In the fall of 2009, I moved back to Timmins after graduating university and traveling the world once over. Unfortunately by the following summer I was ready to leave. I became somewhat resentful towards a city that seemingly lacked the ability to change, and so I decided to pack my bags once again.
Still my heart has always remained with Timmins. I would always ask myself: how can I be the change I want see in this city? My answer: build Northern Ontario’s first wake park.
I have been wakeboarding for 13 years now ever since my mother bribed us into spending more time at the family cottage, and bought a boat for my brother and I. From there wakeboarding has taken us around the world to places like Australia, Philippines, Thailand, Dominican Republic, America, and countless other tours through Quebec, Ontario, and Manitoba.
We have seen what great ideas can do for a city, a region, and a country. And so with that in mind, my brother and I began dreaming up the reality of building our own wake park right here at home.
Having set our sights on the eastern corner of Gillies Lake along Highway 655, we knew this would be no easy task. Fortunately after almost a year of lobbying local representatives the Mattagami River Conservation Authority’s Board of Directors passed a resolution on April 9th, 2013, endorsing the use of Gillies Lake as a location for the installation of a wakeboarding recreational facility.
We are now at a critical juncture in moving this project forward. Negotiations with the MRCA are underway with a two-year trial period on the table. A major component of the deal is that the wake park is responsible for all costs associated with the startup and operation of the facility; it is important to understand that no taxpayer money is at play here.
We are talking about a $100,000 investment into this community for something that will pull people back into the city’s core, establish a new tourist attraction for the area, and promote an active lifestyle.
Most importantly, it will provide opportunity for youth to partake in a sport that was once inaccessible for many.
The Roots Wake Series is Canada’s only wake park competition tour that brings out hundreds of amateur competitors and spectators from across Southern Ontario and Quebec. The sport has become so popular that it was short listed for inclusion at the 2020 Olympic games. Northern Ontarians deserve a training facility where they too can achieve at the highest levels of the sport.
Failing to reach an agreement for a wake park at Gillies Lake would send a very troublesome message to the youth in this city. While there are some people who absolutely do not want to see this facility go ahead, we must collectively advocate for something that will bring about positive change in this community.
Again, this facility operates for about 4-5 months of the year during the summer months. After which the park as a whole is decommissioned and stored away for winter; the only permanent structure to remain is a small 6’x4’x6’ wooden shed wherein the electrical system is stored.
The wake park course itself stretches 200m from shore to shore in between two towers. Each tower measures about 20’ high, and is linked by a suspended steel cable. An electric motor is located on the first tower and operates with an average recorded noise level of 60 dB; which is fairly quiet in comparison to traffic on Highway 655 and Algonquin Blvd.
These systems have been developed with conservation values in mind. Aside from the fact that they are powered by electricity and are emission free, these cable systems were developed in Europe in the 1970’s because it was becoming very difficult to waterski due to the availability of public lakes and rising gas prices.
In no way are we attempting to ruin Gillies Lake, quite the opposite actually. We see incredible potential and a vision to help create a sustainable future for Timmins. By utilizing new technologies, innovative design, and upholding high environmental standards we believe a wake park works to enhance our public waterfronts in a very responsible and respectful manner.
I invite you to share in our vision for the future of this city. Let’s show the youth in our community that the status quo will no longer suffice. Join us in helping bring this very exciting recreational opportunity to the city of Timmins. Please contact the MRCA and let them know that you want to see a wake park on the shores of Gillies Lake next summer.
You can find us on Facebook @Timmins Wake Park Project for more information.
Thank you.
Jonathan & Justin Bonney
