Civil and Municipal - Jan 2024

They love the area,” McGarvey quips. Harris further emphasizes the value to the community, remarking, “We’re working with the federal government who we lease the wharf from, to do upgrades so that it can continue to be an important part of the waterfront and create economic development spin-offs.” In addition, the waterfront serves as a hub for community gatherings and events. Festivals and a weekly market featuring craft and food vendors contribute to the area’s vibrancy, drawing visitors and tourists to experience the scenic beauty and lively atmosphere of Parry Sound. McGarvey points out that Parry Sound’s location on Georgian Bay provides access to anywhere in the world by boat, which played a crucial role in the town’s development centuries ago. Sharing that the community is known as the jewel of the 30,000 Islands, he remarks, “We’re a doorway to the largest freshwater archipelago in the world. We are in a UNESCO biosphere, and one of the unique things that the Georgian Bay Biosphere has done is identify some unique places on the Bay and the surrounding area, where they organize guided tours so that people can better understand and appreciate the environment and the Indigenous history of the area, which is significant.” With many people taking up seasonal residence on the islands in Georgian Bay, he says that barging companies such as Chantler Barging, and North Shore Barge are a valued source of support in the area, acting as water taxis and delivering goods and services to homes and cottages. INFRASTRUCTURE AND GROWTH McGarvey highlights Parry Sound’s growth, suggesting that the current population surpasses the official count of 7,000, and that more expansion is imminent. “We’ve had several condominiums built in the past few years. Proposed development projects include the waterfront as well as infill within the town. We are development ready. Everything is ready to go.We are working with the provincial government to get csparch.com | 2345 Yonge Street, Suite 200 Toronto, Ontario | 416.482.5002 West Parry Sound Recreation and Cultural Centre 52 CIVIL AND MUNICIPAL VOLUME 5, ISSUE 01