Beach gets some help

Long-overdue facelift for Eastern Shore park

Lawrencetown Beach is getting a long-overdue facelift.

Failed infrastructure weakened by years of exposure to coastal elements at the popular Eastern Shore seasonal park and surfing beach meant it was time, said Darrell Comeau, area manager for the Department of Natural Resources for Halifax East.

“A lot of infrastructure there was showing some wear,” he said.

“We took the opportunity to replace a rotting boardwalk. It was becoming a bit of a health and safety concern for the public.”

Crusher dust on the Atlantic View Trail that flanks the beach packs down well and will weather better as a natural element, he said. And a greenspace developed on the beach’s east end has been sodded, with bordering boulders and picnic tables to be added shortly.

“It’s nice to see the upgrades happen.”

Portable toilets haven’t discouraged beachgoers, Comeau said, as the parking lot appeared to have as many as 200 cars in the parking lot Friday.

The comfort stations will be up and running again by next Friday. Damaged water piping is getting a new hookup to lines to an existing well about 1.5 kilometres from the beach, thanks to directional drilling.

The project is coming in ahead of schedule, with a budget of $80,000.

“This will allow people to go out and enjoy the beach. People are excited about it,” he said.

Come mid-September, consultations will be held with local stakeholders and community groups to help give direction for additional DNR upgrades in the area, Comeau said.

“We welcome that because they’re the ones that use it. They are the ones enjoying it every single day,” he said.