Collingwood/Wasaga Beach
By on Apr 18, 2008
Tucked between the sandy shores of Georgian Bay and Blue Mountain, Ontario's highest ski hill, sits the charming town of Collingwood, a trendy enclave of ski chalets, year-round homes, delightful shops, cafes, boutiques, and inns. The area is spectacularly beautiful, carved by glaciers into a myriad of mountains and rock formations. There are caves to explore and beautiful hiking trails to wander.
In the mid-1800s, Collingwood was the rail head of Ontario. As well, its harbour was the shipping point for goods destined for Western Canada, leading to the growth of a shipbuilding industry in Collingwood that would establish the town as an industrial centre. Some of the more well-known, homegrown Collingwood enterprises are Blue Mountain Pottery and Canadian Mist Whisky, one of the largest selling Canadian whiskies in the United States.
Today, Collingwood is fast becoming a four-season tourist destination. There has been tremendous growth in tourism. Businesses in Collingwood cater to the influx of sun seekers, fishermen, cottagers, and skiers. While Collingwood has a rural community atmosphere, it has all the services and conveniences of a larger city including well-known department and grocery stores. In recent years, there has been much development in Collingwood, particularly in time-share projects and vacation properties.
Just a 20-minute drive away is the beachfront community of Wasaga Beach. Labelled by Statistics Canada as the fastest growing community in Ontario, Wasaga Beach has a history that dates back to the fur trading days when it was a route to the great northwest. In 1934, Wasaga Beach grabbed history's headlines when the first overseas flight from Canada used the beach's sandy strip for take off. Soon people began to discover the beauty of the area and by the mid-1900s Wasaga Beach became popular for cottages and day trips. Today more than two million visitors come to Wasaga each year. They are drawn to the beautiful beaches and the quaint, little town with the historic amusement park which captivated the hearts of servicemen stationed nearby in the 1940s.
Wasaga Beach has another important distinction; it is the longest freshwater beach in the entire world. There is much to do in Wasaga Beach, other than lolling about in the sun drenched sand. There are numerous golf courses, a Water World, fishing charters, a museum, and more.
About Collingwood/Wasaga
Population Collingwood: 21,500; Wasaga Beach: 14,768
Age Collingwood was incorporated as a town in 1858; Wasaga Beach was incorporated as a village in 1951 and a town in 1974
Location Collingwood is 104 kilometres northwest of Toronto; Wasaga is 120 kilometres northwest of Toronto
Highways 124, 26 linking to 11, 27, 400, 401, and 427
Airport Collingwood Municipal Airport
Public Transit Collingwood transit operates public bus service in Collingwood; no local transit in Wasaga Beach
Education Collingwood: Simcoe County Board of Education operates five elementary schools, one secondary school, one ski school, one separate elementary, and one separate secondary school; Georgian College operates a Collingwood Campus; Wasaga Beach has two public elementary, one private elementary, oneseparate elementary, and three secondary schools
Emergency Services Full municipal fire protection and 911 area coverage served by the Ontario Provincial Police in both Collingwood and Wasaga Beach
Tourist/Cultural and Recreation Facilities Collingwood is a premier tourist destination for skiing, marine activities, and golf, and hosts many annual festivals including The Collingwood Elvis Festival, Horseshow, and The Triathalon; Wasaga Beach is a waterfront community with boating, water sports, swimming, hiking, and skiing available in addition to an amusement park and numerous public parks for picnicking and camping
