Under blue skies and sunshine, the flags were raised at the Port of Orillia Thursday afternoon to signify the start of another boating season.
Orillia District Chamber of Commerce representatives and local officials raised the Orillia, Ontario, and Canadian flags at the waterfront to kick off the boating season ahead.
“It is always a highlight and, hopefully, it's an indication that summer tourism has arrived,” said Mayor Don McIsaac. “This is a big driver of tourism in Orillia — people talk about the jewel of the Port of Orillia on the Trent system, so that's important.”
Although extensive construction is slated for the area through the coming months, the chamber of commerce anticipates a summer just as busy — if a bit different — than any other at the Port of Orillia.
“We're excited for a good year this year. We understand there might be a little bit of hiccups with construction, but we're still anticipating a full season for us, (with) events and full boat slips, so we're excited for the year,” said chamber president Nathan Housser.
Housser expects the only real impact to be difficulties with parking and launching boats as the Centennial Drive reconstruction project takes place.
“I don't anticipate a whole lot different because it's not different for the Port of Orillia — it's more coming into the port,” Housser told OrilliaMatters. “I think, for locals, the boat launch will be an issue this year … so the volume will be less, I think.”
While the chamber still plans to have a full event schedule this year, Housser said some of its events might be a “little different,” given the circumstances, just as a number of usual waterfront events have made alternative arrangements for the summer.
“Our boat show might look a little different. We’re going to have some boats in water, as of right now, and some boats on land at a different location, so that's going to be a little bit of a juggling act,” he said. “But other than that, I think once July hits, we hopefully should be full bore (with) events here, so our Pirate Party, and things like that, should be good to go here.”
McIsaac highlighted a new, temporary parking lot set to open on Front Street through the summer months, which Housser hopes will help alleviate the waterfront’s diminished parking supply.
“We have a new parking lot to help everyone, just around the corner,” the mayor said. “They're making good progress in filling that in and getting it going. More parking is always a good thing.”
