 __ Whig 20070810(Updated: 2007.08.10 07:28:24 AM) |
Fort officials guard the perimeter
Brock Harrison
Local news - Friday, August 10, 2007 @ 00:00
Fort Henry officials are cracking down on pedestrian traffic on the perimeter of the property, which has become a popular spot for dog-walkers and picnickers.
The fort has installed security guards at the wooden bridge over the east flanking ditch to prevent people from gaining access to the grounds during the fort's operational hours.
The bridge is accessed via the east entrance road that winds around the fort's east side. It is frequently used to access the southern tip of Point Henry. It is also used as a service road to transport materials in and out of the fort.
The guards are being stationed because, General Manager John Robertson says, pedestrian traffic has become a problem for Fort Henry staff, who have begun performing a greater portion of their duties on a section of that property. Signs that have been up for about two years asking people to stay off the property haven't dissuaded the public from trespassing, he says.
"People have been ignoring those signs for years," Robertson says. "That's why we're doing this. Our programming is expanding."
He says the fort's new designation as a UNESCO World Heritage Site has nothing to do with the decision to station security guards on the grounds. The picnic areas are still there and accessible, he adds.
The decision has rankled some local residents, who are used to having full access to the fort's east side.
On Tuesday morning, Terry Gilles says she was told by the security guard that non-paying customers weren't allowed to cross the east bridge. Instead, Gilles went around the other way to get to Point Henry's tip, but she said the east route is easier.
Gilles called Robertson's explanation that the grounds are being used more by fort staff "a stretch."
She says the southern tip of Point Henry offers the best views of the Kingston shoreline and neighbouring islands, and has become a popular place to watch Snowbird performances and the start of the 1000 Islands Poker Run.
"Unless they're planning something new, it just seems a bit odd to deny access to the public," Gilles says.