Artificial Reef - Toronto

In briefly reviewing the efforts by the Eastern Ontario Artificial Reef Asssoc. to sink a navy ship, I came across a reference to OFWF as a possible source of opposition views to the project. Is the idea of sinking a wreck an issue that has already been assessed and resolved for Toronto or is it an idea whose time has come?

It takes lots and lots of money and I haven't see now or anyone in the past opening up there wallets to get such a project moving forward. You can forget about dive shop contributions most are barely surviving to pay what little bills they have. Diving is dead and your looking at over a million bucks just to get such a project started.

Diving is dead?? What makes you say that??

Compared to what it was 12 years ago there are only half as many active divers now, about a dozen excellnet Scuba charters that were in the St LAwrence and Kingston area have all but gone and only a hand full of scavengers are left trying to make what ever money there's is. There just isn't that disposable income anymore its an expensive sport. You need to have been diving as many years as I have 38 in Ontario to really understand how this sport has dwindled.

what is OFWF?

Ontario Freshwater Freaks?

I've only been diving 11 years in Ontario, but I don't see diving as dead, far from it. There are tonnes of divers diving in Ontario but the type of market has changed and the store owners need to change with it. Typical divers are more exposed to forums like this; have more knowledge of different types of diving, equipment, courses and techniques than they once used to; have the ability to shop around a lot more than they once did, and are part of a global economy more than ever before.

If shop owners continue to offer the same equipment, the same courses, and the same high prices that they did 20 years ago, they can expect to fall behind in this consumer's market where they are looking for the status quo in training, equipment and knowledge today at decent prices. The SCUBA travel market also seems to have increased substantially and many dive shops are offering more travel and more exotic travel through their own travel agencies. Many dive shops have also taken advantage of providing online shopping. Many dive shops also have an online social media presence through Facebook, Twitter, and scuba boards. Some dive shops sell their gas by volume rather than by fill or have loyalty cards where you get some fills free. Store owners who keep up with the long-term trends do seem to be doing well, rather than just staying afloat.

One thing shops can do as far as training goes is stop trying to push BS courses and focus on ones that actually improve the skills of their divers. People will still readily open their wallets for quality instruction and courses that have real meat in them.

fred3798:

In briefly reviewing the efforts by the Eastern Ontario Artificial Reef Asssoc. to sink a navy ship, I came across a reference to OFWF as a possible source of opposition views to the project. Is the idea of sinking a wreck an issue that has already been assessed and resolved for Toronto or is it an idea whose time has come?

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They actually referenced a uniquely named sub-forum on ScubaBoard as a source of opposing views?

Jim Lapenta:

One thing shops can do as far as training goes is stop trying to push BS courses and focus on ones that actually improve the skills of their divers. People will still readily open their wallets for quality instruction and courses that have real meat in them.

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common Jim, everyone wants to collect pokemon PADI cards Especially the Fish Id one.

ok, enough sarcasm for the year. I agree courses need more meat!