Login / RegisterJericho Beach lifeguards would disappear under proposed park-board budget cuts
For as long as Mike Cotter knows, Vancouver’s Jericho Beach has always been a lifeguarded beach.
But to the dismay of the long-time general manager of the Jericho Centre Sailing Association, lifeguard services may be cut from this popular water destination by the Vision Vancouver-led park board.
A staff report on the February 27 agenda of the park board indicated that lifeguard services will be focused on five beaches only this year.
It’s a cost-cutting measure intended to save $270,000.
For Cotter, this isn’t right.
“The city and the park board have always underestimated the interest that citizens have in using the ocean for recreational purposes,” Cotter told the Straight in a phone interview today (February 24). “And we’re going the other way. The population of the city is growing.”
According to Cotter, the city’s population is also getting younger and sports activities are among their priorities.
“A swim in the city is one thing that you think would be second nature,” he said. “We advertise our beaches as some of the best swimming beaches in the world and I think that is the case. But reducing the safety presence there is a direction the city shouldn’t be going.”
The staff report recommends lifeguard services be concentrated at five beaches: English Bay, Kits Beach, Locarno, Spanish Banks East, and Third Beach.
It’s part of the $1.3-million budget cut being proposed for the park board for 2012.
The swimmers and the kids playing in the water swim 500m to the east, at Jericho beach... out of sight from this building, at a busy and safe sand beach. That beach is closest to residential areas and transit.
Taking those lifeguards away is simply foolish.
Someone will die, plain and simple.
How much is that worth?
well, unfortunately the world doesn't end at Ontario Street. Nevertheless, swimming beaches without lifeguards are multi-million dollar lawsuits just waiting to happen. How many of those are Vancouverites willing to swallow before the disappearing lifeguards re-appear? Less to the point but still relevant: an urban beach with real human lifeguards is classy. A beach where kids regularly drown is not, nor is the city that has such a beach...think about it.
Noted loads of gangbangers at Spanish Banks, last summer. Just what we'd need---a little gun play by the logs.
This leaves huge gaps in coverage. Not counting Kits Beach, which is isolated from the other locations, there would only be two beaches with lifeguards on the West Side and two on the Downtown/Stanley Park side.
Not only is this a public safety concern, it is also a workplace safety concern. It has already been common practice to staff each beach with only one lifeguard in May and June. Staffing levels, in general, have been cut to the bare bone in response to serial, draconian budget cuts. Unless they have partners, lifeguards are essentially useless, especially at a waterfront. In fact, I would argue it is dangerous to perform this work alone and without trained backup.
Consider also the expected increase in public intoxication and rowdiness. It can take a very, very long time for definitive backup to arrive at Spanish Banks, in the form of police or ambulance. Under proper staffing levels, it was possible for adjacent beaches to overlap duties and even lend extra staff for unexpected incidents. That will no longer be possible. Staff at Second Beach Pool may not be trained for a waterfront rescue and may not have equipment at hand. In any case, they will be busy watching the concentration of people in the pool and won't necessarily even scan the waterfront.
Vancouver's Beach and Outdoor Pool lifeguard system was once the pride of Vancouver. It provided safety, education, tourist information, public health, social work and beach maintenance. Without those extra trained people keeping a watchful eye on these beaches and patrons, I am certain we will witness a calamity.
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