Breasts on the beach
may be unstoppable

BY LYNDA HILLMAN-RAPLEY
Lakeshore Advance staff writer


GRAND BEND -- Bare breasts, parkland and bylaws took over much of the Grand Bend resident's meeting Saturday.

Chairman Pat Henry said there have been very few complaints this past winter, contributing to the poor turnout.

Barry Strong asked Mayor Cam Ivey what they planned to do about the recent Court of Appeal ruling that allows women to bare their breasts in public.

"We are not ready for topless chickadees parading our streets," he said.

"I can't do anything," said Ivey. "This has come from the government, it's not the village's law."

Strong said there will be major repercussions in the village from this law and people should not sit still for it. Resident Marlan Siren said maybe it's time Grand Bend grew up with the rest of the world.

"Let's not assume problems before there are any," she cautioned the group. "I don't want my police and bylaw officers spending their time doing this when there are important issues."

Strong said there was an article in a Windsor paper directing those whom wanted to be topless bathers to go to Grand Bend and Wasaga Beaches. Strong asked why this resort got "everyone's garbage".

He said he did not want his family visiting if this was going to happen.

Gord Kraft suggested this was a moral issue and maybe the seven area churches could take up this cause and to "give the politicians a break".

Henry said the court ruling has left the village's hands tied. Ivey said there is nothing they can do about it and not to give the national media a forum.

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