Some residents in Cobourg, Ont., say not having any lifeguards this summer at Victoria Beach is “reckless.”
As part of its 2023 municipal budget, the Town of Cobourg council approved not having lifeguards at the popular Lake Ontario beach this summer. No debate or discussion was held on the staff recommendation which was approved in January.
According to Brian Geerts, director of community services, the removal of lifeguard services will save the town $114,000.
But residents, including Ken Sheehan, say having empty lifeguard towers at Victoria Beach is a disaster waiting to happen.
“It’s not only short-sighted to remove lifeguards from this beach, it’s also borderline irresponsible and reckless,” he said.
Sheehan says his son previously served as a lifeguard and notes the role goes beyond saving people from drowning as they serve thousands of people each day.
“At any given time there may be 10 or 12 children that get lost,” he said. “It’s not the bylaw officers that are finding them, or their parents even — it’s the lifeguards.”
Data provided by Geerts shows that in 2022, lifeguards assisted three people with a “significant” medical emergency and 35 with a minor medical emergency. They also assisted in 48 potential missing persons incidents and 3,742 public relations.
Geerts noted emergency medical services remain in place including paramedics, fire, police, coast guard and municipal bylaw officers.
Lifeguard towers will have emergency contact information posted, he said.
“The lifeguard towers continue to form part of our emergency response protocol,” Geerts told Global News Peterborough. “Each tower has emergency contact information posted and locations of towers are confirmed with EMS to improve response times.
“Water safety continues to be a top priority for the Town of Cobourg. The town encourages all members of the public to follow the water safety advice of the Lifesaving Society.”
The town has for years contracted lifeguards via the YMCA Northumberland, including those serving at Victoria Beach. CEO Eunice Kirkpatrick says no lifeguards at the beach could impact attendance.
“Certainly, without the lifeguards there, we may not get the same number of families that do come out during those lifeguarded periods, but we’ll have to see how the summer rolls out,” she said.
Lifeguards will remain in place at the town’s Centennial Pool which offers a number of programs including water power fitness, aqua-fit, lane swim, and swimming lessons. In 2022, the town says 8,321 participants used Centennial Pool.
Kirkpatrick says recruiting lifeguards was a challenge over the past few years due to the COVID-19 pandemic. However, she says recruitment has improved thanks to a recent provincial minimum age change to become a lifeguard – from 16 years old to 15 years old.
“I think not having university or college in Northumberland County, it’s tough to draw from those institutions,” said Kirkpatrick. “So it’s nice we’re going to have kids for three years instead of two years before they go off for school.”
The use of lifeguards will be reviewed annually as part of the town’s budget, Geerts noted, meaning they could return to Victoria Beach.
Sheehan says an annual review is little comfort when lives could be at stake.
“For the costs, it seems to me what’s a child’s life worth?” he asked.
— with files from Robert Lothian/Global News Peterborough