Four of Niagara’s 19 beaches declared unsafe for swimming

While it was up to six earlier this week, as the July 8-9 weekend approaches, the region is saying just four of Niagara’s 19 beaches are unsafe for swimming.

Crescent Beach in Fort Erie is unsafe due to ecoli levels, Waverly Beach, also in Fort Erie, is unsafe to swim due to algae levels, Nelles Beach in Grimsby is unsafe to swim due to safety issues and Reebs Beach in Wainfleet is unsafe to swim due to algae levels.

Getting the thumbs-up from the region are: Bay Beach and Bernard Avenue Beach, both in Fort Erie, Casablanca Beach and Fifty Point Conservation Beach, both in Grimsby, Charles Daley Park Beach in Lincoln, Queen’s Royal Beach in Niagara-on-the-Lake, as well as Long Beach and Wainfleet Lake Erie Public Access Beach, both in Wainfleet.

Both of St. Catharines’ beaches – Lakeside Beach and Sunset Beach – were both tested by Niagara today (July 6) and declared open for swimming.

Port Colborne with the most sandy spots in the region – five beaches in total – were all tested either yesterday or today and all are safe. The swimming holes in Port Colborne are: Centennial Cedar Bay Beach, Nickel Beach, Sherkston Elco Beach, Sherkston Quarry Beach and Sherkston Wyldewood Beach.

The warmest beach water temperature was 24.8C at Sherkston Quarry Beach and the coldest was 17.2C at Bernard Avenue Beach.