Some ideas for beach safety at the Kincardine pier have been put forward by a citizens group making a presentation to Kincardine’s Committee of the Whole.
The group got a warm reception from councillors.
Since 2010, five people have lost their lives because of strong wave action and rip currents along the pier.
The latest was 38 year old Aleem Ramji who last year, in an attempt to save two cousins swept off the pier, lost his life.
The girls survived.
Head of a group wanting to make the beach and pier more safe, Meagan Fair, says the family, visiting for the first time, simply didn’t know of the risks that day, last September.
Fair says it’s time to change that and make the beach a safer place to visit.
Her report suggests such things as a pier railing with access points; a traffic signal set up to show condition of beach, green for good to red for danger; and a remote controlled device to rescue people when the waters are too dangerous for safety personnel
A rough cost would be over $55,000 if all enhancements were put in.
Councillors liked the concept and asked staff to investigate further and bring back a report in April to see what could be done before the coming summer.