Shomporko Online News Desk: Hundreds of people gathered at Big Tree Park in St. Laurent on Saturday to demand that the municipality remove new beach access fees.
“It doesn’t only affect the folks who live here — there are a lot of elders who live out here, and here is where their grandkids and kids come,” says Ainslie Martin, who helped organize Saturday’s protest after being caught off guard by the changes last month.
“Everyone goes to the beach and spends quality time with their families in St. Laurent.”
The RM of St. Laurent passed a bylaw in June that set down new rules for Big Tree Park, a municipality-owned park that includes Sandpiper Beach along the southeastern shore of Lake Manitoba.
Under the changes, which took effect Canada Day, anyone who can’t provide proof of residence in the RM will be charged $10 a day per vehicle, including the driver, and $5 for additional passengers.
Year-round passes are also available for $100 that includes an entry for two adults and three youth.
“If you think about the families that might not have the ability to go to the beaches that are farther away, just enough money for gas and snacks, you go and spend the day at the beach,” Martin says.
“And that’s now being taken away from the lower-income families that might not have the means to go to the bigger beaches that are farther away. It’s kind of sad.”
Global News’ requests for comment from the reeve of the RM of St. Laurent were unanswered Saturday.
However, the community’s website says the changes came since the beaches are now considered a tourist destination.
“Due to the influx and large increase of visitors and tourists, costs of maintaining, enhancing, repairing, and monitoring the use of our infrastructure have increased exponentially,” a statement reads in part.
“These costs should not be borne by our residents and property owners, hence the implementation of a fee charged to visitors. Gros Arbre (Big Tree) Park and Sandpiper Beach is the ideal location for a pilot project as it is owned by the R.M. of St. Laurent.”
It goes on to say the revenue will go back into improving the park, such as with shaded seating areas, more picnic tables, a playground, and upgraded change-rooms and toilet facilities.
“These are fantastic suggestions. Was this the best way to go about it, without consulting or talking to anyone? “I don’t believe so,” says Fátima Carreiro, head of the Portuguese Association of Manitoba, which operates a beachside campground.
“Given the large number of individuals who have come out here, I would say no.”
Carreiro says the changes are particularly disappointing because her organization and the RM have worked together for over 26 years and the changes were made without consultation.
Source_ The Global News
