A Saugeen Shores councillor says he's receiving negative feedback regarding the condition of the Port Elgin beach.
Mike Myatt says he has heard from people who are not happy with the wet sand conditions or the vegetation and debris on the beach this year.
He says he understands the beach is protected by federal law after piping plovers nested there last year, but the endangered birds did not return this summer and he wants to see some improvements made ahead of the upcoming long weekend.
He says it's a difficult situation because the previous nesting area needs to be left in a natural state in case the plovers return in the future.
Director of Community Services Jayne Jagelewski says she will be talking with the Ministry of Natural Resources this week about having the beach graded ahead of the Civic Holiday long weekend, but cautions raking the beach is largely what has caused the poor conditions.
She says the municipality used to rake the beach on a weekly basis up until eight years ago and while those activities produced a nice looking beach, it caused long term problems with sand migration.
She says they have cut back beach raking to four times per year, prior to long weekends, but the Ministry of Natural Resources is suggesting that raking be cut back further to just twice per summer, but that could all go by the wayside if the piping plovers return again and the beach has to be left undisturbed.
With less sand on the beach than there has been in previous years, Jagelewski says it's producing a wetter beach and is promoting vegetation that normally did not grow when the beach was drier, adding it has also attracted reptiles like snakes and turtles.
Jagelewski says dune grasses were planted a number of years ago in an effort to keep the sand from migrating off the beach and they have seen improvements in sand quality since then.