Cobourg citizens push for public beach access.
May 17, 2012 - Northumberland News
Cobourg Beach Society. COBOURG -- Cobourg Beach Society president Bob Cairns enjoys the beach with his dog Buddy.
The Cobourg Beach Society, a citizens' group, was formed in 2010 in response to concerns over lakefront property owners putting up fences to the waterline and posting of 'No Trespassing' signs on the west beach, starting in 2007, said society president Robert Cairns. Over the past few years, local and out-of-town visitors crossing this area have been harassed, Mr. Cairns said.
"Our goal is creation of a natural pathway along the west beach, below the traditional water line to be regulated, policed and insured by the Town of Cobourg and open to the public," Mr. Cairns told council members at its May 14 meeting. "The Cobourg Beach Society feels that below the traditional waterline, the beach must belong to the citizens of Cobourg."
SIGNE HANSON-GUEST SPEAKER AT SHOREWALK CELEBRATION
It was celebration time for Shorewalk's annual general meeting at The Barrel restaurant on March 24th. Guest speaker Signe Hanson, Fort Erie's head of recreational land use outlined the progress to date on improvements to our waterfront road allowances.
The town has completed surveys and placed permanent line of sight markers which clearly delineate public waterfront lands and has also placed good signage to let the public and visitors know that this is public access to Lake Erie. Also, new signs along the Friendship Trail will point the way to the lake for our trail users and our visitors.
The Town Council and Staff have also initiated a concerted effort to let our public and visitors know of the many access points along our lake shore. In addition to improved signage the town's annual publications and a new website will further inform us and our visitors where lake shore is available.
Ms. Hanson received an appreciation plaque from Shorewalk founder Garry Skerrett who also recognized the efforts of past president Stephen Passero and current president Betty Van Osch.
Ms. Van Osch spoke to the Right of Passage Bill which will be presented to the Ontario Legislature for the third time by MPP Kim Craitor. He is more hopeful than previously since it seems to have some degree of all party support and may be co-sponsored by members of the opposition parties.
The current executive was reaffirmed for the next year. Betty Van Osch will remain as president with VP Mary McLelland-Papp, Secretary Lara Skerrett, Treasurer Doug Taylor, and directors Lisa Ciolfi, Chris Laroque and Garry Skerrett.
Ontario lawmaker wants to legalize
public beachcombing.May 31, 2001 - Great Lakes Echo
A bill proposed in Ontario, Canada may let the general public walk along the Great Lakes shoreline instead of just the people who own lakefront property.
Right now they can’t.
Shoreline property owners in Ontario have privileges right down to the lakes.
“Cottage owners take advantage of that,” said Marcia Valiante, a law professor at University of Windsor, “They put up barriers in the water.”
The existing laws are unclear, she said. This bill tries to clarify the situation.
The proposed Great Lakes Right of Passage Act would allow the public to walk between the shoreline and the high water mark of a Great Lake. It was proposed by Kim Craitor, a member of the provincial parliament.
“Property owners sell their property on the shorelines at a higher cost than the value of land since they assume they own a part of the lake,” Craitor said. READ MORE
BILL 32 GETS 2ND READING!
On May 5, 2011 at Queen's Park MPP Kim Craitor presented Bill 32, “The Great Lakes Shoreline Right of Passage Act” to the Legislative Assembly for 2nd reading. He spoke forcibly and at length on the public need for unfettered walking access to our Great Lakes shoreline while indicating clearly that this was not an attack on private property rights. His presentation was met with a very favourable response from MPP's of all three parties and they voted unanimously in favour of Bill 32 proceeeding. The bill was ordered referred to the Standing Committee on Justice Policy.
In his presentation Kim made several references to those of us who had travelled to Queen's Park to support him for this second reading. Shorewalk's supporters included President Betty VanOsch, Cobourg Beach Society President Bob Cairns and from Balm Beach on Georgian Bay President Don D'Aoust of Save the Beaches. Also in our VIP Gallery seats were supporters Sam Sunners, Dr. Derek Beahm, Cathy and Nicole D'Aoust, Paul Kassay, Serena Smith, Amy King and Shorewalk founder Garry Skerrett.
We know that this fight for Right of Passage will carry on to the new government formed after our provincial election this fall. The hope is that the momentum picked up from Kim Craitor's long time advocacy for Right of Passage will bring eventual success.
