What makes Southern Georgian Bay distinct and what does the future hold for the rapidly evolving region we call home? An exploration of the challenges and opportunities we face, told through the lens of 10 local visionaries.
What makes Southern Georgian Bay distinct and what does the future hold for the rapidly evolving region we call home? An exploration of the challenges and opportunities we face, told through the lens of 10 local visionaries.
Retirees and birdwatching. That was the destiny economist and author David Foot envisioned for our region when I interviewed him 14 years ago for an article in the inaugural issue of On The Bay. Foot had foretold the growth of our region in his seminal 1996 book, Boom, Bust & Echo, concluding that as our country’s 10 million baby boomers aged, they would be looking for semi-rural areas such as ours in which to spend their golden years.
These well-educated, affluent boomers, he predicted, would make a positive contribution to our community by supporting cultural and charitable causes. And as they aged, they would turn to ever-more-passive recreational pursuits, gravitating from skiing, tennis and hockey to golf, birdwatching and gardening.
“It’s no longer just people coming up here to retire; we have young families and young adults coming here because it is a lifestyle choice that they’re making.”
For the full story of all 10 visionaries, visit The Visionaries
On The Bay Magazine