Windsorites head to Sandpoint Beach despite closure

Despite Windsor's Sandpoint Beach being closed until Aug. 4, locals pushed aside the barricade to enjoy the water during Friday's warm weather.

In the lead up to the re-opening of Sandpoint Beach, the City of Windsor says it will be training staff on new public health protocols and installing lifeguard chairs and swimming area lines. It will also be hiring a private contractor to conduct water-quality testing as the Windsor-Essex County Health Unit will not be doing its regular testing this yearbecauseof a lack of capacity due to the attention they are giving the COVID-19 pandemic.

Though the beach is barricaded and locals have been told that bacterial testing has not taken place, many chose to ignore the warnings and head to the beach during the region's ongoing heat wave.

"Not everyone has the privilege of having a pool in their backyard and air conditioning," said resident Kathy Kovosiwho was sitting closeto SandpointBeach and watching locals enjoy the area.

Typically, WECHUprovidesupdates on the beach water quality in the region, but a statement from spokesperson Mike Janisseon Friday said "beach water testing is not occurring this year because of capacity. This decision was made prior to the beach water sampling season."

Local RitaBeaulieusaid she's "disappointed" that people are choosing to break the rules and go to the beach when it's closed.

"I thinkwe should get together, be responsible, be a better community and really watch out for each other," she said.

As for how she feels about the beach reopening next month, she said, "lets do it right this time as a community...then we will now have more at our disposal."

When the beach does open, the city says there will be staff at the gates to control how many people get in, screening people as they enterand giving them information about how to stay safe.

The City of Windsor also plans on opening seven of nine splash pads on July 13.

In the meantime, Chatham-Kent beaches are open to the public and barricades are slowly being removed. Playgrounds on the beaches are still closed.

The Chatham-Kent Public Health Unit posted on its website and asked that beach-goers follow some new COVID-19 guidelines, which include:

• Don't goto the beach if you don't feel well.
• Stay 6 feet or 2 metresaway from others on the beach, except for family.
• Don't go to a beach in a group larger than five.
• Travel to the beach as a household in one vehicle.
• Bring and use hand sanitizer.
• Beach toys should not be shared with people outside your family.
• Dispose of any waste at home.