Sandpoint Beach Safety Audit Heads to Council

A new safety audit for Sandpoint Beach is scheduled for presentation to the Windsor city council on June 29. This audit will determine the beach's fate for the upcoming summer season, with a decision on reopening in some capacity expected on the same day. The beach has been inaccessible and fenced off since June of last year, following a tragic drowning incident that led the Ontario coroner's office to recommend the safety review. This incident marked the ninth drowning at Sandpoint Beach since 1989, involving a 15-year-old swimmer.

Councillor Angelo Marignani indicated that while he has not yet reviewed the audit's findings, a long-term proposal includes creating a safe, enclosed area with rock revetments, potentially including a splash pad. He emphasized the need to close off the hazardous western section of the beach, which features a dangerous underwater trench with a riptide, often described as a 'waterfall under the water.'

While some residents miss the beach's natural shoreline and its amenity value, the need for safety is paramount. Marignani advocates for transforming the area into an attractive destination by adding trees and considering redevelopment plans for adjacent land. He also stressed the importance of securing future funding by having a shovel-ready plan for the 2027 capital budget cycle and improving public communication about the western end's dangers.