Tim Hygard, a longtime resident of Estevan now retired from SaskPower, said that last week’s drowning incident at the Boundary Dam reservoir near the beach area, continues to bother him in terms of what could have been done, and now, what can be done in the future to prevent an event such as that from happening again.
Hygard said one of the first items that sprang to his attention was that perhaps the time has come to provide lifeguard services at the beach, at least during the months of July and August.
“Things have changed there. What used to be a free access recreation site is now a regional park. People now need to pay to get in, there are campers there every night, I’m sure they would appreciate it if the beach had lifeguard service during the day,” he said.
Hygard said he did not want to leave the impression of pointing a finger at any agency or organization, but felt that following the loss of the 12-year-old boy, a dialogue should be opened regarding what might be done in the future.
“A sign proclaiming that you are swimming at your own risk or that a lifeguard is not on duty, is not protection,” he said. “There are some safety and legal measures such as signage, but the best way to protect them would be lifeguards,” he added.
“Maybe we need to talk about surveillance cameras. Would they improve security regarding response times? I don’t know.”
Hygard added that Boundary Dam beach has been improved substantially over the past three or four years to include fresh sand, activity buildings, a playpark and other services and now the camp sites which probably number over 100. It’s a popular spot for activities during the hot summer days and especially for events such as the annual Beach Bash.
“I think we now have a responsibility to add what, to me, seems to be a vital service, some lifeguard attendants. It would be a good summer job for some responsible high school or university students with training, for two months. They might patrol the beach, do a little minor maintenance work like raking the sand or doing a little debris cleanup in the morning before the people arrive,” he suggested. “I’m sure the camping population would appreciate the extra security.”
Hygard added, “with more activity, there is more need.”
He reiterated that “I’m not looking to blame anyone, and I don’t think this is just a knee-jerk reaction to the tragedy, but let’s just think about it, let’s talk about it and maybe it could lead to some type of plan to reduce the danger.
“I’m sure other people have some ideas they might want to forward to the Woodlawn Regional Park Authority and the park management. They would have to talk about liabilities, costs, and things that guys like me don’t know about, but I believe the conversation should be held now that there is a lot more activity out there compared with a few years ago.”
