Dear Editor,
I refer to last week‘s council meeting report and your editorial referring to Sylvan Lake‘s sandy beach. If the fact is correct, that Sylvan Lake has had a beach for over 100 years, where is it now, why has it gone?
I totally agree that a beach was and could be again, of benefit to residents and visiting tourists. However, I ask again, why has the beach gone that was there?
I am told, several years ago the town dragged the sand back from the lake. Was that before or after the construction of the seawall? Did this happen once, twice or more and is it acceptable in this age of enlightenment to artificially build a beach?
If the town got approval to vacuum sand back up to the seawall, whether or not it damaged fish habitat, I agree with the province, I do not believe the sand will remain. Also I ask, should the town not be presenting its assets in as natural a way as possible?
So why and where has all the sand gone? I have lived here for only 11 years and visited for 20 years, I make the following observations:
1 I note the grass surface is very uneven near to the seawall and it consists primarily of sand. I am sure that if you have been to Lakeshore when there is a north wind blowing, you will have seen the waves crash over the wall and deposit sand on the grass.
2. The same wave action bouncing off the seawall takes the sand back into the lake. Take a swim past the rope with a pair of goggles on and see all the sand on the bottom of the lake. Is that our beach sand or the bottom of the lake? Would installing envirotubes be esthetically acceptable? When I Google “Envirotubes” the result I find, if correct, is interesting to say the least!
3. The fact is that waves are not only caused by the north wind but also the high powered boats zooming backwards and forwards along the beach. If Ed Muttart‘s attempt at reading the future (page 460, Recollections Beyond Reflections, Sylvan Lake Memories Book 1900-2000) had come to fruition, our lake and shoreline would have been very different. Oh yes, Ed prophesied that “Powered water vehicles will be outlawed and only sail and canoes would be allowed. It would bring peace to the area.” Still time Mayor McIntyre and Council, still time?
At the end of last summer, 2013, the level of lake water was, in my view, noticeably lower. I looked further east, past Centennial Park, with the water gently lapping, I noticed sand building up along the almost natural beach. This year, now the ice has started to melt, I notice that in parts there is an additional 5-6 feet of very nice sand along water‘s edge and even more can be seen under the water. Where has it come from? Is Mother Nature taking a hand or is the sand that was put down near the pier on the move?
I ask members of the community to consider the problem of the disappearing sand. Was it brought about over a long period of time and possibly caused by improvements to lakeshore in the shape of a seawall, change of use of the lake, higher water table and climate change.
The fact is, all over the world, communities have been trying to change or improve coast lines and lakeshores and water courses for many years. More often, in the long term, these changes have been found to be a mistake and cause more of a problem than those they have set out to resolve.
When we came to live here in 2003 I was told that the water table was dangerously low and we were in a drought; however, there was a great beach that got a bit smelly I recall. Lake beaches do not have the daily cleaning of two changes of tide as the seaside beach receives. Do you think that artificially replacing the beach is any sort of answer? I am not convinced. Perhaps when the water levels drop there will be a beach again.
Meanwhile, if residents or visitors want to “go to the beach” the water is there, in some places there is sand. If it’s not enough perhaps the town would build some sand boxes for the kids to play in. If folks want to lounge about or chase about with a ball, the town has Centennial Park.
I have serious doubts regarding the suggestion of a 10 foot strip of sand on the grass. Anyone who has walked along Lakeshore this winter and seen the amount of “yellow snow and doggy do’s” must agree. I question if it will be possible to keep the sand clean and healthy and that will be another problem for the town.
I think we have a wonderful lakeshore/beach. We have changed it in an effort to accommodate everyone.
As a resident I think we should say “This is what we have, we would love you to come and share it with us”. I ask, is it is prudent to start a reclamation project that will need to be repeated in the future? Should the town incur another financial burden? We have some huge expenditures already planned for the future.
John Walsh,
Sylvan Lake