The city will be hiring two summer students to educate residents and enforce bylaws on Hamilton’s waterfront trail, along the shores of Lake Ontario, this summer.
The “ambassadors” will be in place for July and August at a cost of about $12,000.
Hamilton city council approved the hires at the request of Ward 5 Coun. Chad Collins, who says the trail has been “very congested” as it attracts extra visitors during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Collins adds that the result is “conflict” between those who are using the trail properly and those who are doing so in violation of posted rules.
He notes that there have been incidents in previous summers where “people using the trail irresponsibly have run into other people.”
Collins believes “two students on bikes could assist as it relates to enforcing the trail etiquette signs, and that might mean some education for those people who are unaware of what is allowed and not allowed.”
Beyond that, he suggests fines and/or tickets “for those people who are thumbing the rules.”
Overall, the city is hiring only about 1/6th of its normal complement of summer students this year due to closures and cancellations resulting from the pandemic.
City Manager Janette Smith said during Wednesday’s council meeting that, at last check, 126 students had been hired this summer by the municipality.
By comparison, she added that 767 students were hired last year.