The Grey Bruce Health Unit may not have posted no swimming signs on three area beaches last weekend — but that’s not sitting well with South Bruce Peninsula.
The health unit informed Bayshore Broadcasting News last Friday that Sauble Beach, Lion’s Head Beach and Bayshore Beach in Owen Sound had high bacteria counts likely because of the significant rainfall leading into the weekend.
Mayor John Close says that’s all fine and good but not everyone got the message and people were using the beaches, which had no posted warnings.
Close says in the future, the municipality will post its own signs.
Council approved purchasing 12 signs to be used when the health unit says bacterial levels are high but are not posting signs.
Close says when it comes to the health and well being of area residents and tourists, they have a right to know when the beach has high bacterial counts.
As we told you last week, the health unit says no signs were posted because the samples were taken from a few days ago before the announcement was made and officials believed conditions could have changed by the weekend.
Meanwhile, South Bruce Peninsula councillor Jim Turner is in agreement with the signs.
He wondered aloud if the beach was not posted and someone became ill or died, who would take the fall if the community knew about the high bacterial count like last weekend but had no signs up.
Councillor Marilyn Bowman though, believes any purchase of signs is a knee-jerk reaction and should be held off until further discussion.
The motion carried to get the signs.
