New letters reflect ownership by First Nation
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An iconic sign that for decades has greeted beachgoers upon arrival to a popular beach on the Lake Huron shoreline was switched up on Canada Day.
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Following a court decision that solidified ownership of a roughly two-kilometre stretch of land to the Chippewas of Saugeen First Nation, the recognizable, red-lettered Sauble Beach changed overnight, catching elected officials and visitors by complete surprise.
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The sign now reads “Welcome to Saugeen Beach” where the pavement meets the sand at the end of Main St. in this popular beach town about 30 minutes from Owen Sound and three hours northwest of Toronto.
“This change marks an important and long-overdue act of reclamation,” Saugeen First Nation Beach Advisory Committee co-chair Cheree Urscheler said, per the Owen Sound Sun Times.
“What some see as just a sign change is, for us, a symbol of truth, resilience and the reclamation of what has always been ours,” the Saugeen First Nation Councillor added on social media on Tuesday.
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“Welcome to Saugeen Beach — where the land remembers, and so do we.”
The sign change follows a yearslong legal battle in a fight between the First Nation, the Municipality of South Bruce Peninsula, the Ontario government and several local families for ownership of the beach.
Last December, the Ontario Court of Appeal sided with the First Nation, saying the federal governnment had breached the treaty it signed in 1854.
Elected officials, meanwhile, expressed shock by the overnight sign change and said they didn’t learn of the change until the morning on July 1. The municipality said it was not notified and while it respects that the land now belongs to Saugeen First Nation, a heads-up would have been appreciated.
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“The Sauble Beach sign is a well-known landmark with deep meaning for many people,” Mayor Jay Kirkland said.
“While we respect Saugeen First Nation’s right to make changes on their land, we believe open communication is important — especially when it involves something so symbolic to the broader community. We remain committed to respectful dialogue and working together in the spirit of mutual understanding,” Kirkland added.
Urscheler said the original plan was to change the sign ahead of the Victoria Day weekend in May, which marks the unofficial start of the summer beach season, but the various meetings held up that plan.
The new sign is temporary, and more drastic changes to the design appear likely. The Saugeen First Nation Beach Advisory Committee said it plans to engage the community and local artists to devise an entirely new sign.
On Canada Day, Urscheler said reaction was mostly positive among visitors.
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