‘No trespassing’ signs ignored by some Port Dover beach visitors as public access dust-up continues

Maybe Port Dover's beach wasn't hopping because the first day of summer is still nearly three weeks away and the water is a bracing 19 C (66 F).

But in the wake of a miserable spring, it seemed quiet for a hot Saturday in June on the sands of Dover, where tiny waves rolled lazily to shore under a blue-grey sky.

There was still a gaggle of beach goers, but busy days here mean barely having room to walk without stubbing a toe on a cooler or stepping on someone's towel.

There's a lot of people thinking the beach is closed," said Brian Yates, standing bare-chested and bronzed out back of Yates Lakeside Cottage" - so says the sign - a Frisbee chuck away from the water's edge.

Maybe no trespassing signs recently put up on the beach are to blame.

Or, not so much the signs - that were either not seen, or ignored by those who showed - but media coverage of the public beach access issue.

Beach in Port Dover still closed," read a headline in one Toronto news outlet.

The beach is not closed, at least not the modest 20-metre wide swatch of sand owned by Norfolk County at the foot of Walker Street, that also provides access to the water.

We familiarized ourselves with (the issue) on the way down here," said Denise Hudel, strolling both the public and privately owned portions with Ali Bodendorfer.

The pair drove one hour and 20 minutes to Dover from Kitchener, as they do a couple of times a month in summer.

The no trespassing signs went up in May, in principle cordoning off the largest sections of the beach, that are owned by the local Knechtel and Buck families.

Restaurant owner Peter Knechtel recently told The Spectator the signs were erected to start a conversation" with county officials about upkeep and management of the beach.

Norfolk Mayor Amy Martin told The Spectator that a special in-camera meeting will be held to address the issue on Tuesday, June 6.

In a news release, Martin said county staff is continuing to dialogue and negotiate with private beach landowners. We remain optimistic and confident that all issues will be resolved soon."

Mike Cole, from Oshawa, who was flaked out on a private piece of the beach along with Pam Tyrell, said if someone wants to show me a property deed, I'll move off the beach, until then I'll just chill ... It would be easy to get emotional about it, because there are so few places to come to like this. But you think of the beach as a public resource. Private beaches seem more like an American thing."

Tyrrell said that when she saw the signs, she thought what's the deal?" Last summer the only signs she noticed were those to prohibit smoking weed.

The release from the mayor's office noted that the county is home to other beaches, including Turkey Point, 20 minutes southwest of Port Dover, and Long Point, an additional 15 minute drive.

I'm here to enjoy the sun and the beach," said Tyrrell, but also to support local businesses. We could go to Long Point but it's a longer drive and there isn't a Dover downtown there. Here I can buy some fish and a hat and be part of the beach experience."

Bodendorfer wondered if user fees are the endgame for property owners or the county.

Visitors to Long Point and Turkey Point provincial parks must pay user fees.

They will scare people away (from Port Dover)," she said.

(Fees) would make me want to go to Grand Bend (on Lake Huron 90 minutes west of Kitchener)," said Hudel.

Merchant Crystal Williams, who runs the Shanty Village giftshop near the Port Dover pier, said the issue between the county and property owners over who is responsible for the beach - including liability issues - has existed for years.

She suggested the number of visitors has increased since the pandemic, in part because of free access to the beach and parking.

We are the last free beach around here," she said. But some talk like this (issue) is coming out of nowhere ... We have 15,000 people come in here and (merchants) work 14-hour days, we can't be chasing people around. An unconscious guy was found on the beach a couple of weeks ago. And someone fell off the pier, the OPP had to be called in."

When it comes to crowds generally, Yates, who lives in Stoney Creek but never in summertime, is partial to beach bustle in Dover. He missed that vibe during the pandemic shutdowns.

He figures that if you choose to live on the beach, you need to be ready for some chaos. It means litter left behind on occasion, for example, but he says it's minimal" considering the numbers.

And during the busy season, the commotion does go on a bit late through the night, but hey, we were all young once."

A couple of Yates' close friends died in recent years.

A sign now hangs outside his cottage. It reads: Here's to the nights we can't remember with the friends we can't forget."

Jon Wells is a feature writer at The Spectator. jwells@thespec.com