Phase 2 delineation set to go for Tiny beaches

Tiny staff are getting closer to being upright pillars of the community with their stakes in the ground.

Delineation for Tiny municipal beaches and accesses was approved for Phase 2 of the program at a recent regular council meeting.

“This will be our second year of delineation of public beaches, to aid all users of beaches and surrounding properties of where the extent of municipally-owned property is,” public works director Tim Leitch told councillors.

According to Leitch, the delineation process, which involved surveying properties and installing signifying posts, couldn't be completed last year as the winter season halted efforts. However, he noted that township staff continuing the program is “priority one moving into the new year."

Phase 2 recommended properties for delineation are all of Woodland Beach, 30 Waterview Concession 4 West, Asselin Park, Chemin du Loup road allowance, Shelly Lane and 19 Huronia Court. Also recommended for Phase 2 are the north boundary of Lafontaine Beach, and Lundy Lane to Jackson Park in the Ossossane continuation.

The township will look to identify encroachments through surveys, with notifications to be sent to abutting private property owners or associations of the delineation with identified encroachments included in the surveys.

Delineation posts, made of galvanized steel with reflective stickers that state ‘Property Boundary Marker,' will be installed along the municipal boundary fully within the municipal property, approximately one foot inside the property line.

“One key point in there is because of the fluctuation in the water levels that we have seen over the years,” stated Leitch. “What we’ve agreed on is to keep the posts back from the water’s edge to prevent erosion, the posts coming out and the maintenance involved with that.

“So we’ve established a point of 177.5 metres which is slightly above the highwater mark, and then that way we can make sure that these posts will remain in place when we see the dip in water fluctuations.”

As the highwater elevation is 178 metres, Leitch clarified to MidlandToday that, “we will be close to that mark and will be within one meter of the location of the highwater. Each area has different scenarios that will affect placement as was discussed during the meeting.”

During the report to council, Leitch added that having the standard location for the markers would alleviate future issues; not to imply that the property boundary would stop at that point, but to ensure a clear line could be seen to provide an understanding of what public beach areas could be used.

Coun. Gibb Wishart asked Leitch how delineation posts would be dealt with in areas with dense vegetation and other visual obstructions.

Leitch responded that the intention wasn’t to have markers “far out in the middle of the beach”, particularly in low-slope areas where water levels can vary overnight.

In areas with bushes and obstacles, he stated: “We will make sure the post is placed to provide clear delineation so there’s no concern whatsoever from that standpoint. So there will be a couple of areas that we will have to go beyond that, but that would be more as an exception versus the norm.”

Within the report, staff noted that some items within the Phase 1 surveys such as building and well encroachments would be coming back to council at a later date, along with recommendations, looking for direction on how to deal with those items.

Previously, concerns over ‘intrusive’ delineation posts were raised by Wahnekewening Beach Association to Tiny council in a deputation addressing the program, with council voting to stay with the status quo.

The Phase 2 delineation report with listed properties and proposed scope of work can be viewed within the agenda page located on the Tiny Township website.

Archives of council meetings are available to view on Tiny township’s YouTube channel.