Submitted by a local Citizen – Wally Keeler

Two regular characters showed up on Draper’s blog on February 3, 2026, to reply to an individual who posted a query about repairs to the east pier.
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Ken Strauss, “… how many of Cobourg’s 10,000 families use the East Pier? What is the estimated cost to repair?”
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10,000 families, a convenient round number, very vanilla, very general. Mr. Krauss presents 10,000 as some sort of criterion that must be met before anything has worth to the community in his estimation.
StatsCan says the average ‘census family size’ was 2.9 people in 2021. StatsCan also said that the average ‘household size’ is 2.4 people per household. But Mr. Strauss referred to families, not households. 10,000 families produce 29,000 individuals who reside in Cobourg. Fifty percent plus one is 14,501, a majority.
Does anyone know if 14,501 Cobourg residents use the east pier annually?
Does anyone know if 14,501 residents use the pickleball court?
Does anyone know if 14,501 residents use the Cobourg Ecology Garden?
Does anyone know if 14,501 residents use the skateboard ramps in Donegan Park?
Does anyone know if 14,501 residents visit the Cobourg Museum?
Does anyone know if 14,501 residents gather around the Cenotaph?
Does anyone know if 14,501 residents attend the Cobourg Concerts in Vic Park?

The last municipal election saw 6,757 votes cast, representing approximately 40.9 percent, much less than a majority of eligible voters.
Mr. Strauss’ 10,000 families formula as a criterion is nothing more than a vanilla throwaway that he uses when he wants to pull the rug out from anyone desiring a municipal service.
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Bryan, “The East Pier is currently open. People frequently walk out to the end. What else do you want?
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How about a pier with a smooth, flat surface, solid enough to safely hold events? Simple as that. Bean-counter brains often have a deficit of imagination or creativity, which explains their contempt for individuals who do.

Over the years, many have ludicrously suggested that Victoria Park Beach be fenced off and out-of-town users be charged to access it. But the east pier past the Coast Guard station can be easily fenced off and controlled with a gate providing vehicle access. The Town recently installed more park benches – good.

Several Ontario towns host annual kite festivals. The east pier provides a prime platform for such an event, lots of space, lots of air space, visible to all from the beach or a toonie charge for those wanting onto the pier? Vendors can rent a day’s space to sell kites or junk food. Revenue, think revenue.

Great place for summer music concerts, charge entry fees, have the entire sound system pointed out towards the lake, rather than inward towards the Town. I can hear rock bands all the way up to University Avenue because the bandshell faces the Town. Again, vendors can pay to rent a space during these events. Revenue, think revenue.

A creative mind imagines an annual roller blade or skateboard event on that surface. Vendors and entrance charge. Revenue, think revenue.

Aside from events, think arts and culture, which might be too much to ask of mediocre bean counters. Shakespeare In The Park, or Northumberland Players, and various local dance troupes could organize a performance day, charge admission, and set up vendors.

Before surfacing the pier, the Art Gallery of Northumberland could survey artists throughout Northumberland who would wish to embed their imaginations in wet concrete. Provide them with a 4’ x 4’ square. The squares line the perimeter. Let the artists colour the concrete, similar to the burgundy crosswalk by the liquor store. I would love to see a couple of works by Rick Beaver, for example.

Fasten to the surface several picnic tables with poetry etched onto the tabletop, Picnic On Poetry, for families. Poems provided by poets from across the country, Governor General’s Award recipients, Giller Prize recipients, Parliamentary Poets Laureate or Provincial Poets Laureate, as well as poets in the local community.

This provides Cobourg families with literature, with elevated language, instead of the bland gland debris that visits Draper’s blog. This will attract some higher-class tourists and students from Ontario universities to visit this one-of-a-kind open-access library.

Arts and culture daily will request a toonie charge to access. An artistically designed fence, with two or three turnstiles for access, Picnic on Poetry or contemplate the creativity of Northumberland’s artists. Revenue, think revenue. Give the people a product that costs only a toonie to visit, provide them with benches, and picnic tables. All of this will draw far more than a mere 10,000 families annually. And all it needs is a strong flat surface. And all the revenue it earns will provide sustainable maintenance for the surface.

There are federal and provincial arts and culture agencies that can be exploited by municipalities for grants.