Letter to the Editor: Beach access point touted by the city now fenced off

Editor's note: Mr. Newman writes regarding the BayToday story Lake Nipissing access fenced off for 'protection' and 'prevention' railway says.

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I am writing today regarding the fence erected at the end of 10th Street, adjacent to the Ottawa Valley Railway (OVR) tracks, blocking access to Lake Nipissing and the trail known to locals as the “Condo Trail.”

Three years ago, when my partner and I were looking to purchase our first home, we chose our home on Copeland Street largely because of the proximity to the lake. We were delighted that we were able to make it from our front door to the water in a few minutes, and we are now extremely frustrated that this access point was fenced off without any consultation with local residents.

City officials have argued that residents accessing the waterfront by this route were doing so illegally, yet the Recreational Trail Map, available on the City of North Bay’s website, clearly shows this spot as an access point to the trail.

Given that use of this access point was encouraged by the city, I was astonished to learn that Mark King, City Councillor and Board Chair of the District of Nipissing Social Services Administration Board (DNSSAB), had taken it upon himself to contact the OVR about erecting a fence at this location. This was apparently in response to concerns about the temporary ‘tent city’ encampment of unhoused people near the tracks.

I do believe that the concerns raised by local residents and businesses are legitimate, and I do not want to minimize the impact of the behaviour of some residents of the encampment – everyone should be able to feel safe in their own homes, businesses, and neighbourhoods. That said, I find it extremely troubling that the Chair of our Social Services Administration Board thought it was appropriate to approach a private company in order to fence off a group of marginalized people, rather than working with local service providers to find a compassionate solution to the complex issues facing many members of our community. I would have thought that the person responsible for overseeing social services in our community would want to help vulnerable people, not put up fences to separate them from the rest of society.

The construction of this fence further divides our community, contributing to a toxic ‘us versus them' mentality.

Rather than separating people, we should be bringing people together to create solutions that address the issues and concerns affecting everyone in the community. I urge the City of North Bay and the OVR to work with local residents to replace this fence with a safe, inexpensive pedestrian crossing, similar to the “Ryan’s Way” crossing constructed in 2008 near Trout Lake Road after a tragic accident involving an Ontario Northland Train. This type of crossing would restore access to the lake while ensuring that everyone is able to cross the tracks safely.

Evan Newman
North Bay