Welcome to the Cobourg Beach Society
Please note that we have a new website:
www.cobourgbeachsociety.com For future news, go there!!!
If you wish to help us regain public access to the entire West Beach by creating a nature park, join our mailing list by contacting cobourgbeachsociety@gmail.com or see us on Facebook. Better yet attend a meeting!
EVERYONE IS INVITED TO OUR "BEACH BRUNCH", SUNDAY, APRIL 3rd, 2011 FROM 11-2pm AT THE LEGION VILLAGE RECREATION HALL. TICKETS $10SORRY BEACH BRUNCH TICKETS ARE SOLD OUT!
If you are tired of looking at no trespassing signs and fences along Cobourg's traditional public right of way shoreline, then we need your support. We support the creation of a park below the traditional high water mark from the water filtration plant to Factory Creek. Such a park is part of the Town Plan, and with your support, we can make it HAPPEN! Leave a comment below and/or e mail us at cobourgbeachsociety@gmail.ca.
ReplyDeleteI live in Cobourg near the beach and am furious with the no trespassing signs and aggressive actions of the property owners who claim this historic beach as " theirs". Go beach society, go!!!
ReplyDeleteI agree, it is not fair that there is a no trespassing sign on our beach in cobourg. No one has the right to claim it, it belongs to Cobourg as a whole. It is not something that has a right to be sold. We do not want Cobourg to become like brighton either where the only way to get to lake ontario is to pay money because they have it all fenced off.
ReplyDeleteI grew up in Cobourg, and I have seen the beach slowly transform from a family place to a tourist attraction.
ReplyDeleteIrregardless of what my views are on that subject, I wholly resent the fact that several of the waterfront residents somehow feel ownership over the beach. I do not quite understand how these individuals feel they have the right to decide who can and can not enjoy the beauty of Lake Ontario.
I too have been accosted by these residents for casually walking along the shoreline. Actions such as these send a very strong message to people who pay to visit our beautiful town, and to those taxpayers who have invested their time and money to create this source of community pride.
The Cobourg Beach Society has my support on this issue.
I agree with your groups aims to get the Beach in Cobourg opened up for everybody. In the 70's & 80's I was a member of a local group in Fort Erie who tried to do the same with lake front on Lake Erie.
ReplyDeleteOur relatives from Scotland were also rudely told they were trespassing on private property while walking the waters edge west of ontario st.
ReplyDeleteVery sad that these UN- neighbourly people have to watch like hawks, to make sure you don't enjoy Mother Nature too much. A workable solution needs to come forward, before someone gets themselves into trouble. Council needs to show leadership, now that the Frink issue has not toppled democracy in Cobourg. The Beach Society has my complete support and co operation.
ReplyDeleteAll that money spent on a rink could have been used to start acquiring property for a beachfront park.
ReplyDeleteI really believe the town should investigate whether the fact that the beach has been unfenced and unclaimed for over half a century (in my own experience) has established it as a public right-of-way by default.
Are you kidding?! You want people to hand over their land to you because you want a quiet place to go for a walk after dinner? Well, lets hope that people don't decide you have a nice tree on your property that they feel needs to be preserved for future generations, and then demand a right of way to that tree. Come on. You can not decide that what someone else has is so nice that you are going to just take it. That's called stealing. I love the water, too. I do not live on it, so I make the effort to go there everday and enjoy it at any one of the many 'public' spots designated for such purposes. If you want property on the lake, go buy it. If you do not live close enough to a public beach, MOVE! Why are people so whinny and lazy these days? Why do people think they can just take what ever they want. Most people have a substantial investment in their land. They bought it, (or inheritied it); they own it. Why should they have to let every Tom, Dick and Robert on their property just because those people think they should be able to go anywhere they please; (don't we have wars going on because some people think they can just take what ever they want?). This is just a petty attempt of people who want what isn't theirs to try to steal under the pretext that they are preserving something for others. The land owners are the ones who are actually preserving the beaches. They are making sure random people do not deface them, litter on them or build on them. Another point of interest. Robert Cairns appears to be my former grade 6 teacher from Brampton. (Looks just like him.) But that can't be possible as I'm not even 33 and he claims to have lived here for that time. Or maybe it just another false claim to try to better the opinion of others.
