Kincardine council hopes everyone plays nice this summer, particularly at the municipality’s beaches and parks.
If not, you’re likely to run into bylaw enforcement officers from James Special Services of Owen Sound.
In a report to Committee of the Whole on Monday, June 7th, Director of Finance and Treasurer Roxana Baumann says they need to hire officers to focus on the beach issues from July 1st to September 5th.
The officers on the beach will be on duty 7-days a week, 12-hours a day, 9 a.m. to 9 p.m.
Baumann says Kincardine sees an influx of visitors that is estimated at 700,000 over the course of the year with the peak season being July and August.
She says some of the issues they’ve had to deal with include overnight camping illegally, parking issues at the beaches and throughout the community and generally public nuisance events including fires, unreasonable noise and fireworks.
Kincardine Mayor Gerry Glover says they need to be seen as patrolling the public tourist areas.
He says, “There no room for graffiti or vandalism.”
Councillor Doug Kennedy says they welcome tourists but they need to behave.
He suggests that at some point they may have to consider charging tourists to use the beach, pointing out that the charge would not apply to local residents.
Council voted in favour of the extra enforcement officers, plus a third one to fill the full time spot for the community on a Monday to Friday basis until a full time replacement is found.
