Cobourg
is a beautiful town on the north shore of Lake Ontario. To visitors
and residents alike one of its main attractions is its lakeshore.
One resident who walks the beaches frequently is Pat Stanley.
She also happens to be a very accomplished water colour artist
who draws much of her inspiration from those Lake Ontario shoreline
walks.
The
peace, tranquility and inspiration of her walks was disrupted
in the summer of 2005 when a lakeshore property owner decided
to fence off and block the newly constructed shoreline boardwalk.
Despite efforts by Cobourg mayor Peter Delanty and his council
the fence remains as we approach the summer of 2007.
Pat
Stanley had joined the Ontario Shorewalk Association some time
ago but now has formed Cobourg Shorewalk and is attracting members
who want no obstructing fences along the lake shore. Their group
supports the Right of Passage initiatives of Ontario Shorewalk
as does mayor Delanty.
For
more information about Pat Stanley please visit her website at
www.lostbeach.ca.
MacDonald,
Valerie
Cobourg Daily Star Local News
Tuesday, April 17, 2007
Council
urged to support pedestrians' right to walk along shore
With
lakefront property owners Bill MacDonald and Stan Frost abstaining,
the balance of Cobourg councillors passed two motions last night
to support access to the west beach by pedestrians.
Town
staff have been asked to check into the legal rights of citizens
to continue the use of the west beach and the legal rights of
property owners, some of whom own out into the lake.
Councillors
also endorsed a private member's bill introduced at Queen's Park
last week, as urged by Sydenham Street, Cobourg, resident Pat
Stanley, who urged councillors to do so during her speech to them
last night.
Mrs.
Stanley, who heads Shorewalk Cobourg, part of Ontario Shorewalk,
participated in a news conference last week and highlighted the
fencing of lakeside private property, plus the wooden boardwalk
dispute at Cobourg's west harbour. The news conference was a prelude
to the introduction of the private member's bill.
Niagara
Falls Liberal MPP Kim Craitor's bill, if passed, would "reserve
to the public a right of passage to permit passage along the shoreline
of any Great Lake between the shore of the lake and the high water
mark."
The
U.S. Supreme Court has recently upheld the right of passage along
the U.S. side of the Great Lakes, based on historic British Common
Law, she says.
The
Lake Ontario shoreline in Cobourg in particular has been used
by the public for well over 150 years, Mrs. Stanley stressed,
both at Queen's Park and in the Victoria Hall council chamber.
