Windsor Port Authority to examine ways to block off access to western edge of Sandpoint Beach
The chief executive officer of the Windsor Port Authority says 'the port will take every action' to make sure access to a dangerous part of Sandpoint Beach is not available.
Steve Salmons said he is in conversation with the city regarding the decision to close Sandpoint Beach and what's going to happen moving forward.
The Windsor Port Authority owns the land that connects to the western edge of the beach, the place where there's a steep drop-off and strong currents in the water where the Detroit River meets Lake St. Clair.
The council voted June 9 to close the beach to swimmers effective immediately, eliminating public access to the water while the council awaits the results of a coroner's investigation into the death of a 15-year-old boy who drowned in the water off the beach on May 19, 2025.
The City of Windsor has been using the land through a licensing agreement with the port, assuming all operations and liability, but council is ending the agreement, which will terminate Jan. 1, and the port authority will resume responsibility after that happens.
Salmons said he is speaking with the mayor about the end of the licensing agreement.
'We want to be sure that whatever future plans they have sync with our future plans for that corner of the property. We also want to make sure whatever we're doing works with their plan,' he said.
Salmons said when the city comes to a decision on what they're going to do with the park, they will see if the port can have a supportive role.
'The most immediate concern for the port is Jan. 1, when we resume occupation of this property. We will now, over the next six months, begin to think of how we make that access to the dangerous drop-off and the undercurrents at the west end of the beach as unattractive and unappealing as possible,' he said.
Salmons said they're not in the beach business and don't want to be in the beach business.
'We're in the commercial waterfront business as a custodian of our waterways and also of the safety of our waterways, on the waterways and the shoreline,' he said.
'You can be confident that the port will take every action so that access to that dangerous drop-off will not be available.'
The city will spend the next few weeks closing off water access and scheduling staff to be at the beach to inform visitors of the closure.
Additional signage will be installed to remind visitors that the water is dangerous, and fencing will be installed to close off the remainder of the waterfront access.
All measures to close off the water access at Sandpoint are anticipated to be in place by June 24, and water access will remain closed indefinitely.
The sand area around the playground and the parkland will remain open and accessible for families to enjoy.
In May 2024, two men, aged 25 and 22, also drowned in the same area off Sandpoint.
Council also directed city administration to review the Sandpoint Beach Master Plan, which calls for the relocation of the beach to the eastern end to avoid the drop-off and strong currents, to determine whether the planned work to relocate the beach, modify the existing shoreline, and upgrade amenities will be able to effectively eliminate the risks posed to swimmers.
- Written by Rusty Thomson/AM800 News.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
CTV News
23 minutes ago
- CTV News
35-year-old man killed in Calgary motorcycle crash on Stoney Trail
A 35-year-old man was killed in a motorcycle crash on Stoney Trail. A 35-year-old man was killed in a motorcycle crash on Stoney Trail. Calgary police say neither speed nor impairment are believed to be factors in a deadly motorcycle crash on Thursday. Emergency crews responded to the eastbound lanes of Stoney Trail near Sarcee Trail N.W. just before 6 p.m. for a two-vehicle crash. Police say both vehicles involved – a GMC Sierra pickup truck with a utility trailer and a red Ducati 959 Panigale motorcycle – were eastbound at the time. Investigators believe the pickup truck was in the middle lane, but hit the motorcycle as it began braking and moving into the eft lane. The motorcycle and rider were knocked down, coming to a rest near the guardrails in the centre median. The motorcyclist, a 35-year-old man, suffered serious, life-threatening injuries. He was taken to hospital where he later died. The driver of the pickup truck wasn't injured. Anyone who witnessed the crash or who has dash-cam footage is asked to call police at 403-266-1234. Tips can also be submitted anonymously through Crime Stoppers.
CTV News
24 minutes ago
- CTV News
Man dies in hospital after shooting at automotive complex in Brampton
Peel police give an update on the investigation into the fatal shooting of a man in Brampton on Friday evening. A man in his 30s is dead after a shooting at an automotive complex in Brampton Friday afternoon. Peel police and paramedics were called to 181 Rutherford Road South, east of Kennedy Road, just before 5:45 p.m. for reports of shots fired. Brampton shooting Police and paramedics are on the scene of a shooting in Brampton on Friday, June 20, 2025. (CTV News Toronto) When they arrived, officers found a victim suffering from multiple gunshot wounds. 'He was transported to a trauma center where he underwent emergency surgery but sadly was pronounced deceased,' Peel police media relations officer Const. Tyler Bell told reporters at the scene. Bell said the victim was associated with the business and was either an owner or an employee. Shooting appears to be targeted The homicide bureau has taken over the investigation. Bell said it appears it was a 'targeted style' shooting. 'Whether or not this individual was the intended target, that's always part of the ongoing investigation,' he said. 'Most shootings that happen are targeted in nature. It's not too often that we see random-style shootings here in the GTA, fortunately.' Brampton shooting A police tape block a garage following a shooting in Brampton on Friday, June 20, 2025. (CTV News) Bell said the victim was inside the establishment when he was shot. 'Whether or not the shooter was on foot or shooting from the vehicle … it's too early to tell at the moment,' he said. Bell added that there was no further risk to public safety. He noted that the area was busy at the time of the shooting, and 'miraculously, no one else was struck by gunfire.' 'Anytime we see a shooting, it's tragic. We see this at a place of business where multiple people come and go regularly,' he said. 'At any given time, we've seen tragic circumstances where people are caught in the crossfire of these acts, so it's obviously concerning. People were coming and going. It could have been anybody.' Too early to tell if it's linked to tow truck violence Police do not have information about the suspect or suspects. They likely fled in a vehicle, given that it happened in an industrial area, said Bell. Brampton shooting Police tape surround shops at an automotive complex in Brampton following a shooting on Friday, June 20, 2025. (CTV News Toronto) When asked if the shooting could be connected to the ongoing violence in the tow truck industry, the constable said it's too early in the investigstion but it would be something that investigators could pursue 'I understand that's top of mind, especially with the most recent press conference that we've put out. It is certainly going to be something that investigators are going to pursue,' Bell said, referring to this week's police announcement about the dismantling of a violent criminal organization. 'Whether or not it's related at this point, it's certainly possible, something that we'll be looking into for sure.' Bell urged anyone with information, especially those who were in the area at the time of the shooting, to contact homicide investigators or Crime Stoppers anonymously.
CTV News
39 minutes ago
- CTV News
VPD pushes back against arrest quota allegations
Vancouver Watch Vancouver police are on the defense, responding to an anonymous complaint alleging the force adheres to arrest quotas on the Downtown Eastside.
