Three Durham beaches you must see before summer ends
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Durham, Ontario (September 1, 2011) - There’s one week of summer left, which means you have one last chance to create the warm summertime memories that will carry you through the chilly fall and winter months.
The best place to spend the final days of summer is by the water. From pioneer settlements to secret agent camps, there’s something on the watefront for everyone. That’s why Lake Ontario Waterkeeper recommends these “Top Three Durham Beaches You MUST Visit Before Summer Ends”.
Here’s where you have to be before it’s too late:
Lakeview Park is one of the greatest public spaces in south Durham. There’s a long stretch of sandy beach, sports fields, picnic facilities, a pier for strolling, and the nearby Second Marsh for nature-lovers.
Make sure you look to the east when you’re here at Lakeview Park. That greenspace just beyond the industrial portlands could be the future home of FarmTech’s ethanol plant. The land, is known as Gifford Hill. It is a historic site that served as a trading post in the 1700s. The land, the rivers, and the harbour that you can see from Lakeview Park are a big part of the reason why the City of Oshawa exists today.
Like Lakeview Park, Whitby Beach is close to a big sports complex and is a short drive or bike-ride from the Lynde Shores Conservation Area. After you take a dip at Whitby Beach, you can visit the nearby Camp X / Intrepid Park. This site commemorates the covert Canadian/British School for Secret Agents that occupied this site between 1941-1946. It’s the spiritual home of James Bond.
Frenchman’s Bay West was the only beach in Durham where it was safe to swim every day this summer. The water quality is generally good and the wind is usually great. If you have not tried windsurfing or kite boarding or another lake adventure this summer, Frenchman’s Bay West is the place to do it.
This strip of sandy land that separates Frenchman’s Bay from the lake is a “barrier beach”. There aren’t many places to see these barrier beaches on Lake Ontario.
Waterkeeper picked these beaches because they offer a great combination of history, geography, and water quality. Before swimming, you should always check the water quality to make sure the beach is “open”.
Beaches in Durham are sampled weekly. You can check the current status in Swim Guide (www.theswimguide.org) or download our free iPhone/Android app. We use the sampling information from the health unit. You can also see the historical information for each beach.
The most important question you’ll need to answer before you hit the beach: “Is it safe to swim?” Swim Guide has helped tens of thousands of people make beach memories this year alone by answering that very question. Download the app from www.theswimguide.org now to make your memories this weekend at Durham’s best beaches!
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Media Inquiries:
Allie Kosela, Outreach Coordinator, Lake Ontario Waterkeeper
416-861-1237
More information: www.theswimguide.org
Press resources available at www.theswimguide.org/about.php