Talks to resolve Port Dover beach impasse ‘encouraging’

Most of Port Dover's beach remains technically - if not actually - closed, but talks continue behind closed doors between senior Norfolk County staff and two property owners who are in search of a new lease agreement with the municipality.

Coun. Adam Veri, whose ward includes Port Dover, would not bite when asked for the details of an in camera meeting regarding the beach attended by councillors and county officials on Tuesday.

But he expressed some optimism the tide may be turning toward a solution that would get the beach open to visitors again.

It's been encouraging," Veri said of negotiations between the Knechtel family - which owns the eastern portion of the beach near their two lakeside restaurants - cottage park owner Katie Buck and the county, led by chief administrative officer Al Meneses.

The collaboration has been good," Veri said. Everybody involved has made a really good effort to do what's best for the community."

The beach's future has been in question since no trespassing" signs were posted in late April - put up, restaurateur Peter Knechtel told The Spectator at the time, to encourage respectful use of what is largely a privately owned beach.

There is still plenty of sand in summer's hourglass, and Veri hopes the current wave of talks can lead to a new agreement that satisfies the property owners' demands for more liability protection and beefed-up bylaw enforcement so the beach can still be a tourist magnet this summer.

Everybody wants to find a solution," Veri said.

J.P. Antonacci's reporting on Haldimand and Norfolk is funded by the Canadian government through its Local Journalism Initiative. jpantonacci@thespec.com