17-07-2025
Coroner calls for immediate safety audit of Sandpoint Beach
Ontario's Office of the Chief Coroner is recommending the City of Windsor immediately conduct a comprehensive safety audit of Sandpoint Beach — its first in more than a decade.
A letter sent to city officials this week and provided to CTV News by a spokesperson for the Ministry of the Solicitor General states the last aquatic safety audit was completed in 2012. The coroner's office says much has changed in 13 years, including updated Waterfront Safety Standards from the Lifesaving Society.
'The aquatic safety audit completed in 2012 for the City of Windsor, along with the city's response, were reviewed in light of this drowning and discussed with a representative of the Lifesaving Society,' the letter reads.
It notes that the purpose of such an audit is 'to maximize the safety of participants in aquatic recreational environments by identifying what steps can be taken to minimize the risk of drowning or serious water-related injuries.'
The Lifesaving Society recommends comprehensive audits be completed every five years.
'The City of Windsor should conduct an immediate comprehensive aquatic safety audit of Sandpoint Beach, through the Lifesaving Society,' the recommendation states.
The city has until Sept. 30 to formally respond.
Ward 7 Councillor Angelo Marignani, who represents the area that includes Sandpoint Beach, said he supports the recommendation and believes a new audit will align with calls to move the beach's main swimming area.
'I'm confident that the Lifesaving Society of Canada will come back with the recommendations that we put forward with the original recommendations and that would be to move the beach to the eastern side,' Marignani told CTV News.
He said residents have been vocal about their concerns.
'The residents are the big cheerleaders on this one. They're the ones who are contacting me every day about this concern. They're very disappointed with what they see now. And this isn't just residents in Ward 7,' Marignani said.
'This is citywide. So, I'm getting calls and emails from everyone in the city saying how they want this to be brought to the level of beauty, safety, and quality that it should be not just for us, but for future generations. Something that we can leave and say, we made it better and we will make it better.'
Sandpoint beach
Sandpoint Beach seen in Windsor, Ont. on July 17, 2025. (Chris Campbell/CTV News Windsor)
Marignani believes council is united with its intention to move forward.
'I will do everything in my power to ensure, and I am confident that council will move forward on this,' he said.
'It's simply to the prioritization of the money which is needed to complete this project.'
The councillor added the beach is beloved by many and must be treated accordingly.
'Maybe we have to do better in ensuring that everyone understands safety first in this beautiful area that we have. It is beautiful. People love it,' Marignani said.
'We will travel as Canadians across thousands of kilometres just to get to a lake and just to put our feet in and just to enjoy the cool breeze of that lake. This is very Canadian. I'm confident that moving forward, we will have this beach brought to the level it should be.'
Marignani is urging his council colleagues to prioritize funding for the beach improvements laid out in a previously approved master plan.
'Just basically indicate what is the safest option or what direction will the city take. And since council voted unanimously on this master plan, I'm confident that the direction the city will take will be to complete that master plan,' he said.
'Mind you, it becomes a question of money. And that's where I, as the councillor, am really lobbying all my colleagues and the mayor on prioritizing this project.'
Marignani explained while the coroner's recommendation is not legally binding, it is considered best practice.
'These are recommendations put forward by the society. They're not requirements. They're best practice. It hasn't been done. Okay. But and the last one we did in 2012, not much is going to change,' he said.
'Keep in mind too, we have people on administration, on our administration who sit on that board. So, speaking to them directly, we have that luxury of going up to them directly, what is the best option. And they're like, well, the best option is the reviews that we did back in 2012. They still stand true today.'
He also pointed to geographical safety differences across the beach's span.
'Just looking at the buoys that are floating in the water, you can see the distance of the channels. And on the western edge, it's only a couple metres away from the eastern edge. It's close to a kilometer away,' he said.
'Let's do what the society recommends and follow through. And I'm confident that our council will do the right thing, and we'll prioritize this, and we will have a place that we can be proud of for people of Windsor today and tomorrow.'
