Petition to move Locarno Swim Barrier West

[mjamero]

Does anyone else feel the Locarno swim barrier that extends in to the water during summer is too far east and too close to the JSCA pier?

I am posting here to see if there would be interest in petitioning the Vancouver Park Board to move the barrier west.

The last few years it has been getting busier and busier at this launch site. This past year kites were permitted to launch from this location. This was great news for kiters but it made launching from this site quite challenging at times for windsurfers.

My experience from last year is this area is too narrow. With Squamish Spit now closed were are going to see many local launch sites become even busier; Particularly Locarno.

Moving the barrier approximately 100 meters west to be inline with the western edge of the Trimble parking lot seems appropriate.

It also is a concern that lifeguards routinely confront wind sport users while at the same time our tiny launch area is filled with oblivious swimmers.

The city must understand that wind users have no control over direction and power of wind. Wind and tide conditions dictate where and how wind sport users launch and sail to avoid the pier.

Additionally, many wind sport people are beginners and amateurs. These users MUST have access to shoreline far wider than what is currently accommodated so that they can rest, adjust equipment, and learn core skills such as beach and water starts.

There no longer is enough room at this site and this barrier should have been moved west a few years ago.

Thoughts and comments?

[Slappy]

Seems like a waste of time to me. It's only kiters that have an issue, wingers and windsurfers are fine.

That is also a really popular area for kids to play at the waters edge. They will also be putting the swim doc back this summer.

Realistically I think kite foilers need to take what we can get and accept that some days you will show up, it will be windy, but you can't kite because the beach is too crowded.

[adam2]

That launch is exactly where it needs to be, directly in front of the west paved pay lot, where it's actually possible to get a parking spot, or at least a windsurfer drop-off spot on a summer weekend afternoon. Also it is the only non wind-shadowed deep water launch that works for westerly wind and wing foiling at all tide levels. Moving it would piss off a lot of people.

[mjamero]

What about adjusting the angle of the barrier so that it extends from the same origin but NW rather than NNE?

[Richi]

I dont see anything to complain about. Its a miracle there is even a designated windsurf launch, probably leftover from the 80's when sailboarding was super popular at jericho. I don't see anything good coming out of a petition, quite the opposite. If someone doesn't have the skill or patience to sail around some kids once in a while, they should go in front of windsure where no swimming is allowed.