It was a special day as North Bay Mayor Victor Fedeli joined former Mayor Bruce Goulet and his wife Jackie at the dedication of the Goulet Golden Mile.
It was a special day as North Bay Mayor Victor Fedeli joined former Mayor Bruce Goulet and his wife Jackie at the dedication of the Goulet Golden Mile.
It was Goulet’s dream 40 years ago that the deralicked untouched lakefront property be developed into something special for everyone to enjoy and with that coined the phrase the Golden Mile, and on Saturday the city and members of Council took the opportunity to acknowledge the fundamental role Goulet played in the development of the waterfront.
Below is the address Mayor Victor Fedeli made during the dediction:
This is another great day for North Bay … everywhere you look, the City is booming. There are houses under construction, buildings going up, and streets being repaired. Companies are expanding, our population is increasing, and people are working.
So it's nice to stop, in the midst of all this unparalleled activity, to stop and remember a time in the past. A time when our citizens looked around the City and began to dream.
There certainly was a large group of men and women who turned their attention to what is now our waterfront. So many people have called with so many wonderful stories of this person's endeavours and that service clubs concept. It's amazing just how many people really where involved in transforming this forgotten mile into something unforgettable.
Today we want to commemorate one of those people. Representing the downtown business community, Bruce Goulet packaged one concept and brought it to City Council some 40 years ago. There were many presentations before, and many after, but Bruce Goulet presented something unique - he coined it the Golden Mile.
Those of us who grew up in North Bay remember what this area looked like in the 1950s and 60s there was no roadway; no Memorial Drive back then. Where we stand today was inaccessible, dirty, littered with derelict buildings. Other than the Government Dock, you could not get to Lake Nipissing. The only view was a look into the future ... the picture in our mind of a Golden Mile of beach, Bruce's Golden Mile.
Now, Bruce is quick to share the vision with many, in fact there will be a brass plaque installed in our commemorative area. The Goulet family had free rein in the scripting of the plaque:
Goulet Golden Mile
Bruce Goulet was the Mayor of the City of North Bay in 1971-72. He first presented his vision for the development of the Lake Nipissing waterfront in 1965 and called it the Golden Mile. He was named Chair of the Golden Mile Committee, a volunteer group dedicated to the successful completion of the plan to retain this area at the core of the city as a 'people place'. Over the years, hundreds of volunteers have given freely of their time and talent to make it so. We are grateful to successive City Councils and their staff who have partnered with community workers in preserving and enhancing this idyllic space for all to savour and enjoy.
The Goulet Family
Bruce, you continually acknowledge all those involved, but today we acknowledge you. It's no longer a vision; a picture of what a Golden Mile of beach might look like It's a reality. We have our Golden Mile, and today, it's the Goulet Golden Mile.
