INNISFIL, Canada — Residents of Big Bay Point are becoming more and more angry that scuba divers using the 30th Sideroad dock are intimidating local users of the popular swimming and fishing site. In the past couple of years, the situation has deteriorated to the point where some divers are aggressively telling residents, including children, to keep away when they are on a dive. That's the final straw for homeowner John Stevens, who presented a delegation representing both full-time and seasonal property owners, to Innisfil council last Wednesday night. Stevens is calling for municipal guidelines over permitted use of the pier. "Some controls must be put in place," Stephens said. "It seems surreal to me that a Barrie resident and business owner (Steve Lafortune of Dive Central on Essa Road) is saying he has the right to use a facility paid for by Innisfil taxpayers. Does he have a business license? Has he paid fees to the Town? Is the dock safe and does it meet Coast Guard standards and is it acceptable for some divers to go to the bathroom in the bushes or in the lake?" Stevens lives less than a block from the dock and was particularly upset when his 11-year-old daughter, Brittany, came home one afternoon complaining that divers stopped her and some friends from going swimming. He added divers, who shooed him away, prevented him from docking his boat once. "They use this dock because it is unregulated," Stevens said. "It's a perfect spot to do an expensive sport on the cheap." Stevens has no personal grudge against scuba diving. In fact, he's a trained diver himself. "I think Innisfil should outright ban this use. A dock is not a scuba diving facility." Steve Lafortune, owner of Dive Central in Barrie, says on his website, www.divecentral.ca, that a number of Innisfil divers "are on our side regarding this. We all should sit down and work towards resolving these issues. You can't group everyone in the same place as a few people, or divers that have caused problems." He says if specific times are booked to use the dock for dive shops, he expects the same should be done for locals. Lafortune cautions that some divers have boats they will use to come to Big Bay Point and dock. "This will cause more problems for locals and they won't be able to control it." He noted his dive group has planned a clean up day at the dock on Saturday, Oct. 3 and everyone is invited to come out and help. However, Stevens is not alone in his sentiments. Corey Smith, another nearby resident to the dock, says, "The first summer wasn't too bad, but it's really escalated. One guy came with six or seven students and just took over the dock." | | A small town in Ontario aims to regulate "rude and obnoxious" scuba divers in order to enhance public safety and protect the rights of local citizens. As a 32-year Big Bay point homeowner, Ken Richardson of Algonquin Avenue says, "I used to swim here all the time. The last few years, I don't even bother." "I've been here 47 years," adds Jim Hillock of Lakeside Drive. "They even cut holes in the ice to dive. I guess I can understand growth but I've seen things change and I don't understand the failure to share. (The divers) need to understand we have families. We have three boats in our family and some days, you can't get to the dock safely." Catherine Payne and her family moved from Barrie to Big Bay Point two years ago to escape the hustle and bustle of city living. She finds it ironic the City of Barrie's tourism website advertises the dock as a good place to go scuba diving – "The deep, clear waters provide and excellent site for viewing fish among timbers from a long forgotten shipwreck." Nine-year-old Sheldon Linfield would just like the controversy to go away. You can't really fish here anymore," Sheldon says. "The divers go through your hooks and they get mad at you. The divers scare the fish away." Big Bay Point Coun. Dan Davidson is pleased more residents are becoming vocal about the issue. "It's the people speaking up about something bothering them," Davidson says. "I hope as council we can help." At the Wednesday council session, Mayor Brian Jackson asked Town staff to bring back a report with recommendations on what can be done. by Bruce Hain |
