Postponed Seniors & accessibility

Better access to the foreshore (planning)

$15,000 to study better ways for people with limited mobility to reach the beach. Pushed back in 2023 for housing-law work, then from 2028 to 2029 by Eaglecrest.

Amount
$15,000
Got
$0
Where it stands
To 2029. Moved by the Eaglecrest funding plan, Jul 2025.

What it is

This is $15,000 for a consultant to study how people with mobility challenges could get down to the beach. It is planning and research only. Building anything would need a later decision and more money.

It follows a roll-out beach mat, called a Mobi-mat, that the Town tried from 2021. Waves, gravel and logs kept covering or damaging it.

Staff suggested not picking a solution in advance. Options they named include a more permanent access route or a beach wheelchair that can cross large rocks.

What happened

  1. March 2021A resident asked for better mobility access to the waterfront.
  2. July 2021The Town installed a $12,000 Mobi-mat west of The Shore Restaurant. It was put out again in May 2022.
  3. July 19, 2023Staff recommended no longer using the mat. Council voted instead to repair it and keep putting it out each season, with Councillor Vander Valk opposed.
  4. November 10, 2023The planning sheet said the mat was too damaged to use safely. Staff noted the study was pushed from 2024 to “2028 or beyond” because of the Province's November 2023 housing announcement.
  5. November 15, 2023Committee of the Whole added a note that the Town will consider doing it earlier as opportunities arise.
  6. July 23, 2025Council moved it from 2028 to 2029 as part of the Eaglecrest funding plan (Resolution 25-180, carried 4–1, Councillor Harrison opposed).
  7. April 1, 2026The adopted 2026–2030 Financial Plan shows $15,000 in 2029.
  8. April 27, 2026A staff list of possible accessibility projects included $30,000 of beach access work at Judges Row, Seacrest Place and Butterball Drive. It was not among the projects approved for 2026.

Why it matters

  • The Town's Accessibility Plan commits to beach access and trails that are barrier-free.
  • This item has been pushed back twice. The first delay, in 2023, was because of provincial housing legislation. Only the second delay, in July 2025, was part of the Eaglecrest funding plan.
  • The Town's Accessibility Plan says 56% of residents are over 65 (2021 Census).
  • The 2026–2030 Financial Plan says Council's ability to go ahead with 2027 and later initiatives depends on paying back the Strategic Initiatives Reserve, expected in 2027 and 2028, and that Council will set priorities at its 2027 strategic planning.

Sources

Last checked September 18, 2026. Report a mistake.