Last year (just about this same time) I attended the annual 9-11 ceremony that takes place at the tip of the Erie Basin Marina. During the ceremony I happened to look off to the left and noticed a stretch of sand that was, for the most part, covered with driftwood. I wrote a BRO post at the time, and ever since then I’ve talked to people about the possibilities of a city beach. Last week I ran into Councilman Brian Davis and I told him about the idea. He agreed to meet up today at the marina to take a look at the underutilized waterfront access.
After Brian arrived we walked to the far end of the peninsula towards the observation deck. When we reached the end I pointed towards the land in question while Brian proceeded to stand there taking it all in. After a few moments he declared, “It’s a beach.” Then he said, “Wow!” The two of us climbed down to the edge of the water and looked back the entire length of the marina. This is not just a future beach… this is a big-time recreational area. It was right there and then that Brian began to make phone calls.
The first phone call that he made was to Mike Wolasz of the sewer authority. Mike also happens to run The Hatch restaurant at the marina. When Brian hung up the phone he turned to me and smiled. He said, “You’re not going to believe this… Mike says that this area is called Tower Shoreline Beach. He told me that he could get us all of the sand that we needed and could also get rid of the driftwood for free, through landscapers that have been inquiring about it. This beach already looks like a homerun.”
Of course there are some big boulders along the water’s edge too, but all in all this beach looks like a no-brainer. There are already facilities there too. There are bathrooms, places to buy food… there’s even a small corner store nearby in one of the Marine Drive Apartments. The scenic vista is breathtaking. Not only is it great boat watching, you can also see the lighthouse… and even the windmills are visible in the distance. And the beach is all fine sand that extends way out into the water. Not that there will be swimming, but the view is beautiful as one looks out towards the break wall. There’s even parking!
Brian has since called the Mayor who is excited about the possibility and is planning to come take a look at the beach first hand. Brian is also introducing the proposal in front of Common Council this Tuesday! When we climbed back up to where people were walking (behind the big boulders) Brian began to ask passersby what they thought of the idea. The first group all chimed in, “We were just discussing how sad it was that there was not a beach there, and what a mess it looks like instead.” One lady said, “Oh, if I could just dip my feet in the water.” As if any normal person would have said anything else!!!!
Brian is starting a committee to move the idea forward and hopes that the beach will be open as early as next spring.