Familiar Toronto name running for mayor in Wasaga Beach

It’s less than two weeks until the municipal election and there are some interesting races ahead, including in Wasaga Beach where a familiar name from Toronto is running for mayor.

Giorgio Mammoliti, a former city councillor, was known for making headlines including when he called for a city-wide 11 p.m. curfew for youth and caused a furor with controversial statements.

After more than two decades in his North York riding, Mammolitti lost his seat in the 2018 election after the wards were reduced from 44 to 25 and moved to Wasaga Beach.

When asked when (if) his style of politics will change if he gets elected, Mammoliti tells CityNews, “One of the things I tell people is Toronto was a different flavour all together, with 45 politicians in that chamber you had to yell and scream to get what your community wanted.”

“Here’s a different tone. They’re calm people, they’re wonderful people. They don’t want that flavor. And I’m not going to bring that theater (theatre) cap to Wasaga Beach .”

A key campaign issue this year is the prime lot on the main strip of Wasaga Beach, the world’s longest freshwater beach where about 1.5 million people visit each year.

It was gutted by a fire 15 years ago and still remains vacant.

“I think a lot of questions need to be asked about the value of land and why this is sitting so empty for so long,” said Mammoliti.

The municipality has been in negotiations with developers to build up the downtown which is designated as high density and could include condos.

In August, the town agreed to sell the land to a developer, subject to a 120-day due diligence period. The plan calls for retail on the ground floor and condos above with a public square.

Mammoliti’s vision does not include condos. “Instead of selling this property to the private sector, I’d like to keep it and create a square here and bring the rides back that most people will remember about Wasaga Beach.”

Wasaga Beach is currently a growing community like many areas outside the GTA. It has about 25,000 full-time residents, almost four times the population from 30 years ago. About 11,000 are expected to turn up to vote for one of the four candidates running for Mayor.

Leslie Farkas, the owner of a commercial aviation company, is one of those contenders. Farkas ran for town council in the last election but lost. This time, he is running for mayor.

“It seems to me Wasaga Beach is at a crossroads in where it is going to go next, how to proceed … it is developing quickly,” Farkas told CityNews.

Farkas said he is on board with development of the main strip but said it is key that whatever is built stays true to the community’s identity.

“I’d like to see minimal condos; I’d like to see no condos if it was possible but I understand there is a minimum requirement for a developer to come here and do the work and I do understand that but I certainly would like to see that number a lot closer to the minimum number than the maximum number that benefits the developer as opposed to the residents.”

Taxes, infrastructure and protecting the environment are some of the others election issues voters are focused on.

The other two candidates running for mayor are incumbent Nina Bifolchi, who was elected to her first term in 2018, and Brian Smith, who was the mayor prior to Bifolchi.

CityNews reached out to both candidates for an interview but did not receive a response in time.

Mammoliti’s legacy also may continue in Toronto as his son, Christopher, is running for his father’s former councillor seat in Humber River-Black Creek.

The municipal election is set to be held on Oct. 24 and advance voting is currently ongoing.

With files from Meredith Bond