Over 250 charges were issued over the course of the weekend in Grand Bend as an influx of day trippers rushed to the beach town.
Charges ranged from breaking physical distancing protocols to smoking and consuming alcohol on the beach, which has always been prohibited.
Lambton Shores Mayor Bill Weber knew people would come running on the first nice day of the summer, but he was hoping more people would deploy common sense and turn back when they saw how crowded things were.
He hopes this was a one-time occurence, with Sunday being the far busier day than Saturday, but said if its not, they won’t hesitate to take action, including closing things down like the closure of Sauble beach last week.
Weber noted most people tried their best to keep their distance but that becomes much more difficult when people keep coming.
There’s also more rules that have come into play. Effective immediately, no tents are allowed on the beach, as Weber said they take up too much space, and no sports can be played. The mayor said they don’t want any footballs for example to come into another group’s personal area.