Peace and quiet at last

Peace and quiet at LAST? But don't you live in a piece of paradise? Well, yes we do, except for one tiny thorn.

Our property borders the Goat River. Once upon a time this was part of the highway, and a bridge went across almost right below us. This was demolished some decades ago and the road was closed except for local traffic. Since then, the small beach (known locally as "The Point") and the river were used for swimming, rafting, suntanning and recreation.

However, especially in the last few years, The Point became a bit of a trouble zone. Some started to use the place for drinking and drug parties, uncivilized behavior and, worse still, lighting (camp) fires in the driest season. Obviously this made life rather dangerous for the people living around the area. Our neighbors even went to court about it... and finally, in March the judge decided that the province is responsible for the safety of The Point.

To our surprise, during this weekend a huge gate was erected on both sides of the river, blocking access to the beaches on either side.  As sad as we feel for our fellow Crestonites that one of their favorite recreational spots has been taken away, it is a huge advantage that our safety has increased. So all in all, Murray and I are very happy with the sight of this gate. On our side of the river:

And the opposite side:

And finally, for the ones who have not yet seen our house and can't really picture the scene, here is a Google Earth situation sketch!