Saugeen Shores Town staff say it could be a while before the North Shore Trail is repaired.
They say temporary high water levels have caused extensive damage to the North Shore Trail resulting in the closure of more than a third of it.
Staff are investigating the requirements and cost to repair the trail but say, with the coastal engineering required, it will take many months or more, at a substantial cost.
Meanwhile, at its May 11th meeting, Council heard ideas about changes to the North Shore road. The Town says, people continue to use the trail and road
as a means of active transportation, despite the trail closure.
In light of that, staff is in the early stages of exploring whether North Shore Road and Miramichi Bay Road could be temporarily converted into one-way streets, with the closed lane becoming an active transportation trail.
Staff say the Share the Road Cycling Coalition is advocating communities consider the public use of roads as part of their COVID-19 recovery plans.
They cay larger centres have arranged some partially or fully closed streets to allow for physical distancing between pedestrians and cyclists.
Staff will be conducting public consultation in the coming weeks to gauge people's opinions of the idea.
The Town notes beaches remain closed to the public by orders under the Emergency Management and Civil Protection Act, though the Town notes its staff are still doing some maintenance on the beach.