Naturist issue at Three Mile Beach back before council

PENTICTON – Three Mile Beach is back at the table Tuesday as staff are set to present a number of options on how to deal with the contentious issue of naturists using the Penticton beach.

Staff will be presenting a number of options to council members at a meeting tonight, April 7, and some do come with a price tag. Options include maintaining the status quo, posting signage warning of clothing optional activities, creating a $100,000 Three Mile Beach project and several options in between.

Council will have lots to consider before making a decision on which route to take and no single option is likely to appease everyone involved.

The Penticton beach has had a history of being 'clothing optional' but suddenly made headlines last year when a property owner on the beach exercised his right to deny permission to naturists using his property.

The naturists continued to use the beach, but were now visible to the section of the beach traditionally used by conventional beachgoers. Over the past summer, a number of local property owners and beachgoers to Three Mile Beach were upset by the nudity.

Both sides in the dispute voiced their concerns to the public and to council earlier this year, beginning with property owners, who addressed council at the beginning of February.

At that council meeting, property owner Carey Pinkowski said he 'absolutely rejected' the idea of designating the beach clothing optional, saying property values would be damaged by such a move. Three Mile Road property owner Matt Fraser told council there was 'more than just nude sunbathing going on.'

On March 2 local naturist Kevin Proteau and Canadian Naturist Organization’s Judy Williams were before council to present their side of the story, telling council they were part of a well behaved group of citizens who enjoyed and protected nature. They cited the history of naturism at Three Mile Beach and  ourism benefits as other reasons why the city should embrace a clothing optional option.

To contact the reporter for this story, email Steve Arstad at sarstad@infonews.ca or call 250-488-3065. To contact the editor, email mjones@infonews.ca or call 250-718-2724.