With summer close at hand, Cobourg Councillor Emily Chorley reported at this week's council meeting that the Victoria Park beach has again received the Blue Flag designation recognizing high standards in water quality, environmental management, public education and safety.
“The parks officially opened this past weekend. In Victoria Park, Peter Delanty Park and Sinclair Park, the washrooms are open, and all the baseball fields are open,” Chorley listed.
The recent open house at the town greenhouse drew more than 100 visitors for a preview of the floral displays that will soon be installed.
“My daughter Gabriella is very, very excited that two sets of new swings are being installed near the Victoria Park Beach,” Chorley said.
“I mentioned her name in honour of her seventh birthday.”
It's not all swings and sunshine, however. Chorley noted that recent wet weather conditions have slowed the progress of hydro upgrades in the parks, and the harbour dredging will be about two weeks late. As well, high water levels in Lake Ontario have been felt at the marina, where power to the docks had to be turned off – though all other marina functions are operational.
One of the great summer sights in Cobourg is the forest of vertical masts on the boats in the harbour. If you're planning to drive by on the Esplanade road, Councillor Brian Darling reminds you that the four-month trial period of making it a one-way street began May 1. You can now enter only on Division Street and exit only on Third – an experiment aiming to ease traffic and safety issues on a road with unusually heavy pedestrian use.
However, Darling said, the town's public-works team has adjusted the parking lot at the east end of the harbourfront to add an exit at its south end on to Division Street, making it easier for cars to leave (and easing traffic congestion).