Tag: Waterfront

East Pier and Campground report

John Draper

At the Committee of the Whole Council meeting on June 24, Director of Community Services Dean Hustwick asked council to hire the Waterfront Plan consultants thinc design “to conduct public engagement on design options for the East Pier and Campground”.  That is, to do some preliminary design and ask the public what they would like.  But Councillor Emily Chorley said that there should be a public meeting in September 2019 which would narrow the options before any money was spent on designs.  Emily moved that this should be done with results presented to Council no later than November 4, 2019 and the work could be included in the 2020 budget.  Detailed designs would then follow.  Her motion was deferred to… Read complete articleEast Pier and Campground report

Cobourg Council Responds to Lake Level Flooding

John Draper

The gallery at Cobourg Council was standing room only when Sarah Delicate of United Shoreline made her presentation to Council at Monday’s Committee of the Whole meeting.  Sarah gave an excellent summary of the situation with the flooding on Lake Ontario where new rules for controlling lake levels have been put in place per the new Plan 2014. Introduced in 2017, this replaces Plan 1958DD which was in place from the 1950’s to 2016.   The key difference is that Lake Levels are now allowed to vary much more widely with a high level 30 cm (one foot) higher than previously.  Her full presentation is available at the link below but I will provide a summary.  MPP David Piccini was also… Read complete articleCobourg Council Responds to Lake Level Flooding

Mock Emergency Exercise at Waterfront

John Draper

On Saturday June 21, emergency services (Fire, Police and more) participated in an exercise to help prepare emergency responders on what to do. The intent was to simulate what might have to be done for an emergency on “one of the Town of Cobourg’s larger festival weekends, specifically the Canada Day long weekend, when the waterfront and downtown area typically play host to upwards of 40,000 people.“  A “missing child” emergency was simulated as well as a “mass casualty event” – a boat full of people in trouble out in the Lake.  I saw participation by lifeguards, the Cobourg Fire Department, the Trent Hills Fire Department, the Civil Air Rescue group from Niagara, an Ambulance, the OPP water Police and… Read complete articleMock Emergency Exercise at Waterfront

Cobourg Lakefront Properties being Damaged by Floods

John Draper

Cobourg residents with properties fronting onto Lake Ontario are asking for the Town’s help with sandbags. Deputy Mayor Suzanne Séguin and Director of Works Laurie Wills have responded but so far the only help offered is “Unfortunately all we can do is provide the materials but not the labour.”  The official numbers for lake levels show that the lake level is at higher levels than in 2017 and has peaked – although it has not yet dropped.  The problem is that with high winds, the shoreline is getting damaged.  Some property owners are losing land and flooding is occurring at the Marina and along the West beach boardwalk.  Average levels only tell part of the story – winds cause levels… Read complete articleCobourg Lakefront Properties being Damaged by Floods

Council Receives Report on Canoe Rental Trial

John Draper

At the Council’s Committee of the Whole (C.O.W.) meeting on 15 May, a motion was moved by Emily Chorley and passed 5- 2 to look into details of a trial by Green Canoe outfitters (GCO) to move their Canoe and Kayak Rental summer business from the Beach in front of the Breaker’s Motel to the Cobourg main beach.  The move would not be large since they would remain at the far eastern end of the beach but they would be in the jurisdiction of the Town instead of on waterfront owned by Breakers Motel.  Staff were concerned that they would not have time to do a full review but they managed to report in enough detail and define enough conditions to… Read complete articleCouncil Receives Report on Canoe Rental Trial

New Record High for Lake Ontario Water Levels

John Draper

Well the optimists (like me) were wrong – the water level of Lake Ontario at Cobourg has now set a new record and according to the GRCA, it has not finished rising yet (see GRCA Flood warning below).  The graph below shows the peak level from each day and on 29 May the level was 8.3 cm above the record set in 2017 (that’s 3.25 inches).  On May 30, the Marina fuel dock is still covered in water although thanks to some work by the Marina, it’s still operational.  In fact Julie at the Marina said that other than supply of electricity to boats, Cobourg’s Marina is fully open for business – this despite the fact that many other Marinas… Read complete articleNew Record High for Lake Ontario Water Levels

Has Lake Level Peaked?

John Draper

The May 2-4 weekend is when many think that the warm weather is here and it’s time to visit the beach – and Sunday was sunny although not quite beach weather.  But Cobourg’s beach was not quite ready – the water level is close to record highs and the beach still has puddles and mounds of sand from dredging.  Although dredging appears to be finished, the beach still needs to be groomed with a grader.  The water level is about 3.5 inches below the record set in 2017 but the beach sand seems to be higher – presumably by the dredging – so it’s not as bad.  In 2017, the fueling dock was covered in water but it is not… Read complete articleHas Lake Level Peaked?

High Lake Levels at Cobourg

John Draper

There were record water levels on Lake Ontario in 2017 with extensive flooding on lake fronts.  This has understandably caused many people to be nervous that it might happen again so when levels get higher than average, anxiety increases.  Lately, water levels are higher than normal but as yet not near the record levels of 2017.  According to the Ganaraska Region Conservation Authority (GRCA), as of May 1st, “Lake Ontario is rising at a rate of 2 to 3 cm per day and its current level (6pm May 1) is 75.38 m above sea level, which is 40 cm above normal. Rising water levels are expected to continue for at least the next week until downstream water levels subside at… Read complete articleHigh Lake Levels at Cobourg