said the beach house will be "a bit unusual, a bit unconventional" and will not obstruct people's view of the beach from Main St. or the view of Main St. from the beach. The current 220 parking spots will be increased to 298 spots that will accom- modate handicapped vehi- cles. tour buses, RVs and large service trucks and trailers that will be used to transport beach volleyball equipment and other .. • "1 Beach thoughts. Grand Bend cottager Lise Szabo takes a look at a conceptual model of the proposed beach house for Grand Bend that will be part of the legacy left by the Canada 2001 Summer Games. Szabo attended a public meeting on beach improvements at Grand Bend Public School on Saturday. equipment to the beach. The parking lot will have both metered and ticketed parking. Grand Bend Mayor Cam Ivey said revenue from the parking lot will go towards maintenance of the lot and other municipal lots in the village. Ivey said the local Friends of the Games corn- mittee aim to raise 500.000, half of which goes to the general opera- tion of the Games with the other half going towards the beach house and beach improvements project. So far the Friends have commitments for $175,000. Ivey said the Friends goal is to raise as much of the $500,000 as they can this year. Ivey happily warned those present the Friends could soon be knocking on their doors for donations. "The nice thing about (the fund-raising project) is it is 1.ax deductible and can be spaced out over five years," he said. The long range plan includes building a marina on the north side of the pier with a boathouse con- taining services for boaters. The boardwalk would link up to the marina as well. Shearer said the beach improvements being chine this fall will antici- pate the future marina development so the area won't have to be changed. The beach will be wheel- chair accessible and the boardwalk will lead to an area close to the water for wheelchairs. The popular traffic circle at the end of Main St. will remain, Shearer said. A low wall between the parking lot and the hoard - walk will serve as a sitting spot and will collect blow - Capsule Comments with Ernie Miatello It was back in 1970 that a neurolo- gist in the U.S. discovered L -Dopa, a drug given to Parkinson's patients to help increase the amount of dopamine in bodies and thus reduce the effects of the disease. It is still used today to help patients with this debilitating disease. their If you use a loofah sponge when you bathe or shower, you should disinfect it occasionally by soaking it in a solution of one part bleach and 10 parts water for one minute. These sponges can become contaminated with bacteria that could cause skin irritation. The incidence of cigar smoking, has risen by 50% since 1993. Cigar smokers who inhale have a , greater risk of lung cancer than cigarette smokers and 10 times the risk of mouth, esophageal and lip cancers. Heavy computer -use can make your eyes feel dry and irritated. We often forget to blink when working intently on the computer and that can lead to dry. eyes. Artificial tear products can relieve this dis- comfort. PTHECARYLIEL Phone 235-1982 440 Main St., Exeter "Your Health Care Pharmacy" ing sand. Friends special events Phomas. 11oocl„t,,4.1. Trees will provide shade chairperson Dave (;rand Bend and the along the Promenade. Scatchard at 1519) 2:38- 1.niversity of 1\'estern Shearer said trees as tall 2324 or Diana Joad at the Ontario, hopes to raise 515 as feasible will be planted. village office at (519) 238- million to hold the games There will also be several 8461. from Aug. -11-20, 2001 benches along the board- The Canada 2001 Grand Bend will host the walk so people can rest or Summer Games Alliance, sailing and beach volley - relax. made up of London, St. ball events. One question from some- rim wm,IRR ala�-naaslaRt-tsactaasmLti, L� �uLa ►L.►.ILL� : one at the meeting centred r Lawn Renovator on how Grand Bend's 10.small 'harbour would han- dle the large influx of boats le during the Summer t Games. Ill the sailboat~ compet- ing in the Games will be small one or two-man ves- in the south basin. It was GE!:01(...1..RE Lbanc,ho►cdadmitted that the harbour sels and will e L• 4 will be "packed” with other L boats during the Games. Ili 4 •-. .�9 4 Grinham reminded L everyone the plans he and s101 B Shearer presented are a T. concept, and not the fin -4 4 i s h e d plan. Ile said the Aerate, Dethatch, Overseed and/or LL - public meeting is "a big Fertilize in one operation i$ part of the process." * Something new offered by The Friends of' the 4 Games fund-raising kick- off party will be May 7 at it! c_4 EENCARE Gables. Some athletes ! L expected to compete at the ' ,,, 14 Canada 2001 Summer 4 ' l NURSERY & IL - Games are expected to be i ' LANDSCAPING 1$ there including Olympic 4 r 14 tik L gold medalist Mamie215 Pickard Rd.., Exeter Ont. 4 McBean. Tickets cost $20. L Li •235-4062 For more information on L' LLLL „Ili kick-off PartJcall bi-v-l=ag-7gLI��LILataLyLLLL 1�►�L LLLLLLL�LLL• ATTENTION TRUCKERS W1K , - Val SERVICES WE PROVIDE TO THE TRANSPORTATION INDUSTRY: • Full all make truck service and repair. 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