Busy Day at Victoria Park and Beach

Today was another glorious summer day in Cobourg with lots happening at Victoria Park and the Beach.  In the Park, close to 200 cars participated in the Lakeside Antique and Classic Car Show, the Lawn Bowling club were hosting the Ontario Championship national qualifying lawn bowling tournament (also Saturday), the Ontario Volleyball Association had 33 courts active on the beach (continuing from Saturday), the Courtyard Cantina operated for the weekend and there was a good crowd on the beach.  However, the Water Park was not setup and the Lifeguard stations were all still the old styles.   Mysteriously, the Coast Guard moored a “Police, Marine Security” ship offshore – the local Coast Guard said that it’s nothing to do with them and that Marine Security are a secretive bunch.

Lakeside Antique and Classic Car Show

Antique car show
Antique Car Show

Usually there are more than 200 cars participating although by mid-morning there were about 150 registered with more still arriving. Cars were grouped by vintage starting at 20 years and older.   Participants came from as far away as Milton and Tottenham and you could tell that the exhibitors were really pleased to show off their vehicles.  All were in good shape and well presented.  A DJ in the bandshell played old-time pop music. See photos below.

Ontario Volleyball Association

Sunday featured teams from 12U Girls, 14U, 16U and Youth Open.  Over the weekend, 116 teams played on 33 courts.  Last year the games on Cobourg Beach were cancelled because of the high water level but there is no problem this year.  See photos below.

Lawn Bowling

16 teams from across Ontario are in Cobourg this weekend for the mixed pairs Ontario Championship national qualifying lawn bowling tournament. The gold and silver medalists will go on to represent Ontario at the National Championships in British Columbia in September. No specific photos but they are in the background of one of the car photos (you can tell where my interests lie!).

Cobourg Beach

Despite the 33 volleyball courts, there was still plenty of room for beach-goers.  I couldn’t help but notice three things:

  • All four Lifeguard stations were the old style despite the hope that two new ones would be in use by the July 1st weekend.
  • There was no Water Park – apparently they had (and seemingly continue to have) a problem hiring the lifeguards they need.  There is no word on when they expect to succeed (see link to their Facebook page below)
  • The beach mat provided to help accessibility for beach goers in wheel chairs is getting good usage albeit from non-handicapped people.  It works well for strollers and just about anybody wanting to walk on the beach down to the water.

Courtyard Cantina

The main times when the “Courtyard Cantina” would have been jumping were Friday and Saturday nights. On Sunday afternoon (see photos below), it was relatively quiet with no live entertainment (just a DJ).

The courtyard next door to the canteen at Cobourg’s Beach is transformed into a “licensed cantina” – entry is free. Each weekend has a theme:

  • July 13 -15 Craft Brewery Nights:
  • July 27 – 29 Jazz Nights
  • August 3 – 5 Distillery Nights
  • August 24 – 26 Wine Nights

Operating Times: Friday and Saturdays 3pm to 10pm; Sundays 12pm to 5pm   See link below for more info.

Coastguard Ship Offshore

Although they provided no information, the Canadian Coastguard Marine Security web site says that their role is to “protect and preserve the efficiency of Canada’s marine transportation system against unlawful interference, terrorist attacks or use as a means to attack our allies.”  The ship is the Corporal Teather, 43m long, 7m wide and a draught of 2.8m.  See photo below.

Links

Addendum – July 16, 2018

Water Park Opening Delayed to 2019

The Water Park will not open this year – instead it will open June 2019. The problem is the inability to hire enough lifeguards. To make sure there are enough for 2019, hiring will start later this year for 2019.

This announcement was made July 16 by At The Lake Distributing Incorporated in partnership with Summer Water Sports

 

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Wally Keeler
5 years ago

Timwit posted, “The only thing they give to this town is their garbage, pampers, hot coals and, since there aren’t enough washrooms to accommodate their numbers, excrement in the lake as well.”

Yep, that is all that tourists bring to Cobourg. Sure sounds like fear and loathing. Quite the slander of an entire group of people. Are you sure this doesn’t sound like bigotry? Tell us more about excrement in the lake, where, when, how much, how often, details, give us details instead of your loathsome anti-tourist rant.

