Blue Flag Designation

I've just returned from the very first Toronto Beaches Dog Association meeting. A great turnout with bodies overflowing into the hallway, people straining to hear what was being said.
The politicians of Toronto have met their match with the dog owners .
As far as I can gather, this 'Blue Flag' designation that has been bestowed upon our beach doesn't meet with the criteria for blue flag designation. The Environmental Defence (http://www.environmentaldefence.ca/reports/blueflag.htm) group has measured our beach against the 27 Blue Flag criteria and agree our beach meets these standards. Hmm....
As a person who has walked on the beach three times a day (every day!) for the past 20 years I have a different view.

When I see the litter, the garbage, the pieces of rusty metals; some of which has been there for years, the broken beer bottles (from the teens partying at night) the used condoms left for little kids to pick up, the dirty diapers and chicken bones, complete with used napkins, I am in awe of this Environmental Defence group. Yes, we want to encourage tourism back to Toronto, indeed into the province of Ontario but I have to wonder what kind of political backroom deal this is.
For instance, 'A daily beach cleaning during the bathing season when necessary.' and
' No algal or other vegetation may accumulate and be left to decay on the beach, except in areas
designated for a specific use and as long as this does not constitute a nuisance.'

I have not seen a 'daily cleaning of the beach' since the cutbacks-before that, every other morning there would be a sand-raking machine out there. I have seen the algae in late August so thick, kids wading into the water at certain areas of the shoreline are playing with it and they come out of the water with green legs!

We can't even refer to what is on the beach as sand at Kew Beach, because about 10 years ago there were truckloads and truckloads of crushed stone or gravel brought in to top off our 'sand.'
It would be interesting to analyze the composition of the 'sand' at Kew Beach and let's say the sand down at Woodbine Beach, where the Volleyball nets are set up.

Now we've been told there are no dogs allowed on the beach to comply with the 'Blue Flag Beach' designation. In the European Blue Flag Beach Criteria (2003) it nowhere states dogs aren't allowed on a beach as part of the criteria - it's a 'guideline criteria' so whatever City council decides where this one is concerned, is acceptable.


There is a new website for the Beaches Dog Association and I hope anyone who enjoys the sunrises and sunsets the boardwalk and beach offers, will consider visting the site and signing up to become a member and offer their time and talent. There's also a Facebook group.
I goggled them tonight with no luck but will post the links as soon as I can.

Time to take my girl for her walk.