‘The good, the bad and the ugly’
Lack of facilities at John’s Cove Beach unacceptable, says councillor
A Cape Forchu resident says he has a beautiful view of John’s Cove beach, including “the good, the bad and the ugly.”
“Obviously it’s an unbelievably beautiful spot and, with False Harbour and the lighthouse, is a gem that should be enjoyed by residents and tourists,” Ken Cleveland wrote in a recent letter to the Municipality of Yarmouth.
However, Cleveland has concerns about several issues, including the lack of washroom facilities. Thousands of visitors use the two beaches each summer and Cleveland says this becomes a serious health and safety issue when human waste is deposited in the bushes and behind rocks.
“The Cape Forchu area is being marketed as a key draw for tourism, and people are defecating in the bushes, and peeing on the side of the road,” he said.
At the very least, a few porta-potties could be brought in for the summer, he said.
The lack of parking is also seen as a problem.
On a few occasions last summer, he said people parked on both sides of Lobster Pound Road, which made it impossible for people to exit the road and blocked vehicles from driving up the road.
“If there were a need for an ambulance, fire truck or other emergency vehicle, it could have been serious,” he wrote in his letter.
He suggested erecting a 'no parking' sign on one side of the road.
Cleveland’s letter sparked lots of conversation at a recent Municipality of Yarmouth council meeting.
Loren Cushing, the councillor for the Cape Forchu district, empathized with Cleveland.
“People are going in the tall grass and behind the (nearby) cottages, doing their business there. Sometimes they’re going on the beach and just digging a hole and burying it," Cushing said. "It’s not acceptable."
The problem is the municipality does not own any land in the John’s Cove beach area to erect a washroom/change room.
Cushing said he even spoke to a nearby property owner to see about buying land for that purpose, with no luck.
He made a motion for council to contact Transportation and Infrastructure Renewal to see if the Lobster Pound Road could be widened to allow more room for parking along one side. The road branches off from Highway 304 and runs alongside an area where people access the beach. The motion was approved.
The municipality’s CAO,
Victoria Brooks, said other agencies should be part of the conversation, including the RCMP for safety concerns, the Department of Natural Resources, with respect to resources at the high-water level, and the Department of Environment, with regard to possible environmental contamination.
“My view is that if we had a multi-agency stake in this issue then perhaps the resources can be gathered up to support the solution,” she said. “Rather than have one agency bear the cost and responsibility for the solution, maybe it’s a multi-agency response.”
Cushing is on board with that proposal. He’s hoping for co-operation between various government departments to help solve the problem of washrooms. “I know our council would like to see this happen. Unfortunately, the wheels of government agencies move slow.”
Washrooms and a changing room at Cape Forchu beaches were mentioned by several participants during recent consultation sessions for the Cape Forchu Master Plan, which is in development.