Tim
Reply to  Wally Keeler
5 years ago

For a man of letters, you don’t read very well, Wally. I was not describing all tourists, I was describing the “users” who come to Cobourg for a free day out and leave their filth and litter behind for the people of Cobourg to clean up. By the “people of Cobourg”, I mean both the taxpayers of Cobourg and more, unfortunately, the people who live in the immediate area whose lives have for years been turned into a hell every weekend as their properties have been turned into the town dump and they themselves have been turned into garbage collectors. Since the earliest history of this town, to have a home near the lake was one of the most desirable locations but for years now the people who live there can’t even enjoy the summer months and, even though that’s the case, our Council continues to encourage more and more visitors despite not having the infrastructure to cater to such crowds. In other words, Wally, we don’t have enough toilets.
[Additional comments censored – Ed]

Wally Keeler
Reply to  Tim
5 years ago

…a very particular one when it comes to immigrants and refugees from certain geographical areas.

So you’re saying that a particular group of immigrants AND refugees are shitty human beings. (I haven’t noticed any refugees on our beach, but then again, I bet you have the ability to smell them from blocks away.) And other human beings, especially the white-skinned ones, are cleaner and well-trained enough to save their post-nutritive disposal substance until they get home to Baltimore or Toronto or Grafton. And, of course, you save yours for this blog.

Tim
Reply to  Wally Keeler
5 years ago

Stop dribbling out of the side of your mouth.

Deborah OConnor
Reply to  Wally Keeler
5 years ago

Happy to see Tim called out for his bigotry, somebody has to do it. Thanks, Wally.

As for Tim’s distasteful accusations, he has no verified facts to back him up, it’s just another smear job. Here’s an example that cries out for substantiation, direct from Tim’s post below. ” This is a health hazard and, among the crowds that use and abuse our beach, a very particular one when it comes to immigrants and refugees from certain geographical areas”. What makes their personal hygiene matters different from the rest of us? I’d really like to know.

Perhaps it’s time for a new rule that states all opinions must be preceded by the facts that the opinions are based on. Then the reader could evaluate the opinion with more confidence.

While we’re at it, how about a requirement that posters must use their real names? Wally Keeler, Walter Luedtke, Bill Thompson, Lydia Smith and myself are the only regular posters with the integrity to stand up publicly with our opinions, and I can assure you, that fact makes us think before we start typing. It’s the best check around for quality assurance. How about it, John Draper?

John Draper
Reply to  Deborah OConnor
5 years ago

Comments that are unacceptable are deleted but if an early comment in a string is deleted then the rest of the comments also disappear. So I have deleted the offending part of Tim’s comment. Real user names are not required and one reason is that it cannot be policed. People can invent names. A real email is required and that can be tested for validity – If I catch a user with an invalid email, he/she will be banned. Wally and Walter seem to mostly be able to refute most of Tim’s negatives and while that’s true, he is not censored. It’s a fine line between entertaining (to other readers) and offensive.

Deborah OConnor
Reply to  John Draper
5 years ago

Thanks for taking the time to explain, John, and I do appreciate that the most offensive part of Tim’s tirade has been removed.

Tim
Reply to  John Draper
5 years ago

John, I in no way meant to offend and if my comment was offensive then truth backed by fact is offensive. I was not calumniating a group of people, I was discussing transmittable parasites and I feel it is important for the people of this town to understand the very real risks of using the beach when there are not adequate facilities for the vast numbers of people who flock here every weekend in the summer months.

Bill Thompson
5 years ago

As this venture of the Waterpark fiasco was rushed through without due diligence and planning ,how can an outgoing council set it to be active in 2019 when it won’t be in office ?
Why can’t a new council cancel it if it chooses ?

Robert
Reply to  Bill Thompson
5 years ago

In the first place, I would like to tell you haw it was voted in favourite of the project. Six councillors sat and talked how great it would be to have water park since they had children and grand children who would be able to enjoy it. (Thought they were there to represent the town and the citizen’s interest but that was clearly stupid of me.)

Meantime, the owner of the business the “gentleman” from Peterborough without business plan, was convincing the cancellors how great it would be. He went as far as insulting everybody in town calling them afraid of change, etc. I was close to screaming at that meeting but it was not open for public debate. We all stood expecting our wishes to be heard, but that never happened.

