Plea to fix parking lot near 'birthplace' of surfing in Atlantic Canada
Nina Corfu | CBC News | Posted: March 27, 2018 8:29 PM | Last Updated: March 27, 2018
Province says it's too soon to say what will happen to the former parking lot at Lawrencetown Beach
Forget sharks and sharp rocks — the most dangerous part of surfing at Nova Scotia's Lawrencetown Beach right now may be trying to find a safe place to park.
A small, gravel parking lot on the western end of the beach, near a popular surf break, was damaged earlier this month as a series of nor'easters swept the East Coast, bringing along storm surges that washed out coastal areas and heaved large stones onto the roads.
Now, Beth Amiro, president of the Surfing Association of Nova Scotia, is calling on the province to fix the former roadside parking lot or design a new one that is less susceptible to storm damage.
"People will always surf that break, and when it's a good surf, that's a lot of people parking on the road and that's pretty hazardous," she told CBC News.
A spokesperson for the province said while staff are working on a long-term solution to ensure the road is safe and to protect the shoreline, it's too soon to say exactly what will happen to the parking lot, commonly known as "the point."
There is a larger parking lot approximately 150 metres away, in front of Lawrencetown Beach Provincial Park.
But there isn't much of a shoulder on the highway in that area, Amiro said, which means some surfers are walking along the road to get to the surf break and it's "kind of treacherous."
Others are choosing to park on the side of the road near the destroyed parking lot. The 80 km/h speed limit in that area, coupled with a blind curve and a distracting view, makes it a dangerous place to park, Amiro added.
"World-class surfing spots such as this one should have adequate parking," said Amiro, who calls the area "the birthplace of surfing in Atlantic Canada."
Being able to park as close as possible to the surf break is especially critical during the winter months, she said, when cold temperatures make it a safety issue for surfers who need to get warm as soon as they exit the water.
The smaller lot was also a good place for surfers to watch out for one another, said Nico Manos, a surf instructor in the area.
"You may be surfing for a brief time by yourself while others are getting suited," he said. "It used to be people could see you from the lot — a bit of a safety concern there."
Right now, the parking lot is "completely filled in" with rocks and sand, Amiro said.
There used to be enough room for 10 to 20 vehicles, she said. Now you could fit one or two, but the "deep sand" means they're in danger of getting stuck.
This isn't the first time the parking lot has been impacted by a storm, Amiro said. "It seems to reoccur after every nor'easter," she said, noting the damage was worse this time.
She said she's worried the province will want to get rid of it entirely.
Government spokesperson Marla MacInnis said in an email that the province's top priority in that area is to "maintain the integrity of the road infrastructure in order to provide safe travelling for road users."
She said the Department of Natural Resources is working with the Department of Transportation and Infrastructure Renewal and a coastal engineering consultant to determine a long-term solution that will protect the shoreline.
Those designs, once complete, would determine how the former parking area could be impacted, MacInnis said.
If there is a need to relocate the parking lot, she said the province would be interested in working with the Surfing Association of Nova Scotia to find an alternate solution.