dance studios and many other amenities and activities. The
jewel of Lakeshore, the project cost $62 million, the same
amount of money Windsor spent on its International Aquatic
and Training Centre - except Windsor had a budget of $750
million, while Belle River only had around $30 million.
“To be that bold, they would have had to spend $1.5
billion on a community facility to be in the same league
proportionately,” said Steve Salmons, director of community
development services. “It was a tremendous vision, a
tremendous risk, a gutsy thing to do.”
But rather than trail in Windsor’s shadow, Belle River saw
the project as a chance to express what the community is
really about.
“We made it family-oriented. We saw what Windsor was
doing and we figured there was no use in getting competitive
swimming,” said Mayor Tom Bain. “We went with a family
theme…so there’s entertainment for all ages of the family.”
Strip the big ambitions away from the town and you
discover a place that’s discovered it’s great to be small.
Construction on Notre Dame St. made commuting difficult,
but according to Janel Gagnier, BIA Office Co-ordinator and
Organizer of Special Events, it was all worth it. With sidewalks
wider now, residents can walk down the middle of their town
and experience their tightly knit community in action. Events
like the town’s recent “Stroll the Street” event give residents a
chance to see what their own town has to offer. And it’s not
just services either.
“Our retailers are different from many places just because
of the friendliness and the customer service,” said Gagnier.
“There’s that small town feel. The community is strong,
(there’s) friendly faces and people know your name.”
With the lowest tax rates in Essex County, it’s not hard to
believe there’ve been residents coming to the region from
Toronto, having sold their house and buying one in Belle River
for half that price. With Lakeshore hitting the 37,000
population mark this year, Salmons said Canada is just
beginning to discover the map doesn’t end in London.
Whether you’re a 19th century French explorer first
settling in the area, or a 21st century Toronto explorer
discovering the region, it just goes to show that for some
places, plus ça change, plus c’est la même chose.
Belle River Sunsplash
July 21-24, 2016
This year’s Sunsplash Festival contains four days of action packed activities for
all ages! Sponsored by the town’s Business Improvement Area (BIA), the
Sunsplash committee strives to provide residents and visitors with a memorable
weekend.
Check out a video from last year’s festival here!
Below: The Belle River Farmers Market takes place each Sunday during the summer in Belle River Optimist
Park. On the right, beachgoers enjoy the sandy shore.