RIGHT OF PASSAGE BILL ALIVE & WELL
MPP Kim Craitor has informed Shorewalk that BILL 32, the Right of Passage Bill, will get second reading in the provincial legislature in the afternoon of May 5th, 2011.
This means our bill to allow the public unhindered walking rights on Ontario's Great Lakes shores will be debated & put to a vote. If passed, it will be moved to committee for consideration & possible public hearings.
Unfortunately, it will probably not get third & final reading by the time the legislature recesses for the fall election. Never the less, the bill will get much more public exposure & at the very least increase our chances of eventual success.
CAN YOU HELP? BY ALL MEANS.
Send an email expressing your support to Kim at: kim@kimcraitor.com.Thanks Kim for pressing on with Right of Passage.
Remembering Fred Truckenbrodt
One of Shorewalk's very well-respected Founding Members Fred Truckenbrodt, 91 passed away on Friday, Oct 29th from injuries sustained in an automobile accident.
Fred, like so many of us, loved the beauty & serenity of Lake Erie especially Bay Beach and he was very passionate that everyone have the right to experience & enjoy the amenities that this treasured waterfront has to offer.
Fred will be truly missed. He was one of our greatest treasures.
There will be a celebration of Fred's life on Friday, Nov 5th at 1:30 pm at the Williams Funeral Home, 722 Ridge Rd N, Ridgeway, Ont.
905-894-1161
www.williamsfuneralhome.ca
Any donations made through the Williams Funeral Home will be used for a memorial item to be dedicated to Fred's life.
2010 Fort Erie Municipal Election
Shorewalk forwarded a questionnaire to each registered candidate on the 2010 Fort Erie Municipal Election list to find out where each candidate stood on waterfront issues only.
Walking rights campaigners, property owners settle in
for marathon battle over Ontario's Great Lakes shorelineDespite a growing campaign pushing for legislation that would give the public the right to walk along the shoreline without being impeded by fences or signs warning “Private Property - No Trespassing,” don’t expect the freedom to stroll now enjoyed in many U.S. Great Lakes communities to happen any time soon in this province.
A provincial government and bureaucracy that are in no rush to take on an issue that is sure to create a political storm are seen as the hurdles that could see this campaign dragging on for many years.
“I think it will happen, just not as quickly as we had hoped,” Niagara MPP Kim Craitor told MyNewWaterfrontHome.com.
It’s been five years since the Fort Erie-based Ontario Shorewalk Association citizens’ organization officially launched a campaign for laws that would permit the public to walk uninterrupted along the Great Lakes shoreline, even if that shoreline passed in front of private property.
With a U.S. Supreme Court case to back it up (the court ruled in 2005 that Michigan residents had the right to walk along that state’s more than 5,000 kilometres of shoreline), Shorewalk soon convinced other residents and municipal governments across Ontario that there was no reason the same right of passage could not be recognized here, too. READ MORE
April 13th, 2010
'Niagara MPP Kim Craitor re-introduces
the Right of Passage Act, now titled Bill 32'."Shorewalk applauds the efforts of MPP Craitor to continually ensure that Right of Passage legislation remains a priority of his. We anxiously await second reading of Bill 32 and have been actively pursuing partnerships and alliances with like minded organizations who also recognize the importance of what the legislation accomplishes - a fair approach to a long standing issue; balancing the publics ever increasing desire to access and stroll the shoreline, with the interests and protection of waterfront property owners. Our web site fields emails daily from supporters of the Right of Passage act, and encouragement from residents province wide who believe as we do that there should be no fences or other impediments along the Great Lakes shores."
Stephen Passero
President, Ontario Shorewalk Association
Shorewalk urges everyone to attend the Public Planning Meeting being held on January 25th inside council chambers at town hall.
A presentation will be made concerning the rezoning application jointly submitted by the Town of Fort Erie and the Molinaro Group (developer) to permit a Public Private Partnership in the development of the currently town owned Bay Beach properties.
A link to the Town of Fort Erie website provides information concerning the application, and the proposed plans should it be approved as it is currently proposed.
