By Cecilia Nasmith
Cobourg council has opted against further consultation on the question of whether to close Victoria Park beach for a second COVID summer by defeating a motion made by Councillor Adam Bureau this week.
A notice of motion to have a staff report come to the May 10 committee-of-the-whole meeting, to be made by Bureau, referred to input on that question from a Bang The Table consultation and survey earlier this year – but Councillor Adam Bureau made a motion to have a second such Bang The Table exercise prior to that date.
Councillor Emily Chorley did not see the necessity in tying up staff for a second survey. The previous one, released in March, had a record 1,408 responses and even had a pandemic question – if it continues into the summer, what level of public access is preferred?
Chorley recited the answers – 30% said it should remain open weekdays only, 24% opted for full closure, 21% offered suggestions of their own, 17% said it should be fully opened but monitored, and 8% said it should be open but with different household pods roped off from each other.
Bureau pointed out that the survey results were reported in March, but the survey ran from Feb. 2 to 23.
“Just like the province, just like everybody, rules are changing all the time. We are in a severe lockdown now. Times were a lot different back then,” Bureau said.
“Council should have the updated opinions of the public, because this is such a major thing.”
A second survey would have three options, Deputy Director of Community Services Teresa Behan said – closed and fenced just like last year, fenced but open weekdays only, and open with no fencing.
Chief Administrative Officer Tracey Vaughan said that, due to the time crunch, the survey could run only one week instead of the usual two, from April 28 to May 5.
Deputy Mayor Suzanne Seguin thought Bureau's motion was premature, given that the motion made in 2020 to close the beach took place June 29.
“We are asking people to vote on something that may never happen, depending on what happens with the province. I think this is putting the cart before the horse,” Seguin said.
“We should be looking to the province and the health unit on what they are doing,” Councillor Aaron Burchat stated.
“Last year, I believe we were the only one with our beach closed. If we followed suit with the province, we will be in line with everyone else, and we won't have to be considering and reconsidering items like this.
“I am going to look to the province and health officials on what they are going to do,” Burchat said.
In the end, only Bureau and Councillor Nicole Beatty voted in favour of another consultation.
