The City of Port Colborne, Niagara Regional Police and Sun Retreats Sherkston Shores management have laid out some changes to the retreat.
The joint approach has six main points, with hopes of avoiding another incident like Sherkston Shores saw over the Canada Day long weekend, which resulted in calls to police about armed individuals, assaults and drug poisonings. Police say over 25,000 people were at the retreat, resulting in strained emergency services during the long weekend.
The first point sees Sun Retreats committing to increasing controls for renters and visitors that enter the park. The management team has already implemented a number of changes since Canada Day, including requiring private renters to be registered with a name and birthday. Sherkston will be adding additional oversights and limits for owners who bring visitors to the park, requiring pre-registration for all incoming visitors. Sherkston will continue not to allow any day pass purchases.
The second point sees Sun Retreats conducting a full review of their perimeter fencing, and addressing any vulnerable access points – with hopes of reducing trespassing on the property.
A bolstered on-site security presence is the third point of the plan, which is mostly directed at long weekends or weekends when there’s an influx of visitors expected in the park.
The City of Port Colborne has committed to reminding residents with teens and other young adults that Sun Retreats Sherkston Shores is a private business, on private property. The city says it’s important that parents or guardians do not drop off teens, other young adults, or any other individuals at Sherkston Shores unless they are registered visitors or otherwise officially permitted to be there. Accessing the resort from the road ends or beach accesses is illegal and is considered trespassing.
Fifth, the NRPS will also continue conducting road patrols and RIDE programs in the vicinity of the park to deter and identify any unlawful behaviour and drivers who may be under the influence of drugs or alcohol.
Finally, the City of Port Colborne will work in collaboration with NRPS to implement traffic calming measures on Empire Road and Pleasant Beach Road to help address speeding and other unsafe driving near the park.
Another meeting between the groups is expected to be held in mid-September.
(Written by: Matt Latour)
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