Lakeside finally gets its beach boardwalk

Construction is underway on a new boardwalk going down to the beach at Lakeside, P.E.I.

Residents of the communityjust outside Morell hadlobbied the province to build a new boardwalk for two years after the old wooden staircase was damaged in a winter storm.

Local resident Hugh Logan said the beach was not accessible, particularly for seniors and those with mobility issues.

"For the last couple of years the staircase sort of went sideways every time somebody went and stepped on it," he said.

"It was rickety and ready to fall over. A lot of people wouldn't even take the stairs, they'd just come up to the boardwalk and walk down the dune beside it."

The new boardwalk, which costs about $25,000, is being funded by the province's department of rural development.

The area's MLA, Sidney MacEwen, said having the beach access will help protect the dunes.

"It's environmentally better. We're not having four or five different paths through the dunes."

Contractors hope to have the boardwalk completed by the end of this week.

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With files from Nancy Russell