It came to the vote, four councillors voted YES. One of which expressed: “I have grandchildren, thus what a heck, let’s have it”. Only two out of six took they job seriously and said “We need more information” and opposed.

This is the panel who represent the town of Cobourg. This is what took place, I encourage us all to think and act to make this town better place for all. We need to be in control of what we want and not just blindly paying thousands of dollars in taxes.

I’m not sure about legalities of reversing the vote but am ashamed how this project came to live.

Wally Keeler
5 years ago

11 hours ago a tweet from the Town displayed the new lifeguard stations being constructed.

Tim
Reply to  Wally Keeler
5 years ago

Bad design, more expensive and less safe (for swimmers).

Pierre
5 years ago

The Beach Courtyard Summer Series on Friday night was a great addition to the activities in the beach area. Wonderful to hear a great guitarist/singer and have a beer or two. Congrats to all the organizers and the town of Cobourg for allowing such an event.

Debra
5 years ago

It was a wonderful weekend on the beach. Sun fun and a nice cold beer while sitting by the beach. Had friends and family come by and they just loved it. The casual friendly atmosphere in the Courtyard Cantina was enjoyed by all. Looking forward to the next one. Thank you LFFLG and Cobourg Beach Canteen! Looking forward to the next one.

Walter L. Luedtke
5 years ago

Another great weekend in the repertoire of a town with a superior quality of life.
Thank you to the organizers and John Draper’s camera, celebrating our Cobourg.
BTW seems that Port Hope has adopted the slogan of “Canada’s Favourite Small Town”.
May have to duke it out with Port Perry, “Ontario’s Favourite Small Town”.

Lyle
5 years ago

John Draper,
Once again you have gave excellent coverage, thank you .

Dragonfly 75
5 years ago

You’re right… the town was really hopping this weekend. I was down to the beach area twice. For starters, the new location of the Market is great! Heard lots of people and vendors commenting. When a friend arrived in town from Lindsay I took her downtown again to catch some of the action and we grabbed dinner on King! Capped off the visit Sunday am with 9-holes of golf. A summer in-town weekend couldn’t get much better than this! It Felt Good!

CiW
5 years ago

Well, Sunday,I rode my bike along Bay St., and, just before Green St., I came across three chaps on the sidewalk with a hibachi in full heat . They were cooking some chicken and were having a great time. They even offered me some of it. I declined and rode on. As I rode away I wondered where the hot coals would end up and why they chose to cook on the sidewalk. Maybe the beaches were so crowded the only option was to move onto the sidewalk. It just didn’t seem to be the right place to be cooking.

Walter L. Luedtke
Reply to  CiW
5 years ago

Had a look at John’s beach pictures. Didn’t seem over crowded.
But then it’s all in the eyes of the beholder.

Catherine
Reply to  CiW
5 years ago

Just in case you weren’t aware……there is a By-Law in place: no BBQ’s or hibachi’s are allowed at the Cobourg Victoria Park Beach, or in the Cobourg parks.

Wally Keeler
Reply to  Catherine
5 years ago

yes, but on the sidewalk, NOT inside a park.

Tim
Reply to  CiW
5 years ago

No one should be cooking on public streets or on the beach or in the park. In the past, I’ve seen families from out of town eating on the band shell and even once on St. Peter’s green.
You are right to wonder where the hot coals will end up. I was speaking to a caretaker at Victoria Part some time ago and he said that beneath the garbage bins in the park are very large, heavy plastic bags that hold a large amount of waste and each one costs the Town a few hundred dollars. He said that on the weekends hot coals from barbeques were regularly dropped into the bins and burned through the plastic bags, destroying them. But, what the hell, the friendly taxpayers of Cobourg pick up the tab and smile and say how beneficial tourism is for the town. For the chaps on Bay St. the coals either ended up in someone’s driveway or the side of the road where some unsuspecting person could have burned their feet or a toddler could have reached down and touched one.
For everyone who defends such “tourism” its a shame you can’t give them your address so they can barbeque on the sidewalk in front of your house. These types ‘friendly” chaps have no respect for anybody or anybody’s property and it’s time the feckless politicians in this town start getting imaginative in discouraging this kind of riff raff from visiting in the first place.

