Sandpoint Beach master plan lauded but swim area still unmarked

CTV News

3 days ago

Candace Phillips lives across from Sandpoint Beach and likes the city's master plan to redevelop Sandpoint Beach.
'The flip is beautiful and amazing,' Phillips said of the plan to move the beach to the east side of the park.
'I think the city has an opportunity to go...if we can close this side and open over there, and so keep the people happy, still keep the sand available, still keep the beach available but there's options. It doesn't have to close.'
City Councillor Angelo Marignani put forward a notice of motion earlier this week to have the city accelerate the master plan in order to avoid another tragedy on the west side of the beach.
'What I am requesting in my motion is for it to be prioritized for the 2026 capital budget,' Marignani said.
In the master plan, there is a breakwall that stretches across the current beach area into the fenced off part of the property. The breakwall falls short of the property line, where some of the tragedies have occurred.
According to Marignani, the city leases the property from the Port Authority. 'That public partnership, part of that motion is to look and work with the Port Authority of Windsor just to see how we can improve this area.'
The estimated cost of moving the beach area and creating a park is $15 million. Phillips knows the project won't happen overnight, but the beach is open this weekend and there still aren't markers in the water.
'When that snow fence comes down we could easily have the rope-to-swim area marked out because it's just one more visual saying, 'this is where it could be safe if you're choosing to go in,'' Phillips said.
City Councillor Fred Francis feels there are two choices facing council: eliminate swimming in an area where the Peche Island channel is close to shore, or make the structural changes to move the beach east where the channel is much further away.
'Having three people drowned at Sandpoint over the course of the last year is unacceptable to everyone, and if we could do something to prevent that to happen to the next person, we should,' Francis said.
The acceleration of the Sandpoint Beach safety plan will be discussed in early June. Administration will then report back to council within 60 days and a directive will be given.
'Write to your city council. Write to your mayor and say, this is how I feel. If you feel very strongly, on June 9th, be a delegate and speak to it directly to council,' said Francis.