Chatham-Kent to close Burns Beach road access permanently

For safety and logistical reasons, Chatham-Kent councilors voted to close the road to Burns Beach on the Lake Erie shoreline permanently.

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The beach, which the public has frequented for years, is located at the south end of Dillon Road, near the community of Dealtown.

Although the beach is not on municipal property, much of the access to the beach is municipally owned.

Vehicles and pedestrians had accessed the beach from Dillon Road using a steep gravel laneway that leads down the bluff.

“Is there a way to totally prevent pedestrians out in this kind of rural setting? Probably not,” Ryan Brown, director of public works, said. “That’s not what we’re proposing … However, I think it’s my due diligence as a professional engineer to tell you that that structure is not safe.

“We have lots of roads that are narrow, but this one is adjacent to a 100-foot bluff down to rocks.”

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Historically, the Raleigh public works division maintained the laneway, a staff report stated. Until 2022, the beach was listed as one of Chatham-Kent’s public beaches on the municipal website.

“Chatham-Kent Public Health surveillance and water testing of this beach stopped many years ago when it was determined it did not meet the provincial definition of a public beach,” the report stated.

In recent years, record-high Lake Erie levels have contributed to accelerated erosion, making access hazardous. In addition, the beach area has almost entirely disappeared.

Chatham Coun. Michael Bondy, who opposed the access closure, called it a “hidden kind of gem,” admitting the water levels are high, but the beach will return eventually.

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“I think it’s a little nanny state to say, ‘Oh, we have to block it off,’” he said, adding people will often pull into the area to take a break and cool off.

“I really don’t like the idea of ​​shutting down waterfront access. ‘Hey Jimmy, go home and play with your phone.’ That’s the last thing we want to do.”

The report added legal services confirmed there is no registered owner of the property. As unpatented land abutting the lake, it is considered provincial property.

Ontario’s Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry under the Public Lands Act is responsible for management of this type of Crown land.

“The municipality does not have any ownership interest or other legal right to grant access to or make use of this property as a public beach,” the report stated.

Permanent closure of the access laneway was recommended at the south limit of Dillon Road, to keep costs to a minimum.

The report added public works staff will continue conversations with the owners of the neighboring property at 7008 Talbot Trail to ensure parking and privacy issues are addressed after the closure, as it is “very likely that pedestrian access to the laneway will continue.”

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