Hub Staff

At the November 27 Saugeen Shores Committee of Whole meeting, a report was presented regarding the Town’s Recreation Master Plan, outlining work that had been completed in 2017 as well as recommendations moving forward.

Recommendation #35 of the 52 recommendations outlined in the report that was presented by Jayne Jagelewski, Director of Community Services, had to do with the volleyball courts at the Port Elgin Main Beach and stated, “In co-operation with the Social Athletics of Saugeen Shores (SASS), explore opportunities to provide additional beach volleyball courts that are preferably located with the existing courts at Port Elgin Main Beach.”

SASS operates a yearly summer beach volleyball league as well as indoor volleyball and dodgeball leagues through the winter months.

In a letter to Saugeen Shores Hub Port Elgin resident Ron Kelly expressed concern that additional courts were being considered by the Town and that one court had been added within the 2017 season due to rising waters that washed out two of the previously assigned locations.

“We [met] with the Town in late 2016 and had a chance to voice our concerns. At that meeting the Town said there would only be a maximum of eight courts,” said Kelly, adding that courts 7 and 8 had been washed out a few times in 2017 which lead to a temporary, adjacent court.

In the 2017 agreement between the Town and SASS it states that the court locations may be impacted by factors such as changes in water level.

In an email to Saugeen Shores Hub, Frank Burrows, Parks Manager for the Town of Saugeen Shores said that such issues are an inherent reality of the waterfront environment. “The agreement was followed and there was a minor adjustment in the courts to address high water,” he said, adding that the Town manages the waterfront for a wide diversity of users.

Kelly said the Town needs to consider residents and tourists who want towel space. “We believe to be fair to everyone who uses the beach, courts 7 to 8 should be moved to another location,” he said, proposing that six courts remain in Port Elgin and that four courts be placed in Southampton.

“The Port Elgin Main Beach is half the size of the Southampton Beach,” he said. “All other sports in Saugeen Shores are using multiple locations around town.”

“Town Council has to look at the Port Elgin Main Beach size and usage so it is fair to everyone. What is wrong with using the Southampton beach? There have been three temporary courts set up by residents the last couple of years. Put up four permanent courts and everybody wins,” he said.

Burrows said that the contract between the Town and SASS is an annual agreement and expects that it will be before council in February or March ahead of the 2018 season.