We encourage all Shorewalk members to read the information, draw their own conclusions, and feel free to register as a delegate to speak openly on your feelings towards this proposal. You can also express your sentiments to your local councillor as this decision at the present time is in their hands. Anyone not comfortable with speaking in a public forum can submit their comments in writing to the Town Clerk prior to January 25th... read artical here
The Standard - December, 2009
Region to explore providing greater public access to waterfront
Local leaders are searching for ways to provide more public access to Niagara's waterfront, including buying shoreline on both Great Lakes.
The Region began working this month on a Lakefront Enhancement Strategy designed to make it easier for residents to reach and use Niagara's 117 kilometres of waterfront.
Niagarans are virtually surrounded by water, including two Great Lakes and the Niagara River, but public ownership is limited and "access is uncertain at best," according to a recent report presented to regional council.... Read the letter here.
Fort Erie Times - October, 2009
Residents Discuss Waterfront Encroachments
There are 14 waterfront road allowances in Fort Erie and local resident Stephen Passero, who is also the president of the Ontario Shorewalk Association, says the majority of them need to appear more like public lands.
At Monday's regular council meeting, seven delegations were made by mostly seasonal residents who admit the landscape of their property encroaches onto public land. But the majority of them feel removal of retaining walls and fences on some of the properties should not be removed at their known expense if the Town of Fort Erie instructs them to do so. Read the letter here.
Fort Erie resident and president of the Ontario Shorewalk Association Stephen Passero feels the 14 waterfront road allowances starting at Waverly Beach an ending in the Ridgeway- Thunder Bay area need to appear more accessible to the public. On Monday night, Town council welcomed seven delegations on the topic of encroachments along the waterfront.
June 21st, 2009
Shorewalk is excited to announce a major step in our efforts to partner with organizations as we pursue Right of Passage legislation in the Province of Ontario.
Shorewalk submitted a policy resolution for consideration at the Annual General Meeting of Great Lakes United (GLU). This resolution was adopted with unanimous support and will see GLU carry out the following:
Therefore be it resolved that Great Lakes United affirm its support of the right of all citizens to walk along the shores of the Great Lakes.
Therefore be it further resolved that Great Lakes United draft a letter supporting the right of all citizens to walk along the shores of the Great Lakes and to pursue the endorsement of affiliated organizations and send this letter to applicable federal, state and provincial agencies and legislators, including Ontario MPPs on Bill 43.
Great Lakes United is an international coalition dedicated to preserving and restoring the Great Lakes-St. Lawrence River ecosystem.Great Lakes United is made up of member organizations representing environmentalists, conservationists, hunters and anglers, labour unions, community groups, and citizens of the United States, Canada, and First Nations and Tribes. Great Lakes United develops and promotes effective policy initiatives, carries out education programs, and promotes citizen action and grassroots leadership. Their web site is www.glu.org
Ontario Shorewalk Association thanks GLU for their support and looks forward to working with them in the pursuit of the citizens 'Right of Passage' -to walk freely along the shores of the Great Lakes without fences or obstructions. Read the Resolution >>
Right of Passage
Our association continues to work through the political process by advocating MPP Kim Craitor's Private Members Bill 43 - Right of Passage, a piece of legislation that re-affirms what we believe is the public's right to enjoy the shorelines of our Great Lakes. Here is some brief background on the issue as to why we believe the public has the right to enjoy the shoreline.
In 1911 the Beds of Navigable Waters Act was passed declaring the beds of all navigable waters as public domain. This act was amended in 1940 so as to define “the bed” as extending to the high water mark. The 1940 amendment seemed to re-affirm the long held concept of maintaining navigable shorelines as public domain. It furthermore confirmed our British-French heritage where, in both nations, land to the high water mark is regarded as public domain.
In 1951 an amendment to the Beds of Navigable Waters Act by H.R. Scott, Minister of the Department of Lands and Forests moved their jurisdiction from the high water mark to the low water mark. We view this as an expropriation of thousands of kilometers of our public lakeshore.
The issue of public vs. private has been longstanding, and the issue of the right for all citizens to enjoy the shoreline is being put in the forefront as many waterfront homeowners are constructing fences reaching to the water's edge, no trespassing signs are starting to appear everywhere. Frustration on this issue boiled over in Tiny Township, I have included a link to a story which details what occurred. Our association believes the shoreline should once again be public domain, and that the provincial government should re-affirm these rights, but we do not, can not, and will not encourage or condone any individuals who take it upon themselves to advance the issue of shoreline access or enjoyment by way of threats or property destruction.
