Latest news with #AngeloMarignani
CTV News
5 days ago
- General
- CTV News
Sandpoint Beach master plan lauded but swim area still unmarked
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 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.
CTV News
28-05-2025
- General
- CTV News
City councillor advocating for Sandpoint Beach Master Plan
A local city councillor wants Sandpoint Beach to be prioritized in next year's budget. Ward 7 councillor Angelo Marignani issued a notice of motion during Monday's council meeting looking to get the wheels in motion to implement the 2024 Master Plan for Sandpoint Beach and looking to prioritize beach improvements in the 2026 budget. This motion came forward after a 15-year-old boy drowned on May 18. His body was recovered by the OPP dive team the following day - prompting concerns of the beach's safety. The proposed master plan calls for the relocation of the beach east to steer clear of a steep drop-off and strong currents at the western edge, where the Detroit River meets Lake St. Clair. Now that the notice of motion has been presented, it will be discussed and voted on at the next meeting of council, where Marignani said he will submit details of the motion, which would include funding for the plan, funding for the capital budget, a development process for the plan, and that the plan be deemed a priority in the 2026 capital budget process. Marignani said this motion is to allow for the conversation to happen. 'The prime objective of bringing it up is to prioritize the spending of the master plan in the 2026 capital budget.' Sandpoint beach Sandpoint Beach Park Master Plan. (Source: City of Windsor website) He said this needs to stop. 'We have the answer, we know what the solution is and that is moving the beach to its eastern side. So we have to do what we need to do to make it safe. It's a gem, our waterfronts are the reason we love Windsor.' Marignani said the motion will look at all options – including closing the beach until the issue is resolved. 'Safety first and foremost, it's on the table. Everything is on the table, and that's why we need the discussion. The discussion is not going to happen unless we ask for it. The notice of motion is asking for it, or else the discussion would only occur at the next budget meeting when we'd bring it up.' Earlier this year, council asked for more information before voting on whether or not to approve the plan. The estimated price tag to move and revitalize the beach area is $15 million. Since the beach opened in 1980, nine people have drowned in the water near Sandpoint Beach. Council's next meeting will be held on June 9 at 10 a.m. - Written by Meagan Delaurier and Rusty Thomson/AM800 News.
CTV News
26-05-2025
- Politics
- CTV News
‘This is the answer': Marignani advocating for Sandpoint Beach masterplan
Ward 7 City Coun. Angelo Marignani wants Sandpoint Beach to continue being a seasonal staple in the city. Following a recent horrific drowning death, Marignani wants to get the wheels in motion to implement the 2024 master plan for Sandpoint Beach. In a Facebook post, he said the plan is vital for the future of the beloved beach. 'I'm going to be putting forward a motion that will prioritize the 2026 budget and this master plan,' Marignani said. 'We're here to help that Canadian dream and not make it into a Canadian nightmare.' By bringing the master plan up Monday, Marignani is giving council notice that it will be discussed at the next council meeting. SANDPOINT MASTER PLAN (Source: Submitted) 'That's where I would bring up the financing options. The safety options or the sentiment or prioritization of the community,' Marignani told CTV News. 'We have a strong, extremely strong community support on the Sandpoint Beach master plan. People are unanimously saying, 'Yeah, the Sandpoint beach part has to be closed.'' The master plan shows the west side of the property turned into a park area with the beach moving to the east side. The Wednesday before the next council meeting, Marignani said he would submit a request for details of the motion, which would include funding for the plan, funding for the capital budget, development process for the plan, and that the plan be deemed a priority in the 2026 capital budget process. Discussion will ensue before a vote takes place at the meeting after that. 'I feel that if council does do its due diligence, the priority is our safety and this is the answer to our safety,' Marignani said. 'It needs to happen because we have an obligation to make our public places clean, safe, and beautiful, and we're kind of missing out on the safe part.'
