Hamilton to step up safety at Albion Falls after five June rescues

Hamilton Fire Department’s rescue team conducted two more waterfall rescues this weekend.

Yesterday afternoon, a nine-year-old boy was pulled up from the area of Albion Falls and Saturday evening, a man had to be brought up from the gorge at Webster’s Falls after a leg injury while hiking. Both are expected to recover from their respective injuries.

At Albion Falls alone, there have been five emergency calls this June, with one of them for the death of a Toronto-area photographer on June 10.

LISTEN: Coun. Tom Jackson joins the Bill Kelly Show

Hamilton Ward 6 Coun. Tom Jackson, who represents the area that includes Albion Falls, says the city is working on introducing new safety measures, including permanent chain-link fencing in strategic areas and stronger signage.

Jackson said some visitors to the falls are under “the mistaken belief that they are not all that dangerous.”

“The stronger measures are really to protect some people from themselves and to change behaviours,” he said.

The Ward 6 councillor adds “a longer term project might be to create an additional viewing area that will give people the chance to safely see the waterfall, but will also prevent them from getting into trouble.”