Sandy Beach in Hudson, Que. closed for the summer
The town of Hudson, Que. has closed Sandy Beach for the summer, just as the weather is starting to be warm enough to enjoy it.
The beach is on private property and so too are the trails leading up to the popular destination.
The town made the announcement on Friday.
"It is a disappointment for many families already since the pathways were closed on March 11," said Hudson Mayor Chloe Hutchison.
The private land where the beach is located is owned by a developer. Concrete blocks are in place along with signage to keep people away.
"I think this is a good wake up call for the town as well, to take on our responsibilities and to ensure that people respect private property," said Hutchison.
For decades, there has been talk about development near Sandy Beach. Much of the land is owned by Nicanco Holdings and recently the Quebec Environment Ministry pulled a permit for the developer to backfill a portion of the land.
The town said buying the private section of the beach to make it public would be a costly option.
"But reality is, we have so much work in terms of infrastructure deficit, looking after public assets, roads, [and] buildings, we can't simply put that aside for another 20 years because we want to purchase the entire space," said Hutchison.
The town said it wants to add a path on public land to the beach, but that would mean going through wetlands and complying with environmental regulations.
CTV News tried to reach Nicanco, but did not hear back.
The mayor said she is in favour of development in the area, providing it is done respectfully.
"Development done in balance, in equilibrium with, I think, the environment, but also social values," she said.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Dangerous brew: Ocean heat and La Nina combo likely mean more Atlantic hurricanes this summer
Get ready for what nearly all the experts think will be one of the busiest Atlantic hurricane seasons on record, thanks to unprecedented ocean heat and a brewing La Nina.
Was this the bug that stung you? Wasp sightings revive murder-hornet concerns; no detections confirmed
As temperatures rise out of a mild El Nino winter, Canada's buggy season is already upon us again, and this year, the bugs are looking especially big.
New bill would let Canadians to pass citizenship rights down to children born abroad
A new government bill tabled in the House of Commons on Thursday would allow Canadians to pass citizenship rights down to their children born outside the country — a move that would add an unknown number of new citizens.
Potential tornado 'surreal' for residents who witnessed damaging storm in southern Ontario
Witnessing a potential tornado was 'surreal' for residents who caught a glimpse of the damaging storm in southern Ontario on Wednesday night.
Hundreds have applied for this 'adventurer' job in Banff National Park
Coined as Banff's 'ultimate summer job,' the Moraine Lake Bus Company says hundreds of people from across the world have applied for its adventurer position.
'We'll need all hands on deck': Details emerge after deadly boat crash near Kingston, Ont.
Police say they have wrapped up their on-scene investigation into a deadly boat crash in eastern Ontario as details of the incident begin to emerge.
WestJet planning new fare category for travellers willing to forgo carry-on bag
WestJet Airlines plans to launch a new cheaper fare category that would be available to travellers willing to fly without a carry-on bag.
Jennifer Lopez's response to question about Ben Affleck is a reminder of their decades of love in the spotlight
Plenty of people are wondering if Jennifer Lopez and Ben Affleck are having problems in their marriage, but one person had the nerve to ask in a public forum.
U.S. Justice Department says illegal monopoly by Ticketmaster and Live Nation drives up prices for fans
The U.S. Justice Department filed a sweeping antitrust lawsuit against Ticketmaster and parent company Live Nation Entertainment on Thursday, accusing them of running an illegal monopoly over live events in America -- squelching competition and driving up prices for fans.