ReplyDeleteIt's a low blow for an anonymous poster to make insinuations about someone who has the courage to stand up and stake their name on a cause. If you're so sure of yourself, who are you?
ReplyDeleteIt's too bad Robert Cairns has never tought in Brampton, OR grade 6 in Canada (he tought grade 6 in mexico for one year) I would know, I'm his son...who's making the false claims now?
ReplyDeleteAnother question: why do these properties extend all the way to the lake, wherever that happens to be at the moment? Why don't these properties have established property lines to the south the same as all other properties have delineated boundaries -- and nowhere near the water's edge, at that?
ReplyDeleteAt what point does the property line begin? Maybe I could walk the board walk and then swim around the property line.By the way there should be some kind of regulation on the fencing.It's somewhat of an eyesore.Maybe the homeowners would allow the boardwalk through with the agreement of having nice looking fencing and signage to protect the majority of their property. Maybe some sort of compromise like IE.having a gate that opens only certain times during the day.I love the boardwalk and would be delighted if it was extended further.However, I know how it feels to have people trespassing on what has been in a family for generations.This is truly a sensitive issue with two sides.
ReplyDeleteI'm happy people are standing up it's not fair there is a no trespassing sign no one has the right to claim it thats so ridiculous, People stand up for what you believe in!!!!
ReplyDeleteI think it's kind of funny that somebody is calling people out exercising in nature "lazy" Using this 'anonymous' poster's tree example: If for many years people were able to visit this tree and then suddenly somebody were to put a fence around it don't you think those people who had enjoyed the comfort of that trees shade for many years would be a little confused? Especially since everyone involved really want what is best for this tree so it can be enjoyed for many years to come.
ReplyDeleteI find the term 'stealing' offensive. According to dictionary.com to steal is: to take (the property of another or others) without permission or right, esp. secretly or by force.
They are not taking anything. The sand and rocks are still there. They aren't building anything on the land. They are simply passing through it. If anything they're trying to buy this so-called privately owned land which is completely LEGAL.
There was a time in polite society when estates which had been in families for generations were open to the public. In fact they would open their houses for tours to complete strangers because they were proud of it and wanted to share in its splendor.
I understand the property owners are concerned about garbage because of this boardwalk but the area which is 'public' doens't seem to have a problem with garbage so why would their private property? There is the issue of liability as well. If somebody gets hurt on their property they are responsible. For years people have been using that beach freely. YEARS. It has managed to stay clean and there haven't been any lawsuits to my knowledge. So, what exactly is their problem? I believe these property owners need to get over themselves and stop creating problems where there weren't really any to begin with.
I grew up in this friendly town and I believe there is such a thing as tact. To hear these horror stories of guests to our small town being rudely chased away for enjoying the waterfront just breaks my heart. I wish they had been open to working with the 'trespassers' because the bottom line is we all want the same thing. To enjoy the beautiful and clean waterfront. Knowing my father. He would have been happy to find a solution everyone would be satisfied with. He is a great mediator! It is an absolute shame it had to come to this.
I'd really to say this though:
Thank you property owners for representing Cobourg in such a positive light.
i suggest a 'ferry' to move walkers around the 'property line' of the people claiming to own to the water's edge - the noise and ridiculousness of the venture would surely shame these folks into changing their perspective of land ownership and public use.
ReplyDeleteReassess the values of these properties and then tax them at the going rate on all that huge area of beach, then watch as the owners realize they cannot afford their 'private' beach, and decide to sell it to the town at a reasonable price.
ReplyDeleteTax policy is a good idea. After all declining lake levels have given them free beach that they have not hesitated to claim.