Wally Keeler
Reply to  Tim
5 years ago

Two years ago I witnessed three individuals using an Hibatchi to cook chicken on the sidewalk near the bandshell. I called police. They arrived 5 minutes later. The cookers removed their chicken meat, poured their soft drinks to put out the coals and were sent on their way.

Good for me. And I’ll do it again.

Tim’s righteous rant has the same formula of bigotry. He condemns all tourists for this single incident. Reminds me of the ethnic mobs destroying entire villages because one member of another group did something bad. It’s just bigoted talk. Unlike other mean-spirited individuals, I don’t call for retribution of an entire group for the petty misdeed of one.

Fact Checker
Reply to  Wally Keeler
5 years ago

All bow to Saint Wally and kiss the hem of his robe

Wally Keeler
Reply to  Fact Checker
5 years ago

Forget doing that. Report a violation of the law when you see it. Your arrogant insulting attitude to that sort of thing suggests that you would turn a blind eye to such violations, let alone take any effort to report it. Tell us how many times you have called the cops for Park violations. You would be well-advised to do what I had done.

Tim
Reply to  Wally Keeler
5 years ago

The only thing that surprises me about your response to my comment is that the police arrived in five minutes. They’re not so quick out of the blocks these days.
Your accusation of bigotry was painfully predictable and is just a further illustration of the fascism that is political correctness. No one mentioned ethnicity except you. I don’t condemn all tourists but I do condemn anyone, regardless of colour or creed, who comes to my community and shows complete disrespect or disregard for the people who live here and cooking chicken on a sidewalk in front of someone’s house definitely falls into that category. You really should tidy-up your prose and tone down the hyperbole.

Wally Keeler
Reply to  Tim
5 years ago

it’s time the feckless politicians in this town start getting imaginative in discouraging this kind of riff raff from visiting in the first place.

Why don;t you show off your imaginative chops and tell the feckless politicians what they should do. Give an example of Timism.

Tim
Reply to  Wally Keeler
5 years ago

As an example, FINES. You mentioned that you phoned the police two years ago when you saw three people cooking chicken near the bandshell. If these people had been given a hefty fine, chances are they wouldn’t be back.
Many people in town don’t bother going to the beach on the weekends because of the crowds so I would like to have visitors pay to access the beach. There could be free summer passes for the people who live in town. If you can afford fifteen dollars to go to a movie in Toronto, you can pay the same amount for a day at the beach when the beach is in somebody else’s home town.
Double the price on the weekends for parking spots near the beach.
Hire students to patrol and write tickets for any infractions.
Don’t allow food on the beach, then they’ll have to buy some when they’re in Cobourg.
It’s our beach, we pay to maintain it, so we should start making the rules. And one thing you can count on in today’s world is that, if it’s free, it will be treated like it’s worthless.

Cobourg Person
Reply to  Tim
5 years ago

Are you with the CTA? Your arguments are asinine.

Tim
Reply to  Cobourg Person
5 years ago

No. And, your attitude is the reason visitors to Cobourg cook chicken on sidewalks.

Wally Keeler
Reply to  Tim
5 years ago

Your hostile attitude towards tourists and visitors from Baltimore is the reason I want more of them to come. Your attitude is mean-spirited, selfish, self-centred, miserly. Your attutude will turn this Town into a gated geezer ghetto.

Tim
Reply to  Wally Keeler
5 years ago

What visitors from Baltimore? I do not have a hostile attitude toward tourists who visit our town and enjoy our lake and show respect for it and the people who are the custodians of it, namely the taxpayers of Cobourg. But, I have a very hostile attitude toward “users”, by which I mean people with, oddly enough, the exact attributes you are attributing to me: the mean-spirited, selfish, self-centred, and miserly aggressive people who come to this town, block the shoreline with their appalling tents, bring everything with them so they buy nothing and cook, making the enjoyment of the lake impossible for others. The only thing they give to this town is their garbage, pampers, hot coals and, since there aren’t enough washrooms to accommodate their numbers, excrement in the lake as well. In the past, Cobourg has always welcomed visitors but no one has ever used our beach in this way and the only reason it is tolerated is because everyone is afraid of being labelled a bigot by politically correct fascists, even though bad behaviour has nothing to do with race.
When you came across the three people cooking near the bandshell, I’m curious as to why you didn’t just tell them they couldn’t cook there but felt you had to phone the police. Is it possible that they would have ignored you or worse?
And, let me remind you, it’s largely the geezers who have pushed up property values in this town. They pay their taxes like everyone else and they can’t even enjoy their beach on the weekends in the summertime. It’s interesting that ageism isn’t part of your lexicon of politically correct babble.
The beach is for Cobourg people first and we’ve allowed ourselves to be disrespected for too long.

