By Cecilia Nasmith
In a special meeting Monday, Cobourg council voted unanimously to close the Victoria Park beach through Aug. 31.
According to the motion put forth by Councillor Aaron Burchat, the beach will be fenced off with metal barriers that allow a couple of emergency-access points for emergency purposes. Meanwhile, increased enforcement will continue along the waterfront area to ensure compliance with physical-distancing and other COVID-19 response measures.
The motion also calls for staff to report back at the June 22 committee-of-the-whole council meeting with statistics on waterfront activities and other areas of concern that arise due to the closure. This will include costing and other information on measures to reopen the beach after Aug. 31.
Two councillors had successfully put amendments on the floor that were part of the eventual motion.
Councillor Nicole Beatty's amendment called for portable washrooms (including one accessible unit) be installed adjacent to the beach area with appropriate cleaning and maintenance.
Councillor Emily Chorley's amendment called for clear signage announcing the closure to be placed on Highway 401 (pending approval by the Ministry of Transportation), on all arterial roadways in Cobourg and on all roads leading to the beach, as well as at the beach itself.
The special meeting saw five citizens make presentations and 26 pieces of correspondence, as well as a petition to close the beach with more than 1,600 names and literally hundreds of calls and e-mails – the biggest response in terms of public engagement that Mayor John Henderson has seen in nine years on council.
The meeting also included a presentation by representatives of the Haliburton Kawartha Pine Ridge District Health Unit that did not take sides, but gave some facts and promised whatever support – whatever the decision – that they could offer the town.
Chief Medical Office of Health Dr. Lynn Noseworthy gave some up-to-date statistics, and Environmental Health Manager Bernie Mayer acknowledged the need some might feel for a day at the beach.
“There has to be a balance of public health and safety, and access to recreation for physical and mental well-being,” Mayer said.
That said, he ran through a list of challenges, like the big draw Cobourg's beach is to others from communities that have had far more incidences of COVID-19 and (in some cases) fatalities. It's a beautiful beach that is free for everyone. With provincial-park and so many other beaches closed, Mayer speculated that many people will be looking for a beach they can still go to.
Then there are protocols for public washrooms that are still being worked on, he added. But it is known that only so many people can be inside one at a time, and staffing may be needed to enforce this and the two-metre social distancing among those waiting in line.
As for how transmissible the virus is among swimmers in the water, he noted, the latest information seems to be that it is negligible (but the key words here, he stressed, are “the latest information”).
Cobourg Taxpayers Association representative Dennis Nabieszka – who also submitted the petition – said that this document should be titled a petition to keep residents, health-care workers, first responders and retail workers safe by preventing an influx of potentially infected visitors from a region where cases remain high and exposing all of us to a life-threatening illness that may also overwhelm our health-care system.
Referring to the 1,662 signatures, Nabieszka said, “never have so many residents spoken up in such a short period of time to tell you what they want. You have to listen. You need to listen.
“All of us will have to live with the decision you make. Let us hope we do not have to live with the regret of a wrong decision.”
Beatty took exception to a statement from the petition saying “each and every death inflicted upon Cobourg residents by the plague will be laid squarely at the feet of municipal leaders.” Nabieszka apologized, saying it was a heat-of-the-moment remark he made after seeing the fear in people's eyes.
“Never has council considered an issue as important as the one before you at this moment,” declared Paul Pagneulo, who was also arguing for a closure.
Though he objected to putting the economy ahead of lives, Pagnuelo insisted the principal beneficiaries of beach tourism were “the LCBO, the Beer Store, the No Frills, a couple of gas stations and maybe three restaurants.” Except for the last, he noted, all the others will surely survive the loss.
As for mental well-being, he noted, everyone else faces the same struggle – most of them in communities with no beach or waterfront.
Dilys Robertson analyzed the case for remaining open and concluded that appropriate hazard analysis of the question had not yet been done satisfactorily.
Tamara Ugolini called for a rejection of purple prose and alarmist remarks to look at the facts and keep the beach open.
Of the 85,598 Northumberland residents, Ugolini pointed out, there have been 17 confirmed coronavirus cases, one hospitalization and no deaths for an infection rate of 0.02%.
“This in spite of our considerable elderly population,” she added.
Other statistics she cited from New York were that 66% of their cases were among people staying home and another 18% were from nursing homes – meaning 84% of their cases were among people sheltering in place.
Quoting the World Health Organization, the “close contact” people are urged to avoid is being within one metre for more than 15 minutes within an indoor space. This is not typical, she said, even in non-COVID times.
“There is no evidence that further restrictions of our rights and freedoms is justifiable,” she stated.
Anne-Marie Bouthillette – who has lived near Victoria Park since 2004 – thought the time was right to advance an idea she has had for some time. The beach should be restricted to permit holders, with permits given free to residents of Northumberland County.
Beatty took a moment to express her objection to the tone of arguments she had heard on the question of closing the beach, from those on both sides of the issue.
“While some have been open and constructive, much of the on-line conversation hasn't been - this is not the time to create an us-vs.-them culture on any level,” she stated.
“Let's rise up above this and beyond this. We are all in this together.”
Putting his motion forward after all presentations, Burchat said he felt it was important to act immediately in advance of the transition into summer weather. And even if there is a re-opening after Aug. 31, the bulk of the season is over by then.
Of all the people who had commented to him, Councillor Brian Darling noted, most either wanted the beach closed completely or at least restricted to local residents.
Deputy Mayor Suzanne Seguin asked how quickly the fence could go up, and Director of Public Works Laurie Wills said it could be done fairly soon. There have already been preliminary discussions on the fence and its configuration.
“As far as we are aware, there is sufficient stock available and, if we order tomorrow, we could get it the next day and take a few days to install and discuss with emergency services where the entrances could be – it could be up by the weekend,” Wills estimated.
Legislative Clerk Brent Larmer said that once council voted for the closure, access to the beach was governed by legislation around the Trespassing Act and – even before the fence goes up – the beach is immediately off limits.
As for signage on Highway 401, Wills added, that is strictly governed and typically a sign of the kind contemplated in the bylaw would not be allowed.
“But given the COVID pandemic, they are being flexible,” she noted.
“It's potentially possible, depending on the wording and on the signs. But they are strict about that.”