ReplyDeleteThank you for the acknowledgement.
ReplyDeleteRB
I just wanted to say that I fully support the efforts of the Cobourg Beach Society as it endeavors to establish the rights our forefathers took as a given by an age old law carried with us from England and France. I have found a link to another society that has a similar agenda and also carries some background info on how this law has been used, abused and hopefully upheld to allow us access to the land along the beach that was intended to be enjoyed by all. A returning native Cobourgian who is thoroughly disappointed at the loss of public access to OUR beautiful lake!
ReplyDeletehttp://www.shorewalk.ca/background.html
What's the worst that can happen if you just ignore the protests and carry on walking without doing any damage or leaving any litter...?
ReplyDeleteAdd my voice to your efforts to reclaim the waterfront for public use.
ReplyDeletehas any one ever been arrested for tresspassing on this property? if not has anybody pressed charges against the people that are acosting us on the beach? i know that if i walked up to somebody on the side walk in front of my house and told them to get off my property there would be certain consequences.maybe a mass march and sit in on the aledged private property would bring this to a conclusion!
ReplyDeleteNiagara Falls MPP Kim Craitor has re-introduced a private member's bill that would prohibit landowners from barricading beaches by erecting fences into the water.
ReplyDeleteThe Great Lakes Shoreline Right of Passage Act re-introduced at Queen's Park on Tuesday will reserve a right of passage along the shorelines of the Great Lakes between the shoreline and high water mark.
"Essentially, the bill will allow the public to enjoy the various beaches on the Great Lakes of our beautiful province," Craitor said.
The legislation does not allow the public to access beaches through private property.
Wow - what a staggering sense of entitlement some people have. Perhaps I'll go for a jog through your backyard and maybe take the dog with me! Maybe I'll stop for a few hours and take photos, compose some poetry or paint a watercolour!
ReplyDeleteMany of the deeds to waterfront property give ownership of the "water rights" several yards into lake Ontario. Private property is private property. "No trespassing" signs should be unecessary - because people would respect the fence and keep off.
Waterfront Property owners have rights too - and yes we pay a boatload of tax in this beautiful town.
I was down on the boardwalk today - and there is quite a bit of litter.
I bought my property with clean title and paid a premium for the PRIVATE frontage. There is no easement and no public access - period.
We are not mean people - we just want what we have already paid for respected. Please just leave us alone.
Shame on you people - your sense of entitlement is a disgrace. Private property should be respected.
ReplyDeleteIf the "sands of time" have favoured West Cobourg property owners by widening their beach - then that is their good fortune.
Talk about politics of envy.
Wow
ReplyDeleteyou guys post a picture of a private citizen - a tax paying property owner standing up for herself. You are correct - it is her beach and she is to be commended for being proactive.
How many of you are bravely confronting her? Is that 3 in the picture, with one of you holding the camera. Was the picture taken with her consent?
Shame on you. Does Mr Delanty really want to endorse the politics of envy?
Actually members of the Cobourg Beach Society were cleaning the beach. She confronted them.
ReplyDeleteAs to your private property rights: the beach was used for 200 years by the citizens of Cobourg. The gives them some rights too.
As to the politics of envy: this gives an interesting look at " anonymous's" mindset: somehow they are better than us and we are envious of them. No; I just want to use a beach the citizens have used for 200 years.
Hi Robert
ReplyDelete(1)The beach in question did not exist 200 years ago.
(2)The population of Cobourg 200 years ago was around 320 people with 40 houses. Hardly the same as today.
(3)The private members bill submitted to the provincial government has failed. (the government has bigger fish to fry)
I and others just want privacy - please leave this issue. You are a populist. Do not try to make out that I am elite or different from the rest of the population. I just want the same respect for my backyard as I give to you in yours.
Enjoy the amazing public beach - and work hard to keep it clean as I do quietly without publicity.
I think this issue may be consuming you.
Sincerely
Anon