Cobourg Person
Reply to  Tim
5 years ago

The beach is for Cobourg people first and we’ve allowed ourselves to be disrespected for too long.

No, the beach is not for Cobourg people first. The beach is for everyone to enjoy.

Robert
Reply to  Cobourg Person
5 years ago

How about me coming to your home and taking everything for free avery weekend and living it dirty after I’m done with it?. If the beach if for everybody to enjoy for free so is your home. What’s wrong for passing the cost to those who use it the most?

Wally Keeler
Reply to  Tim
5 years ago

“When you came across the three people cooking near the bandshell, I’m curious as to why you didn’t just tell them they couldn’t cook there but felt you had to phone the police.”

What a stupid question. Because I am not paid to enforce the law.

Frenchy
Reply to  Wally Keeler
5 years ago

Tim didn’t ask you to arrest or fine them, just mention to them that they couldn’t cook there. Maybe they didn’t know about our bylaw and you would have been doing them a good neighbourly deed.

What are you going to say if one of our visitors asks you for directions or a good place to eat? Don’t ask me, I’m not paid to be a tourist guide. Go see the Chamber of Commerce.

Robert
Reply to  Frenchy
5 years ago

There is no town in Ontario where you can BBQ on a sidewalk. Ignorance it’s no longer excuse in this world. When you brake the law you pay!

Wally Keeler
Reply to  Tim
5 years ago

” the mean-spirited, selfish, self-centred, and miserly aggressive people who come to this town, block the shoreline with their appalling tents, bring everything with them so they buy nothing and cook, making the enjoyment of the lake impossible for others. The only thing they give to this town is their garbage, pampers, hot coals and, since there aren’t enough washrooms to accommodate their numbers, excrement in the lake as well.”

That’s just not a few “tourists” that you are describing, but almost all of them. Look at the long litany of your whiney complaints. Takes a lot of people to fulfill all the damage you list, not just one or two, but a lot. Yep, you loath tourists in general Timwit..

Robert
Reply to  Wally Keeler
5 years ago

Your comments do not deserve the complements of the discussion and there is nothing worthy discussing in them. Instead of addressing the issue you are attacking people who you disagree with. This isn’t a place for it. I sincerely doubt you are living in Cobourg because if you did, you would not be taking this out of content but rather see the issue tourism is creating in our town. You would also put respectfully your real name in your comments instead of kicking and screaming and running away from the real problem.

I hope nobody responses to your comment any longer.

John
Reply to  Tim
5 years ago

Beautifully written.
I am a resident of Cobourg, living in a so called privileged neighbourhood. I have spent $750,000 for my home. I pay $15,000 property tax yearly. I have done this in hope that I could use the beautiful beach as my property does not have usable Waterfront.
It is shameful how the town treats its residents. It’s time for us to speak up.
The people who speak negatively about your messages, are not the ones paying high property taxes and living here, otherwise, they would not be putting up with the mess, crowds, rudeness, pure disregard for this town, which the town does not have the capacity to deal with. Cobourg is continuously being advertised, but nothing is being done to accommodate the hordes of people.
Most of the tourists who visit this town does not spend 1 cent, as they pack their lunches in coolers, park in our residential streets, use the beach, and leave garbage on the road when they drive off. And we the residents, pay for ALL of it. All of the clean up.
Thank you for speaking up Tim.

Wally Keeler
Reply to  Tim
5 years ago

Don’t allow food on the beach,

Really? Banning family picnics? Family picnics in Victoria Park has been a wonderful healthy tradition since Victoria Park’s inception. What a stupid stupid stupid suggestion. How ya gonna enforce it? Hire students to pat down everyone who enters the beach. Send over the security to surround the Fisher Family picnic, detain the grandparents and grandchildren, etc. A canteen that serves extremely uninteresting boring food. You want to force that crap down all the throats of visitors?

