Stop-work order issued on construction of Victoria Beach erosion barrier

Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 22/02/2011 (5406 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

A cease-and-desist order has been issued against a crew building an unapproved rock revetment at Victoria Beach, reeve Tom Farrell said this afternoon.

Farrell said the stop-work order halts work for a week and gives the builder and the proponents enough time to seek council approval.

Farrell said because the work was being done on municipal land the contractor needs municipal approval. Council meets next Tuesday.

The work on the stone barrier on started Tuesday morning. It’s being built on Arthur Beach to protect four lakefront cottages from further erosion.

The project was not formally approved by municipality’s council although councillors were briefed on it at a meeting last week.

Trucks loaded with rocks started dumping earlier today, using an ice road on the lake that had been built several days ago.

The construction of the revetment on Arthur Beach comes as cottagers at Victoria Beach have been hotly debating the building of a revetment on another beach, King Edward. Because of the debate, that project has been put on hold for a year in favour of large, temporary sandbags this year.

Victoria Beach, Lester Beach, Grand Beach and Beaconia were hit hard last October by a huge wind storm that whipped up gigantic waves. Those waves washed away beaches and between 20 to 30 feet of shoreline in some places.

Lakefront cottagers have now been looking at ways prevent another storm from washing away their front yards and in some places, their cottages.

More information on both sides of the debate can be found on the websites of the Victoria Beach Cottage Owners Association and Preserving Victoria Beach.