Grand Bend Beach in Lambton Shores. July 4, 2020. (Screenshot from the Grand Bend Beach cam)Grand Bend Beach in Lambton Shores. July 4, 2020. (Screenshot from the Grand Bend Beach cam)
Sarnia

More out-of-towners than locals at Grand Bend Beach

There's some concern in Grand Bend after Goderich temporarily closed its beach on the weekend due to overcrowding.

Goderich shut down its beach to new traffic Saturday because capacity reached a point where proper physical distancing was not possible.

Lambton Shores Mayor Bill Weber said they're well aware some people will travel a little farther to Grand Bend if necessary to find a spot on the sand in the hot weather.

"That's always the concern and it's a concern across the province, there's a number of beaches that are either closed or doing different restrictions and people say well if we can't go there, we're going here," said Weber. "I know there's a lot of people that enjoy Grand Bend Beach, it's a safe beach and it's being well maintained by our staff, but yeah it's concerning."

Weber said it appears most of the beachgoers are from outside Sarnia-Lambton.

"It is a lot of day-trippers that are coming into our beach here," he said. "People are concerned about that. Restaurants are saying they really miss the local people because the local people are concerned with that. A lot are staying at home, a lot are looking after themselves and taking that personal responsibility to keep themselves as safe as they can."

Weber said, for the most part, visitors to Grand Bend Beach have been physically distancing and obeying the rules.

Goderich also had to close its beach on the Saturday of the Civic holiday weekend when what officials call "COVID-19 operation capacity" was reached.

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