Wasaga Beach has long been a favorite retreat for nearby Toronto residents because it lays claim to having longest fresh water beach in the world, but it did not officially become a town until January of 1974. Consequently, the community has steadily climbed — from 12,419 permanent occupants in 2001 to 15,029 by the time the 2006 census was conducted.
Current population stats continue to rise, making Wasaga Beach one of the most rapidly growing communities in Canada. The amount of sales and the volume of Wasaga Beach real estate sold is increasing substantially — especially since 2009 — and new residents are constructing houses as the demand for more seasonal properties is increasing, and cottages and recreational homes are springing up along the sought after beach front.
Wasaga Beach’s fourteen kilometers of kid friendly, sandy public beaches, as well as the Wasaga Beach Provincial Park–which was appointed the highly regarded Blue Flag designation for its efforts to manage Wasaga’s shoreline according to international environmental standards—attracts both permanent residents and visitors alike. The area offers recreation all year round along the sandy beaches — designated 1-6 (with 1 and 2 being the most busy) — and in the spring and summer there are recreational activities such as various water sports or a game of frisbee to be enjoyed by all. The same stretch of beach becomes a wintertime gathering piont for sports buffs who come to snowmobile and snow shoe on the popular trails.
The growth that Wasaga Beach has experienced has not been deterred by the massive fire that levelled seventy percent of the main street businesses and apartments as well as the pedestrian mall on November 30, 2007. Instead, the region is experiencing a massive building boom with fabrication currently underway on a contemporary style beach front boardwalk with shopping, dining, and an all weather theme park serviced by a monorail. currently, the Georgian Coach Lines — which provides local transportation services –has had to expand their routes twice since 2008 to meet the need of the growing area and offers an east-west loop through the area from 7AM to 7PM daily.
Home sales rose in the first part of 2010 by 65 percent when compared to the same time last year. The month of March 2010 experienced a substantial 50 percent rise which also had a measurable affect on the adjacent Collingwood real estate market. Even more reassuring were the price range increases, up to 172 percent in some regions of the Greater Toronto Area, with homes that were asking 300K moving into the 350K to 500K range. Although undoubtedly seasonal buyers account for a large portion of the increase, it also seems to be because the upscale estates in Wasaga Beach are increasingly a sought after retirement choice for wealthier residents. But undoubtedly the overall appeal of the Georgian Triangle lifestyle will continue to attract the interest in a broad range of home buyers who are lured in by the rural beauty of Wasaga Beach, but take pleasure in the advantage of having the services of Toronto that is just a a short drive away.
