City Councillors appear poised to spend an additional $132,000 this year on proactive safety enforcement at Hamilton’s waterfalls.
The public works committee has given its support to the plan, which must still receive final approval during upcoming budget talks.
The strategy involves the hiring of four post-secondary students to act as “ambassadors.”
They’ll provide education and enforcement to keep visitors safe by ensuring that they stay on marked trails and within designated areas.
The program is primarily meant to address safety concerns at Albion Falls, although director of licensing and bylaw services Ken Leendertsee says the students will also respond to other problem areas.
The city started its crackdown on trespassers last summer, in response to dozens of rope rescues and a large increase in the number of visitors to the city’s waterfalls.
In 2017, there were 162 trespassing charges and fines totaled $22,273.