Lakeshore Advance, 2012-05-30, Page 28Lakeshore Advance ...•
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Local citizens' group would support
non-profit events on the beach
Vanessa Brown
Members of the Lambton Shores
Community Association (I.S(:A) are
taking with a grain of salt council's
decision this year not to permit special
events on the town's north beach.
At its annual general meeting on
lune 4, LSCA chairman Ed Muter said
it was "good news" that the north
beach will he kept a public beach this
summer. For the past two years, that
part of Grand Bend's beach was used
for a large three-day volleyball
tournament. Fluter is concerned about
the decision's permanence, however.
Ai
We have a vision of the
beach to protect it from
exploitation and
commercialization"
I.SCA chairman l:d Fluter
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"The problem is... things call change;" Fluter
said. "You can have a legal case today and there
could be another legal case in three years that
changes that finding"
The volleyball tournament, hosted by Not So
Pro Sports and typically held in iuly, has been a
fixture on the sands of Grand !lend for the past
nine years. In the summers of 2009 and 2010, the
event was moved from the main beach to the
north portion of the beach, at decision that upset
beachfront property owners. Fluter said the
tournament, which last year included 750 players,
took up most of the north beach area. •ihert' was
also excessive noise from the PA system and 1)I,
he said, that infringed on beachfront property
owners' lifestyles.
"We have a vision of the beach to protect it from
exploitation and commercialization," Fluter said.
"We don't want to see this beach exploited for the
benefit of a few... As soon as you put an organiza-
tion, particularly a for-profit business that takes
up a Targe portion on that beach, that portion of
the beach for that period ot the time is no longer a
public beach."
Ile added that the I.SCA would support
non-profit events on the beach hosted by area
service clubs that benefit the entire community.
Not So Pro Sports has in the past donated a
portion of its tournament proceeds to the Grand
Bend Optimist Club.
Suzanne Fogg, Not So Pro's operations man-
ager, denied to comment on the 1.SCA's concerns
that the tournament commercializes the beach,
but said players "love Grand Bend, always enjoy
that tournament and we're always excited to go
back"
e
Lambton Shores's Ward 2 Coun. Doug Boni's-
teel volved to continually voice his opposition to
commercial activity on the north beach area. Ile
took the argument a step further, accusing former
Lambton Shores's administrations of "dumb
management practice" when it comes to beach
policy.
"As long as I have al seat on council, that north
beach will never, ever be used for commercial
activity, ever," Coun. Bonesteel promised. "It was
the dumbest thing I have ever seen."
Ile added that special events could be held on
the beach if the whole community were to benefit.
Coun. Bonesteel is advocating that council closely
monitors applications for events on the beach
and is proposing that permitted events be a
shared partnership between the private sector
and groups such as the chamber of commerce or
service clubs.
"It's absolutely ridiculous not to have that as
part of the agreement," he said. "'There has to 1)t' it
benefit to the town when that activity is over."
Coun. Bonesteel said he and other councillors
have held meetings with both citizens' groups
and business otvnet•s present in order to foster
open dialogue.
Fluter said the LSCA will present to council its
recommendations for effective use of the beaches
in response to the municipality's beach study, of
which council received a final draft last month.
"I believe We will have to stay vigilant on the
beach issue because things can change o11 a
whim, and we should continue to support our
members in the community with any new issues,"
he said.
Lambton Heritage Museum
invites you to
MEET YOUR NEW CURATOR
I
1 .1 l I t l t' Wee b b
.•fl.
fifty `.!t'4I . 1''t tat
Visit the 2011 "Interesting Lambton
Exhibition: - The Peo • le & The Stories"
Free Admission
on these dates ... if you live in this municipality...
June 18/19 - Lambton Shores & Plympton-Wyoming
July 16/17 - Petrolia & Enniskillen & Oil Springs
July 23/24 - Sarnia & Point Edward & St. Clair
Aug. 20/21 - Warwick & Brooke-Alvinston &
Dawn-Euphemia
Lambton Heritage Museum
8 km south of Grand Bend on Hwy 21
519 243-2600
www.Iclmg.org
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