NORTHEAST TOWN – The September 8 meeting of Northeast Town council was a rocky one.
In late August, Linda Bowerman of Little Current wrote to mayor and council regarding her concern with the number of vehicles and trailers blocking the ‘beach area’ at the government dock in Sheguiandah. She also raised issue with the playground equipment that was moved from its waterfront location in the village of Sheguiandah to the public works garage due to rising water levels, suggesting it be moved to the government dock area for kids to continue to enjoy.
At the September 1 meeting of council, CAO Dave Williamson explained to council that there are no identifiable beaches in Sheguiandah, nor are there any identifiable parking areas. Admitting that the town maintains any one of these could open the municipality up to liability issues, the CAO said.
“At the present time, it’s neither a beach nor a parking lot—do you want to open up that door?” Mr. Williamson asked.
On the topic of the playground equipment, council agreed that the government dock is a busy area and members did not feel comfortable with playground equipment and trucks and trailers mixing in the same locale.
“Growing up in Sheguiandah, I definitely swam an awful lot there, but I don’t think I’d want to send my kids down there to play,” said Councillor Jim Ferguson. “From a safety perspective, I’m not comfortable with that.”
The letter was again brought up at the September 8 meeting with Mr. Williamson explaining that public works will be placing rocks, approximately eight inches high, along the shoreline to deter boaters from using the shoreline to launch as well as vehicles and trailers parking there.
Councillor Ferguson asked if the rocks would be removed in time for snowmobile season as this is a popular entry and exit spot for the snowmobilers accessing Sheguiandah Bay, citing worries of litigation should a snowmobiler hit a rock.
Mr. Williamson said they would reassess the situation once the snow flies, but felt that the snow would be banked enough there that it would not be an issue.
Council also agreed that they would not move the playground equipment to the government dock.
Keeping on the subject of rocks, council then reviewed a request from Willis Sheppard of Rockville, asking the municipality to place rocks along its unopened road allowance which runs adjacent to his private road as he has concerns with traffic flow with vehicles sometimes meeting on the narrow travel way.
Mr. Williamson said that to allow the placement of rocks on municipal property would also be to assume liability should a motorist encounter one of those rocks and advised council against this request.
