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If you were suddenly told that you had to pay, and wear a plastic wrist band showing you paid, to kite, would you go somewhere else? How many kiters have to do this and (if) where and how much?

Please, I am looking for information regarding fees paid for access to kite areas and peoples feelings regarding that in their own areas. There is no need to make uninformed comments about me.
Thanks.

We have that this year... not so much to pay to kite but this is the first time in 45years you have to pay to drive onto the beach at Kettle Point . One of the best spots in the great lakes for waves. The natives are going make you pay 10 bucks a car load. ( ok that isn't bad) but they have to keep the beach clean. ( we will see) . I feel that locals that pay taxes to our little town should get a beach sticker , we are paying twice now . The Natives don't have to pay to get onto the beach ( which is white mans land ) Here in Canada Natives get huge tax breaks , education paid, cut prices on housing and the list goes on. ( I know this because I was raised around them and hung out with them all my life)

For my self as well as a lot of others will mostly drive one way or another to go kiting because of this. Kind of the joys of living in SW Ontario.. 100kms and I can ride in two different great lakes .

Another spot in Ontario just lifted the parking fee, which is a big beach town in hope to draw more people to help support the local shops.

It is one thing if they are going to keep the beach clean and put up washrooms to make it worth the 10bucks , but all the years I lived here black pulp washes up on the beach and stinks like fish and was never once cleaned up. Unless the people that own the cottages did it their selves.

Sorry for the rant but it just pisses me off that it is a Canadian right to the water and water ways.

Terrie

Here in UK there's a few beaches.

Unfortunately the nearest beach to me is one of them. You're not supposed to kite without third party insurance, and a permit from the local council. The permit is free on provision of insurance. Insurance costs about £40/ year. Coloured bands attached to harness etc.

I'm kind of in favour of insurance, but what I'm not in favour of is after paying all this, were then expected to pay £5 to drive onto the beach during the summer months with all the regular beach go'ers.

I think it would be fairer if those who can provide proof of the above were granted free access to the beach.

I am against

If they are PUBLIC beaches, means we already paid for with our taxes..

This creates finacial racisme, can you imagine that someone with a very low to no income at all, and cannot afford the extra money anymore to acces a beach, so it is only for the happy few...this could turn into "class" beaches..it makes me shiver
dude

i’m not going to pay for just passing through or just to be on the beach, no way! since in my country 5 meters wide strip of the shore (from the high water mark) is free land i can always find way around. and the see is free for everyone.

but i don’t mind to pay for parking my car in the parking space near by which is specially made to organize parking in the area.

It depends on how much it cost and what the rules are. For example one of the best spots within an hour drive here requires you to pay, show some IKO thing and they have some kind of system of buoys to show where you're allowed to jump, launch, give lessons, etc. I've never been there and will probably never go because I don't want to deal with all that shit. I just want to go to the beach and kite.

That said, if there is some kind of fee for parking or similar because there is limited space, I could understand that.

Would I? I already do. There are certain counties/parks around Florida that charge for access to the beach. Though the counties usually do it only during the busy summer months. There's always a fee at the park. There's free access in certain places but usually you can't find parking during the summer and it will be so packed that you wont be able to launch. Nothing's free these days.

Terrie, I can't say I'm surprised to hear that they are going to charge us to get on @ kettle.
When you have a government that doesn't stand up for those of us who do pay taxes and
dithers away hundreds of millions of dollars on "native issues" what do you expect!
They figure they own the land and have a captive audience they know will pay, its a no brainer.
I can't believe its taken them this long to do it. I won't be spending my money locally if they want to be greedy.
Bob

norcom wrote:Would I? I already do. There are certain counties/parks around Florida that charge for access to the beach.
...

And lake Mead is one of them ; i had to pay for access 10 years ago when i first started
kite boarding. It's a National park.
They didn't put in a pay-station at lake Mohave, till a few years ago ; but now Ya got to
pay There now also.

30 bucks a year , isn't so bad ; it use to be $20.

Bille