Three years ago I enjoyed some wonderful south-Asian cuisine on the beach with a family of Pakistanis. They set up a shelter of netting so everyone could see inside, with canvas roof for shade. Met all the permitted specs for VP. But ‘grandma’ opened up a crock and served a bowl. They came from Whitby for the day. Their children frolicked. Yes, I have the nerve to ingratiate myself to strangers in VP. Every summer. Last summer I enjoyed a Filipino family, enjoyed their choir and enjoyment. (Such a contrast to your chronic miserable lack of enjoyment of anything in Cobourg.)

I prefer the attitude of these tourists to Cobourg who made a video of themselves and their visit. Lots of tourists make videos. They do it for free, unlike Cobourg Tourism, who make tourist vids year after year that are hardly seen by anyone. You pay for those videos, but not the videos of tourists. https://youtu.be/006o4pa285U

Reply to  Wally Keeler
5 years ago

Wally, I’m curious, why is it that you consistently mention a family’s ethnicity in your responses . Why do you feel a need to do so instead of just commenting on the family/families you have observed or had experiences with? Correct me if I am wrong, but I don’t believe there has been any reference made to ethnicity, except in your responses. Just wondering.

CiW
Reply to  Susie-Q
5 years ago

All of this from one little story of three guys cooking chicken on the sidewalk!

Wally Keeler
Reply to  Susie-Q
5 years ago

Because I mix quite thoroughly with everyone. I mix cultures. I learn stuff. They are less miserable about life than “my people”. Born and raised here in this waspish Town and its boring waspish culture. My wasp ancestors have lived in Cobourg for 5 generations. I was the first to marry into another culture, and my son married into another race. It has enriched the family.

Moving to Toronto immersing myself into multiculturalism, not just tasting food and enjoying dances, but for a single man to enjoy the company of many different women and their families. I got to enjoy Hindu funerals, Filipino weddings, so on and so forth. I worked with the Romany community post-Cold War.

Often, I recommended that they visit Cobourg beach to begin their integration with stiff-backed wasps. New immigrants.

I know the prejudices of My People (white-anglo-saxon protestants) and their condescending regard to “outsiders”. When I returned to Cobourg to live, I was pleased to see so many skin-colours, hair-styles, food stuffs on the beach. I like to see more of it.

I assembled many of the tourists’ videos about Cobourg. They were amateur professional, sincere and happy, happy about being in Cobourg, totally oblivious to the fact that so many in Cobourg loath their presence. The loathers are consistently pseudonyms.

Does the fact that I often make references to people of different cultures and rub it into the sensibilities of those who loath outsiders upset you? Doesn’t matter, because I will post as I will regardless of the consistent moaners, groaners and other miserable unhappy people who loath outsiders.

Reply to  Wally Keeler
5 years ago

“Because I mix quite thoroughly with everyone. I mix cultures. I learn stuff. They are less miserable about life than “my people”. Born and raised here in this waspish Town and its boring waspish culture”.

“I know the prejudices of My People (white-anglo-saxon protestants) and their condescending regard to “outsiders”
————————————
Wally, your response seems to be fueled by so much anger. What a shame. I find your above statements extremely disappointing. First of all, how can you make such a generalization? Seems to me that you are doing the same thing that you are accusing “white-anglo-saxon protestants” of doing. Your anger has been seeping through on many of your past posts. I’m glad that you have found a happy place in the past. It really makes me wonder, however, why on earth you would move back to Cobourg when you appeared to be much happier in the city. If you don’t like the “waspy, white-anglo-saxon protestants” who are allegedly so condescending, perhaps it is time to move to a place where you can live a happy and peaceful existence. Take care.

