Reconstruction will make this vital economic corridor flood and climate resilient
WASAGA BEACH – Wasaga Beach continues to move forward quickly to reinvent the town’s famous commercial area along Beach Drive at Beach Area 1. Tomorrow, a section of Beach Drive between Spruce Street and 2nd Street will be closed, and construction will begin.
Improving roads and infrastructure along Beach Drive will resolve flooding issues that have continued to negatively impact tourism and businesses along this vital economic corridor. It will also unlock millions of dollars of investment, including a premium Marriott hotel that is set to be built on a parcel of land near Beach Drive in 2026, by the award-winning Sunray Group.
What’s happening tomorrow?
Beginning Tuesday, June 24:
- vehicles will not be able to drive beyond the Spruce Street municipal parking lot.
- 1st Street will be closed.
- 2nd Street, 3rd Street and the portion of Beach Drive that connects these two streets will remain open during this phase of work.
What to expect this summer along Beach Drive and at Beach Area 1
The Town has created a Summer 2025 Beach Area 1 Fun Map – this map illustrates what residents and visitors can expect at Beach Area 1 during this phase of construction, including where to park, where to eat and things to do near Beach Area 1 this summer.
4 things you need to know:
- Pedestrian access to the beachfront in front of Beach Drive will be maintained during construction.
- Roadway construction on Beach Drive will not impact the beach itself or any other Beach Areas.
- Special events, including beachfront Canada Day celebrations, the Town’s annual Midway and Memories of Summer concert, food trucks and several local businesses will continue to operate as usual. Check out the Summer 2025 Beach Area 1 Fun Map for full details.
- The Town has created a new parking map that includes municipal and provincial lots, to help make it easier to plan your visit to Wasaga Beach: wasagabeach.com/parking
Quotes
“For year-round hotels, shops, restaurants, cafes, and attractions to succeed near the beachfront, we need to rebuild Beach Drive and make it climate resilient. This will help ensure Wasaga Beach thrives as Ontario’s summer playground – and that we evolve into a year-round destination that will grow Ontario’s tourism sector, increase our municipal tax base, support local businesses, and better support the high levels of growth that our community has been experiencing.” — Mayor Brian Smith
Quick Facts
- In January 2025, Council welcomed the largest infrastructure investment in the history of Wasaga Beach when the Ontario government announced that it would invest $10.9 million to help fund about half of the costs of the redevelopment of Beach Drive. The other half of this project will be funded by developers.
- In May 2025, the Town of Wasaga Beach welcomed Premier Doug Ford and Ontario Minister of Tourism Stan Cho to town, along with news that the province will invest $38 million to help build Destination Wasaga.
Related links
Subscribe for Downtown Wasaga and Beach Area 1 construction updates.
Download the Beach Area 1 Summer Fun Map (shown below) and plan your visit to Wasaga Beach today!
About Wasaga Beach
For over one-hundred years, the Town of Wasaga Beach has been Ontario’s iconic summer playground — a place people come to have fun and create memories that will last a lifetime. Today, we’re on a mission to become a four-season recreation and live-music destination. Rebuilding Beach Drive and re-imagining our main commercial area at Beach Area 1 supports this vision and Council’s priorities: to create opportunities to diversify the economy, grow tourism, create jobs and build a complete community. It’s part of the Town’s plan to become a leader in sustainability, creativity, innovation and fun! A place with thriving businesses and safe, inclusive, complete neighbourhoods. A place where we celebrate our rich history, diversity of cultures and natural beauty, including the Nottawasaga River, Georgian Bay and the longest freshwater beach in the world.
