Students skip school and head to the beach in Port Dover
Friday’s hot conditions made for a perfect beach day.
So high school students, including some from Norfolk County, packed up their bathing suits, towels and sunglasses and headed down to Port Dover.
According to Ontario Provincial Police, students are calling the first Friday of June and unofficial “beach day.” They leave school with – or without – parental permission and head to Long Point, Turkey Point and Port Dover.
“It’s a skip day,” Kiley Thistle, a grade 10 student, told CTV News.
“We never really did beach day in high school, so it’s honestly a fun experience,” added Dakota Mikaela Fletcher, a grade 12 student. “I wanted to experience it with my friends.”
The OPP’s Norfolk County detachment enhanced patrols in and around beach areas, focusing their attention on those who “fail to make safety a priority.”
In previous years, OPP said they responded to a number of incidents related to underage drinking, drinking and driving, assaults and more.
“We’d be naïve to think today would be no different so we’re just targeting those types of behaviours that jeopardize people’s safety,” said Andrew Gamble with the OPP.
As for the crowd on Friday, police said it was relatively smooth and everyone was following safety rules.
“Given the weather that we’ve been having we expected a higher than normal turnout, but we’ve been having good luck so far,” Gamble said.
NO TRESPASSING SIGNS
One reason for the lower turnout at Norfolk County beaches could be the “no trespassing” signs.
“I just want to respect the boundaries,” said Thistle. “I don’t want to make someone uncomfortable or get in trouble for something.”
One of the "no trespassing" signs on the beach in Port Dover. (June 2, 2023)
The owner of the private area was not available for an interview Friday, but the issue of bylaw enforcement at the beach is still being worked out with the owners and the county.
MORE: No trespassing signs on Port Dover beach cause controversy
In an email to CTV News, Norfolk County Mayor Amy Martin said: “Norfolk County staff are continuing to dialogue and negotiate with private beach landowners and updates to council are expected later this month during a special council meeting that is being scheduled. We remain optimistic and confident that all issues will be resolved soon.”
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Canadian gov't proposes new foreign influence registry as part of wide-spanning new bill
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's government is proposing a suite of new measures and law changes aimed at countering foreign interference in Canada, amid extensive scrutiny over past meddling attempts and an ever-evolving threat landscape.
Boeing Starliner capsule's first crewed test flight postponed
The long-awaited first crewed test flight of Boeing's new Starliner space capsule was called off for at least 24 hours over a technical issue that launch teams were unable to resolve in time for the planned Monday night lift-off.
Teacher charged in historical sexual assault of Calgary teenage girl
Calgary police have charged a teacher with the alleged sexual assault of a teenage girl more than 20 years ago.
Winnipeg man admits to killing four women, argues he's not criminally responsible
Defence lawyers of Jeremy Skibicki have admitted in court the accused killed four Indigenous women, but argues he is not criminally responsible for the deaths by way of mental disorder – this latest development has triggered a judge-alone trial rather than a jury trial.
Man banned from owning animals after fatal Calgary dog attack
The owner of three Calgary dogs that got loose and mauled a woman to death in 2022 has been ordered to pay a $15,000 fine within one year and banned from owning any animal for 15 years.
East-end Ottawa family dealing with massive rat infestation
Residents in Ottawa’s Elmridge Gardens complex are dealing with a rat infestation that just won’t go away. Now, after doing everything they can to try to fix the issue, they are pleading with the city to step in and help.
Mediterranean staple may lower your risk of death from dementia, study finds
A daily spoonful of olive oil could lower your risk of dying from dementia, according to a new study by Harvard scientists.
An El Nino-less summer is coming. Here's what that could mean for Canada
As Canadians brace themselves for summer temperatures, forecasters say a weakening El Nino cycle doesn’t mean relief from the heat.
Newfoundland and Labrador latest province to tighten rules on Airbnbs
Newfoundland and Labrador is the latest jurisdiction to bring in stricter rules for short-term rentals, with a coming set of regulations that will force operators to register with the provincial government.