Hundreds visit Decew Falls, blocking emergency vehicles
Police called to clear the area so that first responders could get through
Matt Harris didn’t mince words when describing the hundreds of people who gathered at Morningstar Mill in the midst of a pandemic, while parking their vehicles on both sides of Decew Road and blocking rescue vehicles called to the area.
“People are idiots,” said Harris, a St. Andrew’s Ward city councillor.
St. Catharines Fire and Emergency Services Deputy Chief Dave Upper estimated at least 500 people were at Morningstar Mill Sunday afternoon, as firefighters were called to the area at Decew Falls to assist an injured hiker.
“It is significantly busier than we’ve seen it in the past. It’s been busy on the weekends, but never to this extent.”
Upper said so many vehicles were parked along the sides of the road leading to the heritage site that Niagara Regional Police had to be called in to clear the area to allow rescue vehicles to get through.
It was at least the fifth time firefighters were called to the area since June 3 to rescue hikers who were in distress for various reasons.
“It was difficult for our trucks to get in with cars parked on both sides of
the road,” Upper said. “It was making it a challenge to get our equipment in there.”
He said firefighters were called when a hiker was unable to walk out of the park because of a foot injury, and had to be brought back up to the trail using a rescue basket.
While rescuing that hiker, he said, firefighters were called on to assist another hiker who was further along the trail who needed assistance due to an illness.
Harris said he plans to discuss the issue at next week’s city council meeting.
“I think people are getting a little stir-crazy by staying home so long, everybody decides they have to go out and do stuff. The reality is people need some common sense. And if they’re kids, parents need to step up and say it’s really not appropriate to go to these places,” Harris said.
“If there are this many people showing up, we may have to do something; close it down, make it not available — which is kind of a shame because there are people that respect the rules and respect social distancing.”
With more than 500 people in one area, despite being outdoors “you’re not going to have social distancing” Harris warned.
“We’re working with the senior leadership team at St. Catharines to come up with a plan as to how we can remedy this. We have several things in the works. We’re looking at some signage, and there are several different stakeholders on the property (including the provincial government and Niagara Region). We’re trying to talk to them to see what their thinking is, as well.”
Upper said he hopes that moving to Stage 2 of reopening the economy might help reduce the number of people using the trails at Morningstar Mill.
“Unfortunately, with COVID-19, so many things are closed. This is one of the places they can go.”
Harris remained concerned about the lack of preparations some people take while planning to hike along trails adjacent to a gorge.
For instance, following previous rescues at the park Upper said some of the hikers were wearing flip-flop sandals.
“Even before this pandemic when they’re going for a hike, the footwear that people wear — it’s like, are you stupid, you’re going for a hike?” Harris said.
“You can’t enforce common sense.”
Mayor Walter Sendzik addressed the issue on social media, reminding trail users not to go off the trails at Decew Falls.
He also responded to a message from a resident, asking about the potential of installing stairs running down into the gorge.
“It would be cheaper. The property in question is provincially owned. We only own the front part by Morningstar Mill. We’ve asked the province for help. Not a lot of support. Each rescue costs about $2,000,” he wrote on Twitter. Niagara Centre MPP Jeff Burch said his office was not contacted regarding asking the province for help, but offered his assistance if needed.
“I think people are in favour of, if it’s more cost effective and safer to build a staircase then I think people would be in favour of that. The levels of government would have to co-operate, and I would be in favour of working with the municipality for sure,” he said.
Burch, too, was concerned about the lack of preparation among trail users.
“People have to be smart and realize that when they get themselves in trouble, they’re risking the safety of rescue people and other users. It’s not just about them,” he said.