Man ‘disgusted’ by beach drinkers

B.C. transplant says rules being flouted with trash, ‘open alcohol everywhere’

A Saskatoon man says he is “shocked and beyond disgusted” by the open drinking going on at Paradise Beach south of Saskatoon.

Andrew Bailey visited the popular riverbank hangout for the first time on a Sunday afternoon, Aug. 27. He moved to the city from British Columbia a few years ago, and saw a stark contrast with beaches in his former province.

At Paradise Beach, Bailey saw “open alcohol everywhere”, people playing beer pong on the beach, others drinking while in the river, and beer cans floating on the water.

“There was no attempt to even try to cover it up,” Bailey said, adding that people were “starting to get a little inebriated,” speaking loudly, swearing and slurring their words.

He called the RM of Corman Park, who referred him to the RCMP. Bailey was told a couple of cruisers would be sent around. He said he left about 45 minutes later and had not seen any police.

“It wasn’t a nice environment in my feeling but other people who I talked to say, well, they’re just so used to it. Nothing gets done about it. To me that’s not really the answer,” he commented.

Noting issues of alcohol abuse and drunk driving in Saskatchewan are “quite staggering,” clamping down on open drinking on beaches would also help keep drunk people off the roads, Bailey suggested.

RCMP Staff Sgt. Rob Eyre of the Warman detachment declined to be interviewed — but asked that the StarPhoenix email questions to him. However, no response was received.

Paradise Beach is located in Corman Park and is administered by the Meewasin Valley Authority. Interim CEO Doug Porteous said the MVA may have to close the beach, along with the Fred Heal and Poplar Bluffs canoe launches because of its ever-worsening financial picture.

“It would be unfortunate to have that happen,” Porteous said.

He said in almost four decades, funding for the MVA has dwindled from $38 to less than $10 per capita (based on Saskatoon’s population and adjusted for inflation).

Porteous also warned the situation could grow worse now that the provincial government and the University of Saskatchewan are no longer legally obligated to fund the MVA.

This year the province cut its contribution by $409,000 while the University of Saskatchewan pared its funding by $34,000 — totalling a 17-per-cent reduction, Porteous said.

The MVA used to have an enforcement contract with the Corman Park police service, paying $30,000 annually, “but we don’t have that money to do that now,” he continued.

Laws can be enforced by any police force or by deputized Meewasin enforcement officers “but we don’t have capacity to deputize someone,” he added.

He cited “excellent co-operation” between the MVA, the RM of Corman Park and the RCMP, but also said “it’s just a problem of capacity, the RCMP are so spread out and the Corman Park police are too.”

Porteous appealed for “self-enforcement” by beach-goers, a willingness to be good neighbours and obey the rules.

Asked what he thought of Porteous’ response, Bailey said the possible beach closure “makes sense” if local authorities don’t have the money to enforce the rules.

Meanwhile, the MVA is in discussions with its main funders — the city, the province and the U of S — to outline the services it provides to each, and the money it needs to maintain them.

It wasn’t a nice environment

... other people who I talked to say, well, they’re just so used to it. Nothing gets done about it.