Bay Beach About
ABOUT BAY BEACH
Bay Beach (also known as Crystal Beach) has a vast sandy area with clear water where locals and visitors can enjoy a relaxing day at the beach. Bay Beach has undergone extensive renovations to provide an accessible and modern beach facility for the enjoyment of locals and visitors alike. New park features include:
- state-of-the-art washroom facility (complete with lockers, change rooms and a water bottle filling station)
- new playground donated by the Ridgeway Lions Club
- pavilion
- festival square for community events
- accessible ramp down to the beach
- beach mats to provide access to the water’s edge
- viewing deck that extends over the beach
History
Bay Beach (also known as Crystal Beach) is a tourist attraction located in Fort Erie, Ontario, along the shores of Lake Erie. The names Bay Beach and Crystal Beach are sometimes used interchangeably. However, Bay Beach is a distinct neighbourhood and refers to the beach attraction.
The beach is located west of the former Village of Crystal Beach. Many of the summer homes in Bay Beach were built in the late 1890s and a large enclave of cottages built in the 1940s. In 2001, that development was demolished when the Town of Fort Erie purchased those cottages and repurposed the land to build the parking lot and entrance to the public beach (Schooley and Erie Roads).
Bay Beach was a part of Bertie Township. In 1970, Bertie Township, the Village of Crystal Beach and the Town of Fort Erie amalgamated to form the Town of Fort Erie. Bay Beach attraction is located within the neighbourhood of the former Village of Crystal Beach.