The beaches at Sandbanks Provincial Park are still seeing flocks of visitors, despite high water levels.
You don’t have to look far to see water-filled trails, narrower beach lines, flooded roads and even a closed beach.
Lakeshore Beach, one of three public beaches at the park, is closed to the public because of high water levels.
“There’s not much of the beach to be had, and there’s lots of debris was washed up on the beach and the parking lots were under water and things like that,” said park superintendent Robin Reilly.
Dozens of garbage bags full of plastic, cans, old pieces of dock board and driftwood were collected off the beach by more than 50 volunteers Friday morning in preparation for its reopening once water levels subside.
Reilly says the water levels are receding more slowly than in past years, like during the flooding of 2017, but said it isn’t affecting visitors to the park.
With temperatures hovering around 40 degrees, Reilly expects the park will reach capacity over the weekend.
“If it’s a really, really nice day and you arrive right midday,” Reilly said, “there’s a reasonable chance you’ll be in a long line and might not get in at all.”
Visitors to Sandbanks come from across Ontario and even across Canada.
Beach-goers said that while it’s hot, the beach is the perfect place to be.
“There’s a beautiful breeze, we’re under shade, the water is five feet away — it’s perfect,” said Ottawa resident Linda Hobbins
The heat warning for our region is expected to last through the weekend, with potential relief coming Sunday.
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