Stories of the police being called for 'trespassers' walking along the water's edge are not uncommon but many officers are hesitant to proceed as even they are not sure of what is private or public. This bill not only defines what the public's rights are, but would also clearly define that the private property owners do not have to tolerate unruly behavior, parties, bonfires, and trespassing on their private beachfront property.
This public's right to enjoy the shoreline right would be applied to a very narrow strip of land, from the waters edge to the high water mark. Access would have to be via public property. Allowing the citizens the right to walk the shorelines will, in my opinion, not lead to increased crime or property damage as many waterfront property owners have suggested. In many parts of the province where waterfront property is vacated in the winter months, the increased number of citizens walking will only increase the surveillance and protection of private property. Criminals do not obey 'no trespassing' signs regardless of the shoreline being public or not.
In Michigan, where all shorelines of the Great Lakes are public, property values have increased (not decreased as was the argument made against public shorelines) as homeowners have realized that their proximity to the water where the public is able to walk is an asset. Property values further inland have also increased for the same reason.Many advocates for Right of Passage are themselves waterfront property owners. These waterfront property owners are proponents of this bill as many times they have been mistaken for 'the public' and asked to leave a shoreline that they themselves own waterfront property on only a few dozen metres away.
I encourage everyone to contact the MPP for your area as well as Premier Dalton McGuinty and ask them to support Bill 43-Right of Passage, and I hope that you would be so kind as to keep me informed of their comments. We do not yet have a date for the second reading of the bill, but are working toward gaining a majority of MPP's across all parties to vote yes. If you have family members, friends, coworkers, whether locally or across the province who care about this issue, I encourage you to ask them to write a letter of support to their local MPP asking them to vote yes to Bill 43-Right of Passage. A link to the directory of all the MPP's is here on our web site.
I look forward to hearing from you,
Stephen Passero
President, Ontario Shorewalk Association
Contact your MPP and ask
them to support the Right
of Passage Act!
Click here for a directory
of Ontario MPP's
Bill
32, The Right
of Passage Act
KIM
CRAITOR, MPP,
RIGHT OF PASSAGE BILL
Kim
Craitor’s Right of Passage
Bill calls for public walking
rights on all of Ontario’s Great
Lakes shoreline.
Support
Shorewalk’s efforts to
promote this important public
interestbill. Contact your MPP
and let him or her know how
important it is for all members
of Ontario’s legislature to vote
their support.
May 31, 2011
Great Lakes Echo
Ontario lawmaker wants to legalize public beachcombing
June 27, 2010
Niagara At Large
Niagara, Ontario Regional Chairman Wins Binational Support For More Public Access To Great Lakes Shorelines
May, 2010
Niagara Falls Review
Where's the waterfront plan?
April 15, 2010
Niagara At Large
Water, Water Everywhere, But Who Has Access To Our Great Lakes Shores?
June 19, 2009
Fort Erie Post
Our shared waters should be protected and open to us all
May 5th , 2009
The Canadian Press
Mayors want Great Lakes beaches promoted
Sept 4, 2008
Orangeville Citizen
Law needed to ensure
access to Great Lakes
beaches
Aug 24, 2008
The Star
Fence draws line in sand
over waterfront access
Balm Beach at centre of wider shorelines battle
Monday, July 21st, 2008
Owen Sound Sun Times
Bylaw called key to water
access clarity
2/22-
By Doug Draper
Niagara This Week
Protect public access to lakeshores
2/08-
By Alison Bell
Niagara This Week
Public should be allowed
to walk shore: Craitor
10/07-
By Adam Shoalts
Welland Tribune
"Restoring the right to walk Erie's shore; Right of passage on Great Lake beaches being denied by some property owners"
4/28/07-
By Garry Skerrett
The Fort Erie Times
"On the waterfront:
good news, bad news"
4/15/07-
By Christina Blizzard
The Toronto Sun
"Private beaches not
just in Malibu"
Great
Lakes shoreline in danger
of becoming playground for rich
4/13/07
- By Paul Forsyth
This Week in Niagara
"Access for all"
11/8/06
Fort Erie Times
"A sign of progress
for Shorewalk"
View the current status of Kim Craitor's Great Lakes Shoreline Right of Passage Bill 43
CLICK HERE - Legislative Assembly of Ontario
Enchroachments Must Go!!
FE Council Passes By-Law...
June 2007
