By Cecilia Nasmith
Hamilton Township council has voted to shut down fishing at its waterfront parks in Gore's Landing, Harwood and Bewdley for the time being.
The debate at the April 20 council meeting framed it as a safety issue.
“Eighty per cent of COVID cases are in the GTA,” Mayor Bill Cane pointed out.
“While there's 100,000 people up there doing everything they can to control the virus – getting the shots, everything – there are thousands that are not. And many of those thousands wind up here on the weekends.
“We need stronger measures to protect our ratepayers. They feel they are being barricaded in their homes, afraid to go outside.
“At the very least, close it on the weekends and leave it open during the week for our ratepayers. If we get rid of fishing on the weekends, we get rid of 50-75% of the people standing shoulder-to-shoulder, casting so many lines you can't swim, dead fish everywhere laying on the shores.”
“We all got the calls on the weekends last year,” Councillor Larry Williamson recalled.
“I know Port Hope cancelled its trout season this year,” Councillor Mark Lovshin pointed out.
“And I think we need to make that decision today, because it will open between now and our next council meeting.
“There are too many people on those docks. If we want to stop this from spreading and do our part, it's time to say, 'Hey, let's not allow fishing.'”
Debate proceeded to a weekend ban vs. a complete ban. The latter gained conditional support, the condition being a review (and potentially reconsideration) of the ban.
Lovshin thought the ban should last at least as long as the Stay-At-Home Order is in effect.
“Closed under the lockdown, and then reconsidered after that,” Councillor Pat McCourt agreed.
Enforcement of the ban is a must - and was to be brought before the next Police Services Board meeting to ensure this could be done and to determine the role of the security company being engaged for the summer season (Victoria Day through Labour Day) as well as the shoulder seasons.
Council authorized the proposed contract with K9ine Security and passed a bylaw to give them enforcement authority for the provisions of the Parks Bylaw and the Parking Bylaw. The estimated cost presented by Chief Administrative Officer Arthur Anderson was $30,000 plus $5,400 for the shoulder seasons.
Manager of Parks and Facilities Trevor Clapperton reminded council that this was the company they hired last year during the pandemic, “when we realized we had an issue.
“They have been very successful. They do other work with the county – in the forest and some of our neighbouring communities – and the are very willing to adjust their schedule to what will work for our needs.”
However it's done, McCourt insisted that tickets must be issued where warranted.
“If people start to see in Hamilton Township you can get tickets for this, it will stop things more quickly,” she said.
Williamson saw clarity as the key – especially since the COVID situation changes so quickly.
“We better make it well known in the papers – I don't think we can rely on our Facebook and website. If we are going to close our docks, we have to make it well known,” he said.
Chief Administrative Officer Arthur Anderson added that clear signage will be posted at the three locations.
