Pelee Island is a place that defies expectations on varying levels. When people arrive on Pelee Island for the very first time in the fall, they don’t expect to see acres of farms, row upon row of grapes, and tractor trailers full with the season’s haul sleepily boarding the ferry […]
Pelee Island
Over the Lake: Pelee Island Heritage Centre Welcomes Visitors Again
The Pelee Island Heritage Centre on Pelee Island has been closed to the public since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic in April 2020. The keeper of near and distant island history reopened its doors to visitors on August 9, 2021. The HC, as it is commonly called, sits directly […]
Over the Lake: Pelee Island — The Digital Desert In Your Backyard
While unplugging may be part of what makes Pelee Island a real escape for visitors, lack of internet and, somedays, cell service leaves residents and business owners woefully behind in a digitally connected world. Most find short-term solutions through unlimited data plans but those plans can be costly, deliver throttled-down […]
New Pilot Project Permitting Golf Cars on Pelee Island
(PELEE ISLAND, ON) -On Tuesday, July 27, 2021, a new pilot project regulation under the Highway Traffic Act (HTA) to permit the use of golf cars on Pelee Island came into effect. The Township of Pelee Island has approved By-laws governing the operation of golf cars on the island. The Ten-year […]
Reminder to Off-road Vehicle Operators on Pelee Island
(PELEE ISLAND, ON) – The Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) Essex County Detachment is reminding all off-road vehicle users to obey applicable laws and safety precautions when operating any off-road vehicle on roads on Pelee Island. In accordance with the Off-Road Vehicle Act, municipalities must have a by-law permitting certain All-Terrain Vehicle […]
Over the Lake: Remote COVID Vaccination Clinic Returns to Pelee
When most people in Southwestern Ontario think of a remote or isolated community, they think of Northern Ontario. Pelee Island is the most southern community in Canada and also happens to be isolated, without year-round road or marine access. While it is specifically the isolation many people seek, the gaps […]
Over the Lake: Investment of $40 Million Hasn’t Improved Access to Pelee
Residents, tourism operators, farming operations, cottagers and visitors are scrambling to book passage to and from the mainland terminal in Leamington due to extremely limited ferry capacity. A staffing issue at Owen Sound Transportation Company, on top of COVID-19 restrictions, are cited as the specific reasons for the service reduction. […]
Over The Lake: Farmers Market and Theatre Production Return to Pelee
Pelee Island is known for some unusual spaces and historical holdovers from yesteryear. Did you know that the Island also has an acoustically perfect natural limestone amphitheatre? Exposed natural limestone shale lines a defunct quarry and provides the backdrop for an eclectic art, music and spoken word series known as […]
Over the Lake: Pelee Island Is For Sale
The “everywhere” real estate boom is more of a rumble on Pelee Island but it is still being felt. To the people trying to escape cities, green their lives and find their own beach, a remote island looks pretty good. A shortage of available inventory has driven prices up everywhere. But […]
Over the Lake: Lockdown into Tourism Season on Pelee Island
What most people in Windsor and Essex County have experienced through extended lockdowns is the general state of affairs on Pelee Island. No big box stores, gyms or nail salons are closed because none have ever been opened. There are no little leagues or soccer pitches to shut down. Obtaining […]