A beach access problem close to the graveyard off South Road where neighbours have allegedly carried out construction inside foreshore setbacks falls in the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure (MOTI).

And it is up to MOTI to “decide if they’re happy with the way it was left”, according to Parks Operations Coordinator Jonathan Lobb.

At the May 29 Parks and Open Space Advisory Committee (POSAC) meeting at the WI Hall, meeting attendee John Pierce asked Regional Director Howard Houle about the status of the beach access. Pierce said one of the neighbours in the area wanted to do some work on a steep bank, which involved putting “machinery down on the beach and bringing in fill without any permission”. He said Islands Trust Bylaw Enforcer Peter Phillips “was there on the spot and stopped it, and I gather there are now about five different departments involved”.

Houle said the neighbours had a permit only to dump gravel on the right-of-way, but they moved it down and extended the walkway below the high tide mark and along the beach to build an access onto their property. He said that caused problems with the access “because they tore it all up, and there’s a pile of gravel there and etc.”. He said he would look into the issue for an update.

Pierce said the Department of Fisheries and Oceans was also still involved.