Lake Country councillors vote to keep Gable Beach public

LAKE COUNTRY – Gable Beach in Carr’s Landing will remain public after Lake Country councillors voted against selling the 210 metres of wild beachfront to three private property owners yesterday.

Carr’s Landing Community and Recreation Association spokesperson Cara Reed helped gather more than 1,500 signatures last year, enough to force council to abandon plans to sell the land.

Almost two weeks ago, its sale was back on a council meeting agenda, accompanied by a media release titled “Win-Win solution proposed for expanded public access to Carr’s Landing lakefront.”

“On March 6 staff will be recommending that funds from the sale of the un-built right-of-way perpendicular to Gable Road be used to purchase a beachfront property on the south side of the popular Coral Beach Park in Carr’s Landing. The purchase would expand the footprint of Coral Beach Park by more than 30 percent. Additionally, about 50 lineal feet of lakefront will be retained from the area of Gable Road end originally considered for disposition,” the release from the District said.

Reed said council was planning not only to vote to approve selling Gable Beach for $1.35 million, but also to buy another lot — roughly a tenth the size — for $200,000 more.

She called it a bad deal for the District and residents.

“The beach that they’re selling is 210 meters long, the beach that they’re buying is 28 meters long, and that includes a pumping station,” Reed said. “The actual beachfront they’re buying is a tenth of the size of the beachfront they’re selling.”

Requests for comment from Mayor James Baker and Coun. Jeanette Lambert have received no response.

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