Constance Bay beach patrol in dispute

Waterfront property owners at Constance Bay west of Ottawa don't want a group of sunbathers patrolling the beach tohelp controldrinking and littering.

Jane Curryis a memberofa group of sunbathersthat hasstarted spending weekends patrollingConstance Bay beach.

"Two of us will go down on Saturday and Sunday and patrol the beach basically making sure everyone is behaving themselves and having a good time," she said.

But waterfront property owner Fred Bayne said he doesn't want to see anyone using the beach in front of his cottage, not even if that person is patrolling the area.

"It is private property so this is something they can't do without our permission to begin with," he said.

Bayneand other property ownerswere also upsetby a letter fromOttawa's police chiefinforming them that the police will no longerrespond to trespassing complaints untila debate over property linesis settled.

The question of how far property lines extend onto this strand of beach has been debated for decades, pitting owners against visitors. Those who live along the shore have erected no trespassing signs but sunbathers take them down.

Owners said they will keep remindingthose who come to the beach that they're trespassing.

Curry and her group said they plan to continue patrolling the beach whether they're welcome or not.

"I'm hoping that they will come around when they see that people are coming around trying to make lives better for them and better for everyone," she said.