Saving our Shorelines

Two beautiful beaches in Scarborough are at threat of being permanently destroyed!

East Point Beach is a natural sandy beach of about 4 km with a true coastal feel between the Grey Abbey Ravine and Highland Creek.









Bluffer's Beach is a sandy beach with dune grass and diverse plants in a tranquil bay with a remarkable view from the base of the historic Cathedral Bluffs.










Both of these beaches, their natural habitat and all of the remaining natural shoreline in Scarborough are about to be destroyed with 'concrete paths'. 

It's hard to believe in this day and age that we are having a conversation of whether a beach should be kept natural or 'paved with concrete'. I believe we should be supporting low-impact access to the water which allows people to enjoy the benefits of being at the water's edge. We all know from first-hand experience, the joy of being near water and how rejuvenating it is to the mind and spirit to walk along a sandy shore, where all you can hear are the sounds of waves rolling into the shore and the call of songbirds and seagulls. Does it make any sense at all, to destroy such beauty?

So who would consider paving these beautiful natural spaces do you ask? 

Well believe it or not, it's the very organization that has been put in place to preserve them - our very own Toronto and Region Conservation Authority but thankfully, it's not too late.... 

The TRCA would like to hear from the public - they want to know how you feel! But the pressure is on - they want to hear from you by February 11, 2016. 

If you care about preserving our natural beaches, animal habitat and the diversity of our shorelines, then contact the TRCA. Let them know that we all have a right to enjoy nature in it's natural form and we need to envision a future that respects nature. Our priority should be to preserve and protect the natural beauty of our last remaining sandy beaches and that conservation should be a priority for these ecologically sensitive areas.

It's important to point out that hardening the shoreline of these beaches is not for concern of erosion control nor is it a situation of protecting the residences. Both of these beaches are set well away from the foot of the bluffs and they are not densely residential. At the shore of both East Point and Bluffer's Beach, there is a lot of natural growth and these are highly productive habitats for wildlife and birds. Interestingly enough, at East Point, there already exists a designated bird sanctuary created by the TRCA, so to destroy the natural habitat of the shore makes no sense at all.

Please email Lindsay Clapp, TRCA Project Coordinator at waterfront@trca.on.ca and wfront@trca.on.ca 

  1. Remind them that their mandate is supposed to be making nature a priority. 
  2. Ask them why are they concerning themselves with lining our last remaining shorelines with concrete paths.
  3. Suggest to them that perhaps they can find less destructive projects to keep their engineers busy.
  4. Point out to them that the longterm health of our great lakes depends on the connection that we have with the lake. 
  5. Explain to them that if people do not have access to the water, then how will they develop a connection to it? 
  6. Tell them that creating hardened shorelines with large armour rocks and layers of concrete is not natural and not necessary. 
  7. Let them know that keeping our shorelines natural is something you value.

How to Save our Shoreline:


These beaches are a treasure - lets be proud of protecting them! 
Lets speak up for nature and be the voice of our future. 


Jennifer @ 416-871-5132 jenfalvy@hotmail.com

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