Bayfield v2.0

After growing up in Kincardine and Port Elgin, attending McMaster University in Hamilton, and establishing my career in Waterloo, I made the move to Bayfield, 18 months ago. I am excited to contribute to our shared community, build roots & relationships with fellow residents, and welcome & embrace visitors to our idyllic village.

In the time I’ve been here, I have taken the opportunity to observe the way of life and the experience afforded to those of us who are fortunate to call Bayfield ’home’. Below is a non-exhaustive list of ideas I have I’d be happy to discuss with other residents and the community at large, should the appetite exist.

• Our ‘lakeshore road’ of Tuyll would benefit from traffic calming measures. Perhaps a stop sign or two? As it is, drivers are left unchecked, and speeding is a risk.
• Street lighting along Main Street, and neighbouring residential streets is sorely lacking. Some streets are pitch black after the sun goes down, and safety (personal and physical) is a concern.
• We live in the Municipality of Bluewater, and in a village immediately on Lake Huron, yet we have no water features in any of our parks. The water brought many of us to this town.. let’s see more of it!
• In this era of the pandemic, it is wonderful to see so many people out walking, enjoying the fresh air. Might we invest in this type of activity with the introduction of a dedicated walking/running/cycling path woven through the village? What a way to encourage even more physical activity and invest in the health of our neighbours!
• Whereas I am fortunate to be able to move freely, I see many individuals with mobility challenges who struggle to navigate Main Street. The gravel paths, the steps up and down... for those where walking is not something to be taken for granted, these can be challenging obstacles to overcome.
• As our population grows, it will age as well. Creating homes and facilities for our aging population is a step to a more inclusive community. It would be wonderful to see Bayfield invest in long term care and retirement residences.
• Finally, let’s give some thought to closing off vehicle traffic from Main Street. Over the month of December, we did see Main Street become ‘pedestrian only’ and it was fantastic! Now, imagine if this becomes a movement into the summer, with vendors and their stalls placed up and down the middle of Main Street, creating a market for local farmers, artisans, and makers to share and sell!

There is so much we could do to evolve our way of life and the experiences we share. Keep the ideas coming, keep those minds open, and I will see you around town :)

Rocky Jain