Toronto 
Credit: City of Chestermere
The city of Chestermere, located 18 km east of Calgary, has passed a bylaw (BYLAW #026-20) that will enable the city to charge an admission fee to non-residents for the use of city’s beaches – Anniversary Park & Beach, Cove Park & Beach and Sunset Park, all of which provide access to the 5km long Chestermere Lake.
Non-residents will need to pay the visitor fees which are $15 per person over 15 years of age, $5 for anyone between 3 to 15 years of age and free for infants under 3. A family pass will be available for $40.
The fee is enacted so that capacity limits at the beaches can be maintained and to help offset the costs of enforcing those limits. The City cannot prohibit non-residents from using the beach as Alberta does not allow discrimination between residents and non-residents being permitted in public places.
The maximum limit at Anniversary Park is 615 people (115 on the beach), 205 (39 on the beach) at Cove Beach, and 483 at Sunset Park.
2020 Beach Admission Fees
| Type of Admission | Fee |
|---|---|
| Visitors over 15 years of age | $15 |
| Youth between 3 and 14 years of age | $5 |
| Infants under 3 years of age | Free |
| Family (maximum of 2 adults & 3 youth) | $40 |
| Chestermere Residents | Free |
Chestermere residents over the age of 15 will need to prove residency by showing identification before being allowed complimentary entry. This can be a driver’s license, mail, or school ID. An adult resident can also vouch for another person’s residency.
Once visitors have paid or been verified as a Chestermere resident, beachgoers will be given a wristband that allows access to any of the three lakeside parks that day, provided the park is not already at capacity. People with a wristband will be permitted to leave the beach area and return as they need, so long as the maximum capacity isn’t reached.
If visitors (regardless of whether they are residents or not) come to the park and it is at capacity, they will need to wait or come back later. There will not be a time limit on how long visitors can stay at the park once admitted.
“This bylaw will be in effect for the remainder of 2020,” says Mayor Chalmers. “At the end of this year, we will review its effectiveness and need for the future. That way, we can ensure we are still following the best ways to keep our residents and visitors safe, even as they enjoy our city.”
chestermere does not charge for its beaches.