By Cecilia Nasmith

Because so much has changed since June 1, when closure of the Victoria Park beach took effect, Cobourg council this week debated details of a July 6 reopening.

Councillor Emily Chorley cited the area moving to a Phase 2 reopening stage and the fact that the county's 19 COVID-19 cases are now considered resolved in making the motion for a trial limited-access opening, the conditions of which were debated extensively.

The motion arose from a staff report at Monday's committee-of-the-whole meeting prepared by Director of Public Works Laurie Wills, Director of Community Services Dean Hustwick and Municipal Clerk Brent Larmer.

Chorley based her motion on one of the options presented in the report – open the beach with controlled public access and a municipal regulating bylaw – adding numerous details. These include having the fence to remain in place to ensure limited access to those who obtained passes on-line that were good for certain hours only, with a change-over time at mid-point to allow for thorough cleaning. No lifeguards would be available, so swimming would be at one's own risk, and everyone entering would be asked screening questions and would agree to abide by all rules in place.

The trial opening would be on a weekday-only basis, and a report to council on July 20 would guide whether conditions would be loosened – or even altered at all.

Thereafter, debate produced extensive ideas and amendments on how an opening might proceed, and one would be to hire lifeguards and allow safe swimming. This would be possible if done soon, Hustwick said.

“We have been in close contact with the YMCA throughout this period and are working with them on opening Centennial Pool,” Hustwick noted, adding that the number required would depend on beach capacity and hours.

Mayor John Henderson called for a seven-days-a-week opening, adding his support for having lifeguards in order to minimize liability for the town.

The original motion called for the accessibility mat to be in place on the beach. Further debate seemed to reach consensus that it be kept at one of the gated entrances, which could be considered the beach's accessible access point.

A lengthy debate revolved around on-line passes vs. a first-come-first-served model.

Chorley pointed out that on-line booking would present an opportunity to set out the conditions to which a person agreed when making the booking. And Hustwick said that the reservation system in use for Victoria Hall Concert Hall bookings might be modified to serve for beach passes.

On the other hand, much as the all-on-line Cobourg Farmers' Market shut out some people from participating, an all-on-line access structure might do the same with the beach.

“You pack up your family, you go down to the beach – if you are on line early, then you get in fine,” Councillor Brian Darling said.

“If not, you try another day.”

Councillor Adam Bureau sympathized with those who don't have ready access to on-line reservations, but hated to think of long line-ups in the hot summer sun each day for summer employees to deal with.

“They're going to the beach, they'll have beach umbrellas,” Darling said.

“If people want to use a beach that has limited access, there's some inconvenience to that.”

“We really don't want to see line-ups,” Chorley countered - “in particular, I'm thinking about the health and safety of the staff working the gates. The more interaction with the public, the greater the risk to those staff members. An on-line system makes it easier for staff to manage the numbers.

“If it's first-come-first-served, we will put our staff members in the awkward position of using clickers and counters at the gate, determining how many are on the beach, how many have left and, at some point, they will have to start turning people away and I think that will spark confrontations.”

For those without on-line computer access, she suggested, maybe the town could arrange a phone number to call to arrange a pass. Councillor Nicole Beatty pointed out that the passes could probably also be arranged on-line through mobile devices.

Darling relented on this point, but asked that a phone-in reservation system be considered in the staff report to be delivered at the June 29 council meeting.

Once hours for conventional beach access are decided, Bureau insisted there should be before-hours and after-hours access just to allow people to walk on the beach. This would be especially important to people who work much of the time the beach would be open, and it would be their only chance to enjoy any kind of access.
“Any time the gates are open, we will need staff,” Chorley said - “if we extend hours, that's a significant impact on the cost.”

Hustwick also brought up the prospect of beach hours ending and staff having to go among them to urge them to be gone. Nevertheless, Bureau felt it was important for would-be walkers to have the option, and asked that the question be examined in the staff report to be delivered next week.

Washrooms are an important consideration, which the staff report to be delivered next week will examine.

Council has already ensured an appropriate number of washrooms is available in Victoria Park, Chorley said, so she hadn't touched on it in her motion.
“I will make sure we cover that off in the staff report next week,” Hustwick said.

“That will obviously be an important focus we will need to address.”

Another issue to be addressed is that cleaning period. Chorley had originally envisioned morning passes or afternoon passes, with time in between to clear the beach and get things cleaned and sanitized. Whatever form this may take, all agreed, a vacant time for cleaning is vital – and a general clearing of the beach saves having a staffer hunt down a family to tell them their time is up.

“Really, the intent of this motion is to create a trial period,” Chorley summed up.

“Council can make adjustments, and I am hoping this can be a phased-in approach, done cautiously in the beginning.”

The staff report to review the phased-in opening and offer recommendations, if any, had been scheduled for July 20. The mayor thought a report at council's Aug 24 meeting would be better - “with the understanding, if we had any concern or major issues, I can assure you as mayor, I would be willing, along with Mr. Larmer, to call a special meeting to address it.”

Once debate was concluded, the matter was referred to staff for a report on a reopening plan at next week's council meeting. Meanwhile, the motion that evolved from the debate included a number of revised conditions for a reopening.

Access – This is on a restricted basis to allow a limited capacity, and controlled by having the fence remain in place.

Passes – A limited number of passes available to all people on a first-come-first-served basis on-line, valid only for a given date and time frame (with hours and other related parameters to be determined by council after a staff report). Access outside of whatever hours are decided upon will be prohibited.

Gates – Access points where passes can be checked will be managed by summer staff or a security company.

Interim clearing – Whatever time structure is used for the pass system, a time will be incorporated where the beach is cleared to allow for additional rigourous sanitizing procedures.

Capacity – The number of people allowed on the beach that will be consistent with social-distancing and other emergency-order guidelines will be determined in consultation with the town's emergency planner and the Haliburton Kawartha Pine Ridge District Health Unit.

Lifeguards – An appropriate number of lifeguards will be hired, depending on beach capacity and operating hours.

Screening – Applicants for beach passes must answer screening questions and agree to abide by certain rules and emergency-order provisions.

Accessibility – One gate will be designated an accessible entrance point, with the beach mat stationed at that location.

Seven days a week – This arrangement will be on a trial basis, subject to change if council decides some adjustment is warranted.

Bylaw – Staff will draft a bylaw codifying the regulations surrounding the beach reopening for the June 29 council meeting.

Communications – The town will continue to use every communications platform at its disposal to get the word out that the beach is closed except to those with valid passes.

Reassessment – The progress of the reopening will be reassessed by council at its Aug. 24 meeting.