Sauble Beach businesses working to stay open while tourists told to stay away

Some Sauble Beach business owners want the public to know they’re open for business despite a push by local public officials to keep tourists at bay.

The region’s medical officer of health has consulted local mayors and is considering an order closing all of Grey-Bruce’s beaches to the public in the coming days.

On Monday, South Bruce Peninsula Mayor Janice Jackson wanted to make it clear to any potential day-trippers that there was “nothing for them to come to” at Sauble.

Ryan Gardhouse owns BeaverTails at Sauble Beach and said he’s invested over $8,000 in the business ahead of the long weekend.

“To tell them don’t come, there’s no retail, there’s no food, there’s nothing, it’s frustrating for business owners who are investing in staff and investing in product to have available,” Gardhouse said.

Gardhouse said he understands the mayor’s comment was targeted to out-of-towners, but also thinks a more positive tone with an eye toward the future should be put forth from local leaders when discussing the business community.

“Let’s talk about all the positive things we’re going to do to be ready and promote the region when this is all over with. We don’t talk about that. The only thing we talk about is: our beach is closed, there’s nothing here, don’t come,” he said. “That wears on a business owner. I’ve got everything – everything I’ve built exists in Sauble. I am not a special case. Small business owners like me are all in the same boat, and at a certain point the lack of hopeful, positive, future-looking messaging … it strips away at you.”

Alexina Akins owns Amicis Coffee Bar in Sauble Beach. She said it’s unfair of the mayor to make such comments while local businesses are working hard to stay open throughout the COVID-19 pandemic.

“In saying stuff like that, we’ve almost missed a great opportunity to open up the town to local people to kind of experience us again,” she said. “I talk to people all the time who say ‘oh I never go to Sauble anymore, it’s too busy I never go.’ Well, maybe now this can be a time for local people to experience what we’ve got. We’re trying really hard here … it’s a bit of a punch in the gut.”

Akins said despite the lack of a normal tourist season so far, her business has performed well since opening on May 1 for the summer.

“The people who are here are working really hard to support everyone,” she said. “It’s really isolating in this area throughout the winter, and when things open up it’s something for people to look forward to.”

In response to an e-mail from Gardhouse citing concerns about her comments, specifically that restaurants are closed, Jackson said she believes the local community is fully aware of which businesses in the area are open and that some restaurants are providing takeout services.

“What do they want me to say? Dining rooms are closed,” Jackson later said in an interview. “I’m sorry that the opening weekend of the summer is not going to go as planned, and I feel for these seasonal businesses, but all businesses are suffering and they’ve been suffering for two months already. I’m sorry if I’ve upset the seasonal business community, but we have to consider the entire community and what’s best.”

Jackson doubled-down on her resolution to do what she can to make sure Sauble Beach remains quiet this weekend.

“This is not the time to back down. I’ve said that a million times,” she said. “The local community already knows who is open. If they want me to tell the world that Sauble is open for the long weekend, I won’t do that.”

The mayor still fears Sauble could become a respite for city-weary travellers this weekend, and a spike in disease numbers could follow.

“We could easily get 10,000 people on the beach if the weather is good and they think things are all open and things were rosy. They’re dying to get out of the city, they’ve been cooped up there for two months,” she said. “If we can get past this long weekend we might salvage the next long weekend. I don’t want to lose our entire summer, but if we start promoting Sauble Beach in any way it will come back to haunt us.”

Both Gardhouse and Akins made a point to say they respect Jackson’s leadership in the community and support the measures taken to stop a potential influx of visitors, but believe more can be done to help support local small businesses.

“I’m looking down the main street of Sauble right now, and there’s no one here,” Akins said. “I’m getting very disheartened by the idea that anybody coming here is coming here with malicious intent.”

John Bryja publishes Kitesurfing Magazine and heads the Bruce Grey Kitesurfing Group. He said Tuesday that kitesurfers are telling him Bruce-Grey is one of the only areas in the world restricting access to the beaches for individual sports.

“I think they’re kind of throwing the baby out with the bathwater here when they’re looking at closing the beaches completely and not letting people go surfing or doing the sports they do on the beaches,” he said.

Bryja said most kitesurfers he’s spoken with in recent days say areas with closed beaches are making exceptions for hobbyists and people looking to exercise as long as they’re following physical distancing rules. And, he said, kitesurfing, paddle-boarding and other individual sports are some of the only outlets that remain for people who want some form of recreation.

“They’re individual sports that don’t put anybody at risk, and they’re definitely good for people’s mental health,” he said. “I’ve got a 15-year-old son who is looking forward to kitesurfing this summer because he knows he’s probably not going to be able to play baseball.”

Bryja said he doesn’t think creating an exception to the rule for locals and those with close access would cause the area’s beaches to become a magnet for tourist traffic.

“For someone who has a year-round residence in Sauble Beach to not be allowed to walk across the street and go kitesurfing is pretty ridiculous,” he said.

Gardhouse said he understands why local officials are discouraging day-trippers and tourists from travelling to the area, but thinks local interests are being hurt.

“I’m not promoting on my social media feeds for the business that it’s May 24, bring all your buddies and let’s go to Sauble. I’m not promoting that, and I don’t believe that, but I don’t think it’s wrong to say, hey, I’m open,” he said.

He said navigating that balance is the “reality on the ground” for small local shop owners who are struggling to operate seasonal and tourism-driven businesses in an area where tourists are being told to stay away.

“I’m trying to find that balance between the responsibility, the greater social responsibility, and feeding my kids for the next year. It’s a huge struggle. So, any hope that we’re getting is greatly appreciated and needed,” he said. “Especially in a place like Sauble where we have eight weeks. We have eight weeks a year to make 12 months worth of revenue.”