Aid to shoreline owners rejected by council

By the narrowest of margins Leamington council last week agreed the municipality could not offer financial assistance that would help homeowners with erosion problems thought to have occurred when the breach was opened to the Hillman Marsh into Lake Erie.

Debra Savino says her property has the potential to suffer even greater loss from erosion now, and she has estimated the cost to update beach protection at up to $25,000.

The problem arose last May when the municipality, with the approval of the Essex Region Conservation Authority opened a breach across the beach to provide an outlet for water build-up in the Hillman Marsh. Opening the breach has been a decades-long practise.

It is north of the Savino property and it is alleged the rush of water combined with water flows in a northeast wind created shore-damaging "vortexes".

In a letter Savino says the real danger to her property is from the property adjacent to hers. It has no armourstone protection, and photos indicate that property has badly eroded.

That property owner, Linda Highton, has contacted the municipality, saying the municipality should place armourstone along her shoreline to help protect Savino.

Councillor Hilda MacDonald says she can't help but feel the the municipality "has some responsibility" but she can't support spending on an armourstone wall.

If it is a case of "liability" Councillor Rick Atkin said the whole issue should be presented to the town's insurance carrier and let it make the decision.

"I can't support any funding that all the ratepayers must pay for," he added.  To read more go to www.leamingtonpostandshopper.com.