Tim
Reply to  Wally Keeler
5 years ago

You have dated women from other cultures and your son has married someone from a different race — are you suggesting that that makes the two of you superior to someone who hasn’t had similar experiences? A Nigerian couple, for instance? Or a Thai couple? Or is it just a white couple that you would describe as disgustingly insular? I’m guessing it is and like every other politically correct, self-loathing member of that group you think you know so much about, you project on other people your own flaws, obsessions and unease with race. Other people are bigots but you are a munificent white man mingling with others and, in your false humility, learning from others. You are an atypical WASP, enriched where others are impoverished and, if you don’t understand that that is the most condescending racist position imaginable, you don’t understand anything.
Every institution and value we hold dear in this country has its roots in English decency — our system of law, our form of government, our sense of fairness, to name a few, and there are a lot of newcomers to Canada who would do well to learn from us including the “tourists” who give you a gift of food and, at the same time, selfishly erect a tent on the lakeshore or fling their garbage in somebody’s driveway on their way home in the evening.
Like your one-dimensional, politically correct brethren, you know what’s in the hearts of others and what’s best for everyone. You’re right; everyone else is wrong. We mustn’t criticize others; we must open our minds to all cultures. White people bad; everyone else good. We must accept. We must not offend. We must learn from other cultures, like you learn. But an immigrant who believes in witchcraft or the slaughter of Albinos for potions has nothing to teach me. Nor does an immigrant who practises female circumcision. And I definitely have nothing to learn from newcomers to Canada who believe in “honour killings”, like that Afghani family who drown their three young daughters and a first wife in a Kingston canal because they were too Westernized. That’s the kind of tragedy you and the good people like you encourage with your “inclusivity” and “multiculturalism” and your denigration of WASP culture. They have nothing to teach me but you learn at their feet if you like. Perhaps you can pick up a few recipes but I doubt if you’ll be learning many dance steps.

Robert
Reply to  Tim
5 years ago

Hello Tim,

I’m so pleased you are speaking your mind. As somebody living in the centre of the town, close to the beach, I’m so tired of removing the garbage in my neighbourhood due to visitor’s littering. It starts in the morning with illegally parked cars and ends with the garbage from diapers to empty bottles on the streets and surrounding backyards. I’m angry and exhausted by continues advertisement of this town without having any infrastructure in place. All for free. There is no place on the planet which would be able to accommodate this amount of people for free without running deficit. I personally, resent cleaning after tourists and paying for their enjoyment on the beach. This town cannot absorb this about of tourism in one place. Residents of this town should not suffer the consequences of town’s agenda for tourism.

Having the beach cleaned every day, and maintained, as well as providing the services for tourists COSTS the tax payers, and should NOT be FREE to tourists. Everywhere else in the world you pay because it requires maintenance. People of Crystal Beach finally are charging for entrance to their beach after having the problems similar to ours. Somebody finally said ENOUGH!

When are we going to do it?

Robert

P.S. To those who do not live by the beach and do not pay taxes that we do, I politely ask you not to comment. We are all familiar with the opinions of people not living in Corktown.

Pierre
Reply to  Robert
5 years ago

Just looked at Crystal beach website….they charge for parking.
No mention of charging individuals for using beach.
Go have a look at site.

ben burd
Reply to  Robert
5 years ago

“P.S. To those who do not live by the beach and do not pay taxes that we do, I politely ask you not to comment. We are all familiar with the opinions of people not living in Corktown.”

This is a silly and fatuous statement, just because you live where you do do you expect better service, because of the taxes you pay. You pay high taxes because you have bigger houses and live near the waterfront, that doesn’t give you ownership of the waterfront! To expect us not to comment just because we are not your neighbours is snobbish. If I was your neighbour I would be banging on your door to tell you what I think!

Dubious
Reply to  ben burd
5 years ago

Why should a resident with a large house expect to pay more taxes than a resident with a smaller house? What additional services does the larger house receive that justifies paying more?

Small Town Lover
5 years ago

My husband and I checked the local paper on Thursday and googled what’s happening in Cobourg this weekend and did not see anything about the Craft Brewery Night or the antique car show! Where can we find out what is happening in our town on weekends?

John Draper
Reply to  Small Town Lover
5 years ago

You can see most of what’s happening in Cobourg here: https://www.cobourginternet.com/cobourg-entertainment/entertainment-calendar/

Catherine
Reply to  Small Town Lover
5 years ago

I went inside Victoria Hall to pick-up the current tourist & event information brochures for myself & friends…….they are all in racks in the lobby there; although I liked seeing the ‘Tourist/Information’ kiosk just outside Victoria Hall on the sidewalk last summer instead……much more visible for anyone walking by, and with someone there to answer questions. There is a similar kiosk by the Beach Canteen this summer.