Editor,
The town wants to improve the Port Elgin beach area, some people feel the train station is past its prime and should be improved, some feel there are too many volleyball courts for the size of the beach area and some feel building a big building at the Green Street beach entrance will be over powering for the area.
The building that is there now could be renovated to involve the washrooms and change rooms if required. The idea of a restaurant in the building is not a good idea because of the smell at times from the pumping station. (If the wind is right, we can smell it a half a block away.)
A solution to solve a lot of the problems could be to build the new building where or near where the train station is now and lease out a section for Mr. Hess to run the train and beach business and new washrooms; that would also resolve the boater washroom issue.
The building could have a restaurant area, room for the town or a private company to run a games room, bicycle or scooter rental, trampoline (inside or outside), maybe a tennis or pickleball court, maybe a couple of kiddie rides and some landscaping to improve the mini golf area.
These are things that could lengthen the beach area season even if the weather is cooler and it would create revenue from the new building.
The portion of the old waterworks mound on the beach should be removed and levelled to give more towel space and help with the weed and grass problem that grows on and around it.
Move the Hydrabike and Standing Board businesses south of the Beach Cafe to make a safer area for the children and swimmers without worrying about getting hit and no trailers on the beach.
The old waterworks lot has been improved to accommodate four permanent volleyball courts. This is a great improvement. The other four volleyball courts should be moved to the Southampton Beach so volleyball can be enjoyed over there.
I believe these are things that can help improve one of our best assets, the beach area, and create revenue from the new building.
Ron Kelly,
Port Elgin
