​Kincardine needs to prioritize safety, maintain fair access at Station Beach, says resident

To the Editor:
RE: “Parking changes at Station Beach in Kincardine”

As a local community member and someone who regularly uses Station Beach in Kincardine, I would like to publicly share my concern with the recent parking changes that restrict public beach and volleyball court access in favour of marina-only parking near the pier.

According to Kincardine councillor Mike Hinchberger’s recent post on Facebook (www.facebook.com/share/p/16HAzYAdVd/), community questions and concerns should be addressed to councillors — not municipal staff. I respectfully request that councillors publicly respond to the concerns being voiced on-line.

In today’s world, social media is a transparent and widely-used means of communication. Requiring every concerned citizen to E-mail privately creates barriers to public accountability. If questions are being asked publicly, responses should be provided publicly.

As shown in the Pier Safety Report (March, 2024 - www.kincardine.ca/.../media-release-march-8-2024.../), there is only one line referencing parking: "Parking pilot project for 2024 with additional direction signs identifying parking locations based on patron usage." (see highlighted section below)


This line does not recommend removing parking access for volleyball players or other responsible users of the north end of Station Beach. In fact, there are several other more direct and safety-specific strategies recommended — including improvements to signage, increased lifeguard stations, and the potential use of beach patrol or ambassadors to monitor activity near the pier.

This document was signed by municipal staff, April 22, 2021. Notably, the beach volleyball courts were completed in the summer of 2022, after this plan was initiated. It appears volleyball-specific use was not considered in the layout changes.

Furthermore, while there is valid discussion around why lifeguards may not be feasible, there is no clear explanation why the option of a beach patrol (ambassadors or bylaw presence) has not been pursued more seriously.

Appendix 4 (Beach Safety Report Phase 2, 2022 – Item 8), explicitly lists beach patrol as a recommended future action.

Appendix 3 (June, 2016), also recommends beach patrol and states this should be brought back to council for further discussion.

Why was this option never pursued?

If our goal is swimmer safety, wouldn't it make more sense to use seasonal bylaw officers to:
 

• Patrol the beach and enforce signage during unsafe swimming conditions
• Monitor pier activity
• Issue infractions as needed

This use of existing staff would be more aligned with public safety than limiting parking access — especially when that access supports responsible, recreational beach users.

Why are we choosing to limit access for responsible beach users (volleyball players, paddle-boarders/surfers, families) instead of simply enforcing the rules we already have in place? Bylaws, signage, and enforcement are established tools already available to us.

I have read the Pier Safety Report in full and according to the Municipal Aquatic Safety Audit and supporting documents, nowhere does it state that restricting parking is a primary strategy for swimmer or pier safety.

Of course, the only restricted parking area that I’m sure all community members would agree on, should be the fire access routes needed for life-saving emergency response. Safety should never come at the expense of access for responsible, year-round beach users — especially when other enforcement solutions exist.

I urge councillors to consider revisiting this decision, engaging openly with the community, and responding to public feedback in the same forum it was received — transparently, and with a genuine commitment to both safety and community access.

Let’s work together to find a balanced solution that prioritizes safety while maintaining fair and inclusive access to our waterfront.

Melissa Chauder
Kincardine Outdoor Volleyball Association (KOVA)

** For the many users of the KOVA beach volleyball courts, I urge you to stay informed about the Waterfront Master Plan (www.kincardine.ca/.../kin_wmp_final-report_060923...), as the long-term plan will affect our beach volleyball courts.