The Ocean View - Vision to Action

 





Some moments stick with you, completely reshaping how you view your home. Years ago, during a lunch break in the staff room at the College, a coworker from Random Island said something that sparked a total epiphany for me: "I could never live somewhere where I could not see the ocean."

Having grown up in inland Buchans, I had never found the ocean central to my sense of place. But the sheer passion in her voice woke me up to what is right in front of us in Clarenville—something that I, and apparently too many of us, take for granted.

The universe decided to drive that lesson home a few years later. In 2012, I was touring a TSN scouting crew to find the perfect location for a live broadcast from Clarenville. Naturally, I took them to the Clarenville Events Centre parking lot—practical, spacious, and logical.

The producers didn't hesitate with their rejection: "No. We must be on the coastline."

We have about 8 kilometres of some of the best, most sheltered coastline in the province right here in Clarenville. Our forefathers used every bit of it as they settled between the upper and lower Shoal Harbour River estuaries. Along that coast, we have several noteworthy beaches, including Stanley’s Beach, Shoal Harbour Beach, and Red Beach. Yet, why is it we rarely see people on them? We also have Lower Shoal Harbour, the Clarenville Marina in Dark Hole, and the Shoreline Park near the Shipyard.

The Shoreline Park project, which we planned during my term on Council, is a small but tangible initiative to recover the value of our waterfront. Looking at it from above, you see a beautifully manicured green space, carved out right against the rocky shoreline, complete with picnic tables, benches, historical display panels (https://www.paultilley.ca/our.../waterfront-history-panel), a replica dory, and a soon-to-be-built gazebo. It’s a space designed for pause.

I notice that visitors are down there daily. In fact, just this morning, I watched a lady doing yoga on the newly installed concrete pathway, finding her footing right at the water's edge.

We live next to a beautiful piece of oceanfront. If we all could experience the epiphany I was shown years ago, we would work together to ensure this entire area gets the dignity, development, and appreciation it truly deserves



Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Into the Deep: Is a New Pool a Pipe Dream or a Priority for Clarenville?

Image
The promise of building a pool/wellness centre in Clarenville has been political catnip in recent municipal elections.  There has been much discussion in the community and the council about what to include in the facility. But the single most important issue, the cost and the Town's ability to pay for the facilities' operation, has been largely ignored.   Yes, a pool is a great idea.  But it will come with an ongoing cost that we all need to be clear on before we go further.  Is a new swimming pool a "must-have" for our growing town, or a luxury we simply can’t afford alone? At Tuesday's public meeting , Clarenville Council put $115,000 on the table to hire a consultant to answer that very question. It’s a move that puts us on a similar path to the Town of Paradise. As we start this process, we have to ask: in a town of 7,200 people, how do we build a multimillion-dollar wellness centre without drowning the taxpayer? The "Paradise" Reality Check The Tow...
Read more

The Call to Action: Why Clarenville Cannot Wait for "First Oil"

Image
"You have to put your shoulder to the wheel. You just can't sit back and let it happen. If you sit back and don't make the effort yourself, don't invest your capital and time and energy and ideas, Clarenville is not going to prosper just because it's Clarenville." Premier Clyde Wells in a presentation to the Clarenville Chamber of Commerce in 1990 Whether we admit it or not, Clarenville's past and future have been/will be tied to the oil industry. The March 2026 benefits agreement with Equinor has placed Clarenville at a critical crossroads. While the history of the town is defined by petroleum "waves," the Bay du Nord project presents a unique set of psychological and logistical hurdles that require immediate, organized action from the local business community. 1. The Peril of "Lost Corporate Memory." Clarenville has successfully navigated three major booms (1973, 1990, 2011), yet because these projects are separated by 15–20 years, t...
Read more

Bay du Nord: A Generational Opportunity for Clarenville

Image
My Interview with CBC Newfoundland Morning's Martin Jones: https://www.cbc.ca/listen/live-radio/1-210-cbc-newfoundland-morning/clip/16202009-bay-du-nord-bring-economic-boom-former-clarenville Big News for Clarenville and our Region: A Generational Opportunity Tuesday, March 3, 2026  could prove to be a historic day for Newfoundland and Labrador.  The provincial government has officially signed a landmark benefits agreement with Equinor and BP, clearing the path for the $14-billion Bay du Nord offshore oil project.  If the project comes to fruition, the ripples will be felt right in our backyard.  For Clarenville and the surrounding area, this is more than just a "big project"—it’s a potential game-changer - if we are proactive at maximizing the advantage of the opportunity.  Here is the breakdown of the agreement: Bull Arm Dry Dock The agreement includes a $200-million fabrication fund dedicated to building a large floating dry dock at the Bull Arm site. This is...
Read more