Seventy-five issues! How the time – and pages – have flown. I clearly recall our first-ever issue of On The Bay published in the Summer of 2004. On the cover: a young, active and vibrant couple, Noelle and Doug Wansbrough, and their then-young children, now grown, frolicking on the Thornbury beach of Georgian Bay. It was the perfect cover shot to introduce our fledgling magazine and reflect our tagline: ‘Celebrating Life in Southern Georgian Bay.’
Our guiding vision was clear. As Jeff Shearer noted in his Publisher’s Message, “Beginning with this, our inaugural issue, On The Bay Magazine brings readers a selection of interesting, informative and well-written features and columns on such topics as outdoor activities, arts, crafts, food, restaurants, gardening and local history, as well as photo spreads of beautiful Southern Georgian Bay homes and landscapes. The publication also delves into major regional issues, including environmental and developmental challenges and the changing nature of the area both demographically and psychographically.”
The stories in that first issue set the stage for the editorial approach that has continued to steer us through the years. There was an activity piece about cycling on our trails, another about golfing, a beautiful featured home, a lovely perennial garden, a food column, a story about our region’s restaurants, and a listing of the many artists and artisans throughout Southern Georgian Bay.
Those stories showcased our fun side, but we also took pains to ensure that we were seen right out of the gate as a serious magazine analyzing the issues that impact our lifestyle and enjoyment of this place we’ve chosen to call home.
To that end, I wrote a feature titled, “The Great Migration,” detailing the many reasons people come to Southern Georgian Bay to live, work and play. We came up with two acronyms to describe our region and the types of people drawn to it: NORC (Naturally Occurring Retirement Community) and NATS (Naturally Attracted Thirty-Somethings). In other words, this area was a draw for retirees and Baby Boomers, but the natural beauty and amenities were also attractive to a younger cohort.
The article quoted David Foot, the author of the seminal book on demographics, “Boom, Bust & Echo”: “You’re looking for something different than the downtown concrete jungle. You want some peace and quiet, nice scenery and an active four-season lifestyle.” I also interviewed pollster and author Michael Adams, who said, “I do not see Collingwood as a retirement community. I see it as a living community with an indigenous population that is going to be oriented to services and an itinerant population that is going to be oriented toward activities and amenities.”
It’s rewarding all these years later to see just how our community has evolved – and how right we were about where things were heading.
Our other main feature in that first issue looked at wind turbine projects, which were at that time in the early stages of proposals to be erected on farmland throughout the region and on top of the Niagara Escarpment. We later published several follow-up stories about wind turbines, which on balance showed them to be detrimental. Our ongoing coverage and our strong editorial stand on the issue demonstrated our unique role as an advocate for our region (one project slated for Fairgrounds Road in Clearview Township was scuppered and there have been no further proposals since).
We’ve continued to delve into the issues that affect our community, from water levels and gravel pits to real estate and development, and everything in between. We’ve also kept our lighter side intact, with stories about all of the four-season activities our region offers, plus more beautiful homes and gardens, more arts and culture, more food and beverages … more of everything that celebrates life in Southern Georgian Bay.
Thanks to everyone who made our first 75 issues possible – our staff, contributors, advertisers … and most of all, you, our readers. Here’s to the next 75! ❧
