French Bay and Frenchman’s Cove
The general rule for access to French Bay Beach and Frenchmans Cove Beach is that there is a right-of-way to the beach from 2nd Ave. every two cottages. Most cottage lots are 80’ wide and the right-of-ways are 40’ wide. … so 2 cottage lots, then a right-of-way, then 2 cottages, then a right-of-way and so on.
Many of the right-of-ways have a stream running through them and no path. Some have streams and a path. But technically you should not have to go far to find one.
Many right-of-ways have not been used regularly and have grown in and are thus not obvious.
Owners of cottages next to a right-of-way are responsible for keeping the right-of-way cleared.
Some cottagers have let the right-of-way grow in because it wasn’t being used.
Some have let it grow in on purpose to prevent people from coming to the beach by their cottage.
Others have taken the liberty of building their sheds /bunkies etc out onto the right-of-way to take advantage of the extra space.
In Summary
A right-of-way every two cottages means that every cottage on the beach has one right-of-way beside it, either on the left or the right.
This means that all cottagers with waterfront lots have a responsibility, along with their neighbour on the other side of the right-of-way, to keep the right-of-way clear. That doesn’t mean the full 40’ width should be cleared, but it does mean that a reasonable path wide enough for people, wagons, floaters, etc. must be created and maintained for use by those who do not own waterfront cottages.
Talk to Your Neighbour
It is always better if cottagers talk with each other about keeping these paths open.
Complaints to the Band about cottage owners not maintaining the paths next to their property could result in the Band clearing the right of way, making it much wider than necessary and undoubtedly less aesthetic and of course there is also the likelihood that shed/bunkie etc..encroachment onto the right-of-way will be discovered and result in a removal order.
Our advice is to talk to your neighbours with waterfront lots and get them to open up a path if one does not exist. Failing that, see if they are prepared to let you do it ( which may not be to their liking). Hopefully one of these two will work, because getting the Band involved is probably not what either of you or the Band wants.
If the Band does the work, it is likely that the two waterfront neighbours responsible for keeping the path open will be billed for the work.
The walkway to the beach between me and my neighbour ends up in water as we have lost 15’of water front this means that people have to walk through water over stones big and small and end up almost on our front deck!
The band actually has a map that shows these.
I had to visit the band to ask about this when people were cutting through my cottage on Thompson Ave and Kirk was very helpfully.
He showed me the map confirming there is not a right of way on our site and told me to have the person questioning it to contact him and he will clarify this for them.
I see that the post is titled “French Bay and Frenchman’s Cove”, but I believe it is important to emphasize that the content of this email DOES NOT apply to South Sauble – access to the beach from Second Avenue south of French Bay Road. In this area most lots are significantly narrower than 80′, and there are very few right of ways. There is already a problem (at times) with people walking through leased lots looking for beach access – sometimes right through a patio or otherwise private area.
Who is responsible for keeping the paths clear and open for non-waterfront cottagers at Chief’s Point? Thanks in advance.
Where there are paths, it’s the adjacent cottage owners’ responsibility to keep it clear,
Would love to hear some comments. Bought a cottage up on Thompson a couple years ago. With young grandchildren preferred to not be water front for now and always looking for quick and easy ways to get to the beach. I actually was told last year by a beach front owner that the the beach access areas mentioned in this post was not available for other cottage owners other than on second Avenue and I would have to use a path other than that which is closest and most convenient. I suppose that owning on Thompson doesn’t privilege me to the beach through certain areas? Puzzles me.
The beaches and rights of way are Band land. SFN cottagers, regardless of where their cottage is, have access to any of them.
I’m new to cottaging in this area and not clear on what area this applies to. We are on 2nd Ave S just a few cottages north of French Bay rd, does this apply to us?
Andrea,
The area we were referring to runs from French Bay Road south to the end of 2nd Ave. where it meets Bruce Road 13.
Where you are (just N of FBR in South Sauble) there are a number of cottages on the beach that are only accessible from the beach. So there are two tiers of cottages between 2nd Ave and the beach and no rights-of-way.
Your options for getting to the Main Beach are where French Bay Road ends at the beach or further north at the Trading Post. It is also not far if you walk south of French Bay Road on 2 Ave to access the rights-of-way between cottage lots pictured in our earlier post. However, nowhere along the stretch on either side of French Bay Road are the beaches as wide as the beach running north from the Trading post. This is particularly true if the lake is rough with a westerly wind.
Please post the map as many lots are 50 ft wide or less and do not have right of ways and everyone needs to be on the same page.
Thank you.
Debra, you do not indicate where your cottage is, but since there are no lots of 50’ in the FBBA or Block B catchment, I assume you are either in South Sauble or Chief’s Point.
The map we referred to is a digital map on the computer system in the Lands Management Office. They use this for issuing building and septic system permits.
Unfortunately the office is currently closed due to Covid, so there is not a way to go there and view your cottage neighbourhood. Once the Band offices open, you can go and ask to see your location.
Once things settle down a bit we will ask Lands to provide us with a simpler version that we can post on the SCOI website.
If we wanted to swim at French Bay, where can we park? There seems to be ‘No Parking ‘ signs all along the roads in French Bay!
Joel,
You are correct. There is no parking on 2nd Ave or on the side streets. You do not give your cottage location so it is not possible to direct you to a specific beach location.
The Reserve is still closed to the public, so the only ways to get to French Bay Beach are to walk, ride a bike or, if you are disabled or a senior, drive a golf cart. However, golf carts are only allowed to take you to a place on the beach and not to be driven around on the beach.
The same goes for Frenchman’s Cove Beach (between French Bay Rd and Wahbezee Dr. And the Main Beach between Main Street and French Bay Road.
If you know someone with a cottage in the these areas they may let you park at their cottage. Otherwise your options are to park in either Sauble Beach or Southampton and go to a municipal beach.
Greetings. The care of walkways is explained clearly but what about the little creek or drainage ditches also on an adjacent ROW. Ours does not drain very well not having been cleaned or brushed out for years . Is this our responsibility or the band group
This is the Band’s responsibility as is clearing dead tress from right-of-ways.
I noticed last night at the trading post that even though there is sign posted indicating “masks are mandatory” people are walking in with no masks and being served as well as no shoes on. If people are walking in without masks they should be asked to leave and not be served.
There is no mandatory mask bylaw, currently. A business may require it, but enforcement is up to that business. What you are seeing is a store management issue.
I am a cottage owner on South Sauble Beach. My driveway is on the beach as I have beach access only. I am having issues this summer with cottagers coming up my driveway and into my backyard thinking it is a right of way onto Second Avenue or other streets. They always ask where the right of ways are and I do not know as I do not use them. I have never seen a map for these right of ways. I understand the Land Management Office is currently closed. Is there any way you can advise me verbally as to where the right of ways are in South Sauble Beach.
Leslie,
Because you have a beach access only cottage, we assume your cottage is between the Trading Post and French Bay Road. We do not believe there are any right-of-ways from 1st or 2nd avenues to the Beach in that stretch. The rest of South Sauble is a mixed bag when it comes to beach access. We will have to wait until the Land Management office reopens before we can provide cottagers with a map that shows right-of-ways to the Beach.